Independence felt like an armor she wore daily. It protected, but it also weighed. When doubt surfaced, she told herself, “You’re strong enough.” Nights were the hardest, when her armor came off, and vulnerability returned, uninvited, asking questions she postponed answering. Laura remembered how much her partnership with Brett had once buffered fears.
She prepared herself for divorce without drama. She researched quietly, asking a lawyer, “What would this look like?” The answer was careful, conditional. Possibilities, not certainties. Planning steadied her nerves. Accepting endings felt easier than waiting in limbo, imagining outcomes she could neither confirm nor prevent.