The party did not end with cheers. It ended with careful voices and small clusters of people leaving early. Mara collected her coat and walked out steadily. Outside, she looked back at the glass-lit rooftop and saw Ethan watching her through the window. He did not look triumphant.
He looked changed. And for the first time in years, Mara felt sure he saw her as a person, not a prop in his story. She just stood still long enough to let the moment register for both of them. Then she turned and walked away, carrying the certainty that she would never need to beg for her place again.