Chapter 14 - LILY RETURNED TO THE BALLROOMFive years later, Lily was thirteen.

Caldwell Grand hosted a charity event for child legal advocacy.
She attended with Madeline.
By choice.
Ethan was there too.
The ballroom looked different.
New carpet.
Different flowers.
Same doors.
Lily stopped near the entrance.
Madeline noticed.
“Want to leave?”
Lily thought.
“No.”
Then Ben, now ten, ran ahead because he had spotted dessert.
Perfect.
Lily laughed.
The room became a ballroom again.
Not the place where she had to reveal her mother’s secret.
May you like
She walked in holding nobody’s hand.
That mattered.