For a heartbeat, neither of them responded. The bustling terminal seemed to fade away, the crowd around us watching intently, drawn into our family drama.

Finally, my father cleared his throat, his voice strained. “Mia, we didn’t know…”

“You never bothered to know,” I interrupted, gently but firmly. “And that’s okay. Maybe it’s time we stop pretending to be a family and start respecting each other as individuals.”

With that, I turned and walked towards my waiting jet, the officer falling into step beside me. As I approached the private terminal, a sense of liberation enveloped me. I wasn’t just leaving for a flight; I was stepping into a new chapter of my life, one where I defined my own worth.

In the cocoon of the private jet, the world felt different—more open, full of possibilities. The leather seat was soft beneath me as I settled in, and a steward offered me a glass of champagne. I accepted with a smile, raising it in a silent toast to new beginnings.

As the engines roared to life and the jet began its taxi, I glanced out the window. My father and Laya were still visible in the distance, their figures small and insignificant against the vastness of the runway.

For the first time, I felt completely at peace with who I was and the choices I had made. The plane lifted off, carrying me away from a lifetime of judgment and into a future that was entirely my own.