I reached over to squeeze her hand, my heart aching for the burden she had carried alone. “You did the right thing, sweetheart. We’ll figure this out together.”

We drove in silence, the weight of her confession hanging heavily in the car. I fought to keep my emotions in check, knowing I needed to be strong for Sarah’s sake. Thoughts raced through my mind—questions of safety, of our future, of how to protect my daughter from the chaos that awaited us.

As we drove further from the life we once knew, I made a silent vow to keep Sarah safe, to shield her from the fallout of Richard’s decisions. This was a new beginning, one born from fear but driven by love and the instinct to protect my child.

In that moment, I realized that the road ahead would be challenging, but we would face it together, one step at a time, leaving the past behind in our rearview mirror.