Chapter 13 - The Unbroken Circle**
One crisp afternoon in early spring, Sarah came over to visit Grace’s studio. The two women sat on the garden porch, drinking tea as Leo played safely with wooden blocks on a soft blanket nearby. Looking back on the long, grueling journey from that terrifying morning in the bedroom to this peaceful haven, both felt a deep sense of shared triumph.
"I remember looking at you that day," Sarah said softly, her eyes warm with admiration. "You thought you had nothing left inside you. But I saw a fire that was just waiting for a chance to catch." Grace smiled, placing her hand over Sarah's in deep gratitude. "You gave me the spark, Sarah. You held the mirror up when I couldn't see my own strength." They shared a quiet, powerful moment of friendship—a bond forged in crisis and perfected in freedom.
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