"Where are you going?" Lilly asked, pretending not to know.

“Away from your imagination,” Sarah said, disappearing down the hallway.

The day had finally arrived. The grand opening was about to begin, and Sarah could hardly believe it was real. After years of struggle, heartbreak, and betrayal, standing on the edge of her dream felt surreal—like something out of a movie she’d never dared to imagine herself in.

She wore the brown maxi dress. The soft fabric flowed elegantly around her ...