Ally's POV

　　I inhale deeply, the scent of blooming lavender from the garden below filling my lungs... It's a day heavy with significance, the air itself seems to pulse with anticipation. Today marks another year of survival, of enduring love's twisted ways with Nathan.

　　I rise from the bed, my limbs lighter than they've been in months. Dawn stirs within me, her presence a comforting warmth at the back of my mind. She's been calm lately, no longer pacing restlessly ...