The morning of my mother’s memorial came with a heavy weight pressing against my chest. I stared at the mirror in my bedroom, my reflection a ghost of the person I used to be. My black dress hung loosely on my frame, a reminder of the sleepless nights and endless tears. Today wasn’t just about saying goodbye to my mother—it felt like saying goodbye to everything I’d once believed in.

My phone buzzed on the dresser, and I glanced at it, hoping against hope to see Damion’s name. ...