simply relieved to be finished with all of it.
To Elon’s family’s credit, they did not abandon Sophie.
His mother called me a week after the anniversary dinner.
She cried.
She apologized.
She told me she was ashamed of what her son had done but hoped I would still allow her to remain Sophie’s grandmother.
“Of course,” I told her.
My marriage to Elon had ended.
Sophie’s relationship with her grandparents didn’t need to.
Then I started rebuilding.
That became the part of the story I valued most.
Not the toast.
Not the shocked faces around the table.
Not even the divorce.
Rebuilding myself.
When maternity leave ended, I returned to work.
I discovered I was still good at my job.
Maybe better than before.
I reconnected with friends I had allowed to drift away.
I laughed more.
I stopped constantly measuring my words according to someone else’s mood.
I
