Chapter 15: The Final Salute

Chapter 15: The Final Salute
The afternoon sun cast long, golden shadows across the park on the base. Maya, now a wildly energetic toddler, was sprinting across the grass, her laughter echoing in the warm air. She chased a butterfly, completely untouched by the darkness that had surrounded her before she was even born.
My father stood beside me in his civilian clothes, his posture still rigid but his eyes soft.
"You did good, Emily," he murmured, watching Maya tumble into a pile of autumn leaves.
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"We did good, Dad," I corrected him, slipping my hand into his.
I looked up at the sky, taking a deep breath of the free, open air. The lies, the bruises, and the terror were nothing but ashes now. I had walked through the fire, and on the other side, I hadn't just found survival—I had found a beautiful, unshatterable life.