Chapter 14 - The Final Goodbye
A year after Emma walked into my life, we got the call.
Sarah Carter was fading.
We rushed to Oakwood Estate.
I walked into the room using my crutches, standing tall beside Emma.
Sarah was lying in bed, looking peaceful.
She looked at Emma, and for a brief, beautiful moment, the fog of Alzheimer's cleared.
"My beautiful girl," Sarah whispered.
Emma broke down, holding her mother's hand.
"I love you, Mom."
Sarah's eyes shifted to me.
"Take care of her, Danny."
"With my life," I promised.
Sarah passed away an hour later.
It was a quiet, painless end to a life filled with struggle.
That night, Emma cried in my arms until she fell asleep.
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I held her tightly, realizing that true strength wasn't about ruling an underworld.
It was about being strong enough to hold the person you love when their world is falling apart.
