“I’m not strong enough for this,” I said quietly.
Rick looked at me for a long moment.
“You built a life for yourself with nothing,” he said. “You survived being invisible in a world that rewards being seen. Don’t tell me you’re not strong.”
I didn’t feel strong.
I felt… scared.
“But this isn’t just about me,” he added more gently. “This is about making sure the right things happen after I’m gone.”
I thought about Violet.
About what she had said.
About who I had become in her eyes.
Maybe she thought I had chosen the easy path.
But this didn’t feel easy anymore.
It felt complicated.
Heavy.
Real.
“If I do this,” I said slowly, “people are going to hate me.”
Rick gave a small nod.
“Some will,” he said. “But some won’t. And the ones who matter… they’ll understand eventually.”
I wasn’t sure I believed that.
But I did know one thing.
For the first time in my life—
I wasn’t invisible.
I mattered.
Even if it was in a way I never expected.
I took a deep breath.
“…Alright,” I said.
Rick studied me, then nodded once.
“Alright.”
And just like that, something shifted.
This wasn’t just a transaction anymore.
It was a choice.
A responsibility.
A turning point.
I looked down at my wedding dress, then back at him.
For once, I wasn’t the girl being overlooked.
I was the one standing at the center of the story.
And whether I was ready or not—
I wasn’t walking away.
