One afternoon, as the sunlight kissed our skin, I felt a sense of clarity. Looking down at my little girl, I knew she needed a name that would reflect the bright future I dreamed for her.
“Aurora,” I murmured, feeling the name settle in my heart. Aurora Thompson.
I wanted my daughter to be like the first ray of sunlight, gentle yet powerful, always full of hope and courage, and forever ready to start fresh.
I turned to my mom, my eyes shining. “What do you think?”
“Aurora… such a beautiful name,” she said, her face lighting up. She scooped my baby into her arms. “Oh, my sweet Aurora, you must be like the sun, always shining beside your mommy, okay?”
I noticed a tear glistening in her eye as she turned away to wipe it. My mom always felt this deep sense of guilt for me, like I’d been wronged in every possible way.
I smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Mom, I’m really okay. When I first found out about Gabriel’s affair, I could hardly breathe. My chest hurt, and I couldn’t sleep for days, wondering what I’d done wrong. But then I realized, it wasn’t me. Some people are just… well, they’re born to be scum. They can’t help themselves. He would never be satisfied with one person.”
“I used to think he loved me, that he was honest,” I continued, shaking my head, “but that was before he had the means. When his career took off, I knew it was only a matter of time before this happened.”
I held Aurora close, letting out a quiet breath. “It’s better to know the truth now while she’s still too young to understand than to find out years later.”
I stood up, pulling my mom and my daughter into a warm hug, feeling more content than I had in a long time. “With you two by my side, I’m happy every day.”
The next morning, I received the divorce agreement from Gabriel. I opened it, scanning the document. He’d made more changes to the property division, this time, he’d allocated all the real estate to me.
I didn’t feel any joy over it; it was just another formality. Without hesitation, I signed the papers.
