Chapter 16 - Healing Old Wounds (1,500 words)
[With Darlene out of the hospital and living in a modest, manageable condominium closer to physical therapy, the family dynamics slowly stabilize. Nathan, humbled by bankruptcy court and abandoned by his fair-weather associates, reaches out to Rebecca with a genuine apology, acknowledging how their mother's toxic favoritism warped their upbringing.
Rebecca accepts his apology with cautious optimism, making it clear that rebuilding trust will take time. Nathan begins working a standard-hours job as a senior site supervisor for a major construction firm, learning the value of earning an honest paycheck without relying on family handouts.
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Avery, now working part-time to pay her own tuition at a local community college, bumps into Molly at a campus bookstore. Instead of exchanging cold glares, the cousins share a quiet, civil conversation—the first step toward healing the generational fracture.]
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