Chapter 19 - Mark and Lily Start a New Life in Another State

Months after the trial concluded, Mark and Lily packed their belongings to start fresh in coastal North Carolina.
They left the old Ohio home behind, closing the door on the dark memories that once haunted them.
Their new home was a bright, sunny coastal cottage nestled near the rolling sand dunes of Wilmington.
Lily started her second-grade year at a wonderful local school, making new friends and playing soccer on the beach.
Mark launched a regional architectural consulting firm, allowing him to spend more evenings with his daughter.
They sat on the front porch sipping fresh lemonade under the warm afternoon sun, surrounded by peace and love.
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The trauma of the past felt like a distant nightmare from another lifetime entirely.
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