Chapter 8 - Rebuilding the Foundation
The winter months in Seattle were damp and gray, but inside Claire’s apartment, there was a warmth that had nothing to do with the radiators.
She had invited a small group of coworkers and trusted friends over for a belated housewarming party to celebrate her promotion and her true financial independence. There were no strained silences, no passive-aggressive remarks disguised as family jokes, and certainly no smashed cakes.
As she pulled a tray of homemade pastries from the oven, Lydia Chen—her manager—walked over with a glass of sparkling cider.
“You know, Claire,” Lydia said, looking around the bright, tastefully decorated living room, “six months ago, when all that madness with your family was happening, I was worried you might break under the pressure.”
Claire laughed, pouring cider into a glass. “I almost did, Lydia. For a long time, I thought love meant enduring whatever my family threw at me because ‘blood is thicker than water.’”
“And now?”
“Now I know that blood is just a biological accident,” Claire said, her voice steady and clear. “Family is built on respect, safety, and mutual care. If a relationship requires you to set yourself on fire to keep the other person warm, it’s not a family. It’s a trap.”
May you like
Lydia smiled, clinking her glass against Claire’s. “Well, you’ve built a hell of a fortress now.”
“It’s not a fortress,” Claire corrected, looking toward the window where the city lights were beginning to twinkle against the dusk. “It’s just a home.”
