te. Sara had agreed to meet her mother one last time before things spiraled even further. The lie

couldn't have imagined. But the one thing that remained unchanged was the bond she felt with Kara. Despite th

Sara could feel the weight of her support. It was a com

thing," Kara said softly

t don't know how to face her. How do you

g look, one that spoke volumes about the shared pain of their p

trength, and with one final glance

Sara to make the first move. Her eyes were tired, dark circles under them from nights of worry. She had always been a

r voice soft but strained

s crossed over her chest, trying to keep her composure. She wasn't sure

ady, though there was an edge to it. "You lied to me, Mom. You kept

never wanted to hurt you. I thought I was protecting you.

ieter now. "You thought I wouldn't be able to

"Please, don't. I'm not ready to forgive you. Not yet. You kept me in t

w else to protect you. I've spent every day of your life try

in her chest. "It's too late for apologies. I just want answers. Wh

to do. And when I found out... when I realized the truth... it was too late to fix it. I though

as tired of hearing excuses. She had heard them all be

despite her efforts to stay composed. "Where's K

from them," she said quickly, almost defensively. "I just thought it was better for

er. "But I don't belong here, do I? I belong with them." She was trembling

belong with both of us. And I'll do anything I can to make this

she didn't want to say. "I don't know if I can fo

d out, her footsteps ech

ara approached. She didn't ask what had happened, didn't push for details. She jus

it tightly, and they walked

" Kara ask

t know. But I'm done being part of her lie. I need to

etermined. "And you will. We'll figur

g to bloom. The truth had come out, but it was only the beginning. The path ahead would be long, f

e Villanueva house, but the reality of what had transpired still hung in the air. Sara's heart felt heavy, as tho

essing on her chest. She hadn't expected the conversation to go the way it had. She hadn't expected the apology, eit

r shoulders nearly touching, though the distance b

ftly, breaking the silence t

s on the ground. "I don't know what to feel. Part of me wants to scream at her, to make her unde

rgive her right now. Not today. But you're allowed to feel what you feel, no matter

t belong here, in this family, in this life," Sara murmured. "And now

wirling emotions. "You're not a lie, Sara. You're real. And no matter what happened before, you

elling up with unshed tears. "I

and, squeezing it with strength. "You're you, Sara. You've always been

ve those words. "I just feel like everything is slipping away from

steady. "You'll figure it out. Yo

y herself. "But what about you, Kara? Wha

ed hands. "I don't know what to say, Sara. I didn't grow up with them. I didn't know who they were. My whole life was built

? Your real family?" Sara

rt of me does. But then there's the fear of everything changing.

been feeling. "It's scary, isn't it? Finding out everything you knew was wr

don't have to have all the answers right now, Sara. We just have

er voice thick with emotion. "Thank you. I

"You're not alone, S

her message, this time with a sense

ething I need to explain to you.

fore. But there was something in the way Victoria phrased it that felt different.

ouldn't help but notice how cold it felt. The rooms,

room, her posture still stiff but with an a

Victoria began, her voice quiet. "The truth about your re

on her mother. "I've been waiting for this.

never thought I would have to keep you from. But he wasn't who I thought he was. There we

peated, her confusion gr

simple man, Sara. He was involved in things that could have destroyed both of us. When I found out

tared at her mother in disbelief. "So, you k

me. And when he died, I knew it wasn't over. I knew the people he had wronged wouldn't just

the magnitude of what her mother was saying. "So, wha

now is that you deserve to make your own choice now, Sara. You need to

For the first time, she truly felt like the walls were crumbling around

as no turni