Chapter 5

After the divorce, I left without taking anything except photographs of my daughter. Everything else in that house, including Norman's so-called love, had never truly belonged to me. The dream I had once woven for myself had shattered, leaving behind nothing but unbearable pain.

I couldn't escape the shadow of Nina's death. Every time I thought about the child I had carried for ten months, raised with all my love, the little girl whose laughter had once brightened my days, I was reminded of the cold, lifeless body left in her place. She would never call me "Mommy" again.

The grief consumed me, pulling me into a haze of despair.

I could barely function, making constant mistakes at work. My boss, out of sympathy, suggested I take a leave of absence to rest. But without work to distract me, I only sank deeper into the sorrow of losing Nina. Well-meaning words from family and friends did nothing to ease my pain.

I don't know how long I wandered through that fog. But one day, I found myself standing on a bridge.

At first, I thought I was dreaming. The wind was sharp against my skin, snapping me back to reality. I looked down at the river below, so far beneath me. If I jumped, I could finally escape the pain. Then, I could be with Nina again.

"Nina, Mommy's coming. Just wait a little longer..." I whispered, gripping the railing as I started to climb over.

Suddenly, something brushed against my face, covering my eyes.

I lost my balance and stumbled backward, landing hard on the pavement. A gust of wind cut through me, waking me from the trance.

I blinked, trying to see what had stopped me, a white butterfly. It fluttered around me, delicate and weightless, as if watching over me.

I stared at it in a daze, and suddenly, an image of Nina appeared in my mind, spinning in her white dress, laughing. She had always loved that dress, the one I had bought for her.

For a moment, I thought I saw her standing there, smiling brightly, just as she always had. I reached out to hold her, but before my fingers could touch her, she disappeared.

Just as I was about to get up and search for her, a firm hand gripped my shoulder. I turned to see a police officer standing behind me.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" he asked gently, his concerned eyes searching mine.

I looked back toward where Nina had been, but she was gone. All that remained was the white butterfly, now perched on the railing, its wings trembling in the breeze.

I reached out toward it, but it flew away, disappearing into the distance, heading in the direction of home.

At that moment, memories flooded my mind, Nina lying on my lap, looking up at me with those big, round eyes.

"Mommy, don't be sad. Nina wants Mommy to be happy."

I nodded to myself, my voice barely a whisper. "I understand now. I won't give up. Don't worry."