Chapter 136

• She had spent most of her life trying to gain Alessa’s approval, trying to bridge the gap between them, but no matter what she did, her mother remained distant, cold, and preoccupied with her own affairs.
• Now, standing in the home she had built with Jason, in the life she had finally made for herself, Lucy realized she didn’t need Alessa’s approval anymore. She didn’t need her mother’s validation to feel worthy, to feel whole.
• Taking a deep breath, Lucy steadied herself. “ Look, Alessa, ” she said, her tone more controlled now, “ I appreciate the fact that you showed up here, but I don’t need this. I don’t need you coming into my life and causing chaos whenever it suits you. I’ve moved on. I have a family now. A life. And I’m not going to let you disrupt that. ”