Then I placed the letter in a drawer.
I did not respond immediately.
A few weeks later, I sent him a short note.
I thanked him for warning me.
I told him that his decision had made a difference.
But I also told him that I needed distance from the Blackwood family and did not want an ongoing relationship.
He respected that decision.
We did not speak again.
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Two years after the wedding, I accepted a new position as a senior financial analyst at a different company.
The role involved more responsibility, a better salary, and opportunities to work on projects I found genuinely interesting.
I moved into a small apartment with large windows and a balcony overlooking a tree-lined street.
I bought furniture I actually liked.
I painted the living room a soft blue.
And I adopted a rescue cat named Oliver, who immediately decided that my expensive sofa was his personal scratching post.
