I''m not really the type to dwell on the past or talk much in general. But in my life, there have been three people who truly mattered: Colby, Odie, and then Elodie. The first two gave me a second chance at life, but Elodie? She gave me a whole new beginning.


    At first, sticking close to Elodie was just about surviving. I yed on her natural kindness to stay in the countryside and heal. During those tough days, I came to see just how much resolve it took for her to keep me around. But Elodie''s not one to spill her troubles. She''s tough, almost distant, with a bit of a capitalist edge. Her mantra? Endure the grind to rise above. And if she''s been drenched in the rain, she''d rather everyone else lose their umbres too.


    Empathy isn''t her thing-she saved me not out of pity, but because she saw potential in me. Later on, I found out she wasn''t into having kids because she was scared of the pain. Back then, I figured it didn''t matter if we had kids. I even thought it''d be perfect if men could bear them since my only real strength is being tough and handling pain.


    We didn''t get hitched right away-not because of any drama, but because I was without a legit ID. I''d spent my childhood wandering abroad, basically a ghost without legal identity both overseas and in Harbor City. We threw together a small gathering, inviting the few folks we knew. Turns out, only enough people showed up to fill a single table.


    Colby, Sophie, and the others came, and though the wedding wasn''t extravagant, it felt perfect to me. Neither Elodie nor I are into big crowds. Our wedding was simple and heartfelt. That day, Sophie and Colby surprised us with a gift-they somehow sorted out my identity issue. When I got my ID card, I was floored. I''d never felt such a sense of belonging. My eyes stung with emotion. Odie told me to let it out, to cry if I needed to. He''d felt the same way when he got his ID. But I didn''t. I just wondered why it couldn''t havee a day sooner. Not that it mattered much in the end.


    The next day, Elodie and I headed to city hall and finally got our marriage certificate. Holding that piece of paper, I felt a bit surreal. Elodie thought the photo was just okay, but to me, it was a treasure-the best picture of us I''d ever seen.


    Reeves International was booming, thanks to Sophie''s advice to Elodie. She suggested structuring it like when she spun off S Corporation from Russell Enterprises. They became tight friends, and sometimes I thought they were cut from the same cloth-both stubborn and never backing down.


    We settled down in Harbor City. Devonport was nice, but it wasn''t home. Our ce was soon filled with cats, dogs, and a child we adopted. Every day was full and rich. Those old days abroad felt like a fleeting nightmare I never dreamt of again. All I know is, our future is wide open and full of promise.