Chapter 15 - The Gala of Light
One year after the divorce was finalized, the Claire Bennett Foundation hosted its first annual fundraising gala.
The ballroom was filled with philanthropists, politicians, and the city's elite.
But the guests of honor weren't the billionaires.
They were the survivors.
Claire stood on the stage, wearing a stunning silver gown that left her arms completely bare. The faint, silvery scars on her forearms caught the light of the chandeliers.
"A year ago, I was told that my life was over," Claire spoke into the microphone, looking out at the sea of faces. "I was told that leaving meant losing everything."
She looked at the front table. Elena, the first woman the foundation had saved, was sitting there, wearing a beautiful dress, her daughter safely asleep in a hotel room upstairs.
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"But I learned that the only thing you lose when you walk away from abuse... is the heavy chain holding you down. We raised four million dollars tonight. That means four million dollars of hope, of legal fees, of new apartments and new beginnings."
The crowd erupted into a standing ovation.
