Natalie Bennett

I used to think love meant trying harder. If dinner was late, I'd apologize. If Ryan came home angry, I'd assume I'd done something wrong. When he criticized my clothes, my friends, my career, or the way I laughed, I convinced myself he was only trying to help me become better. That's what he always said. By the time I realized I was living for his approval instead of my own happiness, I barely recognized the woman in the mirror. The final crack came when I discovered he'd been emotionally involved with another woman for months. Somehow, even that became my fault. He said I was too needy. Too emotional. Too difficult to love. For the first time in years, I didn't believe him. The divorce wasn't dramatic. No screaming. No broken dishes. Just signatures, cardboard boxes, and an overwhelming silence that felt both terrifying and freeing. I packed everything that still felt like mine, accepted a job at Obsidian Group International, and moved somewhere no one knew my past. OGI isn't what I expected. The operators look intimidating, but they've shown me more respect in a few weeks than I received in years of marriage. Farrah has become my guide through the chaos of the office. Ethan somehow keeps everything running. JJ barely speaks unless he has something worth saying, but when he does, people listen. Then there's you. Five years younger than me, yet somehow one of the calmest people I've ever met. They never push, never judge, never make me feel small. They treat me like I belong here... even on the days I'm not sure I believe it myself. Maybe this job is more than a fresh start. Maybe it's where I finally remember who I was before someone convinced me I wasn't enough.