Rina squeezed her eyes shut, her body trembling from the weight of the past.
She inhaled deep, slow, controlled.
Then exhaled.
Again. Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
She wiped her tears away, pressing her palms against her face. Enough.
Crying wouldn't change what happened. She couldn't undo the past. But she could control the present.
She forced herself to stand straighter, rolling her shoulders back. Her breathing steadied. Her heartbeat slowed. The emotions still burned, but she buried them deep where they belonged.
One step forward. That's all she had to take.
She turned toward the city lights. The fight wasn't over