That night, Joanne entered the rehearsal dinner hand in hand with Jeffrey. The warm glow of the chandeliers reflected in her eyes, and yet, she didn't notice them. Her heart thudded wildly in her chest, not out of nerves, but from the sheer contrast to the last time she had stood in this room.
Last time, she had walked in alone. Her skin still remembered the weight of stares, the cold scrutiny from people who saw her as nothing but a small-town girl with calloused hands and wild roots. That time, she had been tolerated. Barely. Her presence had unsettled a tradition-bound family, and only Philip had offered her a true welcome.
But now…
Now was different.
As she stepped into the room, it wasn't silence or sideways glances that greeted her. It was applause.
