---- Chapter 19 The story of my intervention at the wedding spread like wildfire through the small expatriate community. | became, for a brief time, a local hero. But the incident had a more profound effect on me. It was a final, cathartic release, a slaying of the last of my demons. | had faced down my past and | had won. A few weeks later, a check arrived at my gallery. It was for an astronomical sum, enough money to buy this entire town and half of the lavender fields surrounding it. It was from Jackson. On the memo line, he had written two words: For everything. | looked at the check, at the sterile, corporate font of his name, and | felt nothing. No anger, no satisfaction, no pity. Just a vast, empty indifference. His money was a meaningless gesture, a pathetic attempt to buy a forgiveness that was not for sale. Hamilton was with me when | opened the envelope. He looked at the check, then at me. "What are you going to do?" he asked. | already knew. | held a press conference. | stood before a small crowd of local and international journalists, my voice clear and strong, and | told them my story. | told them everything. The lies, the ---- secret marriage, the gaslighting, the physical and emotional abuse. | told them about Candida, about the child, about the years of torment | had endured while the world saw me as the cherished wife of a powerful man. | held up the check. "Jackson Parks sent me this," | said. "He calls it an apology. But there is no price for a shattered life. There is no monetary value for a soul that has been systematically destroyed." "So, | will be donating this entire sum," | announced, "to a foundation that supports victims of domestic abuse. So that other women, women who are trapped in the same nightmare | was, can find the strength and the resources to escape. So that his money, earned through ruthlessness and deceit, can be used for something good." 1 The story went global. Jackson Parks, the titan of industry, was exposed as a monster. His company' s stock, already fragile, plummeted. His board of directors, facing a firestorm of public outrage, forced his resignation. He lost everything. His empire, his reputation, his last, desperate bid for redemption. | never heard from him again. My life, my real life, began. | painted. | filled my canvases with the vibrant colors of my newfound freedom, the powerful strokes of my survival. My work, once tinged with a subtle sadness, now blazed with a fierce, joyful energy. Hamilton was by my side through it all. Our love was not a ---- grand, dramatic passion. It was a quiet, steady flame, built on a foundation of friendship, respect, and a deep, unwavering kindness. It was real. One sunny afternoon, as we sat on the terrace of our small stone house, looking out over the endless fields of purple, he took my hand. In his palm was a small, velvet box. He didn't make a grand speech. He didn't need to. He just looked at me, his eyes full of a love so profound it made my heart ache with a pure, unadulterated joy. "Elena Medina," he said softly. "Will you marry me?" Tears welled up in my eyes, but this time, they were tears of happiness. "Yes," | whispered. "Yes, | will." | had been to hell and back. | had lost everything | thought | loved. But in the ashes of my old life, | had found myself. | had found my strength. And | had found a love that was truer, deeper, and more real than anything | had ever known. | was a survivor. And my new beginning was more beautiful than anything | could have ever dreamed. Title: A Princess? No! I'm the Female General! In "A Princess? No! I'm the Female General!" by CrushReel, Adela Taylor, a noble family's daughter, disguises herself as her brother to secure their Duke title by joining the army. Despite facing obstacles, she achieves remarkable success. However, upon her triumphant return, her brother betrays her, setting off a chain of events that will test her resolve and reveal hidden truths. This captivating novel delves into themes of secrets, reincarnation, revenge, murder, and drama. Adela's journey from deception to betrayal is filled with intrigue and suspense as she navigates through a world where power dynamics and family loyalties collide. What sets this story apart is its strong female lead who defies expectations and challenges societal norms in a quest for justice and redemption. Experience the riveting tale of Adela Taylor online at CrushReel and witness the transformation of a princess into a formidable female general.