Chapter 12: Graduation Day
Four years after the incident in the living room, the sun shone brilliantly over the UCLA campus. Lily, dressed in a black cap and gown, stood beaming alongside Vincent. He adjusted her tassel, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
"Your mother would be so incredibly proud of you," Vincent said, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I am so proud of you."
"I couldn't have done it without you, Vincent," Lily smiled, holding her diploma tight. She had graduated with honors and already secured a job at a prestigious civil rights law firm. The terrified girl on the floor was now a powerful advocate for the voiceless.
