Spending Taylor’s money on ourselves hadn’t seemed fair, when his cruelty had reached so many others. It would be a long road, and we would all have to pitch in to make it work, but it was a start.

I was young enough not to understand that my life was different, but not everyone else was as fortunate. We would protect each other. We would help each other shoulder the burden.

We were the lucky few who got a chance to start over. A real family, a new home, and a beautiful life built on strength and perseverance. While our lives were brought together as victims, we stayed together as survivors. It was only a matter of time before our tragedy became a story of hope.