The next morning, Hazel took a long bath.
Steam filled the bathroom, curling softly around her skin like a quiet embrace. She closed her eyes beneath the warm water, letting it wash over her shoulders, down her spine, across every place where tension had lived for years. For the first time in a long while, she did not rush. She did not feel watched. She did not feel the need to hurry to please anyone.
When she stepped out and stood in front of the mirror, the reflection staring back at her felt unfamiliar and deeply familiar at the same time.
The girl in the mirror had skin as smooth as jade, untouched by hardship despite the pain she carried. Her delicate curves were balanced and natural, her slender waist narrow enough to be held with one hand. Her oval face was full of collagen, yout
