After Divorce She Rose Again

The interview went smoothly.

Marvin Robertson, the head of technology, looked over my resume and remarked, "Valedictorian of your high school, top of your class in computer science at the University of London, and lead author of three major conference papers. Ms. Hansen, your credentials are impressive. But I'm curious, why did you stop working after college?"

I gripped the fabric of my pants tightly and replied softly, "To take care of my child."

At twenty-two, I had an unexpected pregnancy.

Harvey Kelly's mother was far from pleased with me. In her vision for Harvey's future, he was destined to marry a wealthy heiress, someone from a similar social standing, not me, a girl from a modest background. She went to great lengths to push me out.

The wealthy woman, her lips painted in bold red, stared at me with indifference, surrounded by a row of security guards. The night sky was dark as ink. The seawater was freezing, biting cold. I jumped off the high cliff. At that moment, everyone thought I was gone for good.

Maybe it was the injuries from that fall that took a toll on me, as my daughter was frail from the start. Needy, allergic, unable to handle formula. Her tiny face was swollen and bruised, crying endlessly through the night. I was alone, a fragile new mother, clumsily trying to take care of her newborn.

Marvin nodded in understanding. "Ms. Hansen, you've been out of the professional world for quite a while. You would need to start from an entry-level position. Is that okay with you?"

Without hesitation, I nodded. "Yes, that's perfectly fine."

Marvin stood up and shook my hand, welcoming me to the team. My heart pounded in my chest, just like when I first found out I got into the University of London. It felt like... I had taken the second big step in my life.