and tossed it away.
Hayes family, Harrison, goodbye!
While waiting for my documents, I enrolled in
online video editing courses.
Lucy continued her nightly gigs.
During the day, she pestered me to cook for
her, and we planned our first destination.
The first time I cooked for her, she ate and
exclaimed:
“That loser who hurt you is a fool! A beautiful
where can you find
woman who can cook
one like that!”
“If I were a man, I’d marry you and hide you!”
Life after leaving the Hayes was fulfilling.
Harrison never contacted me.
One day, I saw an interview with him on TV. A
reporter asked about the rumored divorce. He
denied it calmly
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denied it calmly.
His assistant cut off further questions.
The media concluded I’d been completely discarded.
One month after leaving, Lucy and I set off for Sichuan.
On our second day, we climbed Mount Gongga, at 7,500 meters.
At the summit, I experienced severe altitude sickness.
I felt like an invisible hand was choking me; I couldn’t breathe.
The view blurred; tinnitus filled my ears,
making it hard to concentrate.
I thought I would die there.
But in the distance was the sunrise
illuminating the golden mountain – a beacon
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<
of hope.
On that hopeful land, I wept uncontrollably. The guide rushed to give me oxygen.
Lucy hugged me and soothed me, “Claire,
don’t cry! Your blood oxygen is up. You won’t die, don’t be afraid!”
I shook my head, saying I wasn’t crying out of fear.
With everyone’s help, I stood, looked at the
sunrise, and faced my future.
Sichuan represented bravery, my rebirth. Back from Mount Gongga, we edited our footage, added sound, and posted it online. It went viral.
Many viewers commented on the hope and
rebirth they saw.
That’s what I felt too.
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