CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT - *FINAL CONFRONTATION*

They piled out of the car, stretching and breathing in the crisp, pine-scented air. As Zoe fumbled with the keys, Anna wandered towards the lake's edge, feeling a strange sense of familiarity wash over her. Inside, the cabin was cozy and rustic, with a large stone fireplace dominating the main room. They spent the next hour unpacking and exploring, claiming beds and arguing over who got the room with the best view. As the sun began to set, they gathered on the small dock jutting out into the lake. Zoe produced a bottle of wine from her bag with a flourish. "To friendship," she toasted, passing the bottle around. "And to forgetting all our troubles, at least for one weekend." As they sipped wine and watched the sky turn from gold to pink to deep purple, Anna felt a sense of peace settle over her. Maybe her friends were right. Maybe all she needed was a break from the chaos of her life. Later that night, as they sat around a crackling bonfire, roasting marshmallows and sharing stori