CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR – THREE TIMES THE CHARM

As Joan made her calls, sharing the good news with her family, she felt a sense of rightness settle over her. This was what she had been working towards all along. A chance to make a difference, to help people, to build the career she had always dreamed of. Later that evening, as she and Vito sat in a fancy restaurant, champagne glasses in hand, Joan took a moment to reflect on the journey that had brought her here. "You know," she said, meeting Vito's eyes across the table, "there were moments when I thought about giving up. When it all seemed too hard, too overwhelming." Vito reached out, taking her hand. "But you didn't. You kept pushing, kept believing in yourself." Joan nodded, squeezing his hand. "I couldn't have done it without you, though. Your support, your belief in me... it made all the difference." "I just reminded you of what was already there," Vito said softly. "This success? It's all you, Joan. And it's just the beginning." As they clinked glasses, toasting to new