As for Avery and Taylor, I haven’t spoken to them since the trial. They declared bankruptcy to avoid paying the full judgment. Avery lost his job when the publicity made him toxic to clients. Taylor’s Instagram influencer career ended when sponsors dropped her. They’re living in a one-bedroom apartment in Queens now, struggling.
Part of me feels guilty about that. The part that’s still a mother, that remembers rocking Avery to sleep as a baby. But the larger part—the part that values dignity and self-respect—knows I made the right choice.
My foundation has helped over three hundred elderly people recover from financial abuse by family members. We’ve partnered with law firms, social services, and senior advocacy groups. Every time I meet someone who’s been exploited by their children, I tell them my story. I show them it’s possible to fight back.
I’m seventy-four now. Lorenzo and I spend weekends together, traveling, enjoying life. Sophie and I have coffee twice a month, and slowly, carefully, we’re building something real. I volunteer at the animal shelter three times a week. I’m learning to paint. I’m writing a memoir about the experience.