Leaving the streets behind was just the first step. The real battle began when I tried to build a new life. Starting over brought new challenges. I thought the corporate world would be easier, safer. But I quickly learned it came with its own masks. Dating felt like walking through a minefield. Friendships shifted. Some couldn't handle who I was becoming. Just when I started to breathe, the past came knocking-old temptations, old faces trying to pull me back.