But if I left, Caleb would control the narrative and twist the story into something that painted me as unstable or irrational. He had always been good at convincing people, and I knew they would believe him if I gave him the chance.
I refused to let him destroy my dignity along with everything else he had already taken. Instead, I asked Savannah to come back upstairs because I needed someone who truly knew me.
When she walked in and saw my face, she froze instantly with concern and fear in her eyes. “What happened to you?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
I told her everything in detail, repeating every word I had overheard while my voice barely held together. Her expression shifted from confusion to anger so quickly that it gave me strength.
“You cannot marry him after that,” she said firmly while shaking her head. I answered quietly but clearly, “I am not marrying him, but I am going downstairs.”
She stared at me for a long moment before nodding with determination. “Tell me what you need from me,” she said without hesitation.