Later Officer Parker returned with a victim advocate named Teresa Coleman, who explained my legal options clearly. My supervisor and Renee had already agreed to provide witness statements, and the restaurant manager had preserved security camera footage from the corner where everything occurred.
Victor attempted to call my phone repeatedly that night, but I ignored each call and saved screenshots of his messages. The texts accused me of exaggerating, demanded that I return home, and insisted that I was destroying his life.
Teresa reviewed the messages and said calmly, “This behavior is common in abusive situations because he is attempting to regain control. The safest step is to keep distance and document everything.”
By midnight Luke and I had created a plan for the following day. I would stay temporarily at his apartment, change my bank accounts, retrieve my passport from the house with a police escort, and file for a protective order through the court.
The next morning I left the hospital wearing the same dress from the promotion party under a borrowed sweater. Luke drove me directly to the courthouse in downtown Raleigh, where I filled out paperwork requesting legal protection.