nd let out a small, bitter laugh. Th

ng with a sarcasm I didn't try to hid

d, his elbows on the

memories for fifteen years finally broke. No

voice dropping to a low, chilling whisper. "David waited until their car was gon

it felt like it was ha

shb

rming, handsome smile plastered on h

reasonable. "No one will ever believe you. You

backwards on the bed until my back hit th

ing. "You called strangers into our home. We d

n next to me. He gently took m

ck of my hand, "I have to teach you a lesson

I gasped, doubling over. He hit me again. And again. He was ca

e came to the door. She didn't look sh

it down," she said, her voice

lways been his biggest enabler. She saw his cruelty and c

his breath hot and foul. "Even m

times I had tried to tell them, my moth

have to try to make it work. Think of the

she was the reason I stayed. The reason I endured it. I could

her and grandmother. She would roll her eyes when I cried. She would tell her father everything I s

pt. The one time I thought I had mad

Flas

ice flat and devoid of emotion. "I told the doctor I fell dow

uld see a flicker of something in his ey

ally asked, his voice softer than bef

ime I hired a lawyer, David had him disbarred on trumped-up ethics charges. Every door I tried to open was slammed in my face. So I stopped tryin

en truths. Johnson stared at me, his mind

ould see it. He bel

n he decided t

"Sarah, you told me you were at yo

David's sister. She hat

ve hand. "But while you were there, and while your h

nd unfeigned this ti

you talk

the eye. His expression was a

hter, Sara

art starting to pound. "She's at a

came home early. We found her in her bedroom. She wa