who had laughed inside that clinic room, distanced himself from Brendan to protect his own reputation.
A year after I left, my former university invited me to speak at a seminar about emotional recovery and healthy relationships.
I accepted because I refused to spend my life avoiding an entire city because of one man.
Returning to California made my hands tremble, but the familiar streets felt like memories from someone else’s life.
During my speech, I never mentioned names.
I spoke about boundaries and self-worth instead.
“Real love will never
