in the first place,” another replied instantly. “First he had to make her fall madly in love, and then he was going to make her pay every single day.”
The truth hit me all at once.
For three years, I had exhausted myself trying to be enough. I tolerated his cold silences and subtle humiliations because I believed he simply struggled to show affection.
Then Brendan spoke casually.
“Don’t make such a massive deal out of it, guys. Chloe chooses to get overly involved in everything, so nobody actually forces
