At the time, I had laughed and told him he was being dramatic.
Now, standing alone in my hallway, I finally understood what he had been trying to teach me.
Love did not require me to surrender everything I owned.
Marriage did not mean abandoning my judgment.
And trusting someone did not mean allowing them to make decisions about my future without my consent.
I stood up, wiped my face, and walked into the office.
For the first time in months, I wasn’t interested in finding an excuse for Tyler.
I wanted the truth.
All of it.
Margaret arrived twenty-three minutes later.
She didn’t bother knocking. She had a spare key, and she let herself in carrying a large canvas bag that looked heavy enough to contain a small library.
The moment she saw me, her expression softened.
“Oh, Debby.”
That was all it took.
I crossed the room and wrapped my arms around her.
