“Do I pity you, Hollis? No. I have been with men who beat me, tortured me, and degraded me. For him, my pain was his pleasure. Five long years. I hope for that one day that he will change and treat me with kindness, but it never came.” I bared my heart to Hollis, sharing my own experiences of abuse and betrayal. “I know how it feels to be trapped in a cycle of hope and disappointment, too long for love and kindness that never comes. I don’t pity you, Hollis, but I pity myself for not having the strength to leave sooner.”
“Why are you saying that?” Hollis asked, looking puzzled. “Because even if your wife dies, her betrayal has still left a lasting mark on you, and until you confront that pain and heal from it. You are trapped in the toxic cycle of not trusting yourself or others.” Hollis
