For once, William actually fell silent. The fireplace crackled faintly behind him while I looked directly at the man I once loved enough to destroy myself for.
“You were ashamed of me.” The words landed quietly between us and William froze completely. His face changed instantly, like something inside him recoiled from hearing the sentence spoken aloud.
“That’s not true.” he muttered, but even he didn’t sound fully convinced. I laughed softly then, though there was no humor in it.
“Really?” I asked. “Then why was I hidden every single year?”
“You know why.”
“Yes.” I nodded slowly. “I finally do.”
“Bella.” His jaw tightened harder. “I was protecting you.”
“No.” My voice sharpened slightly for the first time. “You were protecting yourself.”
“That’s unfair.”
“Is it?”
William looked g
