JEROME POV
The dinner carried on in silence after her confession
I listened without interruption, not because I was moved, but because I prefer information delivered in full before forming conclusions.
I cannot say I understand her emotions. I do not process situations through the same lens. But I see cause and effect.
A poor decision to leave the safety of her friends for the illusion of love. A failure to retreat when the first signs of abuse appeared. And then, years lost to fear and pride.
Still, I do not judge. Everyone is guilty of mistakes.
But I do question her choices. And yet, I know better than most that options are not always free. The world corners you, traps you, drives you into directions you’d never imagine yourself going.
I’m not a man to prey on a person's past. I
