With a shaky breath, I forced back the tears burning at the corners of my eyes, determined not to let them fall. God, why was I always on the verge of breaking? I can’t let a man dictate my world again. Not now. Not ever.
The familiar blare of “All the Single Ladies” shattered the silence—it was Sarah’s ringtone.
“I have to take this call, but don’t think you can slip away from me,” she said, flashing me a knowing look before darting out of the room.
The door clicked shut behind her, and for the first time that evening, I was left in solitude. Relief washed over me. As much as I adored Sarah, her presence could be suffocating, especially when I needed space to wrestle with the mess inside my chest and the demons in my head.
Thing was, I was never the type to talk when sadness pressed
