Page 38 of Break Me Not

“We're not surprised it was him, right? I mean, I told you⁠—”

I just nodded and started pulling up different files.

“I had my team look this up while we were gone. We don’t usually go after the perpetrator—we simply defend and protect whoever is being attacked—but it seems like this guy…” I zoomed into a picture of her ex-husband breaking into her house. A new camera angle we’d placed outside gave us the perfect view. “Had a group of close friends when he was younger. Some you may even recognize, but the kicker is that they’re cops now.”

I showed her pictures of the cops we were guessing he was mostly in contact with, and when she got a look at their faces, her mouth plopped open.

“Wait! I think I actually do recognize them.”

“School?”

“Yeah, I…” She cleared her throat. “Sorry, can I have some water?”

I pressed the button on my phone that connected me to my assistant.

“Can we get some fresh water in here, please?”

Moments later, she knocked on the door before showing up with a tray of water for both of us and left without being told.

I made sure to let Liz drink first. Her hand shook as she grabbed the glass, and I noticed she took a few more minutes before speaking.

“I wasn't friends with his group,” she started. “That's where we met. I… um, I wasn't popular in high school.” She said it as though that was something to be embarrassed about.

“Neither was I.”

She gave me a disbelieving look.

“Trust me, I was quite the outcast.”

Adopted. Traumatized. Too quiet. The weird kid. But I leaned into that label after a few years. Not that she needed to hear about it now, so I motioned for her to keep going.

“When I caught his attention and we started dating, I felt really good about myself. It was probably why things went as far as they did. But I only hung out with his friends a handful of times. It was mostly him and me alone. Looking back, I realize he was embarrassed to be seen with me.”

She took another sip of her water and set the glass down slowly.

“And then you got pregnant?”

“I don't regret Claire.”

“I never thought you did,” I said and leaned back. “And Claire didn't either, just so you know.”

She gave me a forced smile.

“So this is why no one cares?” she asked, looking me in the eyes. “Because their buddy married the weird girl from school and knocked her up, so now they're protecting him?”

There was nothing I could say that would comfort her. Because it was true.

“I just… I don't want to be afraid of him anymore. I tried to be stronger, but I always found myself back in the exact same place.”

“You divorced him. That shows strength. That shows you didn’t want to put up with him anymore.”

She paused for a second, so I continued.

“You protected Claire. You put her first. That is strength. Do you know how easy it would have been to just sit there, stagnant, making it easier for yourself? You chose the hard way, Liz, and I don’t think you should insult yourself by insinuating you were weak.”

She blinked a few times, then cleared her throat, my words clearly getting to her.

“Thank you. I just… I can’t go back to who I was before. I'd be strong for a bit and then I would just… settle. I don't want to settle anymore.”