I tried to soften the edge. “Sweetheart, is he hurting you? Forcing you?” Her eyes widened in horror. “No! Never!” She hugged herself, trembling. “He’s… he’s helping me. You’ll understand one day, but not right now.” The cryptic answer only deepened the ache.
Rumors spread faster than the truth. By the weekend, Martin’s colleague asked, half-joking, if Nora was “dating that older man around town.” Martin came home shaking, humiliated. “They’re talking about her, Elise. They think we’ve lost control.” His voice cracked. It wasn’t just about her anymore. It was about us, how others saw us.