The way he says it—flat, certain—does something annoying to my body. My pulse jumps. My stomach flips. Like my nervous system is wired to respond when he takes control.
I hate it. I do.
I also… don’t.
I shove my phone into Maddie’s hand and drop onto the couch with a dramatic sigh because if I don’t act annoyed, I’ll start acting scared.
Maddie scrolls with fast, efficient movements. “Okay. We’re going to do this like grown-ups who want to survive men like that.”
Ethan’s gaze shifts to me, steadier. “You have to stop protecting him with silence.”
My jaw tightens. “I’m not protecting him.”
Maddie doesn’t look up. “You are. Minimizing protects him. Embarrassment protects him. Pretending it was ‘just a bad relationship’ protects him.”
Wyatt’s gaze lands on me like a weight.
I swallow. “It wasn’t—” I stop, because the words get stuck behind my teeth.
Wyatt’s voice goes quiet. “Tell them.”
I snap my gaze up. “I don’t owe?—”
“You owe yourself,” Maddie interrupts. “Now. What does he have on you?”
I let out a sharp breath. “A loan.”
Ethan’s eyes narrow slightly. “Your business.”
“My shop,” I correct. The words come out bitter. “He financed it. Then he made sure I never forgot it.”
Maddie’s mouth twists. “Of course he did.”
I force my voice steady. “He accelerated the foreclosure. Changed the locks. Restricted my accounts.”
Maddie’s head lifts finally. “Restricted your accounts?”
I nod once, jaw clenched. “It’s like… like he pushed buttons I didn’t even know existed. I went to log in and everything was frozen.”
Wyatt’s hands curl at his sides, the only sign of anger he lets himself show. “He’s isolating you.”
Ethan nods. “It’s a tactic. Cut off resources, cut off movement.”
Maddie’s eyes sharpen. “And make you run back to him.”
My throat tightens. “He texted me like he was doing me a favor.”
Wyatt’s voice goes low, ugly. “What did he say.”
I hesitate, pride screaming.
Maddie doesn’t let me stall. “Say it.”
I exhale. “He said… ‘Don’t make this ugly. I tried to handle it quietly. You’re welcome.’”
Wyatt’s jaw flexes hard. His gaze goes distant for a second like he’s imagining Graham’s throat in his hand.
Maddie’s expression doesn’t change, but her voice goes softer. “That’s control dressed as kindness.”
