Chapter 64: I'm Filthy

“Should I go further?” Roman asked, his voice measured, almost as though he was afraid of where the conversation would lead. I nodded, though my throat felt dry. My pulse hammered against my ribs, warning me that whatever came next would tear open wounds I had spent years healing. “What could my father have possibly told you?” I whispered, though the weight in my chest told me I already knew. Roman’s gaze didn’t waver when his words dropped like stones into the silence. “Your father told me he had to step down from his position after you got pregnant for your sister’s dance teacher’s husband.” For a split second, my entire body shut down. My heart fell, my lungs seized, and I was sure my knees would buckle beneath me with how everywhere spun. Hearing him say it so plainly, so coldly, was like being gutted with a blade I’d long forgotten still existed. “He’s lying.” My voice cracked, but I forced it louder. “That’s not how it happened.” Roman’s expression remained unreadable, though his