Chapter 78: Another Name

Savannah I jerk away so fast it’s as if Roman’s words have burned me, my hand tangling in my hair, tugging at it like the pain might ground me. “That’s not true!” My voice comes out too shrill, too fake. I try again, but softer, rehearsed, the way I’ve defended Chloe my whole life. “Chloe’s a yoga instructor. A ballet teacher. She gets flown to LA constantly because of the clients she trains, the gigs she books. Mom and Dad are proud of her because she chose a harder path, a less popular field, and still made a name for herself in it. She’s an upright individual. She’s… she’s a role model to many people.” The words tumble like bricks from my mouth, and I hear myself and cringe. It sounds practiced and memorized. Roman doesn’t seem fazed by my rehearsed speech. He just looks at me, that steady, heavy gaze that says he can see right through me. Like he knows I’m unraveling in real time. “Savannah,” he says, low and even, like a verdict, “you know I’m telling the truth.” My stomach turns.