Chapter 147

Lily didn’t turn. Her hands kept moving. “I don’t want to scare you,” she said plainly. “I want you to understand, if anyone humiliates me, I will fight back. I won’t be silenced anymore " He let out a soft, humorless sound. “Is that what you think? That you’re some kind of warrior now?” She stopped chopping for a second, then kept going. “I think I’m surviving.” There was a pause. The kettle hissed, the spoon clinked against the pot. Ordinary sounds. For a moment the apartment felt like it could snap back to normal, two people sharing space without the old knots of their past. But the quiet was shallow. He stepped closer until she could feel heat from his body, but he kept just far enough to avoid touching her. “I promise Marina won’t bother you again,” David said, voice smooth. “But you have to stay away from Jabco and Carson.” Lily scoffed, a short, sharp laugh. “That’s none of your business. Who I meet is my life. I can be with whoever I choose. I never stopped you from being with