shoulders. A wave of numbness washed over me, a chilling emptines

ond skin. My arm throbbed where Mark had gripped it. I managed

the pristine marble floors I had chosen myself. I g

ions. News articles, social medi

livia Reed in Shockin

s Inappropriate Conduc

photo was everywhere. It had been screenshotted, shared, and turned into a cruel meme.

h one a fresh stab of pain. "Slut."

. They wanted to destroy me, to ruin my career and my reputation unti

mail popped up. It was f

and the resulting damage to the university's reputation,

s fi

culty group chats. My digital professional li

at you'

the doorway, watching me, his expression a mixt

ds me. He sounded like the victim. "I told you to behav

nd of hair from my face. The gesture was so

"But you don't have to do this. We can go back to how things

. He destroyed my career and t

ng again. "Sarah is with me now. You need to accept that. You can

e to accept his mistress, to live in a house

I whispered. "Do y

patience snapping. "I'm offering you everything

g, but I flinched away from h

my voice filled with rev

had researched and bought for myself. But these were all new bottles, unopened. And next to the

iven her

ted, and assaulted. And now he was dema

s a physical weight, crush

cold. "Go into the kitchen and make her some