Page 117 of Possession

Her voice trembles slightly, but I don’t care.

“Youapologized?” I repeat, my voice rising with disbelief. “You think saying sorry is enough for what that man put me through?”

“No,” she admits, a hint of shame in her tone. “But it’s a start. And I can’t explain myself without sounding like a complete spineless bitch, but… my father has a power over me that I’m still trying to break free from.”

I roll my eyes, even though she can’t see me.

“Andhow’sthat going?” I ask, my voice laced with suspicion. “Because last I heard, you werestillliving under his damn roof.”

“I’m not,” she blurts out. “As of yesterday.”

I sigh, rubbing my temple. “Not interested, Naomi.”

“Megan, wait—I got married.”

That gives me pause.

For the first time since I answered the call, real surprise flickers through me.

“To the gangster?” I ask, my voice blank.

“That’s a very cliché way to describe Gabriel.”

“I’m just going off whatyoutold me about him.” I shake my head. “You swore up and down that you’d never marry him, that your father was forcing you into it, and now you’re saying youchoseto go through with it?”

She exhales heavily. “He cares about me.”

“So?”

“And…” she hesitates. “I care about him, too. I mean, when I think back on it, Gabriel’s the only person who’s ever reallylistenedto me, the only one who’s protected me. Even my own family never cared what I wanted.”

I narrow my eyes, gripping the phone tighter.

“I thought Gabriel didn’t want to marry you either.”

“He… changed his mind.”

“Or maybe he didn’t have a choice.”

Naomi sighs. “Gabriel has different views about hisfamily obligationsthan I do. He wants to rebuild his family’s reputation, and I… I’m supporting him in that.”

“Let me get this straight,” I say, my tone sharp. “You hated him. You resented your father for forcing this arrangement. And now,out of nowhere,you’re suddenly all in on supporting hismission?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“No, I don’t understand.” I press my free hand against the counter, grounding myself. “Because the woman I knew, the friend I thought I had, would have never let herself be manipulated like this.”

“I was pretending to be someone else back then.”

“Or maybe you’re pretending to be someone else now.”

There’s a long, heavy silence.

I hear her breathing on the other end, the soft, shaky sound of someone trying to hold it together. But I am the one who should be struggling to keep my emotions in check—not her.

“I don’t expect you to understand everything today, Megan,” she finally says. “I just wanted to apologize again and tell you my news.”

I shake my head, disgust curling in my stomach.

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