“Whatever happens between us, Sophie will always have somewhere no man can throw her out of.”
At the time, I had considered the statement unnecessarily dramatic.
That night, I finally understood it.
Sophie continued.
“Caroline put the papers on the table and gave me a pen.”
“What did she say?”
“She said, ‘Marriage means sharing. Sign the condo over to Jake.’”
Sophie refused.
Caroline smiled.
Then she said it again.
Sophie refused again.
The third time, Caroline stopped smiling.
“She grabbed my hair.”
My stomach tightened.
“She said I was embarrassing Jake's family. I told her to get out.”
Sophie looked down at her hands.
“They laughed.”
Every muscle in my body went rigid.
“What happened next?”
“She slapped me.”
I swallowed.
“How many times?”
Sophie stared at the floor.
“I counted forty.”
My breath disappeared.
She said it almost apologetically.
“After that, I lost track.”
I reached for her.
