Without the knife, I was even more helpless than before.

I was out of options, out of energy, out of…everything.

Sinking into a pile on the floor, I covered my face and burst into hiccupping sobs.

“Don’t cry.”

His voice was gruff and cold, and I couldn’t tell if he was trying to comfort me or trying to get me to stop because it annoyed him.

It didn’t matter. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t stop. I lay there, weeping and trying to breathe through my sobs.

The man let out a helpless ...