MAXINE

As the days passed, Ronan kept making his presence in my life known. At first, I thought it was part of his twisted game, a way to keep me under control. I thought it was a way to manipulate me into doing his bidding.

But as the days turned into weeks, something unexpected happened, and I found myself talking to him. Talking. It started innocently.

He’d stop by my room in the evening. It was always unannounced. He would sit in the chair, making sure that he was facing me where I ...