MARIE

“Leave you for what? After ruining everything?” My mum’s voice cracked through the room like a whip after I struggled again. Her hand was still gripping my arm. Not tight enough to hurt, but tight enough to remind me I wasn’t free yet. Her eyes burned into mine with anger, disappointment, and shame.

All of it mixed together.

“It wasn’t my fault,” I shot back quickly. The words came out before I could stop them.

My mum laughed, but there was nothing funny in it. “Oh, it ...