The moment Julian spoke those words, something inside me went cold.
It felt like the ground shifted under my feet. The years I had spent beside him believing I knew him, trusted him, even loved him collapsed all at once. Every memory turned sour.
If I hadn't been given this second chance at life, I would've never seen what he truly was.
Twisted. Rotten.
He had actually tried to force himself on me.
The disgust hit fast, sharp enough to burn.
I reacted without thinking. My knee drove hard into his stomach. The air left him in a broken sound as he crashed against the floor of the car. Before he could recover, I stepped forward and slapped him. Once. Twice. Again. My palm stung, but the betrayal hurt far worse.
I had learned how to defend myself long ago. I never imagined I'd use it on someone I once cared about. Julian wasn't prepared. He didn't expect resistance.
And people like him don't deserve mercy.
