The engagement party replayed in Maria’s mind—the too-tight smile Karen had given her, the offhand remark about “joining a gym,” the subtle judgment hidden in polite words. Maria had brushed it off as awkwardness at the time. Now she knew better.
As she sat alone at the dining table, Maria thought about her late husband, whose voice she could still hear in her memory: Protect her. Always protect her.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and made a decision. Quiet, but resolute. This wedding—this union with such a family—would not happen.
Three Calls That Changed Everything
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