I became skilled at hiding marks beneath long sleeves, at smiling politely for neighbors, at apologizing even when I had no idea what I’d done wrong. The violence was no longer explosive—it was methodical. Predictable. Deliberate. And somehow, that made it more terrifying.
That night began like so many others. I dropped a glass in the kitchen. It shattered on the floor. Jason froze, his jaw tightening.
“Do you know how stupid you are?” he said calmly.
That calm frightened me more than yelling ever had.
My chest constricted. My hands trembled. The room tilted. I remember thinking I just needed air. Instead, panic swallowed me whole, and I collapsed before I reached the door.
When I came to, I was in the car. Jason was driving too fast, knuckles white around the steering wheel.
“Listen,” he said, eyes fixed on the road. “You slipped in the shower. You hear me? You’re clumsy. That’s it.”
At the hospital, the bright lights burned my eyes. A nurse asked questions, but Jason answered for me.
“She fell,” he said smoothly. “Bathroom accident.”
