Jason let out a short, humorless laugh.
“You wouldn’t understand,” he said.
“This is how we maintain harmony.”
I looked at him—really looked—and saw how comfortable he was speaking over her, how certain he was that the rules existed to protect him.
I turned to my daughter.
“Emily,” I said gently, “do you feel safe here?”
Her silence answered before her words did.
“No,” she finally said.
“I haven’t for a long time.”
Jason’s jaw tightened.
“You’re exaggerating.”
That was when I spoke the sentence that shifted the room—calm, steady, unavoidable.
“She’s leaving with me tonight.”
