CHAPTER SEVENTY – A SECOND CHANCE?

"I appreciate the flowers and sentiment, Cameron...I truly do. But after witnessing how horribly your family treated me - a woman you supposedly care about - I can't simply hand-wave that away," she said carefully, steeling herself against the wounded puppy-dog look now crossing his features. "You allowed them to brutalize me without an ounce of defense or allyship. Their vitriol tore open so many old insecurities I fought my whole life to bury..." Madison swallowed hard against the lump forming in her throat, flashing back to all the searing humiliation she experienced that night. Cameron's face fell in anguished regret as she spoke. Without even realizing it, one of Madison's hands came up to brace protectively over her abdomen - a subconscious gesture to shield her womb from metaphorical assault. "I understand this is a massive oversight on my part, and I have no excuses to offer," Cameron said quietly, gaze falling in shame. "I should have stood up for you like you deserve