"But there is something else too…" Anna's voice wavered as she fidgeted with her fingers, her gaze dropping to the floor. She hesitated, clearly wrestling with the words she was about to say.
Anna took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly. "It's not just the plagiarism or the Clark family's lies," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's my husband… and my mother-in-law."
Esther's brow furrowed, concern deepening. "What about them?"
"They've been…" Anna faltered, struggling to find the right words. "They've been abusing me for years. And not just me... my daughter too." Her voice cracked, the emotions finally spilling over. "At first, I thought I could endure it. I thought if it was just me, I could bear it for her sake. But... they started turning their cruelty on her. And I can't—" She broke off, her voice thick with emotion.
