Laura
I sat there, my heart heavy as Jake finally finished his story. Everything he'd been through, the lengths he went to get out of that partnership, yet somehow, he'd still wound up entangled in a mess not of his making. I could see it in his eyes, the shame, the anger, the self-blame.
Part of me wanted to be angry. Angry that he'd let himself be pulled into this, that he'd taken the risks that could now pull his life down around him. If I hadn't heard it from him directly, I would never have believed. He didn't seem to me like someone who could compromise even under the hardest conditions.
But then, all I could feel as I looked at him was pity. He was fighting so hard just to stay afloat, just to make things right. And he was so scared of losing everything he'd built.
I reached over, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Jake," I said softly, catching his gaze. "You're not alone in this. We'll get through it. You've made it this far, right?"
