"She doesn't!" Caroline interrupted, her voice breaking. "She doesn't have anything on me. That letter… It's just words. She was trying to scare me, and for a long time, it worked. But I swear to you, I've never betrayed you."
"Then why didn't you tell us about it?" I asked, my voice softer now, almost pleading. "Why keep it hidden?"
Caroline hesitated, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Because I was ashamed," she admitted quietly. "Ashamed that I ever let her get to me. That I wasn't stronger. And because…I didn't want you to look at me the way you're looking at me now."
Her words hung in the air, raw and vulnerable. I felt my resolve waver, but the doubt remained, a stubborn knot in my chest.
Michael crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "If you're telling the truth, then help us understand. What exactly does Vanessa have against you?"
