Page 271 of Ranger's Wildflower

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“Yeah,” she says. “I know you ruined my life to keep it hidden.”

That lands.

“I trusted you,”she says.

Not angry.

Just… real.

“And you let me go to prison.”

“It was necessary,” he replies.

That does it.

I step forward.

“Get down—”

“No.”

Everything stills.

Tessa steps forward.

Closer to him.

Too close.

I hate it.

But I hold.

Because she needs this.

“You don’t get to say that,” she tells him. “You don’t get to decide what was necessary.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“I understand enough. You used me.”

Silence.

Heavy.

He shifts.

Weight change.

Angle—

There.

“Move!” I shout—

Everything explodes into motion.

He lunges.

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