Page 147 of Objection Overruled
“If you’re going to vet her, do it properly next time. Because the next time you try to blindside her in front of me, I’ll ruin more than your lunch.”
I don’t speak.
Not while we walk through the echoing hall. Not even when Rowan’s thumb grazes the back of my hand once, a silent command to breathe.
I don’t.
I just follow.
Up the stairs.
Down the corridor.
Until the moment our door clicks shut behind us, and then I move.
Fast.
Ripping my hand from his.
Grabbing my suitcase from the corner like it might anchor me before I spin out of orbit.
“No,” Rowan says immediately. “Put that down.”
I don’t.
I lunge for my shoes, adrenaline flooding every cell.
“Tessa.” His voice cuts through the rising hum in my skull. “You’re not leaving.”
I ignore him.
My hands are shaking so badly I can’t even zip the damn bag. It keeps snagging on the liner, on the overstuffed edges of outfits I never should’ve worn, never should’ve accepted.
“This was a mistake,” I choke out, yanking the zipper again. “You should’ve let them expel me. Honestly, it would’ve been cleaner.”
“Stop.” His tone shifts to commanding. “You’re not thinking clearly.”
“No, I’m thinking very clearly,” I say, half laughing, half sobbing. “I’m the cautionary tale, Rowan. I’m the reason they double-check background checks. You brought a walking PR nightmare to a retreat for future partners. You want to talk liability? Congratulations. I’m Exhibit A.”
“You are not?—”
“I sat at that table and watched them dissect me like I was an ethics case study.”
“Because you are a threat,” he snaps.
I freeze.
Everything in me stills. Slowly, I turn.
He exhales hard. “Not to them. To me.”
I stare at him.
And then I shake my head. “Don’t do that.”
“Tessa—”
“Don’t spin this. Don’t lawyer your way into pretending this was noble.” My voice is rising now. “They’re going to blacklist you. Or worse: pity you. All because you defended the girl who couldn’t even make it through clinic without detonating her future.”
