ir shared with the girls about how Wesley had been treating her like a prisoner. Debbie felt bad for her. She figured that some soothing words were just what the doctor ordered, and told ir that Wesley was only doing that because he loved her too much.


    ir didn''t deny it, but still thought that confining her was out of line. He never really cared how she felt, while he selfishly kept her all to himself.


    The four women had tea that afternoon. ir enjoyed her much-needed freedom after a long time of imprisonment. She didn''t want to go home to Wesley, so she convinced Debbie to take her in, and Debbie agreed.


    Wesley always had his ways of finding her. ir knew that he''d call her or track her phone down, so after reaching Debbie''s ce, she texted him saying that she would be spending the night at Debbie''s, and then switched off her phone to avoid his calls.


    Later that night, Debbie went on a date with Carlos downstairs in the garden; they had made an appointment to walk their dogs together. ir had the whole apartment to herself. Rxing in the hammock on the balcony, she took deep breaths of fresh air. For the first time in a long time, she felt truly free and happy.


    Worried that Wesley mighte to Debbie''s ce to drag her home, ir had told Debbie to ask Carlos for help in case Wesley dide barging in.


    This was important to her. So she took out her phone, intending to give Debbie a call to remind her, only to quickly realize that she didn''t have her friend''s new number. She took the elevator and went downstairs to talk to Debbie in person.


    Eventually, Carlos agreed to help them.


    But he and Wesley were best buddies after all. ir had to go home with Wesley in the end.


    It took a while for ir and Debbie to say their goodbyes to each other. Wesley was in a bad mood because ir was reluctant to go home with him. The long farewell irritated him so much that he yanked her away impatiently.


    On their way back, ir leaned on the car window, her eyes fixed on the view. She refused to talk to him.


    Wesley was a man of few words, so he didn''t try to start a conversation either. He let her be.


    When they were home, he took her hand in his, but she shook it off without even looking at him.


    After a long bath, ir


    Wesley took her hands in his gently. "If you promise me that you''ll see the doctor, I won''t watch you so closely anymore. You can go wherever you want and hang out with whomever you like. Okay?"


    ir thought about it for a moment and then agreed to his deal.


    Wesley made the appointment and apanied her to the doctor''s office the next day.


    The psychiatrist was a gentle woman. Her tone wasforting. While talking to Wesley, she spoke about Ga. ir figured that the doctor and Wesley went way back.


    Wesley had briefed the doctor on ir''s condition beforehand, so soon after they had gotten to the doctor''s office, she was taken into a dimly lit room with afortable couch.


    This was the first time she was in a ce like this. Despite the soothing decor, she felt scared.


    The moment Wesley let go of her hand, a fit of uneasiness seized her.


    Wesley sensed her fear. He embraced her and reassured, "I''ll be waiting right outside. I''m not going anywhere."


    ''I''m not going anywhere.''


    His words calmed her. Shey down on the couch as she was told.


    The doctor closed the door of the room, and then it was just the two of them.


    She started asking questions, and ir answered them honestly.


    Once the doctor asked about the suicide attempt, ir fell silent and refused to answer any of the following questions the doctor asked.


    From outside the room, Wesley could see ir''s every reaction through the window. But she couldn''t see him.


    When ir fell silent, his heart ached.