CHAPTER 4: THE RECKONING
Three days later, Andrew requested a meeting.
Mariana almost declined.
Almost.
He looked smaller when he walked in. Not physically—but in every way that mattered.
“I didn’t know,” he said immediately. “About any of this.”
Mariana studied him like a stranger.
“You didn’t want to know,” she corrected.
He stepped closer. “We can fix this. Together. Like before.”
She let out a quiet, humorless laugh.
“Before?” she repeated. “You mean when you hit me? Or when you asked me to kneel?”
His face drained of color.
“I was angry—”
“No,” she cut in sharply. “You were comfortable. That’s worse.”
Silence stretched between them.
Then she stood.
“This isn’t revenge, Andrew,” she said calmly. “This is correction.”
He whispered, “So that’s it?”
May you like
Mariana paused at the door.
“No,” she said without turning. “This is mercy.”
