Krista shrugs again, but this time it’s less dismissive. “I’m not complaining, though. I make a lot of money. I get a lot of free stuff. Life’s great… for the most part.”

Cautiously, we ease into normal conversation. We even laugh a little as we share drinks and appetizers.

Then, out of nowhere, Krista exhales like she’s just gotten something off her chest. “I know this is all about PR and damage control, and I get that. But… I really want to apologize. I wasn’t trying to cause a mess. It’s just...”

She trails off, then steels herself before continuing.

“I know you don’t remember me, Vic. And honestly, that’s fine. I wasn’t expecting some grand romance. But being forgotten like that? It stung. It made me feel disposable.”

Vic doesn’t react right away, but I see his jaw clench. He doesn’t like hurting people—even when they piss him off.

Krista lets out a humorless laugh, then turns to me, frustration flashing across her face.

“And then there was you. This woman everyone seemed to love. And I mean everyone—even my damn boyfriend. Or ex. Or whatever the hell he is to me.” She scoffs.

“I didn’t know what to think initially, but he had plenty of opinions. He said you weren’t as sweet as you pretended to be and had a history of manipulating people. And I believed him. He swept me off my feet so quickly. It wasn’t too hard, being in this town all alone and surrounded by people who disliked me. He made me feel like it was me and him against the world.”

She exhales, her voice tight. “But now? Now, I just feel isolated. Everyone hates me. And…” She lets out a hollow laugh, fingers gripping the edge of her glass. “I feel disposable again.”

I find my heart breaking for her. The way she talks about her boyfriend as if he’s the only person in her corner, the way he makes her believe things as if his word is final, and how deeply she trusts him are all too familiar.

Suddenly, I see it so clearly. This is how it starts—the manipulation disguised as love.

He hypes her up and makes her feel like he’s the only one who truly understands her. And then, once she’s exactly where he wants her, he starts to break her down, bit by bit. First, it’s subtle. A comment here, a warning there, then before she knows it, she’s lost friends, family, and her sense of self.

And by the time she realizes what’s happening… she’s trapped. My stomach twists. I know Krista’s story. I know her experience because I lived it.

I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. “Krista.” My voice is softer now, careful, like I’m stepping through a minefield. “Who’s your boyfriend?”