Linda, smitten as ever, had laughed it off and obliged without a second thought. Emily, however, had been livid. “Why let him talk to you like that?” she’d asked her mom, only to be brushed off. “He’s just looking out for me,” Linda had replied. Emily had wanted to scream.
But Linda never saw it. She only saw the kindness Mark wanted her to see. And every time Emily voiced her concerns, it only made her look like a stubborn, defiant teenager. Over time, she learned to bite her tongue, though the resentment grew stronger with each passing day.