“You are beautiful and strong,” Christy insists. “Whatever he says, whatever he does, you need to remember that you are a brilliant, amazing person. You bend over backwards to please that man, and if he doesn’t appreciate you, if he doesn’t realize how special you are, then you just have to do whatever you need to do to protect your own heart. Understand me?” Annie’s throat feels tight. “How am I supposed to do that? He owns me, Christy. He literally owns me.” “I know, baby. But he doesn’t own what’s inside you. Nobody owns that but you.”
