Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter #2) - Melanie Martins Page 0,63

around my age, but unlike me, she seems to be devoid of any confidence or self-respect, and despite all the money her husband possesses, she is the quietest, most discreet and humble woman I’ve ever met. Her clothes are so modest and simple that I’d have never imagined her husband is the owner of two big factories in the region and a member of Dutch nobility. After hearing her entire story, Carice finishes preparing a report with the main points for the divorce.

“What is this?” Allison asks.

“This is your statement,” I say, giving her the papers and a pen. “Read it, and afterward, just sign below. We will give it to the prosecutor and use it for the press.”

Allison starts reading it carefully. “Um…” she mumbles, hesitating. “It states that my husband raped me.”

Based on the entire story she just told us, I’m surprised she’s even inquiring about it. “Yes…” I answer. Seeing her hesitating, I take a chair and sit beside her. Leaning closer to her, I say in a low voice, “Allison, you are safe now. You don’t need to be afraid or ashamed to say what he has done to you.”

“But…” She looks down, thinking something through. “I’m not really sure about this.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, confused. Before she can reply, I add, “Look, the defense will use your hesitation against you, so you can’t vacillate. When the defense attorney asks you if your husband raped you, you have to be strong and say, ‘Yes, he did,’” I explain. “It’s hard to recognize it. I totally understand that. But I’m here to help.” I lay my hand on top of hers. And as I see her looking down at her lap, her mind ruminating over everything she’s been through, I can’t help but feel my heart tightening. Every woman who comes here reminds me of how I was nineteen years ago. I was just as naive, but above all, I was deeply in love with a man I held too high in esteem. A man I was also too emotionally and financially dependent on. A man who, without me even noticing, saw me only as his mere possession.

Allison takes a deep breath, her face just as tormented, and finally looking at me, she says, “I’m just not really sure if he did what you are saying he did.”

I try hard not to roll my eyes—I’ve heard this so many times. “If you are not sure, it’s because it was rape,” I assert. “You were just not aware of it at the moment it happened.”

“I just want a divorce, a settlement is okay…”

“No.” My tone comes off a bit more aggressive than I intended. “A settlement is not okay. The law must be enforced, and he must be sentenced.” I’m tired of laws that are just written for the sake of being on the books. It’s time to apply them properly.

“But the kids…” Her voice remains barely audible, and she tucks some hair behind her ear, while her body tenses up in her seat. “I don’t want him to go to jail.”

I try my best not to huff at her comment. After everything he did to her, she’s still worried about him? Instead, I just say, “Allison, you are doing what is right.”

Then I hear a knock on my office door and order the person to come in.

“Tess, there is someone here… Someone, um, you aren’t really expecting,” my assistant announces with some uneasiness.

“We will talk later,” I say to Allison, who takes her purse and makes her way out. As Carice does the same, I stand up and go back to sit in the chair behind my desk. Before I can ask who, my assistant opens the door wide and invites him in. I recline back with a sly smile, and, crossing my arms over my chest, a quick huff escapes me. “Roy,” I mutter as he enters. “Well, when I thought I had seen everything from you, you still manage to surprise me.”

Carice closes the door behind her, leaving us alone.

“Tess…” he greets under his breath as he takes a few steps in my direction, his face already unsmiling. Roy seems to be quite uncomfortable to be here alone with me in the office of my nonprofit, which only makes my amusement grow. “I apologize for the unexpected visit, but we need to talk.”

I gesture for him to have a seat, but instead Roy starts pacing around my office like a tormented and unsteady