Chapter 13

As soon as we stepped outside the hall, I yanked my hand away from Benjamin's grip.

"Why did you drag me out like that?" | snapped, wiping the tears from my face. "They think I'm crazy now. Everyone in there thinks I've lost my mind!"

Benjamin stayed calm. He always did. He didn't raise his voice or argue back. He just looked at me, eyes soft but steady.

"You already exposed them," he said gently. "You showed everything. You had the crowd. But if you stayed one second longer, they would've flipped the whole narrative and made you the criminal. That's how these people work, Elizabeth. You can't fight fire with blind rage. You have to plan your move. Carefully."

I looked away, breathing hard. My chest ached. My heart felt like it had been ripped open.

"She looked so thin," I whispered. "My mom looked so scared. So hurt. And I couldn't do anything."

&q