Chapter 16 - The apology Daniel wanted to buy
Daniel violated no-contact conditions indirectly at first.
He sent messages through lawyers.
Allowed.
One proposal offered:
Temporary financial support.
My continued residence in the house.
Payment of legal fees.
In exchange for a joint public statement saying the domestic incident was “mutual escalation during a marital argument.”
I refused.
His attorney claimed the wording did not require me to deny injury.
My attorney, Rebecca Sloan, read it twice.
Then said:
“They want ambiguity.”
“Yes.”
“Do you want money badly enough to provide it?”
“No.”
She nodded.
“Then no.”
Daniel later tried a softer version through a marriage counselor we had once used.
A letter.
I am sorry I touched you in anger. I was terrified you were destroying everything I built.
Not good enough.
He had not “touched” me.
He had hit me.
May you like
And I was not destroying what he built.
I was discovering what he had already damaged.
