The words were not shouted.
Not cruel in tone.
That made them hurt more.
Because some forms of cruelty arrive disguised as advice.
Her mother genuinely believed disappointment was love expressed responsibly.
Samantha’s first instinct was not defense.
Defense had been trained out of her years ago.
You do not explain classified work.
You do not seek validation.
You do not compromise operational secrecy to heal personal wounds.
So Samantha swallowed the ache quietly and kept her face still.
Exactly the way she had been trained to do.
