In Episode 11 of After the Quiet, I share what it was like to move toward marriage after a long-term controlling relationship that never truly healed. From a first engagement at age 20, to a wedding planned without a second proposal, this episode explores relationship momentum, emotional loneliness, and the warning signs hidden in plain sight. I reflect on church marriage classes, the pressure to carry the relationship for two people, and how coercive control and emotional abuse can continue even during “happy” milestones like engagement and wedding planning.