In Episode 8, AJ and AJ dive deep into what it means to break the cycle of abuse, especially when the harm comes from the people who are supposed to love you most—sisters, friends, and family.

"A" shares the story of a friendship with a narcissist, beginning with intense love bombing and quickly evolving into something darker: becoming a supporting character in someone else’s carefully crafted social media persona. A finds herself literally and emotionally positioned as the “camera person,” helping build someone else’s image while quietly losing herself in the process. As she unpacks what happened, she realizes the relationship was echoing a familiar dynamic—chasing validation and mirroring patterns from her relationship with her mother. Ultimately, "A" chooses herself: she stands up, draws a boundary, and removes this person from her life—set to the soundtrack of “Walking on a Dream” by Empire of the Sun.

"J" opens up about growing up with an abusive sister, and how she survived by escaping into Little House on the Prairie—watching herself onscreen through Laura Ingalls Wilder, while her sister became Nellie Oleson in her mind: cruel, entitled, and relentless. Even when her sister offered half-hearted apologies, the bullying continued. "J" shares how she eventually learned to stand up for herself, refuse the cycle, and step away from the role she was forced into—breaking the cycle of abuse for good.