Later that year, Sarah confided in her best friend, Amanda French, then told her mum.
Grealy confessed to Debra, too, admitting he was “in love with your daughter” and kissing Sarah in front of her.
Debra was both shocked, but the man had also “infiltrated” the whole family and earned her trust.
“In hindsight, she regrets everything. She wishes she could go back in time and change how she responded to things,” Sarah said.
“But Mum was very vulnerable and very manipulated through that process as well. So I think she was very confused and did what she thought was best at that time.”
When Grealy left Hervey Bay for Brisbane in Year 11, Sarah followed, lured by promises of being a “regular couple” and a place in a specialised dance school. But the promises never eventuated.
Not long after, Grealy ended the relationship, claiming “people are never going to accept us.”
“I felt like the rug had been completely pulled from underneath me,” Sarah said. “I was so confused, because he had always said, ‘You’re my soul mate’.”
Even after the breakup, Grealy kept seeing Sarah, breadcrumbing her with lies while he was engaged to someone else.
“I was never really out of the picture and away from him and away from his manipulation,” Sarah said.
After eight years of marriage, Sarah split from Grealy. Image: Dyllan Liddy Photography.