The words thunder through my skull.
Fuck.
She takes another step back. “What’s the verdict? Did I pass your test?”
“There’s no test.” Relief washes through me, clearing my head. “I just needed to know. Of course I believe you. I’m sorry.”
But Emilia’s digging into her pocket. “Hold on. Let me put your mind at rest.”
“What—,”
She pulls out her phone, her fingers flying over the screen before she shoves it into my chest. “Here. There it is. Take a good look, Jared. Evidence for the defense.”
I stare down. She’s opened up a digital banking app, the screen set to show the total balance.
$0.
“Go on,” she says tightly. Em has her arms wrapped around herself as she nods at the phone. “Scroll through. I wouldn’t want you to have any concerns about my trustworthiness.”
I don’t look down. “I don’t need to scroll down.”
She pulls the phone out of my hands, breathing heavily. “Then I’ll show you. This is a special account, you see. I only used it for all of these men I apparentlyused.”
“Em—,”
She’s shaking. “Let’s see. Incoming amounts – here we go.”
She twists it, showing me the payment.
“There’s four thousand there from my husband.” Her voice is raw. “I bought a lovely new necklace. It covered the bruises around my neck.”
My heart stops. Ceases to beat.
“Two thousand.” Her eyes flick to me and away. “Half for each eye. Paid for a lovely pair of oversized sunglasses. My father sent that one. I was accompanying him to a garden party, and he didn’t want there to be any questions.”
“Emilia.”
“Twenty thousand for a new bracelet. It went very nicely with my broken wrist. Arron chose it himself.”
Fuck.Fuck.
“And two hundred and fifty thousand dollars,” she says, her eyes bright. “For a pan of hot oil, and the scars in my skin. For my silence. I used a little bit for my apartment. And the rest went to the first shelter I walked past when I arrived here.”
She gave it all away.
Someone pushes into me. I rip my eyes away, taking in the bar around us. The panel of wood separating us. “Let me take you home. We can talk about this.”
The look on her face is crushing me.
“I am done with talking.” She straightens, her chin lifting. “I talked to you earlier, Jared. I told you what he was like. But all it took was a quick conversation for you to come in here and assume the worst of me. Just like everyone else.”
Her words land like a blow, and I rock back.
Go over our conversation for the last few minutes in my head.
And my eyes close. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel like that.”
“I believe you.” She swallows. “But you did, Jared. Why did I have to prove myself to you? Why did I have to show you my worst memories to get through to you, whenhedidn’t have to prove a damn thing?”
