"Because words are useless."
"Ah," she said, nodding. "So actions mean more than words to you."
"Of course they do."
The corner of her lips twitched, as she leveled her gaze on Damien. "Do you hear her?"
He nodded, face pale. "I'll do better."
Dr. Raines let the silence settle before speaking again. "Speaking of actions, let's get back to Jennifer. Damien's told you everything. And you still haven't told her?"
"No." My fingers tangled in my lap. "I haven't."
"That's what's eating at me," I continued. "Back then, I had an excuse. I was in the dark too. But now I have the answers she asked for—the answers I promised her—and I'm just... sitting on them. Letting her wait. Breaking my word one day at a time."
"How does that feel?" Dr. Raines asked.
"Dirty," I said.
Damien shifted beside me. A quick glance told a story of guilt—sweat beading on his brow.
I turned my attention back to Dr. Raines, who was nodding slowly. "What do you think honesty would cost you?"
I pictured the conference room again. Jennifer's bottom lip quivering. The hurt etched across her face when she whisperedNo. You don't.
"Her faith in me," I said. "If I tell her the truth—that Damien manipulated the numbers to protect Elion, to protect me—she might see it as a betrayal. Of her trust. Of everything we built." I swallowed. "Or she might understand. I don't know. That's the problem. I don't know which version of Jennifer I'd be facing."
Dr. Raines smiled. "Sounds familiar."
"It isn't the same. I'm not in a relationship with Jennifer. She has no obligation to hold this secret, has no stakes in it. She could bring the information to the police."
"But you said she has the numbers already."
"Yes," I admitted softly. "She does."
Dr. Raines shifted in her chair, tucking the other leg underneath her.
"Silence sits in the certain column," Dr. Raines said. "Honesty sits in the unknown."
Damien let out a long breath.
"Here's my recommendation," she said. "Tell Jennifer. Not because you owe her every detail right now. But because you made a promise. And every day you don't keep it, you're telling her—and yourself—that your word doesn't mean what you said it did."
The words landed like a slap. A gentle one, but still.
"Aligning your words with your actions will support her trust."
Damien shifted. "This is my mess. I made the call on the audit. I should be the one to tell her."
"No." I shook my head. "I made the promise. It has to come from me."
"I still would like to talk to her. To own what I did."
Dr. Raines watched us, something like approval in her expression.
"I stand by my recommendation," she said. "Talk to Jennifer. Keep the promise you made. Bring your external story in line with your internal one."
I nodded slowly. "Okay."
