“Ajori,” Domino’s low voice came from behind me.
I hadn’t even realized he had risen from his seat.
“Just hear her out,” he murmured quietly, almost soothingly. “Then you can feel however you want after.”
I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the frustration swell in my chest.
I was annoyed, frustrated, but also… exhausted.
I opened my eyes again, contemplating the weight of the situation. “You’ve got five minutes,” I stated flatly, my tone resolute. “Because I’m not missing a call from those doctors for this.”
Vanessa nodded quickly. “Okay… okay.”
I turned on my heel and headed toward a smaller consultation room down the hall, fully aware that she was following closely behind, her footsteps almost timid.
The moment the door shut behind us, a thick silence enveloped the room, heavy and filled with tension.
Vanessa glanced at me, as though struggling to find the right words to bridge the chasm between us.
“Wow…” she began softly, her eyes lingering on my face. “You look so beautiful.”
Thanks to my father, I wasn’t in old linens and rundown shoes. Everything I wore was expensive and looked like it was tailored to my body.
“I know quality when I see it,” she went on, stepping a little closer, fingers twitching as if she wanted to touch the fabric but knew better. “That stitching? That’s not off the rack. The fit? Custom. That fit? Tailored. Shoes like that don’t come cheap… and neither does the life that comes with them.”
Her voice softened just a touch.
“I can tell you’re being well taken care of.”
“I am!” I confirmed, tossing in her face. “But this isn’t a fashion moment. If you came to talk, then talk, becausecompliments don’t change anything, and I don’t really have the time or the energy to pretend they do.”
Vanessa’s lips pressed together in a thin line, yet she nodded in understanding. “Right.”
Taking a deep, almost shaky breath, she plunged into her explanation.
“Ajori, I wasn’t trying to hurt you… or Kyrin,” she started, her voice strained.
I folded my arms across my chest defensively. “Then you failed.”
She flinched at my words but pressed on, determination flickering in her eyes. “I went into your room that night, looking for a pair of my shoes that I thought I had lent to you. And I found the box. All that money…”
Her eyes dropped for a second, shame evident in her posture.
I didn’t say anything; I just stared.
"I thought…” Vanessa hesitated, her voice shaking as she forced out the next words, “I thought I could do something good with it.”
I let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. “You thought stealing was doing something good?”
“I bought us a house,” she rushed out, excitement mingling with desperation in her voice. “Ajori, a real house… something stable, something we’ve never had.”
With that, she pulled out her phone, stepping closer to me, eager to show me her vision. “Look—look at it. It’s beautiful. Three bedrooms, a yard, a—”
I thrust her hand back, anger boiling over. “I don’t care about any house!” I snapped, my voice echoing in the small space.
Her face fell at my words, disappointment and hurt flooding her features.
“You stole money that wasn’t yours!” I continued, my voice rising, fueled by years of pent-up frustration. “That wasn’t money just sitting around for decoration!”
