“What did she say when you told her that?”
“She blanched. Like you now, and she looked as if her heart had stopped. That’s why I said you mean a lot to her, but I don’t know if that’s enough to make you stay.”
I chug more beer.
She searches my eyes.
“Am I right?”
“You probably are,” I mutter. “It’s not as if I want to leave.”
“I know you don’t.”
“I care for her, but there are other things bigger than us.”
“What things?”
“Money for one. She’s made a lot of money. She struck gold with an online venture that curates content and cashes in on advertising. The traffic is huge and the money pouring into her bank account reflects that. On the other hand, I wouldn’t make the money I make right now if it wasn’t for her. Nowhere in the real world could I make that amount of cash without education and solid work experience.”
She muses.
“Are you good at it?”
“Yeah, I am. But I want more than that. I want to make my own money. And not under her roof. It just doesn’t feel right.”
Her eyes turn dull.
“You don’t need to worry,” I say. “I’d never make a hasty move. I’ve started working on some side projects that may transition into something bigger and better. I’m not gonna leave her just to make a point. I like Senna. And I wouldn’t think about all of this had she not been important to me.”
“Let’s hope things will work out,” she says quietly.
“They will.”
* * *
JADEN
It’stwo o’clock in the morning when I roll the car through the gates and slowly steer it into the garage.
Quietly, I unlock the door and slip into the house.
The place is shrouded in darkness except for the faint light coming from Senna’s laptop. I tiptoe my way through the living room, and just as I pivot toward the bedroom, I spot her sleeping on the sofa.
I turn around and stop next to the couch.
For a few moments, I watch her in silence. Lips parted, she breathes softly, her head propped against her arm, her features looking peaceful and relaxed in the pale glow.
Strands of hair brush her lips.
She looks innocent and pure.
That’s who she must’ve been before her world came crashing down on her.
We would’ve been great together... Then.
A soft exhale escapes my lips before my eyes swing to the screen. I do a double-take.
What…?