Chapter 5 - ARYA TOLD ME WHO PULLED THE TRIGGER
We found Arya alive.
Dominic escaped.
Again.
But Arya gave investigators what we needed.
She had known Dominic was stealing.
She had not known about the shooting.
At least initially.
Then, two months after I was injured, she discovered the payment to Caleb Ross.
She confronted Dominic.
He threatened her.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
I asked.
Arya sat in a hospital bed.
“Because I was afraid.”
“You could have gone to the police.”
“You were Vincent Corvino.”
I understood.
My reputation had imprisoned more people than I realized.
She cried.
“I thought if I helped Dominic get control, he'd leave us alone.”
“So you had me declared incompetent.”
“I told myself you'd be safer away from the business.”
“Did you believe that?”
“Some days.”
“And the other days?”
She looked at me.
“I wanted the life we had before.”
There it was.
“I wanted the parties.”
“The travel.”
“The man everyone feared.”
Her eyes dropped to my wheelchair.
“I didn't know how to love this version of you.”
It hurt.
But truth hurt differently from deception.
Cleaner.
I nodded.
“Thank you.”
She stared.
“For what?”
“For finally saying it.”
Arya cried.
“Do you hate me?”
“No.”
That surprised both of us.
“I don't trust you.”
She nodded.
“And I don't want to marry you.”
More tears.
“But I don't hate you.”
We said goodbye.
Really goodbye.
Outside the hospital, Tessa waited with my chair-accessible van.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good.”
I stared.
“Good?”
“You'd be terrifying if you were okay.”
I laughed.
Then I noticed she was dressed differently.
Jeans.
Sweater.
No uniform.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“You're working.”
“No.”
“What?”
“I resigned.”
The world went strangely quiet.
“Why?”
She looked at me.
“Because I'm in love with you.”
I forgot how to breathe.
“And I'm not going to be your aide while that's true.”
“Tessa—”
“No.”
She raised a hand.
“You're vulnerable.”
“I am not—”
“You are.”
That silenced me.
“Not weak.”
She continued.
“Vulnerable.”
“You're rebuilding your life. I'm involved in your bathing, dressing, therapy, medications. There are boundaries.”
I stared at her.
“You've thought about this.”
“Unfortunately.”
“What happens now?”
“I go home.”
“And us?”
“There is no us.”
That hurt more than expected.
Then she smiled slightly.
“Yet.”
She walked away.
I sat there watching her.
May you like
For once, the brutally honest woman had left me with exactly what I needed.
A choice.
