“No,” he said, voice quiet now. “It’s fine. I understand enough.”
Thad stepped past her into the hallway. For a second, I thought he might touch her arm. He didn’t. Perhaps he had learned something after all.
Instead, he said, “I hope he’s worth whatever this costs you.”
Then he left.
Céline watched him walk away until he disappeared down the corridor. Only then did she step into my office and shut the door behind her. She turned on me immediately.
“What did you say to him?”
“Less than I wanted to.”
“This is not funny.” Her eyes flashed.
“I am not laughing.”
“You made him come here, didn’t you?”
“No.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I didn’t make him do anything.” I paused, watching the rainwater cling to one dark strand of hair near her cheek. “You broke up with him. He came here because he assumed I had something to do with it.”
“You did have something to do with it.”
She crossed the room toward me, stopping a few feet from my desk. Her hands were trembling slightly, though she hid it by gripping the strap of her bag. I wondered if the shaking had started in Thad’s hallway last night or in the car afterwards, or only now, after seeing the discarded future walk past her with hurt on his face.
She stepped closer before she could stop herself, anger overriding caution.
“I could ruin you too, you know.”
“Yes.” I knew she was referring to the way she ruined Katherine, but I didn’t let it slip out.
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
“You think I won’t because you have that file.”
“I think you won’t because ruining me would require explaining why I had that file in the first place. It doesn’t takea genius to guess you didn’t just steal her research, clothes and car. There’s more to it, isn’t there?”
The truth settled between us coldly.
Then, very quietly, she said, “I hate you.”
The words had become familiar by now, but they did not sound the same each time. Today, there was exhaustion and grief beneath them.
“I know.”
“No, you don’t. You think my hatred is part of whatever sick game you’re playing. It isn’t.” Her voice shook once, barely. “I had a life before you.”
“You had hiding places.”
“They were still mine; I built them.”
I said nothing for a moment. The rain filled the silence. She looked beautiful like this, which was inconvenient and entirely beside the point. Damp hair, pale face, eyes bright with fury, she refused to let become tears. She had dressed carefully this morning, but the storm had undone enough of the polish to make her look more real than she probably intended.
