Page 53 of Ex- Factor
Her whole face frowned.
“I’m not saying he’s perfect,” I added. “But I haven’t seen him shut down. I’ve seen him try. Every day. With me.”
“Yeah, because you’re new.” She refuted.
I shrugged. “Or maybe I’m just not you.” I stood up, grabbing my drink. I thought about throwing it on her.
Charmaine looked thrown. “So… that’s it? You don’t want to talk to me when I’m trying to help you—”
“That’s it.” I gave her a tight smile. “I wish you healing and closure, for real. But don’t talk to me like I’m in the same situation you were. You’re not some Silas expert. You’re just a woman who couldn’t love him the way he needed—because him loving a child and another woman hurt your feelings.”
I turned to leave—
I saw Silas jogging our way, hoodie half-zipped, keys in hand like he’d just dropped everything to get here. Full-outrunning in basketball shorts and a T-shirt. I knew he’d gone to play ball with Jonas earlier.
“You good?” he asked, out of breath.
“I’m fine.”
He turned to Charmaine, jaw already tight.
“Angel called me. I told her to leave, she said she’ll call you,” he said, then muttered, “I’ll be right back.”
Silas walked over to the table, voice low but venomous. “Don’t speak to her again. Or Angel. Don’t look at them. Don’t wave at them. You’re pissing me off, Charmaine—don’t do that.”
She tried to open her mouth, but he was already turning back to me.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, stepping into my space all normal-like, like he hadn’t just threatened somebody’s self-esteem. “You ready to head home?”
I stared up at him in awe for a second. This man protected my peace.
He was my protector—unapologetically.
He was my mirror—he made me see myself.
He was the grace I didn’t think I deserved.
Will you marry me and spend the rest of your life with me, was on the tip of my tongue. He had me in my feelings, but I simply nodded and said, “Yup.”
He grabbed my hand, interlaced our fingers, and walked us out like nothing happened.
Behind us, I could feel Charmaine’s eyes burning a hole in the back of my head.
But I didn’t care.
Not even a little bit.
Chapter thirty- Silas
I leaned back on Dr. Bailey’s couch, tapping my knee. He always sat the same way—legs crossed, pen balanced on his notebook like he was just waiting for me to crack. Most days, I resisted. Today, though, the words were pushing.
“Yeah.” I let out a laugh that wasn’t funny. “That camping trip? That was the first time I told anybody everything. And I didn’t even plan it. It just… came out. I thought I’d feel weak after. Thought they’d look at me different. But nah. Eshe didn’t flinch. She looked at me like I wasn’t broken. Like I was just… me.”
“You felt accepted,” he said—not even asking, just naming it.
“Yeah. And ever since, I can’t shake the thought that maybe I should put a ring on Eshe’s finger. Not ‘someday.’ Soon. Like… real soon.”
Dr. Bailey tilted his head. “You’re looking at me like you want permission.”
