3: 3
3
The next afternoon, Lavinia showed up at our door dragging a suitcase.
She said that ever since her promotion, jealous coworkers had been harassing her—someone had thrown red paint on her door for days, and last night her windows had been smashed.
Samuel told her to move in on the spot.
I looked at the luggage being set down in the guest room and asked him, "Can't she just stay at a hotel?"
"Someone's watching her right now. Hotels are full of strangers. It's not safe."
"Our building has good security. Here is the best place for her."
Before I could say anything, Lavinia clutched the hem of her shirt, looking anxious.
"It's fine, Samuel."
"Veronica already doesn't like me. If I move in, seeing me every day will only make her angrier."
"I should just go home. Worst case, I won't sleep tonight."
She turned as if to leave, and Samuel immediately stopped her.
"This is my home. I decide who stays here."
Then he turned to look at me.
"I'll book you a hotel nearby for a week."
"Once Lavinia's new place is sorted out, you can come back."
I thought I'd misheard.
"You're throwing me out of my own home for her?"
Samuel's brow furrowed.
"It's just a few days. Don't make it sound so ugly."
"You can take care of yourself in a hotel on your own."
"Lavinia just had a scare. She's unstable right now. She can't be left alone."
Again.
Because I could take care of myself, even the home we'd shared for five years was something I should hand over to Lavinia first.
I didn't move.
"I'm not leaving."
The last of Samuel's patience burned out.
He walked straight into the bedroom, opened the closet, and started stuffing my clothes into a suitcase one piece at a time.
I rushed over and pressed my hands down on the case.
"Samuel, this is my home."
"I paid for half the renovation and the furniture. What gives you the right to throw me out?"
His hands paused, but his voice only went colder.
"The fact that the house is in my name."
"Veronica, someone's personal safety is being threatened, and you're still standing here arguing over who chipped in a few thousand dollars for renovations."
"When did you become this selfish?"
The words hit me like a bucket of ice water poured from head to foot.
Back when his startup was short on money, I emptied my entire savings to renovate this place.
Samuel had held my hand and told me it didn't matter whose name was on the deed—this would always be our home.
Now, with one line about the house being in his name, he turned me into a guest without a second thought.
Lavinia stood outside the door, eyes red, pleading, "Veronica, don't fight with Samuel."
"How about I go to a hotel instead, and you stay."
The moment she finished speaking, a heavy thud came from the stairwell.
Lavinia shrieked in fright, crouching down and covering her head.
"Is it him? Did he follow me here?"
"Samuel, I'm scared!"
Samuel instantly dropped the luggage and went to steady her.
Outside, it was just a neighbor who'd dropped a cardboard box while moving.
But Lavinia kept trembling, clinging to the front of his shirt, saying she wouldn't dare stay as long as I was here.
When Samuel looked at me again, there was nothing left in his eyes but impatience.
"The hotel and the car are both arranged."
"Don't make me call building management up to escort you out."
He pushed the suitcase out the door, then took my coat and bag from the shoe cabinet.
I blocked the doorway, refusing to let him close the door.
"Samuel, if I walk out that door today, we're really over."
His gaze flickered.
But behind him, Lavinia called his name again, her voice breaking into sobs.
In the end, Samuel pried my fingers off the doorframe.
"You're worked up right now."
"Once you calm down, you'll understand I'm saving someone, not choosing between the two of you."
The door was shoved open hard.
I lost my footing and fell backward down the two steps outside the door.
My lower abdomen slammed into the metal corner of the suitcase.
The instant the pain hit, my vision went black, and for a long moment I couldn't get up.
Samuel took a reflexive step forward.
"Veronica?"
I thought he would finally come to help me up.
But Lavinia suddenly cried out from inside, saying she couldn't breathe.
He glanced back, then immediately turned and walked toward her.
"It's only two steps. Get up on your own."
"The car's downstairs. Stop wasting time."
The door closed in front of me.
A moment later, the electronic lock beeped as its passcode was being reset.
Clutching my throbbing abdomen, I braced against the wall and pushed myself up, inch by inch.
It wasn't until I was in the car to the hotel that I noticed a small patch of blood had already seeped through the hem of my dress.
