Page 189 of Kentrell

My eyes burned as the full weight of reality finally set in.

“She fucked my whole world up, Kentrell.”

The words cracked out of me, sharp and trembling. I didn’t even know if he fully understood where I was coming from… what it felt like to watch your entire identity collapse in real time.

“She knew.” My voice caught, thick with disbelief. “She knew there was always a chance I’d find out the truth… and still chose to lie to me. Had me living in this bubble… like I camefrom something good. Like I was this… this product of love and sacrifice.”

I laughed, bitter and breathless.

“I patterned my whole damn life after her. Trying to live up to some…fantasy.”

Kentrell’s grip tightened on the steering wheel.

But he didn’t interrupt.

Didn’t offer empty comfort or soft words I wasn’t ready to hear.

He just listened.

Which, somehow… made it worse.

Because it made me feelseen.

And I wasn’t ready for that either.

A new, colder realization slammed into me like a wall.

“He probably watched me grow up.”

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

I could picture it now… Darius standing at firm holiday parties, giving polite nods as I walked past. Sitting at long conference tables while I presented case research like I was just another eager associate. Watching me laugh at work happy hours… asking about my career goals…

All the while knowing.

Knowing he was the reason I used to cry myself to sleep every Father’s Day.

I leaned back hard against the seat and dragged both hands over my face like I could scrub the tears away… like I could scrubhimaway.

And then…

I broke.

Not loud.

Not dramatic.

Just silent, steady tears carving hot trails down my cheeks.

The kind that came from somewhere deep… a place I didn’t even have words for yet.

“I hate them,” I whispered into my palms.

Both of them.

Zora.

Darius.

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