Chapter 4 Deception or greed

Amidst the confusion and disbelief, I questioned my sanity. It seemed impossible that the bag could be on the bed. How did it get there? I racked my memory, but I couldn't recall taking that specific bag out of the trunk of my car. The realization that the bag was missing from the car, without my knowledge, left me feeling unsettled. Was I being watched? However, I quickly reminded myself that Sasha and I were the only two people living in the house.

Suddenly, Sasha burst into the room, her anger palpable as she launched a verbal assault against me. She seethed with fury, her face red hot like an overheated engine. Her restless movements filled the room, making my head spin.

"You had all this cash, and you didn't think to tell me?" she exclaimed, her voice heavy with disappointment. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "I can't believe you kept this from me, Ravia. Me, of all people. I have supported you through your struggles. The bills that needed to be paid..."

Before I could interject, she relentlessly continued her tirade, her words turning increasingly hurtful. I couldn't decipher if she was more upset about the fact that I had the money or that I had kept it a secret. The pain in her words cut deep, and I felt paralyzed by her anger.

In a state of shock and with a mix of guilt, anger, and ignorance, I grabbed the bag and locked myself in another room. Panic consumed me within minutes. Determined to find answers, Sasha pursued me, demanding an explanation.

"Did you steal it?" she questioned, her accusation hitting me like a blow.

How could she even consider such a thing about me? We had years of friendship, and she reduced me to a thief. I had to regain control of the situation and prevent her from saying something she might regret. Her incessant questioning became grating, pushing me to the brink of frustration.

Frustrated, I shouted back at her, "That's none of your business!"

Guilt washed over me as soon as the words left my mouth. I knew that lying and keeping such a significant secret from my best friend was wrong, but I felt compelled to protect her. She had always been there for me, especially in the recent months. However, I struggled to find a single reason to justify

I pondered relentlessly over the reason behind my actions, trying to pinpoint a single cause. It was the shocking realization that this man had put my life at risk twice that changed me.

Why was he so determined to control every aspect of my existence? How could I have allowed him to manipulate my friendships to the point of destruction? I struggled to comprehend why I clung to something that should have been forgotten and moved on from. Was I merely seeking retribution, hoping to make him face the consequences of his actions?

The tension in the room grew unbearable, urging me to seek solace in the open air. Without hesitation, I grabbed my bag and stormed out of the house. I hopped into my car, craving the freedom of the road, and drove aimlessly for hours.

Eventually, I found myself in an empty lot. An overwhelming surge of anger consumed me, and I released it in a furious scream that echoed through the desolate space. Settling back into the driver's seat, I gazed out into the vastness until a sense of tranquility enveloped me.

Around 3 p.m., my phone jarred me from my thoughts. Reluctant to answer, as I suspected it might be Sasha calling, I wasn't prepared to face her drama or her judgment. I knew her well enough to anticipate the thoughts swirling in her head. Truth be told, she couldn't bear the thought of me succeeding at anything more than her. I had spent years living in her shadow, and she relished it, knowing I had no one else to turn to.

After a moment's hesitation, I finally picked up the call. It was from Charlotte Maid Services.

Not too long ago, I had applied desperately for a housemaid position when I was unemployed and on the verge of being evicted by my so-called friend. Without a second thought, I answered the call, and the conversation with Ms. Charlotte went pleasantly. She invited me for a two-week probationary period of work at Jacob's family mansion, to determine whether they would consider hiring me for the long term.

With a glimmer of excitement and hope, I mustered the courage to return home and face my best friend. I had made up my mind to divulge the truth about what I had uncovered and how I had come into possession of such a substantial amount of money.

It was nighttime by the time I arrived home. Sasha was in the kitchen, sipping on her tea as I entered. She kindly offered me a drink, and we settled into an uncomfortable silence. I was at a loss for words, uncertain of where to begin and how much to reveal to her.

Eventually, I mustered the courage to break the silence and poured out every detail, leaving no stone unturned. I recounted my time at the police station, how I came into possession of the money, and my confusion over what to do next. Well, almost every detail. I deliberately left out any mentioning of him and the limited knowledge I had about him.

"What do you plan on doing with the money?" she inquired, curiosity evident in her voice.

To be honest, I hadn't given much thought to how I would keep the money secure. All I knew was that I couldn't simply spend it. I wanted nothing to do with it, no matter how tempting it may be. It just didn't feel right.

"I don't know, Sasha," I replied honestly.

"Well, you can't just leave it lying around like that," she protested.

"Remember, you took it from my car," I retorted, rolling my eyes at her.

She had a point. I needed to ensure its safety, for I intended to return it one day, thrust it back at him just as he had done to me. I was eager to confront him and unleash my anger upon him.

But how did Sasha know about the bag of cash in my car trunk?

A voice inside my head urged me to open the bag, only to discover that some of the money was missing. All the while, that bag had remained hidden in my car trunk, behind the spare tire. There was no way someone else could have known about it. Only Sasha and me.

Days passed, and Sasha's behavior toward me became increasingly peculiar. She began to hide things from me, and on Saturdays, our usual shopping day where she sought my opinion, she started going with someone else.

I chose not to question her decision, assuming she was still upset with me for keeping this secret from her. However, I couldn't help but feel left out and slightly jealous that she went with someone else.

Feeling bored and unsure of what to do, I contemplated where I could temporarily stash the money to keep it safe. After reaching a decision, I quickly examined the cash in the bag to confirm that it hadn't truly gone missing. To my astonishment, even more money had disappeared.

I couldn't catch my breath as shock paralyzed me. I was too overwhelmed to believe what my eyes were seeing. I fell to my knees, unable to make sense of it all. My stomach churned, and I nervously nibbled on my nails.

"No, this can't be. She wouldn't. She couldn't," I whispered in disbelief.

Later that evening, Sasha entered the house with an abundance of shopping bags that almost swallowed the entire living room. My mind raced, trying to fathom how she had come into so much money to afford such a shopping spree. Maybe she had found a new, wealthy partner.

Anxiety and restlessness consumed me as I paced the room. A nagging voice in my head suggested that perhaps some money had accidentally fallen into the car trunk. I had to investigate. Despite a thorough search, I found nothing. I felt utterly clueless about what to do next. How could I possibly return his two million dollars when a portion of it was missing?

I had to confront Sasha, but I struggled to find the right approach in asking if she had taken any of the money. She couldn't have. Could she? We had been friends since childhood, and she had never taken anything from me before. It was unfair to suspect her. Perhaps I was being excessively naive in blindly trusting her.

Confused and perplexed, I looked up at Sasha and abruptly questioned, "Did you take money from my bag?"