The Day Silence Spoke novel Chapter 47

Clifford picked up his coat and glanced at her. “Is there something else?”

Yesenia pouted, her eyes pleading. “Can’t you stay?”

“No,” he said, his answer sharp and final. Then he added, “Not tonight.”

Yesenia ground her teeth in frustration. When he said it like that, she knew there was no changing his mind. She let go of his arm with a sigh.

“Fine, go.”

She had stayed up just to sit with him, thinking that at this hour he would finally stay. It turned out to be wishful thinking.

She was discovering that powerful men had a special talent for putting a woman through an emotional roller coaster in a matter of seconds. One moment, you’d feel like he truly cared, and the next, he would ruthlessly push you away, reminding you of your place.

If it weren’t for her resilience, his hot-and-cold treatment would have driven her mad long ago.

And just like that, Clifford left. He didn’t even look back, making the man who had so gently tended to her wound moments before seem like a figment of her imagination.

...

At the community clinic, Latisha sat propped up in bed, her lips pale. Two police officers and the security guard from the previous night stood beside her.

“That’s the whole story,” the guard explained. “I heard the sound of breaking glass, so I went to check it out and found her. I brought her here and then called the police.”

The guard had almost left, but Latisha, lying on the ground, had found a rock and thrown it at a nearby window, which made him turn back.

The owner of the broken window was also there, demanding compensation.

A police officer placed her suitcase by the bed. “Is this yours?”

After the police left, the woman lingered. She stood over Latisha’s bed. “Hey, mute girl, you still have to pay me for the window.”

The woman was in her forties. Her face wasn't unkind, but the moment she spoke, a shrill, greedy tone emerged.

Wincing in pain, Latisha leaned over, lifted her suitcase onto the bed, and opened it, gesturing for the woman to take whatever she wanted.

She had no money. The clothes inside were all things Clifford had bought for her. They were likely expensive.

The woman eyed the contents, picking through them and inspecting the seams. She seemed satisfied with the quality.

“I’ll have you know, that window cost me over three thousand dollars when I bought it. These few pieces of clothing are worth a thousand at most, right?”

As she spoke, she gathered up nearly all the clothes from the suitcase. “Whatever. I’ll just consider it an act of charity. Just don’t go around breaking people’s property next time.”