Chapter 8 - THE FOLDER
Three days passed.
The estate became quieter.
Security remained high, but the emergency atmosphere faded.
Caprice returned to her routine.
Cleaning.
Coffee.
Meals.
Books.
Diamond's therapy.
For the first time, the house felt almost normal.
That frightened Diamond more than the gunfire.
Because normal meant something could be lost.
Tuesday afternoon, Caprice was polishing Diamond's desk.
The door opened.
Diamond entered.
He looked different.
Not colder.
Sad.
He placed a manila folder on the desk.
Caprice stopped.
"What is this?"
"Open it."
She did.
The first document was a deed.
A house.
Beautiful.
Quiet.
Safe.
The second was a bank statement.
Her name.
A balance large enough to change her life forever.
Then came a passport.
Driver's license.
New identity.
Everything required to disappear.
Caprice slowly looked up.
"What is this?"
"Costa is dead."
"I know."
"There will be another."
Diamond's hands tightened around the wheels.
"Another ambitious man will want my territory."
He looked toward the windows.
"What happened here will happen again."
Caprice stared at him.
"You want me to leave."
"I want you alive."
"So you're paying me off."
"I'm giving you an exit."
"An exit from you."
His eyes met hers.
"Yes."
The answer hurt more than she expected.
Diamond continued.
"A quiet house."
"Enough money."
"Your mother can move to a private facility near you."
"No debt."
"No fear."
He paused.
"No me."
Caprice looked at the papers.
Then at the man she loved.
"You think you can put me in a safe little box and call that love?"
His expression hardened.
"You don't belong in a war zone."
"I belong where I choose."
"You don't understand."
"Then explain it."
Diamond's voice broke.
"If you stay, my enemies will use you."
"They already tried."
"And they will try again."
"I know."
"You could die."
"So could you."
He looked away.
Caprice stepped closer.
"You aren't protecting me."
He said nothing.
"You're afraid."
His jaw tightened.
"You're building another wall."
Silence.
"You did the same thing when your legs stopped working."
Diamond looked at her.
"You pushed everyone away because you were terrified of becoming dependent."
She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"And now you're pushing me away because you're terrified of losing me."
His eyes closed.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then:
"You're the only thing in this world I care about."
Caprice's heart broke.
"Then why are you trying to destroy it?"
"Because you're the only thing that can destroy me."
She stared at him.
Then slowly picked up the documents.
Diamond thought she was accepting.
Instead—
She tore them.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
The pieces fell into the wastebasket.
Diamond stared.
"What did you do?"
May you like
Caprice looked directly into his eyes.
"I chose."
