Chapter 5
The Fractured Truth
The house felt colder that morning.
Dennis paced the hallway, his mind a whirlwind of anger and panic.
The events of the party haunted him like a dark shadow. He could not believe how carefully Kensha and Jewel's aunt had manipulated everything.
He had been set up. Made drunk. Led into Jewel's room while she was away. Every detail had been orchestrated to make him look dangerous, to make Jewel fear him, to destroy any chance of trust between them. And now, the thought that he could have been accused and jailed for something he never intended filled him with rage.
He clenched his fists. "I have to fix this," he muttered under his breath. "I have to tell her the truth… I have to save her."
Dennis went straight to Jewel's room.
He found her sitting by the window, her knees pulled to her chest, staring out at the garden. She looked fragile, like a bird that had been trapped and finally escaped, still trembling.
"Jewel," he said, voice tense, trying to sound calm. "I need to talk to you."
Jewel turned slowly, her eyes wide, a mixture of fear and distrust. "I don't want to talk to you," she said quietly. "Not after… after what happened."
Dennis swallowed hard. His heart pounded.
"Jewel, you have to believe me! It wasn't like that.
I never wanted… I never tried to hurt you. It was all… it was all a setup."
Jewel flinched. "A setup? What do you mean?" Her voice shook.
She could not meet his eyes. "You were drunk. You were in my room… you could have…" Her words faltered.
She didn't finish the thought, but Dennis understood.
The fear and disgust in her eyes cut deeper than any blow.
"I know," Dennis said, his voice breaking. "I know how it looked. But Jewel, you have to trust me. I was manipulated.
Kensha… your aunt… they planned it all.
I almost… I almost lost control, but I never meant to hurt you. I swear!"
Jewel shook her head violently.
"I don't want to hear it! I can't trust you!" Her voice was loud, but fragile, echoing in the room. "I almost—" she paused, tears brimming.
"I almost… I don't even want to think about it."
Dennis felt his chest tighten. Every word she said made his anger grow, not at her, but at Kensha and the aunt.
How could they do this? How could they use him, almost ruin him, and now make Jewel hate him?
"I'm going to fix this," he said firmly. "I'm going to show you everything. I'll prove it to you."
Jewel looked away. "I don't care. I don't want to see anything from you."
Dennis's fists tightened. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. He needed to think. If Jewel wouldn't believe him, he needed another way.
And he knew exactly who had to answer first. Kensha.
He stormed into the living room.
Kensha was there, sitting casually on the sofa, a glass of juice in her hand. She smiled at him, a little too calm, a little too knowing.
"Kensha," he said sharply. "I know what you did."
Kensha raised an eyebrow, still smiling. "Oh? And what is that?" Her voice was light, teasing, but Dennis could see the glint in her eyes.
"You set me up," Dennis said, his voice low, dangerous. "The party… the drinks… leading me into Jewel's room… all of it.
You wanted her to see me like that. You wanted her to hate me."
Kensha leaned back, pretending to think. "I don't know what you mean," she said sweetly. But her smile didn't reach her eyes.
Dennis stepped closer, his anger simmering.
"Don't play with me!
I almost… I could have gone to jail, Kensha!
I could have ruined my life because of you!"
Kensha's smile faded just slightly, replaced by a flicker of satisfaction.
"And yet, here you are. Safe. Jewel's alive. And I think you can agree she trusts me and her aunt more than she trusts you now."
Dennis's fists clenched. "You think this is funny? You think it's okay to ruin my life and scare Jewel like that? I'm not your pawn, Kensha.
I will not let this continue."
Kensha's voice softened, almost mockingly maternal.
"Oh, Dennis… Do you think you're in control? You're still so naive.
Jewel's trust was never going to be yours. I made sure of that.
And your feelings… well, they made you easy to manipulate."
Dennis felt a surge of fury. "This ends now! I'm going to tell Jewel everything. I'm going to show her that you and her aunt are lying to her. She deserves to know the truth. And I will protect her from both of you."
Kensha tilted her head, her smile returning, cold and calculating. "Go ahead. Try. But remember, Dennis… she already fears you. You're the one who looks dangerous in her eyes now. And she doesn't even want to listen to you."
Dennis gritted his teeth. "Then I'll find a way to make her listen. I'll show her the truth, even if I have to risk everything."
Kensha laughed softly, a sound like ice. "Just remember, Dennis… the more you push, the more she will fear you. And the closer you get, the easier it is for her aunt to watch everything unfold."
Dennis stormed out of the living room, his anger mixed with desperation. He had to find a way to reach Jewel, to make her see him as he truly was. Not the monster she believed him to be.
He found her in the garden, still clutching herself, staring at the flowers but not really seeing them. He knelt beside her.
"Jewel," he said, voice trembling. "Please. Listen to me. You have to believe me. It was all planned… Kensha and your aunt… they wanted to make you hate me, to make you fear me. I'm here to save you, not hurt you. You have to trust me."
Jewel's eyes welled up with tears. "I… I don't know if I can," she whispered.
"Everything happened so fast… I don't know what to believe anymore."
Dennis reached out, careful not to touch her. "I'll prove it to you. I'll show you everything. I'll find every piece of their plan, every lie. I won't let them hurt you again."
Jewel shook her head violently. "No! I don't want to hear anything from you! I don't want… I can't…" Her voice broke, and she ran inside, leaving Dennis alone in the garden, fists clenched, chest heaving.
Dennis's mind raced. The plan had worked perfectly for Kensha and the aunt. Jewel distrusted him, feared him, and he had no way of convincing her—at least, not yet.
But he would not give up. He had seen the truth, and he knew he had to protect Jewel, no matter what. He would find a way to expose Kensha and her aunt, to make Jewel understand, to save her from the danger she did not yet see.
And somewhere, in the shadows of the house, Kensha and the aunt watched silently, satisfied that the chaos had begun but unaware that Dennis's determination might yet turn the game in unexpected ways.
Dennis stood in the garden, the cool night air on his face, his mind racing with plans, fear, and fury.
Jewel was safe… for now.
But he knew the next step was dangerous. Every move he made would be watched. Every word he said could push Jewel further away.
And somewhere inside the house, Kensha's eyes gleamed with triumph—but Dennis's resolve was now a storm building in the shadows, ready to challenge everything she and the aunt had carefully set in motion.
The game had only just begun.