The weight of silence between Ochieng and Caroline was suffocating. She shifted uncomfortably, her fingers clutching the hem of her blouse as if trying to hold herself together.
Ochieng, on the other hand, was perfectly composed—his gaze cold, calculating, and unwavering. He had been through too much to be caught off guard, too experienced to let emotions cloud his judgment.
"How much is your secret worth, Caroline?" His voice was smooth, but the underlying threat was clear.
She took a shaky breath. "Ochieng, please. You don't understand."
He chuckled, the sound devoid of warmth. "I understand more than you think. A professor and a student, sneaking around like ghosts in the night? That's not just scandalous—it's dangerous."
Caroline's face twisted in frustration. "It's not what it looks like."
"Then explain it to me," he challenged, crossing his arms. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like betrayal."
She hesitated. For a brief moment, her guard faltered, and Ochieng saw something flicker in her eyes—fear, regret, or perhaps something deeper.
"I needed his help," she admitted finally. "He has connections, Ochieng. With investors, with people who could change my life. It was just business."
Ochieng scoffed. "Business? That's what you're calling it?"
Caroline clenched her jaw. "You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to get tangled in something I can't escape?"
Ochieng stepped closer, his presence suffocating. "You always have a choice, Caroline. You just made the wrong one."
She exhaled sharply, her eyes darting toward the door again. "What do you want from me?"
Ochieng tilted his head, watching her with amusement. "That's the real question, isn't it?" He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You owe me now, Caroline. And I always collect my debts."
Her breath hitched. She knew better than to underestimate him.
"Fine," she muttered. "What do you want?"
Ochieng smiled, slow and deliberate. "I'll let you know soon enough."
Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Caroline standing there—trapped in the very web she had spun.