FLAWLESS

CHAPTER 34

Vincent POV

Sitting in Shanelle's living room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The atmosphere was tense, and the presence of her friends on the opposite side only added to my discomfort. Beatrice, the blonde one, was glaring at us with a cold intensity that made it clear she wasn't thrilled about our presence. On the other hand, Kayleen, the brunette, had invited us in after hearing about Shanelle's condition and the severity of the situation. It was evident that they both cared deeply for her well-being.

I shared a quick look with Dan, who I had come with and since he was my second-in-command, he intends to follow me everywhere even though it wasn't really necessary but he still insisted. The situation was more serious than we initially anticipated. We had come here to talk to Shanelle about her overuse of the pills meant for her panic attacks. We needed to intervene before she fell into the clutches of addiction. Beatrice had reached out to Shanelle and informed her that she and Kayleen wanted to discuss something important leaving out the part that we were also here since I told her not to mention it. She texted back, letting us know she would be a few minutes late, and caught up with some things on set.

Beatrice broke the silence, her voice laced with skepticism. 

"So, Vincent, what's your plan? How do you intend to handle this?"

I took a moment to collect my thoughts before responding. 

"First and foremost, we need to talk to Shanelle individually, one by one. We need to make her understand the risks associated with these pills and the potential dangers she's exposing herself to."

The weight of the situation was palpable in the room. Shanelle had recently bought the same pills from a local drug dealer who happened to work for me. It was a dangerous move. While the drugs themselves might be the same, this dealer, Ramo, was known for creating his own concoctions, putting Shanelle at an even greater risk.

I turned to Kayleen and Beatrice, hoping they might have some insight. 

"Did you know about Shanelle buying drugs from a drug dealer?" I asked, my voice tinged with concern.

Both of them shook their heads in unison. 

"No, we had no idea," Kayleen replied, her voice filled with worry. 

"We tried our best to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't listen. We knew she needed something for her panic attacks, but using them daily is just so unlike her."

I took a deep breath, gathering the courage to reveal my true intentions. 

"Look I'm gonna be honest with you," I confessed. 

"Although things ended abruptly between Shanelle and me, it doesn't mean I've stopped caring for her. I still like her, and I want to help her through this."

Beatrice's eyes widened, and she looked at me with surprise. 

"Vincent, Shanelle once told me that part of the reason she started taking those pills was to try and stop thinking about you."

Shock coursed through me, and I felt a pang of guilt. I hadn't realized the extent to which our past had affected her. The fact that she resorted to relying on pills to forget about me was a heavy burden to bear.

Our conversation came to an abrupt halt as we heard the key turning in the lock. The door swung open, revealing Shanelle standing there. We all stood up, waiting to face her.

Shanelle entered the room, her expression a mix of surprise and apprehension. Her eyes darted from one person to another, lingering on me for a moment longer. It was a tense moment, filled with unspoken words and a desire to make things right again.

As she closed the door behind her, we knew that this confrontation was necessary, that it would shape the path ahead for Shanelle, and perhaps for all of us.