Stranger to Me

~Thirty-One~

Gilda's P.O.V.

"Are you sure you can trust her?" Colin whispered. He leaned in a little closer, like he was telling a secret, and his question caught me off guard.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, are you sure you can trust her?" he repeated.

"Of course," I answered smoothly. Colin sat back in his chair and crossed his leg over the other. He raised his eyebrow.

"Oh really?"

I nodded, and I was a little bit nervous. I had never seen him acting like this. After all, he was supposed to be my counselor. Now he was asking all these prying questions.

"Gilda," he began, leaning forwards in his chair again. "Can I ask you something?"

I nodded again.

"Didn't you once tell me that your wedding ring was up there?"

I was about to nod when I decided to open my mouth and say "Yes" instead.

"Where is that girl?"

"Up in the room."

"What stone was in the ring?"

"A sapphire surrounded by tiny diamonds," I replied, feeling exceedingly nervous. Where was he going with this?

"And isn't that girl not very well-to-do?"

There went my head, shaking up and down yet again.

"And she still hasn't found that ring?"

"No," I responded. "She would tell me if she did."

"Would she?" Colin questioned. A smirk crept onto his face.

"Yes," I gulped.

"I'm just saying," Colin remarked, raising his palms,"It seems awfully strange that she's been up there so long and still hasn't found the ring. Unless she has..."

It took me a few seconds to understand what Colin was saying. He was suggesting Sajana had stolen my ring.

At first, my mind said a flat out no way. Sajana would never do that!

But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Sajana needed the money. She had told me all about her circumstance. She had been up there so long, so she had to have found it. I mean, the ring wasn't that small. There was no other explanation. Sajana had take that ring and stolen it.

And then I believed. There was no doubt in my mind. It seemed that anything I put my mind to, I threw myself at it wholeheartedly. I spoke the words Colin had initially wanted me to.

"You know what, Colin," I spoke determinedly. "You may just be right."

Anger rose up inside me the way I had never felt before. My fists clenched beside me, and I felt my face getting hot.

And here I thought I could trust her.