Do I Have the Right to Be Loved?

Chapter 9 - Confrontation

"What are you doing here?" he growled, fists clenched. "You've got no business being here!"

Daniel, initially surprised, quickly regained his composure, meeting Thomas's furious gaze without flinching.

Daniel squinted his eyes, staring directly into Thomas's, his mocking smile erasing any sign of nervousness. He made no effort to break free from Thomas's grip but replied calmly, almost with a hint of defiance:

"Relax, man. We were working on a project. Jeanne can tell you."

Thomas, still gripping him tightly, glanced at Jeanne, searching for confirmation. Jeanne, uncomfortable, quickly stood up from the couch and approached Thomas, gently placing her hand on his arm, an instinctive gesture to calm him.

"It's true, Thomas. He's here for the history project..." Her voice was soft but firm, trying to ease the palpable tension filling the room.

Thomas slightly lowered his guard, but his gaze remained hard and icy, fixed on Daniel. He finally let go, pushing him back with a brusque gesture. "I don't care about the project. This guy has no place here."

Adjusting his t-shirt, Daniel let out a bitter laugh. "It's crazy how protective you are. Your girlfriend's not made of glass, you know." His words were slow, measured, but carried a hint of provocation.

Jeanne felt her heart race. The situation was spiraling, and she knew that if she didn't intervene, Thomas might lose his temper. She positioned herself resolutely between them, her gaze shifting from one to the other, determined to defuse the situation.

"That's enough," she said, her voice louder. "Thomas, I've got this. Daniel was leaving anyway. Right?" She turned to Daniel, a spark of challenge in her eyes.

Daniel shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, I'm outta here." But before leaving, he leaned slightly toward Jeanne, his dark eyes lingering on her with a troubling intensity. "You know where to find me if you need anything."

Jeanne held his gaze without blinking, though a knot of worry tightened in her stomach. She knew this wasn't over. But for now, she just wanted Daniel to leave before things got worse.

Daniel turned on his heel, throwing a final mocking glance at Thomas before slamming the door behind him. The silence that followed was heavy, laden with tension.

Still seething with anger, Thomas immediately turned his attention to Jeanne. "Why did you let him in?!" His voice shook with frustration. "That guy... I've told you, he's a manipulator. Don't you see what he's trying to do?"

Jeanne crossed her arms, preparing for the confrontation. She knew Thomas was worried about her, but his overprotective behavior often made her uncomfortable. She took a deep breath before responding, trying to remain calm.

"He was here for a project, nothing more," she replied. "And I can take care of myself, Thomas. You don't need to step in every time."

Thomas, visibly hurt by her words, ran a hand through his hair, trying to control his anger. "I know you can take care of yourself. That's not the issue. But that guy... he's trouble, Jeanne. I can feel it."

She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You think I don't know who Daniel is? I'm not stupid, Thomas. But you can't always be hovering over me to protect me. It makes me feel..." She searched for the right words, then added softly, "smothered."

He froze, his eyes darkening. "Is that how you feel? That I'm smothering you?"

Jeanne hesitated, almost regretting her words, but she knew she had to be honest. "Sometimes, yes. I know you do it because you care about me. But I... I need space. I need to handle my own problems."

Thomas remained silent for a moment, the pain and confusion evident on his face. Finally, he nodded slowly, though his eyes still reflected a sense of misunderstanding. "Alright. If that's what you want..." He took a deep breath before adding, "But if that guy comes near you again, I swear, Jeanne, I..."

"I know," she interrupted him softly, placing a hand on his arm to calm him. "Thank you, Thomas. But let me handle this."

He looked at her for a long moment, then finally nodded one last time, reluctantly accepting. "Okay. But be careful, alright?"

Jeanne nodded, and Thomas, still visibly tense, gave her a brief hug before leaving the room to join Mattheo and Lynne, who were waiting outside.

Once alone, Jeanne leaned against the front door, letting out a long, exhausted sigh. The confrontation had frayed her nerves, and she couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. Daniel... she didn't need any more problems. But deep down, she knew this wasn't over.