Chapter 109

• CORINA
• I don’t know what I did wrong or right. Or whether it was right or wrong. Whatever I did, it made Dante push me away. I didn’t catch on at first. The morning after the party; I was happy to enter a kitchen occupied only by Rob and Vera and Rob, telling me that Dante had already gone to work. At least I didn’t have to endure his presence, I thought. For the next three days, I was even happier. I came into the kitchen the same way. I only started to wonder if he was avoiding me when he barely acknowledged me at work as he passed me by. He didn’t even spare me a glance, which I thought was unusual. That’s when the doubts crept in. He finally spoke to me after five days of silence and it was only to tell me he was going out of the country for a business meeting and that I was not supposed to go anywhere without Rob and Bruno. Which wouldn’t be so bad if it was only Rob, but Bruno was a pain in the ass altogether. He hated having to be my bodyguard, and even though he never said it; he made it clear through flagrant insubordination and annoyance. One day, when I got ready earlier than usual, I heard them talk about me as they waited. Bruno sounded irritated when he said, “I don’t understand why I have to look after his whore. I have better things to do, you know.” “Don’t wonder about things that don’t concern you,” Rob replied. “Do your job. You don’t know what she means to him.”
• “She’s just another fuck hole. I heard the boss say as much. Anyway, he has other fuck holes all over town. She can’t be that special. He even visited one after the party.” I wanted to punch him for referring to women as holes, but I was held back by what his statement revealed. Dante had another woman? A mistress? A girlfriend? I didn’t know what to do with that since I assumed I was the only one, but why would I think that? I didn’t even qualify as the one. As Bruno said, I’m just a hole. That didn’t mean it didn’t affect me, though. I felt jealous of this other woman. Did he go on his business trip with her this time instead of me? Did he even go on a business trip? Why do I care?