Souvenir - Chapter 3.4
“Come out with us. We’re hitting a club—girls, drinks, the works.”
Behind him were three other rookie lawyers, all waiting for my response.
I hesitated.
I later found out they had placed a bet on whether I would accept.
And I must have lost Alex some money—I once caught him grumbling as he handed a check to our friend Jeff in a stairwell.
From then on, Alex made sure to invite me whenever they went out.
Maybe he assumed that if I said yes once, I would keep saying yes.
And he was right—I had no reason to refuse, so I often ended up tagging along.
—
I had never understood why Alex liked dragging me around.
But I had a theory—
I made him look respectable.
Alex had the charisma, but he didn’t look like a lawyer.
Outside the office, he could have easily been mistaken for a personal trainer at a gym.
Unlike most attorneys—who wore tailored suits and luxury accessories—Alex preferred T-shirts and jeans.
At the law firm, suits were mandatory, and he had hated it.
“Suits are just for show,” he used to say. “Seeing criminals dressed in them makes me sick.”
I, on the other hand, fit the part perfectly.
One day, he had casually mentioned it while drinking at my place—
“Women trust you more because you look like a lawyer. Makes it easier for me to pick them up when you’re around.”
At another party, he had said something even stranger—
“I saw something in you that I don’t have. That’s why I respect you.”
I never knew if he was serious or just drunk.
But even now, those words still lingered in my mind.
—
As I sat there, lost in thought, Vera finally returned.
She had changed into a thin red satin camisole and a frayed, over-worn denim skirt.
Her black heels were tall and unstable—every step looked wobbly, as if her shoes didn’t fit properly.
Her thin legs barely supported her.
She looked like the stereotype of a cheap escort.
—
I led her to the parking lot.
Somewhere along the way, I had subconsciously walked ahead of her.
When I thought too much, I tended to walk faster.
She struggled to keep up, her steps uneven and shaky—like a wounded deer trying to escape a hunter.
I stopped.
“Sorry for walking ahead.”
Normally, I was polite and gentlemanly—but tonight, I wasn’t myself.
Was I tired?
Or did I simply not care because she was a prostitute?
That thought made me uncomfortable.
Had I always categorized women like this?
The realization made me sick.
I had inherited my father’s cruelty more than I wanted to admit.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
We reached the parking lot.
I unlocked the car with my key fob.
“Get in.”
I opened the passenger door for her.
“Thank you.”
I sat behind the wheel, thinking.
I had no destination in mind.
Maybe we could just sit and talk.
I started the engine, activating the navigation and air conditioning.
“So… where to?”
The GPS system’s voice chimed in—”Please specify your destination.”
Vera hesitated, playing coy.
“Hmm… how about a drive to the bridge ahead?”
Her voice carried a practiced allure, the kind that came naturally to women in her profession.
She was subtle, but I understood her meaning.
Here wasn’t ideal.
She wanted somewhere more private.
I glanced at the clock.
“You sure you have time?”
She smiled.
“Spending time with you is more important, Tommy.”
It was the first time she had used my nickname.
Under normal circumstances, I would have lied about my name—but hearing her say it didn’t bother me.
If anything, I felt… strangely pleased.
I really wasn’t myself tonight.
“The view from the bridge is beautiful at night. Let’s go there.”
She smiled softly.
“I’d love that.”
Driving my car always brought me a sense of satisfaction.
The moment I turned the ignition, the engine rumbled softly, like a beast lurking beneath the surface.
It wasn’t just the power—it was the balance between its silent hum and the deep growl when the gears shifted.
From the first time I laid eyes on it, I had known this car suited me.
Maybe it was because my father once owned the same classic model.