I’m Just a Counselor Chapter 94

Shane’s eyes widened at my question, as if he’d heard something unexpected. He looked at me in surprise, then burst out laughing.

 

“I thought you were the one who got my information, didn’t you?”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Well, I did get information about Shane’s exes. Shaking my head, I laughed along with him.

 

As we drank, Shane’s voice continued.

 

“Nope. You got me.”

 

“Yeah, you did, too.”

 

“I know what you like and don’t like, what makes you happy and sad, what you think about the world…”

 

“I’ve told you a lot.”

 

“I know. You’ve told me a lot of things, too.”

 

“That’s why we became friends. Oh, but none of those stories included you using shapeshifting magic? Wow, well, you’ve never been completely drunk after all.”

 

Shane just smirked at my playful grumbling. I didn’t intend to pursue him either, so I let it slide.

 

The time passed quickly as I whipped up some sandwiches and finger foods in the kitchen, since I was a bit of a drinker.

 

I was completely relaxed for the first time in a long time, probably because it was Shane. Shane didn’t bring up his ex, but instead talked about something else.

 

“My father was a real asshole.”

 

He’d said it before, in passing.

 

“Did you say he sold you into the back alleys to pay off his gambling debts?”

 

I rolled my eyes and straightened my back. I straightened up, ready to listen to anything Shane had to say.

 

Shane looked at me, shrugged, and continued.

 

“He drinks, gambles, and fucks women, and then he comes home and beats me up.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“So I didn’t want him to come home, and when he sold me into debt, I was relieved that I didn’t have to see his face anymore.”

 

The story is even more harrowing to hear in detail. The fact that Shane’s tone was so nonchalant made it even more heartbreaking.

 

Of course, that’s because it’s in the past for him, something that no longer affects him.

 

Shane had grown up with those memories.

 

‘No, actually, I don’t know if he’s grown up objectively, based on back alley information…’

 

…Well, he wasn’t crooked anyway, was he?

 

I hesitated, then opened my mouth.

 

“Thanks for telling me that.”

 

“That’s a lot better than just blurting it out like that last time. Oh, and you’re not drunk, are you?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“Okay. Anyway…”

 

Shane reached out his arm and ruffled my hair lightly, then sighed.

 

“You’re Viscount Asell… so when you said you didn’t mind hearing about your father, I wondered if he was anything like a father.”

 

“Hmph. Really?”

 

“Yeah. I mean, I know assholes like my dad aren’t common, but even if he wasn’t, did he ever hit you or…”

 

“No, no, no, no, nothing like that!”

 

I threw my hands up in the air and denied it.

 

I don’t know what Viscount Asell’s character was like, but at least he wasn’t a bad person who abused his daughter.

 

In any case, it never happened to me, so I defended Viscount Asell vigorously at first.

 

At my vehement denial, Shane burst out laughing again.

 

“Okay, okay, I know it was just a fling, but I knew it wasn’t when I saw you looking around the mansion.”

 

“How did you know that just by looking at it?”

 

“Because I don’t think you have any bad memories of this mansion, Vanessa, and it shows on your face.”

 

Shane said with a smirk. I slapped my face coolly.

 

‘He said the other day that he could see what I was thinking on my face. Is it really that obvious?’

 

He chuckled softly when he realized I was pouting, but quickly returned to the topic at hand.

 

“By the way, what are you going to do with this mansion now? Are you going to sell it before you go back up north?”

 

“No, I’m just going to keep it. It’s the first mansion in my name…”

 

“Ahaha, that’s like you. But I noticed there’s nothing in the garden. If you’re going to keep it, don’t you think it should have a garden? Like a nobleman’s mansion.”

 

“Hmm. Maybe later, if I need it?”

 

“Then you should hire me as your gardener. I was the gardener at the Duke of Oppenheim’s castle.”

 

“Well, you are good at everything besides being a gardener, so of course I should hire you.”

 

As we chatted back and forth, time flew by. Before I knew it, the bottle was empty, and the rest of the food was almost gone.

 

I dozed off and flopped down on the table.

 

“Vanessa, are you sleepy?”

 

Shane’s voice rumbled, then faded into the distance. I quickly drifted off to sleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Vanessa?”

 

Calling once more for Vanessa, Shane scratched his head and sat up when she didn’t answer.

 

“Come on. Let’s go to bed, bed~”

 

“Mmm…”

 

Vanessa stirred and wrapped her arms around his neck, apparently understanding Shane’s words even in her sleep.

 

Gently lifting her up, Shane left the room and ran into Melvin outside. Melvin stood with his arms crossed, almost glaring at Shane.

 

“No,” Melvin said, feeling a little resentful.

 

“No. So I’m going to put her to sleep in the diner?”

 

“Who says?”

 

“You’re looking at me like I’m some kind of a scoundrel.”

 

“The Duke told me to keep an eye on you to see if you were being harsh on Miss Vanessa, and I’m only doing my duty.”

 

“Jeremy gives no such orders. Isn’t it time to end the overprotection?”

 

“His Excellency is a very noble man, and it is his duty to protect his lady.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

Grumbling, Shane picked up Vanessa in his arms and headed for the bedroom.

 

Behind him, Melvin shouted.

 

“Put Miss Vanessa down and come right out!”

 

Shane didn’t even bother to listen.

 

Spreading her out on the large bed, he sat down on the bed and looked down at her.

 

Out of his arms, Vanessa squirmed again and hugged the covers. Shane smirked at the sight.

 

He’d seen a lot of people in his intelligence work, and he knew how different their fronts were from their backs.

 

A man who was reputed to be a father figure was actually having an affair, a man who was supposed to be a devout priest was struggling with alcoholism, a woman who was supposed to be a devoted mother was actually abusing her children…

 

Shane met Vanessa at a time when he was in the midst of this human duplicity.

 

At first, it was pure curiosity. About the counseling center.

 

Curious to know what kind of woman would run such a place, he deliberately disguised himself in a way that would put her on the lowest alert and went to the counseling center. He was immediately drawn to the owner, Vanessa.

 

“If you need to talk, you can come to me anytime.”

 

There was nothing duplicitous about Vanessa as she spoke in her sweet voice, her eyes clear and bright.

 

Shane couldn’t help but be drawn to her. He couldn’t help but notice the way she greeted him every time he came in and saw him off so affectionately when he left.

 

He told her last time that life in the back alleys wasn’t all bad, and that was true, but it was only the second time in his life that he had ever been treated so warmly by anyone.

 

And the first time he’d ever felt comfortable getting drunk in front of anyone.

 

SHane couldn’t do that to the first person who took his hand and lifted him up, because he’d sworn an oath of loyalty, so Vanessa was the first person like that.

 

Someone he could just talk to without having to pry, without having to cover his tracks, without having to cover his words.

 

Shane had accepted Vanessa into his circle. She defined it as a friend.

 

It wasn’t like he didn’t like it, either. Vanessa was generous, and he could do so much in the name of friendship.

 

She wasn’t even wary or suspicious of him. Like now, for example.

 

‘I didn’t realize it would be poison, but…’

 

Vanessa would say that no matter what Shane did, it was okay because they were friends. Shane knew it was too late to change that.

 

At one point he wanted to change it, but… now he decided to leave it alone.

 

Like he’d said before, he liked it now. A relationship where he could see Vanessa closest, where he could enjoy her sweet side, where they could be as comfortable with each other as they wanted.

 

Shane wouldn’t change it for the world. Having Vanessa all to himself was an attractive option, but he didn’t necessarily want to, and Jeremiah was just as important to him as Vanessa.

 

So this was the best place for him to be so he wouldn’t lose the two most important people in his life.

 

“It’s true that we’re meant to be.”

 

But there are many kinds of fate.

 

Shane stroked Vanessa’s hair as she drew in a shaky breath and pressed his lips lightly to her forehead.