Chapter 59: Friend Zone
Rain sat on the floor of her cozy apartment, surrounded by Sanya and Clifford. The three of them had gathered for an impromptu drinking session, with cans of beer and wine bottles scattered around. Sanya had brought out some snacks, but the conversation was light.
Rain took a sip of her beer after sharing the current situation with her Aunt Melanie. "I need to get Aunt Melanie out of my father’s control. She’s not safe there."
Sanya sighed deeply, nibbling on a cracker. "But you can’t just waltz in and take her," she pointed out.
Rain knew Sanya was right. The legal route was tough, but it wasn’t impossible. She needed to prove that her father was unfit to be Aunt Melanie’s guardian, which meant gathering evidence of his mistreatment and neglect. Rain had some evidence, but the real challenge lay elsewhere.
"Aunt Melanie... she’s too scared to testify against him," Rain said, frustration evident in her voice. "I can’t start anything without her cooperation."
Clifford, who had been listening intently, leaned forward. "We need to find a way to help her feel safe enough to speak up. Maybe we can get her out of the house temporarily, just long enough to give her the space to think clearly."
Sanya nodded in agreement. "If we could get her away from him, even for a little while, she might realize that she doesn’t have to live under his thumb."
Rain took a deep breath. She knew this would require careful planning, and she had to weigh the pros and cons. "I’ll discuss it with Brandon as soon as I wrap up my part in his current operation tomorrow," she said, her voice steady despite the uncertainty.
Clifford frowned, his concern bubbling over. "Why do you keep taking on these dangerous cases?" he exclaimed, unable to hide his frustration.