"Vanessa." He whispered softly, staring into her big black eyes.
A tear escaped from Vanessa's eye, and her lips trembled, mumbling some incoherent words. Holding back the tears was a very hard task for her.
She didn't even show any response to his presence and that worried him the most.
'Wait, for how many hours have she been standing there?' He thought, his heart breaking into a million and one piece when he saw her tears.
Then it dawned on him that she witnessed him kissing Molly.
"Shit!" He cursed under his breath.
They held gaze for a while, hers - crying from denial and betrayal and his, of want and desire.
"Vanessa." He whispered sweetly and tried reaching out to touch her arm.
Surprisingly, Vanessa caught hold of his hands, hitting it away, then she disappeared - running towards the Villa.
Richard was shocked and his body reacted fervently.
Never in his life had he ever imagined that he would be the first to play the betrayal card.
Not today. Not even soon.
Molly came out of the car, and seeing Richard staring at the fleeing lady surprised her.
She tried to digest all that just happened but she couldn't. The sting from the terrible slap still hurt and her scalp was itchy.
She was angry at Richard, but she couldn't say it, neither could she tell him because she loved this man so much.
So much more than he could ever imagine, and she needed to prove it once more.
"Richard! I'm sorry." She threw herself to the floor. "I won't repeat it again."
Unfortunately, she was not in the good book of Richard. He grabbed her hair, shoving her dangerously to the other side of the ground without mercy.
"See what you caused!" He shouted. "See!"
Molly's heart tore. Never had she experienced Richard's anger blazing hot like this, not even when he was in the kingdom.
His eyes were blazing hot in anger and all his features were uninviting and spoke of danger!
Danger!
Molly sat on the ground - terribly helpless. She wasn't expecting winning Richard's love would be as tough and unromantic as this!
Harsh too!
She tried reading Richard's mind, maybe trying to verbally invoke the love spell which she inherited from her interaction with Wise Old Zima, the kingdom's powerful Priestess - but it was in no way, helping matters.
As for Richard, he didn't even care much. He didn't care if he got her injured, after all, he doesn't love her.
Even if he did - it was all in the past, not anymore.
Molly was rude, annoying, toxic, lazy and what else but arrogant and greedy.
Richard knew deep down that she was only obsessed with him because of what she wanted to gain from him - a seat as the queen of the kingdom, and it saddens him.
She was not worth it.
Without wasting a second more, he zoomed off, following his instincts and suddenly, he grasped hold of her hands just as she was about to take the stairs to her bedroom.
"LET GO OFF ME !" She shouted. He gripped her wrist, holding it tightly as if he wanted to drain the blood in her body.
"I wouldn't, Vanessa. Until you explain to me, why you became beserk all of a sudden." He said, still grabbing her wrists with his strong hands.
Vanessa yelled. "You're hurting me Mr. Richard."
Richard laughed bitterly when he heard her refer to him as "MR".
He'd already told her to drop the title and refer to him as the latter, but it seemed that this lady was also as toxic and stubborn as Molly.
However, Richard fancies Vanessa's version of toxicity, and it screws him up when he sees her behaving stubbornly.
"You are hurting me more when you fail to give me attention." He spat out bitterly. "Just listen to me, Vaness-"
*
"Oh! Now I see what this feud is all about." Entered Molly, clapping her hands together, jealousy emitting from her being. "I can't believe my husband is having an affair with a new maid! " She added, with a look of total disgust.
Vanessa stopped, turned around and her gaze met with that same wild woman.
Indeed, she was beautiful with perfect curves - chubby, young smooth face, toned skin…. those long dark hair and a keenly voluptuous - her flesh popping through her neckline dress.
Her eyes traveled down to her feet and up to her body again, registering her sexy curves in her mind.
'And who is she?' Vanessa thought, washed by instant envy. 'And did she just mention ' My husband?'
Vanessa's eyes travelled to Richard's face, trying to see his impression but his looks were stoical - void of any trace of emotion which made her confused.
'Does it truly mean that this woman was his wife?'
Molly Lanes could see the look of surprise on this young lady's face.
She knew by instinct that Richard was in some ways obsessed with this lady - that was why she stressed the word; "my husband", trying to make it clear that Richard belonged to her.
Trying to create her territory, and mark it as soon as possible. Else, another claimed ownership.
"Is that the way you stand rooted, staring at your bosses without even saying 'a welcome?" She fired rudely.
Still Vanessa didn't even flinch or bait an eye at her level of rudeness.
Molly blew hot instantly!
Vanessa's calm demeanor even angered her the most. 'Who is this woman?' She thought, glaring daggers at Vanessa. 'Who gave her the guts to belittle me?'
"Well, I am Molly Lanes and I'm Richard's fiancee. He loves me and we will be getting married soon." Molly said, stressing the word 'fiancee' as much as possible as she could.
She brought forth her arm for a cordial handshake, trying to play innocent and nice but got the bigger shocker of her life.
Vanessa faked a smile, studying her rival with nothing but pure hate. "I am Vanessa Higgins." She simply said, trying to hold back the tears that flooded her eyelids.
She ignored Molly's handshake, eyed her narrowly and was about to take the stairs again, when Molly sharp voice pierced through the deafening silence encompassing everyone of them.
"How dare you walk out of me, you ordinary fool? Do you know who I am?" Molly rolled her eyes, with an air of pride. "I am Richard's fiancee, and you dare not walk out of me because you belong to the toilet! " She scoffed, thumping her feet crazily on the floor while she spoke.
The maidservants and the bodyguards who heard the noise all rushed out to the sitting room to detect the cause of the dispute. Alas! They were all surprised when they saw a tall familiar figure, ranting aggressively without caution.
"MOLLY LANES? "
"Princess Molly! What was she doing here?" They asked one another, panic and disgust evident on their faces. It was evident that they never liked nor loved Molly at all.
Hiding back to avoid getting seen, the servants and bodyguards, one by one stood still, ears and eyes super-alert, listening and watching from a distance.
Vanessa still remained calm even when her heart was torn. She saw Molly as a 'stupid woman who deserves to be snubbed rather than exchanging words with her'.
"I don't even care." Vanessa replied, feeling relaxed. She started off towards the stairs in order for her to get to her room and cry off her eyes when a subduing voice commanded,
"STOP THERE." Richard ordered.
He had equally witnessed the beef between these two women and he was astonished.
He wasn't expecting Vanessa's kindness and even in the least of ways, she was gentle; accepting all insults without flinching.
He wanted to know the end outcome of their disagreement, but Richard couldn't help it with the way Molly hurled hurtful words at Vanessa.
He need to stop her now or else, it might skyrocket to a scene which might be distasteful in the end.
"Molly!" He called out firmly.
Molly couldn't wait for him to finish his statement as she jumped outrightly at him.
"Richard darling, this isn't fair at all." She slyly held Richard's arm, seeking for validated attention. "Why didn't you inform all the servants and bodyguards remaining here that I'm your wife? Now, this lady here is trying to play 'miss innocent' by insulting me." She sulked, her eyes roaming all over Vanessa's face in jealousy. "You ought to have told her, baby."
Richard was fed up of Molly's nonchalant strategy. 'God knows he can never take an irresponsible woman as a wife for the kingdom, even though they were betrothed.
He hated Molly Lanes the more, and deep down, he knew he ought to intervene to avoid Molly getting him into the mud.
"Molly." He groaned, his eyes filled with anger. "Vanessa isn't an ordinary person as you think…." his voice trailed off. And when Richard suddenly found his voice, he announced quickly. "She is my girlfriend."
A sudden smile suddenly played on Vanessa's face, her lips curled into satisfaction.
"No!" Molly screamed. "This can't be true!" She plunged forward, about to attack Vanessa.
"I can't let you hurt her, Molly." Richard warned. "You might take your leave, since you've overstayed your welcome."
Molly was dumbfounded.
So her thoughts all this while were true?
She inwardly panicked, staring at Vanessa's face and got the shocker of her life when Richard held Vanessa's back, massaging it gently as he muttered those words: "I'm sorry."
"Bit*ch!" She cursed, instant rage filling her head.
She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing keeps coming, "I..I...know I'm the perfect woman for you and I..I want you to know I still love you." She stuttered, trying to fight off the tears in her eyelids.
"But I'm still your fiancee. Have you forgotten, Richard?"
"I don't love you and I never did love you." Richard replied coldly.
A heartbroken Molly couldn't digest all the insults and embarrassment anymore. She felt her pride was wounded by the one whom she had loved so much.
She was jilted - pained and angered.
Life wasn't just being fair. Life wasn't fair to her at all.
"Richard. Have you forgotten our promises and the sacrifices I risked just for you? Why will you do this to me?" She screamed, her voice piercing through Vanessa's heart.
In a fit of rage, she went for the cushions, dragging them down and tearing them apart with her long, destructive fingers.
Her hands immediately dragged the expensive flower vase owned by Richard, but before Richard could stop Molly, she had smashed it into tiny pieces.
Molly's mind went bizarre. She wanted something more, physical, to vent her anger on.
Her eyes zoomed to the lady - Vanessa, standing along the stairs and she immediately went for her, growling like a wounded tiger, ready to destroy her face.
Richard was swift to notice Molly's direction on time. He called on the bodyguards and they immediately came.
"Take her away." He ordered harshly.
The bodyguards hesitated. They all knew who Molly was and the impact the Lanes had on the Lieu's.
Also, they didn't want to hurt Molly because they saw it as a form of disrespect, since, The Lanes were also part of the Royal-hood, by contract marriage.
"I said 'take her away'. Is it too hard to obey?"
They immediately bundled up Molly, gently dragging her out of the sitting room.
What an embarrassment to Molly!
She gnashed her teeth, tears rolling down her cheeks. "You'll pay for this Richard! I promise to inform Mother and Father too." She wailed on.
"Everyone will hear of your misgivings. The Kingdom will never forgive you!" She screamed.
"And you?" She pointed at Vanessa, "You will never get away with what you did to me today. You humiliated me and I'll definitely teach you a lesson because I am Molly Lanes, I assure you." She threatened.
Immediately Molly left the Villa, Vanessa charged towards Richard, like a tigress ready for combat.
"Tell me who she is." She demanded, her hands crossed, expectant of an explanation.