"TELL. ME. WHO. SHE IS!" I demanded, amidst gritted teeth.
Indeed, everything was just like a movie - twisted plot without a concise story line.
Richard just stared at me, unable to give an answer. He was avoiding a direct gaze, perhaps he was guilty of some hidden secret which he didn't want to spill, but of course, I was not a fool!
Even though I hated that toxic lady,I never appreciated the fact that I humiliated her. It was disheartening.
"Richard? WHO IS SHE?" I asked again, trying to remain calm.
"Vanessa,I'm.. Sssory..."
"Sorry?" I snapped, remembering the kiss he had with Molly. "You tell me sorry, yet you kissed her?"
Richard shut his eyes, his hands covering his face while he spoke, "You will never understand,Vanessa."
"I will never understand! Make me understand right now! Why did you kiss her?"
"Vanessa, I love you." He whispered softly.
My head spined a thousand times.
What in the exact piece was he hiding from me?
Was I not also qualified to know the truth?
Why was I left in the dark?
What does this "kingdom" imply?
"Mr Richard, If you cannot open up and tell me the truth…I promise to go in there and pack my things and you can never stop me!" I threatened, pointing at the upper room, annoyed and pained.
"Molly was my fiancée." He eventually said, locking gaze with me. "I never loved her Vanessa, believe me." He said in a whisper.
"You lie! You never loved her but you kissed her passionately? And you want me to believe you?" I snapped, shutting reason from my mind.
"What do you take me for? A whore you can use and dump?"
Richard sighed, guilt plastered all over his face.
He tried to hide his emotions,but they kept on betraying him every time. "Vanessa, I..I didn't even know how it happened. I just found out that she kissed me and I kissed her back and everything went blank.
" Believe me, I didn't even know how she got in there." Richard replied, flinging his hands in the air, trying to explain.
He was totally upset ,and for the first time in his life, he felt frustrated - a different kind of frustration.
I wasn't satisfied with his response. How could he say that he wasn't aware that she kissed him, when I saw his hands roaming all over her body?
Terrible terrible liar!
Very terrible!
I looked into his eyes, and I saw his enchanting blue retina replaced with a dark hollow - dark hidden secrets.
For a moment in my life, I felt cheated. I never believed Richard would do this to me.
Not too soon.
"But why didn't you tell me that you had a fiancee? Why did you ask me for a relationship when you know you'll be getting married soon to Molly," My voice tightened. "Why, Richard? Why do I deserve to be cheated every time?"
"I don't love Molly." He shouted, trying to justify himself.
His response startled me. "Why?" I asked.
"You won't underst -"
"Then, make me understand! Else, I'll go in there, pack my things and you can't stop me!"
Richard instantly held my arm, grazing my cheeks with his soft yet cold fingers.
"My parent's signed a contract with the Lanes family. Right from when she was younger, she was betrothed to me. Everybody cared about the result Vanessa, no one ever asked if 'she was my choice'." He paused,staring at me with cold eyes.
"All through these years, I postponed my wedding at intervals, with the excuse that I was busy with my job. Not in the actual sense of busy, I was only trying to buy time and confidence to win against them. I guess I just achieved one of my goals but I feel uneasy - she might try to hurt you,Vanessa."
"Hurt me? C'mon. She can never try that." I boasted, feeling aloof.
"And what makes you think so?" Richard asked, eyeing me squarely with an 'I don't know you've got super power look'
I was still thinking for a simple response to give him when he covered the distance between us, slowly….. just slowly until our mouth was only an inch away.
We locked our gaze for sometime, his eyes filling up with desire and intense wanting.
I could hear his heart thumping widely as if it'd rip off his shirt and escape, and I couldn't help but wonder how handsome yet a skillful cheat, this man standing before me was.
His smooth fingers softly caressed my arm, burning my skin in intense want and wanting.
In our eyes - the desire was visible.
Desires heating up every fiber of our bodies.
That desire to do, yet undo.
Without speaking a word, his lips plunged on mine, nibbling softly on my lower lips in pleasure.
Surprised and astonished, I relaxed my nerves, letting myself get carried away with the magic with which he was creating.
But damn! His lips were soft and succulent, tasting like butter and vanilla.
His hijacking scent was even more mesmerizing, making everything more powerful. He tore between my lips, this time, getting more fierce.
With our eyes closed, we explored each other - enjoying the tantalizing taste and never letting go. Slowly at first, then moderate to fierce.
Holyyy!
I was enjoying the kiss all this while, the passing of our saliva,and the nibbling of his succulent flesh, nearly made me run mad with passion.
Taken aback, the image of 'Molly kissing him with so much vigor, replayed in my head in bits, making me feel jealous and unwanted.
Out of jealousy, I broke the kiss, pushing him with all my might as he landed on one of the couches.
"Don't touch me!" I screamed. "You kissed Molly and still had the guts to kiss me? No remorse?" I asked, pain stinging to my memory.
I dabbed my lips with my left palm, wiping off his lips print with so much disgust that would have annoyed him.
And it annoyed him, because he stood up, heading towards the stairs, pain evident on his troubled face. "I guess you're still feeling pain. Cry as much as you can, I'll be going to the study room." He said coldly, and disappeared without even taking a final look at me.
______
My heart went numb for a few seconds, and after some time, I could hear it beating again.
I thought I was going to die from an instant heart attack. I crashed on the sofa, scattering the braids which Julie had adjusted earlier and a bucketful of tears eroded down my cheeks.
I screamed, scattering the pillows on the floor alongside small objects within my reach.
Immediately, Julie showed up,bewildered.
"My lady," she gasped, "You are hurting yourself again." She rushed towards me, holding my arms,trying to keep me calm.
"Leave me alone Julie." I screamed,jerking the young lady without pity. "Leave me to hurt myself. I don't know why life is being so unfair."
Julie stared still, her hands rubbing my back, trying to keep me cool. "Life isn't being unfair sweetheart but, life itself is beautiful." She whispered sweetly.
"If Life was beautiful, then why do I keep getting in everyone's black book? Julie, why do people always turn out to betray me when I least expect of them? Why don't they love me?"
"You are beautiful and everyone loves you,including Master and the rest of the servants. We always..."
"Don't try to justify him!" I shouted, angered by her response. "Don't you see that I'm also a human, too? I have emotions, I feel pain, I get frustrated.
Why didn't he inform me earlier that he had a fiancée ?" The pressure within me was building up .
"And you?" I said, pointing at Julie, "You were quite aware of this all this while and you never for once, opened up to me. Why? You make me feel guilty as if I snatched Richard away from the grasp of that woman, but I trusted you Julie…" I broke out in tears.
"Calm down, My Lady. Everyone has a past, including Master." She answered. "You have a past, I do.. too."
Her response died down the blazing anger in me.
I stared at Julie and indeed she was right in some ways.
Everyone had a past including me, and Richard isn't an exception.
Why do I feel angered, when I heard about his?
Meanwhile, he accepted half of my past and promised to be there for me.
Why couldn't I do the same for him?
Oh God, it hardly crossed my mind at all.
I felt guilty and annoyed at myself. Richard truly deserves happiness too, just like me.
"Julie, where is the direction to Master Richard's study room?" I asked.
"Master is angry." Julie quickly said. "Go to him right now and apologize." She added.
_________
Forehead filled with perspiration, thought laden with guilt and arms trembling from fear, I peeped inside the study room owned by Richard.
It was magnificent, yet simple.
Different categories of book shelves hanging here and there, a study lamp, then different documents and files littered on a table.
I saw from a corner, a flicker of light, then I saw Richard.
He was sitting on a chair, his laptop placed before him.
Suddenly,I could hear a few conversations and I hid back, eavesdropping.
"Don't tell me your mom gave Molly the authority to come to the world again. If so, Vanessa isn't safe anymore." The voice coming from his laptop said.
"That's my only problem now. I know what Molly is capable of doing, Linton. I could swear that she'll be planning on eliminating Vanessa." He said, taking a deep sigh. "If anything bad happens to Vanessa, I swear with the last drop of my blood, I'm going back to Zu-Vendis to fish out the culprits."
My heart sank.
'Why is everyone afraid of Molly?' I thought.
'Zu-Vendis?'
Isn't that the story my Grandma always told me at midnight - about two twin Princes from a vampire kingdom, who were bewitched by their mother...?
Or it might be some form of co- incidence?
But Grandma do say, 'if we were given the chance, we will return back to Zu-Vendis and start a new life?'
What does that imply?
"Don't tell me you've been standing there eavesdropping at all my conversations." Richard's deep voice resonated from the study room.
I immediately comported myself, feeling guilty. "I.. I.. Can I some in?" I asked, stuttering.
"Sure."
I sluggishly walked in, counting my steps in my head.
Immediately Richard saw me, he immediately turned, glaring at me with an emotionless eye. "Don't tell me you heard anything." He said eyeing me from head to toe.
"But I didn't. " I lied.
A quick laugh erupted, followed by a deep groan. "So why are you here?" He asked.
Feeling petrified, I started to stammer, "I..I came here to apologize."
"Apologize for?" He questioned.
"Richard, I'm sorry." I said, staring into his blue eyes. "I'm sorry I behaved toxic. I'm sorry I overreacted. I'm very sorry.." My voice went low, "For making you angry."
"And what If I say I wasn't angered?" He asked, an amused smirk playing on his lips.
"I know you were angry. It's all my fault for not believing in you." I sulked. "Blame me."
He held my arm, bringing me closer to himself. Then he gently carried me and without stress, he lifted me to the table facing him. Our gaze interlocking.
"I was never angry with you Vanessa. I was just sad that you never trusted me." He whispered softly, his voice making melodies in my ear.
"I did trust you.." I said, trying to defend myself.
"It's normal. Overreacting and Anger and trust issues is very normal, Vanessa."
"You think so?"
"I believe, so." Richard corrected. "You see, every lady who once had a broken relationship tends to exhibit all these signs in their new relationship due to the heartbreak they undergo in the hands of their former partner. It seems hard for them to truly trust their current partner." He said softly, "I just want you to trust me, and that's all that matters." He whispered, talking like a therapist issuing out some advice to his heartbroken patient.
"You'll be a good doctor." I chuckled.
He caressed my cheeks, speaking softly. "That's not a doctor thing, dearie. It's about you and I?"
Sounds cool.
"So you want us to trust ourselves?" I asked, my big eyes expanding from surprise.
"Not like that. I want you to TRUST ME, Vanessa. No matter the ills you hear about me, promise to stand by me no matter what."
His voice sank into my heart, a tear escaping from my eyes. I hurriedly wiped it off, staring into his blue eyes with joy and love. "I promise to stand by you. To trust you and always think about your wellbeing first before taking decisions into my hands." I said.
"Can I believe that?" He asked, excitement rising in his voice.
"Why not?" I replied, smiling.
Before I knew it, I was scooped into his hands, his feeling of his strong hands on my bosom made me shiver in delight.
In response, I brought my arm around his neck, holding him tightly, locking gaze that the only thing that mattered Was US.
"Ah, you look thin!" He remarked, disapproval written all over his face. "What happened?"
I sighed,shutting my eyes as I replied, "I starved myself because you didn't reply my texts."
"What texts?" He asked, surprised.
"Now tell me you didn't see them?"
"See What?"
"The texts, of course. I sent a mountain of messages to you days ago but you never gave a reply to them." I sulked gently.
He bursted out laughing, tears filling his eyes in the process.
"Naughty naughty girl! You sent the texts to my company's random number, that was why I never saw them!" He explained.
"What!"
"Okay, No talks again. I'll compensate you by preparing breakfast for you before I go to work, for the next four days… I'm starting rightaway."
He planted on a kiss on my forehead, then opened the door of the study, his long legs rushing towards the flight of stairs without caution.
"I'll fall!" I squeaked, holding his neck tightly.
"Then, I'll fall with you my love."
We bursted out laughing, chattering like toddlers, while I felt butterflies churning my stomach.