Holding Vanessa in his arms was literally the best thing that has ever happened to him. Being real to each other was what he never wished for in his life - due to the fact that he had never been loved. He had never felt wanted or cherished by anyone, but then, he never cared.
Now, Love was just a new feeling for him and Richard couldn't deny the fact that he was in love with this 'new feeling', brewing inside of him
Descending the stairs with her in his arms, and she clutching him tightly almost choked the servants and bodyguards.
They couldn't believe what they were seeing!
It was an abnormal feeling - because their Master never loved a woman genuinely, if not for selfish purposes. So to them, this woman must be a 'DIFFERENT' one from the rest.
"Master, it seems you forgot about something you came with," Williams, the head of all the servants said, bowing slightly before him.
Richard suddenly remembered something, "Keep it. Whenever I ask for it, you give it to me,"
He headed to the kitchen and was about to enter when a servant stood before us, throwing herself at the feet of Richard. "Master. Please, you can't go in there." She said, quivering like a dog placed in the rain.
"Why can't I go in?" Richard was furious . "In my own house?"
The servant was speechless.
She bowed her face to the ground, seeking mercy. "I..I am wrong Master, forgive me but you can't just go in there. The kitchen is a lowly position meant for...."
"And I'm occupying that lowly position today," he replied, in a tone of finality.
The kitchen was a nice setting, with modern upholstery and expensive equipment.
He gently placed Vanessa on her feet, picking up an apron and knotting it around her back. Then he wore his too.
"You mean, all this for a Kitchen?" Vanessa gasped. She hasn't seen a kitchen as wide and well modernized as Richard's - not in her entire life.
"You don't like it?" Richard asked, surprised. "Well, we can change the setting if you want us to upgrade." He lazily said.
Vanessa's mind went dumb. "I mean, I have never seen an exotic kitchen like this! it's magnificent," she exclaimed.
Richard's jaw dropped. This was the first time he was really keen on using the kitchen, and he didn't even see anything special in its features.
To him, it was just normal.
'Maybe, because she's a woman', he thought, shrugging the thought off.
"So, what would we love to eat, My Lady?" He asked, addressing her with the title as the servants fondly did.
"Anything, My Lord," Vanessa said, chuckling like a child.
'Anything?' He thought. 'Why is she so simple?'
"What if we choose to cook my mom's favorite dish, will you tolerate it?" She asked, staring into his blue eyes.
"Well I don't mind, so far it pleases you. I'll tolerate everything just to make you happy." He replied.
Excited Vanessa immediately swung into action, measuring some flour, taking some honey, mixing some eggs, and some vegetables from the fridge. Richard helped her to chop the vegetables, in neat cuts like measured shapes. He sliced the avocados into tiny bits, chopped the onions like a pro and severed the potatoes like a renowned chef.
Together, they baked the dough, hands working one in one and heart, piling the same lane.
"You over-fried the tomatoes?" Vanessa asked, looking at the burnt tomatoes in the pan. "But you told me you can cook." Vanessa was obviously dejected.
"Shh. I'll get another one again," Richard said, opening the fridge and bringing out a bowl filled with ripe, succulent tomatoes. He brought down the frying pan, disposing the burnt tomatoes into the bin.
"What? We can manage it of course. We've gone a long way now, why do you have to dispose it!" Vanessa cried.
"When it comes to you Vanessa, I don't manage."
Vanessa immediately feigned a cough, holding her chest in pretense as she bursted out laughing.
"What's amusing?" Richard asked, trying to know the cause of her laughter.
"Nothing," she replied, grabbing another knife as she joined him in cutting the rest of the tomatoes.
The rest of the procedures went smoothly and in the meantime, breakfast was ready.
Richard stared at the steaming pot, unsure of what to say to Vanessa.
His eyes innocently roamed through the busy woman before him, and he started imagining his entire life spent with her.
She will make a good wife, and a good wife produces a happy home and a happy home brings long life....
"We made it! Can't you see!" Vanessa cried out in excitement.
"We?" Richard asked.
"Yes, WE." Vanessa replied
"We or Me?" He asked again, staring at the confused woman.
"No. We did, together." Vanessa replied, sounding more like a super woman.
"I did." Richard corrected firmly. "Have you forgotten that I brought this idea up of cooking together?"
"Have you also forgotten that I also brought up the menu we should cook?" Vanessa asked.
"But, I did most of the cooking?" Richard said, enjoying the 'little fights' they were having.
"We did it together," Vanessa snapped.
"You lie, Vaness. I did all of them."
Their arguments ensued for a while, with each of them arguing on 'who did the best job' and 'who did most of the cooking'.
To the extent the servants had to rush to the kitchen, thinking an argument must have ensued between them only to find the two couples dabbing flour on their faces and staining their aprons with tomatoes.
The way they argued like children brought joy to the heart of the servants.
"She's such a virtuous woman," they whispered to one another as they left the kitchen.
Richard eventually gave up with the arguments. "Look, if we keep on arguing the food will get cold. " he complained.
"So, you're giving up so easily?" Vanessa said sarcastically.
"Fine. I've given up but mind you,I'm serving the dishes okay?"
He immediately led Vanessa to the dinning Hall, setting the dishes on the table. He positioned her,ngrabbing the chair closest to her and sat.
And just like a mother would do, he scooped a spoonful of Greek salad in her mouth, watching her eat slowly. With delight, he tucked another spoonful and another and another until she was filled.
"Are you satisfied?" He asked, staring at her lips.
Vanessa nodded. "Now it is my turn to feed you, My Lord." She said sweetly.
Without waiting for a go ahead, she filled the plate with another Greek salad, motioning on Richard to open his mouth.
"But, I'm not done with you yet. I want you to eat to your fill." He objected.
"I need to spoon feed you too." countered Vanessa.
Just Vanessa's lively face and sweet voice was enough to drive Richard crazy. Even though he never loved Greek Salad, he still opened his mouth to eat.
If tolerating what he never loved eating just for the sake of Vanessa, then she deserved it.
They finished eating.
As for Richard, it was time for a honest review.
"So, how was the food we cooked?" He asked, staring at her oil-stained lips.
"Delicious!"
Richard rolled his eyes. Was that the only comment she could give, to back up her assertion?
After all the sweat and toils, and time he wasted?
Even though, Richard saw the satisfaction on her face, it didn't bother him much.
He wanted Vanessa to talk more, and give a thousand and one reasons why she considered his food, delicious…
Unfortunately, what he wished for wasn't forthcoming and it dampened his spirit real time.
"Can we take a walk together around the house?" Vanessa voice rang out in his ears .
Richard's long stare, rested on her and at that moment, he yearned deeply to give her a capital letter NO.
He opened his mouth to talk, instead, a YES willingly escaped...
*
"Damn!" Vanessa exclaimed, staring at the clear stream, infested with shoals of fishes before them. "I never knew that a place like this ever existed."
Richard brought her closer to the little stream, his eyes lit in renewed interest. "I guess you've hardly gone around the Villa then."
To ignite his passion, He took her around the Villa, showing off his expensive fleet of cars, and watching her gasp and scream at everything.
Loving the appraisals he was getting from her, pushed him further to explore his exotic garden, where there were flowers, everywhere, ranging from delphinium, bunches of lilacs and carnations, masses of carnations, roses, sunflowers,creeping lilies and a lot more.
He watches as she steps forward, and touching the silky petals of an orange flower in full bloom, a large butterfly perched on her arm.
"It's beautiful!" She gasped, "I just want to stay here. Build a house in the garden for me, I'll live here," Vanessa dreamily said.
"Stay here and leave behind the memories we've built ?" He asked, a deep frown creasing his brows.
"Why not? I love flowers more than anything."
Richard's heart sank. He immediately got jealous of the flowers and at that moment, he wished he never had a garden. He can't afford sharing the attention of Vanessa with flowers.
Who does that?
'Snap out of it, she might be joking,' he thought.
"So, you'd prefer these flowers over me?" Richard jokingly asked, but in the real sense, his anger was escalating to another level.
He wanted to know how Vanessa felt about him.
And not him, doing most of the lovey-dovey.
"Hehe," Vanessa chuckled, "I never realized that somebody was getting jealous." She clapped her hands in the air, whistling softly.
"What if I say I love these flowers?" She teased further.
"So be it, then." he replied,his voice tightening from anger.
Vanessa immediately sensed Richard's peak of jealousy, and she immediately rushed to him, unsure that he might lose his cool and get angry and she'll blame herself.
"C'mon, darling. You know I love you, okay? And I'll never exchange our love for mere flowers," she said softly, hugging Richard passionately.
"So, if you don't love the flowers again, who do you love?" Richard inquired, as he buried his face on her neck, absorbing her delicate scent.
"You of course. I love you Richard Lieu! "
"More than anything?"
"More than anything in the world! " she replied, crashing her lips upon his.