Vince’s POV
I sit in the conference room with restlessness, my eyes fixated upon the screen but my mind everywhere but on that.
I have no idea why I made such an impulsive decision to leave her all alone there when I should have just stayed, and waited for her to calm down so we could talk again.
But then I guess I didn’t see that happening. Annette was enraged by my confession and no amount of convincing could let her give me the reply I wanted.
Desperately, I want one. At this point, I don’t even care if it was a YES or a NO. Not giving a reply is more upsetting than a straightforward rejection.
I spin around and eventually slam my fist on the conference table, all eyes on me now. I told myself I needed to come here for this meeting but I knew I didn’t need to. If I wanted to be with Ann, I didn’t need to be here but because we quarrelled, I decided to come.
Still, it is no use because I haven’t been able to assimilate anything anyone has been going on about.
Without a word, I stand up and stroll out of the conference room.
My jaws clench and my hands itch to call Luca and tell him to go stay there to watch over her.
Apparently, Ann doesn’t need me. She acts like she doesn’t. And it irks the hell out of me.
When I get to my office, I kick the door open, my anger still poignant but before I can shut it behind me, someone enters.
Fernando.
We stare at each other for a moment before I let go of the door and move to my chair.
Fernando takes a seat opposite me quickly. “Is everything okay, Vicente?”
I don’t reply.
How do I tell him I am upset because I told Ann I liked her and she told me she liked me too in the most ridiculous way? How do I tell him I wasn’t rejected but placed on a high-end scale hanging?
“Vicente?” Fernando calls again, leaning over the mahogany table, his brows furrowed in worry. “Is this about Ann?”
I am surprised he figured out this involves her. Well, everything about me and everything around me now involves her.
“I was surprised to see you back and I was going to ask what happened after the meeting.”
“You should be there if I am not, Fernando. Just go. We will talk later.” I wave him away dismissively.
“No,” he stands his ground, his eyes boring into mine. “This is about Ann. Did something happen? Should I call Tessa?”
“No!” I exclaim sharply. The less people involved, the better. Tessa shouldn’t know. I would be so embarrassed to even look her straight in the eyes when next we meet if she knows about this.
It’s humiliating.
“Then tell me. What happened?”
I grit my teeth as I stare at him, deciding within me if telling him was the best decision.
“Well, we had a fight,” I start indifferently, leaning backwards in my chair.
I continue to watch me, urging me to go ahead. I shut my eyes, feeling silly as I mutter. “I told her I liked her.”
Fernando stares at me with an expressionless face at first. Then his jaws dropped and he burst into laughter.
My fist clenches in anger.
I shouldn’t have told him. I should have asked him to go out. I should have told him it was none of his damn business.
He sobers up and glances up. “You told Annette you like her? Since when?”
I don’t reply.
I only bite my lower lip in regret and the action takes my mind back to Ann. She does that whenever she is nervous. I should probably call Luca. I don’t trust that Mark guy. If I can’t be there to protect her, then someone needs to.
Ignoring Fernando, I grab my phone and send Luca a quick text with the address of the venue.
Then I dial his number.
“Seen, boss. I am on my way already.”
“Good,” I reply and disconnect the call.
Fernando gasps, making me shift my attention to him. “Vince, you truly like her, don’t you?”
I don’t reply.
“Vince, you like her? Is that why you didn’t get an annulment after the whole accidental sham? Was it even accidental in the first place or this was just your way of trapping a woman you were attracted to at first sight?”
I dart upright, throwing a punch his way but he dodges it quickly and starts to laugh again.
“What do you take me for?” I bark in anger. “Just get out.”
He becomes serious as he stands in the middle of my office with arms akimbo. “Seriously, Vince? Are you damn serious about what you just said?”
“Do I look like I am joking here?” I retort back sharply, hoping he wouldn’t burst out laughing again because I might lose my cool pretty soon and kick him out.
He sighs deeply before strolling closer to me. “Did she reject you or why did you fight? Why are you in a sour mood?”
This is it. This is exactly what I don’t know.
“No rejection. No acceptance. I don’t even know what she feels or what she is thinking,” I reply with all seriousness.
Fernando looks lost in thought for a while. “It’s really hard to believe you of all people actually like Ann. You mean you like like her?”
I glare at him harshly. “If you ask me that one more time, I will send you out.”
“Come on, I’m just trying to help here. I need to know the level of your likeness for her…”
“And how do you intend to help me, uhn? By laughing around and making a mockery of my situation? You know me better than anyone Fernando. I wouldn’t tell her I liked her if I didn’t.”
“True,” he agrees immediately and sits back, a heavy silence lingering between us. “But that’s a bad idea.”
I dart my eyebrows up.
Before I can ask him what he meant, he uttered. “You are a man who doesn’t believe in love or marriage. Even if you were willing to give this a try, it’s still a terrible idea. The earlier you realize this, the better. If you can’t keep up, perhaps it’s time to get an annulment.”
Rage bubbles inside of me as I warn. “Fernando!”
“It’s the truth, Vince. You can’t love her…”
“Says who?!” I cut him short, almost slamming my fist on the desk. Instead, I grip the edges. He isn’t helping matters. Instead of making me feel better, he is adding to my frustrations.
“Says me, Vicente. I’ve known you all my life. You can’t give Annette what she wants…”
“But you can give Tess what she wants, right?” I interrupt him, annoyance coating my tone.
My heart is drumming.
His eyes go wide before he asks. “How.. how did you know about Tess and I?”
“I have eyes,” I retort back in reply. A smile carves up the corner of his lips and he shakes his head.
A man doesn’t call a woman who works for him by her name with so much fondness as Fernando does. I put two and two together and figured out he liked or was dating her.
“Tess is different,” he insisted. “And I am not you, Vicente. Vicente and Fernando are two different people.”
Silence falls. I am no longer interested in discussing this any further with him. Perhaps I should pretend it never happened. I should also pretend I never said a word to Annette.
That would be best.
Love and marriage is not my thing. Even though I am married, I don’t need to feel the feeling of love. And if Ann wants an annulment, she will get it.
“Do you know why it’s a bad idea, Vince?” He demands with a serious expression. The smug smile on his face from earlier has been wiped off, tempting me to want to ask him what it was.
Why it is a bad idea.
But my ego won’t let me.
I remain mute until he announces with confidence. “Because you will eventually fall head over heels for her.”
I raise a brow at this.
“But she won’t love you back!”