Chapter 65
Valerie’s POV
I stepped out of the Richardson estate, the cool evening air a welcome respite from the suffocating tension inside. The will reading had left me reeling.
Damian’s father, leaving everything to him on one condition: he had to have a child within ten months.
As I walked towards my parents’ car, Damian’s voice called out behind me.
“Valerie, wait!”
I didn’t stop. I didn’t turn around.
But he caught up to me, his footsteps echoing beside mine.
“Valerie, please,” he said, his voice laced with desperation. “I need to talk to you.”
I kept walking.
“Valerie, I’m sorry,” he continued, his words spilling out in a rush. “I’m sorry for everything. For suspecting you of cheating on me. For cheating on you myself. For not being there for you when you needed me most.”
His words hung in the air, but I didn’t acknowledge them.
I just kept walking.
“Valerie, please forgive me,” he begged, his voice cracking. “I know I don’t deserve it, but I love you. I always have.”
I felt a pang in my chest, but I pushed it aside.
I couldn’t forgive him. At least not yet. Maybe not ever.
Damian’s hand brushed against mine, but I jerked it away.
“Don’t touch me.” I managed to say, giving him a cold gaze.
“Valerie, please,” he whispered, his eyes pleading.
But I looked straight ahead, my gaze fixed on the car.
My mother’s concerned face met mine as I opened the door.
“Valerie, are you okay?” she asked.
I nodded, my voice trapped in my throat.
Damian’s words still echoed in my mind.
Apologies. Regrets. Promises.
But they meant nothing. Not now. Not after everything we’d lost.
My mother’s gentle hand on my shoulder was the only comfort I needed.
“Let’s go home, sweetie,” she said.
As we drove away, I caught a glimpse of Damian standing alone on the sidewalk.
He looked lost. Foolish. Broken.
For a moment, I felt a flicker of pity. But it was quickly extinguished. He doesn’t deserve my pity. He’d broken me. Shattered me.
And now, he wanted forgiveness? Easy apologies wouldn’t fix everything.
I knew that time wouldn’t heal all wounds. Some scars would remain forever.
The car ride home was silent.
My parents exchanged worried glances, but I ignored them.
My mind was elsewhere.
Lost in grief.
Lost in anger.
Lost in sorrow.
As we pulled into our driveway, I felt a sense of relief.
Home, finally. Safety. Solace.
I stepped out of the car, my legs carrying me toward the front door.
But my heart remained heavy.
Weighted down by Damian’s words.
Weighted down by our past.
Weighted down by our uncertain future.
I closed the door behind me, shutting out the world.
Shutting out Damian. In a futile attempt to shut out the pain, but it still gnawed at me.
But it seeped in through the cracks.
A constant reminder of what I had been through. A constant ache. A constant sorrow.
**********
Damian’s POV
Days turned into weeks, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of emptiness without Valerie.
My father’s will lingered in the back of my mind, a constant reminder of what I had to do. But more pressing was winning Valerie back.
I visited her at her parents’ house every day, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, to talk to her, to apologize again. But she refused to see me.
Her mother, Emily, would greet me with a sympathetic smile and a gentle pat on the shoulder. “Give her time, Damian. She’s still hurting.”
But time was running out.
I brought flowers, chocolates, and gifts, hoping to soften her heart. I wrote letters, pouring out my soul, begging for forgiveness.
Nothing seemed to work.
Valerie remained elusive, hidden behind the walls of her parents’ home.
One day, as I stood on the porch, Emily invited me in. “Damian, come sit down. I want to talk to you.”
I followed her to the living room, my heart racing.
“Damian, I know you’ve made mistakes,” Emily began, her voice gentle but firm. “But I believe you love Valerie. And she loves you. You both need each other, especially now.”
I nodded, hope rising.
“But Valerie’s hurt, Damian. Deeply hurt. You need to be patient.”
“I will,” I promised. “I’ll do anything.”
Emily’s eyes locked onto mine. “I think it’s time Valerie came home with you.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“Really?” I asked, hardly daring to believe.
Emily nodded. “Yes. Valerie needs to face her grief, and she can’t do that here. She needs you, Damian. And you need her.”
I left the house feeling lighter, feeling hopeful.
The next day, I returned to the house, my heart pounding.
Emily answered the door, a warm smile on her face. “Valerie’s waiting for you.”
I stepped inside, my eyes scanning the room.
Valerie stood by the window, her back to me.
“Valerie?” I whispered, my voice trembling.
She turned, her eyes meeting mine. For a moment, I saw a glimmer of the old Valerie.
The spark was still there.
Faint, but present.
“Let’s go home,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Valerie nodded, a small smile on her lips.
I took her hand, feeling a rush of emotions.
We walked out of the house, into the car.
Together.
Hand in hand.
The drive home was silent, but it was a comfortable silence.
Valerie stared out the window, her eyes lost in thought.
I glanced at her, my heart swelling.
We pulled into our driveway, and Valerie’s eyes widened.
The house looked different.
New flowers bloomed in the garden. The windows sparkled.
“Welcome home,” I said, smiling.
Valerie’s eyes met mine, a hint of a smile.
“Home,” she whispered.
We stepped out of the car, into our new beginning.
Uncertainty still lingered, but I knew we’d face it together.
As we walked toward the front door, Valerie’s hand still in mine, I felt a sense of hope.
We had a long way to go. But we’d take it one step at a time. Together.
We entered the house, and Valerie’s eyes scanned the familiar space.
I watched her, eager to see her reaction.
“Damian, it looks… different,” she said, her voice neutral.
“I redecorated,” I replied, smiling. “Thought it needed a fresh start.”
Valerie nodded, her expression unreadable.
I took her hand, leading her to the living room.
We sat on the couch, side by side, but not touching.
The silence was awkward, but I didn’t want to break it. Not yet.
Valerie stared straight ahead, her eyes fixed on some invisible point.
I studied her profile, searching for any sign of emotion. But her face was a mask.
I leaned in, my heart pounding.
My lips inches from hers, almost kissing her.
But Valerie turned away, her voice cold.
“Damian, don’t.”
I froze, my breath caught in my throat.
“Sorry,” I muttered, pulling back.
Valerie’s eyes met mine, a warning in them.
“Don’t rush me, Damian. I’m still trying to… process everything.”
I nodded, feeling a pang of disappointment.
But I understood. She needed time. Space.
I wouldn’t push her.
Not yet.
As the days passed, Valerie settled into our routine.
She’d cook dinner, clean the house, and sleep in our bed. But the distance between us remained.
She’d accepted me back, but her heart was still locked away.
I noticed the little things; the way she’d flinch when I touched her, the way she’d avoid eye contact.
The way she’d whisper “goodnight” instead of kissing me.
It was like living with a stranger.
A beautiful, cold stranger.
********
One evening, as we watched TV together, Valerie’s hand brushed against mine.
I took it, hoping for a spark.
But she pulled away, her eyes flashing a warning.
“Damian, I told you… don’t rush me.”
I sighed, feeling frustrated, but I wouldn’t give up. I’d wait for her.
As the night drew to a close, Valerie stood, her eyes avoiding mine.
“Goodnight, Damian.”
“Goodnight, Valerie,” I replied, my voice soft.
She walked away, leaving me alone in the darkness.
The silence between us was deafening.
But I held onto hope.
Hope that one day, Valerie would forgive me. Hope that one day, she’d love me again. Hope that one day, we’d rebuild our shattered family.
The next day, I went to Christian Hospital to see the doctor that had treated Valerie.
“She needs some time. You need to show love and care as much as you can before she can open up to you again. When women lose their babies in case of miscarriage or after birth, it traumatizes them.”
“How long should I wait? A week or two?” I asked.
“Three or four months. Her body needs to return back to it’s cycle. Some women have injuries when they miscarry, which needs to heal.”
“Three months? I don’t have that amount of time.” I said,
“I’m sorry Sir. You need to bring your wife so that we can run tests on her to check if her womb is still intact. That is all I can do for now?” He finalized.
Three months and more…Damn it! I can’t loose my father’s inheritance. If she can’t conceive this month, then she leaves me with no choice than to get another wife.