“We need to talk”. Vanessa double-checked the text before she hit the send button. The conversation she had with Tania had made her keep her eyes on the ball. She couldn’t think of anything else other than how women are treated badly all in the name of love.
Love! Love had no place in her heart. She doesn’t see herself ready to love or be in love with anyone. She can’t expose her to pain because of love. She would rather get paid to get married, since love was out of it.
The only problem she might have was Darryl. Was he joking with his proposal? She couldn’t answer the question herself. Was this part of his elaborated game? The question met with silence. Only Darryl had the answers to her questions. That was why she had sent him a text immediately she got him.
Delaying until tomorrow before she talked to Darryl was a good idea, but she wasn’t patient enough to wait. What if Darryl asked someone else before tomorrow? Darryl was unpredictable, and she couldn’t risk losing this chance.
Staring at the text, her heart raced as she waited for his reply. She wasn’t desperate to be with Darryl, she just didn’t want to lose her chance.
“Yours or mine?” Vanessa’s phone chirped as his text popped up on her screen. Her mouth turned up as she thought about the right choice. Should he come to her place? She wondered as she stared around her apartment.
His? Going to his place wasn’t a bad idea. She would use the opportunity to grab things she left behind the last time she had come, when she stormed out angrily from his place.
“I will come over.” she sent the message quickly before I changed my mind.
Changing into casual wear, she pulled my hair into a messy bun. She stared at my reflection in the side mirror of the taxi as he drove her to my destination.
The traffic was on Vanessa’s side because she got to his place in no time. Adjusting the hoodie she wore over a blouse, she walked in to his house. The familiar house left me stunned as she entered the house. She could not stop staring at how opulent his house was.
“Welcome,” his voice took me out of my thoughts.
“I need to discuss something important with you.” she blurted out as I took further steps into his house.
“Let’s talk over dinner.” Said Darryl as he gestured towards the table preparing for dinner.
“I don’t have time for dinner.” she had to reject his offer.
“It is just dinner, Vanessa,” he said as he settled down on the dining table. Her eyes could tell that he really wanted to dine with her.
“Fine.” She finally gave in to his offer.
The sweet aroma of the food hit Vanessa’s nose as she settled down on the chair. Dinner might have tasted well but she was not in the mood to take in anything.
“About the proposal, does it still stand?” Vanessa’s brow furrowed as she questioned her.
“Yes, I haven’t changed my mind about it,” Darryl replied after chewing the food in his mouth.
“I will accept your proposal. I’m not doing it because you asked me to, I’m doing it because I want to do it.” Vanessa clarified herself to him.
Darryl tried to contain his excitement as he heard Vanessa’s words. He knew she would come around, but not so fast. A satisfying smile etched on his face as he poured himself a glass of wine.
“Why do you want to do it? There must be a reason to do it” he inquired, trying to understand her.
“To start with, I don’t find love interesting, and I can’t waste my time waiting for the right person when I can make myself the right person. Secondly and most importantly, I am doing it for the money.”
“Thank you for accepting my proposal. It really means a lot to me. And I promise you that you won’t regret your choice to help me.
Since Vanessa had agreed to marry him, he planned on speeding up the arrangements of the marriage. He should inform his parents to start with. He should talk to his lawyer.
“I will talk to my lawyer so he will bring the paperwork, of our agreement.” said Darryl, voicing out his thoughts.
.
“Lawyer?” Vanessa reacted to the idea. “I feel like there is no need to involve a lawyer when we can talk about the terms and conditions ourselves. Do you feel me?” Vanessa explained calmly.
“I feel you. I wouldn’t involve my lawyer.” He assured her. “But you will have to meet my mother as soon as possible.” Darryl added.
The idea of meeting Darryl’s parents made her shiver underneath. She had never met anyone’s parents, so she didn’t know how she would act when the time came.
Darryl noticed her stiffness from where he sat down opposite her. “Don’t be anxious about meeting my mother. Calm down.” Darryl’s voice laced with concern as he said those words.
“I can’t help it.” Vanessa confessed her worries.
“Let’s cheer on our agreement.” Darryl raised his glass towards Vanessa, patiently waiting for her to mirror his action.
Reluctantly, Vanessa raised her glass, clicking it with his as Darryl said, “to our marriage”, causing Vanessa to repeat his words. The first stage of their new life has started as both Darryl and Vanessa have agreed to get married on contract. At least, Vanessa’s mother would be glad that she had finally found a husband for herself. She gave a half smile as she thought about the benefits her mother had mentioned.
Darryl, on the other hand, was excited that Vanessa was ready to help him, but how would he get rid of Tania without causing chaos within his family? The first thing he could do was to get his mother’s trust back. If he and his mother became close again, she would help him get rid of Tania in the twinkling of an eye.
With determination in his eyes, he vowed that nothing would stop him getting married to Vanessa. Contract or no contract, Vanessa would always be his.