Defiance washed over Darryl as he searched around for Vanessa. He knew she didn’t know her way around the estate and, for that reason, she wouldn’t have been far, since it was also dark. Finally, Darryl found Vanessa in a secluded garden, shrouded in darkness, nestled within one of the estate’s grand houses.
She was seated on a bench, lost in thought and the soft moonlight cast a glow on her figure. Relief washed over him as he approached her slowly, but the crunch of gravel beneath his feet broke the silence, and Vanessa’s head slowly turned towards him.
Darryl’s eyes met hers, his eyes filled with a mix of relief, concern, and regret met her eyes, filled with pain, frustration and regret.
Just by looking at Vanessa under the moon, he could tell from her eyes that she was in so much pain. He felt a deep disappointment in himself, knowing he had let her down. Yet, he yearned for the opportunity to explain, to make amends, and to regain her trust.
Vanessa had the urge to run away from Darryl as she saw him approaching her in the garden. She looked around, hoping to find a route that could lead to her escape, but there was none anywhere else.
Defeat settled on her like a heavy cloak as she sat down on the bench, glaring at Darryl as he approached her. At this point, Carolyn was the only one that could rescue her from Darryl’s presence, and she hoped Carolyn made it there on time.
With a gentle step, Darryl closed the distance between them, his hands extended in an appealing gesture, hoping that Vanessa would give him a chance to make things right.
“What part of staying away from me is hard for you to understand?” Vanessa said as Darryl got closer enough to hear her words.
Darry remained quiet as the surrounding air was heavy with his unspoken apologies. “Vanessa, please, we need to talk.”
Vanessa’s head snapped up at his words, and she shook her head in disapproval. “We don’t have to talk shit about anything. You did your thing, and you’ve made yourself perfectly clear.” She said as another round of tears began to run down her cheeks.
“All I’m asking from you is that you hear me out before you make conclusions about me. Everything that happened tonight is not what it looks like. I swear, there’s more to it than you can imagine.” Darryl explained, hoping Vanessa would understand his side of the story.
“You are wrong if you think your lies can work on me anymore. And you will be stupid to think you can use your words to manipulate me like you’ve been doing.” Vanessa, in the verge of breaking down, spat out angrily.
“I’m not here to manipulate you with my words. I’m here to clear the air. I just want to clarify things so you can understand me better.” Darryl said, his eyes fixed on her but Vanessa refused to make eye contact with him.
“The last thing I want is to understand you. I don’t want you around me. I don’t want to know you or understand you better. Get out of my life. You’ve done enough damage.” Vanessa shook her seat as she broke down in tears.
Darryl resisted the urge to pull her into an embrace. Taking advantage of her broken state was the last thing he wanted.
“Why don’t you want to hear me out?” Darryl muttered.
“Because there’s nothing left for you to say.” Vanessa sniffled. “Before I agreed to help you, I saw Tania crying, and she asked for my help. She told me about how the man she loves used her to heal, got her pregnant and dumped her along the line.
“Wait! What?” Darryl asked in shock. “When did you become friends with Tania?” He couldn’t help but ask.
“Is that important right now?” Vanessa asked angrily.
“I’m sorry, please go ahead, I’m all ears.” He nodded his head as he asked her to continue.
Vanessa inhaled and exhaled sharply before she continued. “How can a man be so cruel? I said to myself. I compared her pain to my past pain. I weighed it and I made a decision not to love any man. My decision prompted me to agree with your deal, since my mother won’t give me rest if I don’t get married.” She laughed at herself, feeling like a loser.
“I thought a marriage of convenience would shield me away from pain, but I was wrong. I haven’t even lasted a day in marriage and my heart has been broken into pieces.” She paused, using the back of her hand to wipe off the tears from her face.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Darryl said, but Vanessa cut him off before he could finish his statement.
“You never meant to hurt me, you never meant to hurt Tania or other women you’ve used for your own benefit.” Vanessa snapped at him.
“I don’t use women. I have never forced myself on anyone, not Tania, not anyone else. Before I start anything with any woman, I always make myself clear about what I want, and they all agree with it, including Tania. I never used her to heal. I didn’t compel her to stay with me, but I do appreciate her for it.”
“Appreciate her for being by your side? Appreciate her for loving you? That sounds ridiculous to me.”
“I never asked her to love me. I don’t know if there’s any other bullshit Tania has fed you, but I’m certain that everything she told you is a fucking lie. She is trying to break us apart, just for her interests.”
“To start with, there was never us and there would be no us. Secondly, Tania is pregnant with your baby and you are calling that her interest. Do better.” she said.
“How can you believe Tania’s words over mine? I don’t even know if she is pregnant for real and even if she was, how can I be sure that I am responsible for her unborn baby.”
“There’s only one way to find out. You have to stick with her now and find your answers. You don’t need a fake wife anymore.” Vanessa said before standing up from the bench. With a final look at Darryl, she walked out of the garden with only one thing in mind. Staying far away from Darryl, physically and emotionally.
“Vanessa, there you are.” Carolyn shouted as she sighted Vanessa coming out of the secluded garden.