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1219 Words
“Vanessa.” I called out.
She stopped walking.
But she didn’t turn around.
“…Wait.”
The room was so quiet that I could hear the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway.
Vanessa stood with her back to me, one hand resting on the door handle. Her shoulders rose and fell with a shaky breath.
To everyone else, she looked heartbroken.
To me…
She looked calculated.
I had known Vanessa long enough to recognize the difference between genuine emotion and a carefully rehearsed performance.
She wasn’t walking away because she wanted to end the engagement.
She was walking away because she wanted me to stop her.
And she knew I would.
Not because I loved her.
Because I had no choice.
My grandfather’s words echoed in my mind.
“The next CEO of Hartwell Corporation must be a married man. A leader without a stable family cannot lead this company.”
It was an outdated condition.
One I had argued against countless times.
But Richard Hartwell had built Hartwell Corporation with his own hands. The board trusted his judgment without question, and his decisions were final.
If this engagement fell apart…
So would my future as CEO.
Years of preparing to lead the company would disappear because of a condition that had nothing to do with business.
I wasn’t going to let that happen.
Not now.
Not after sacrificing so much to earn that position.
I drew in a slow breath before speaking.
“Everyone,” I said, my eyes never leaving Vanessa, “I think tonight has gone on long enough.”
The guests immediately understood.
The awkward atmosphere had made everyone uncomfortable long before now.
One after another, they offered polite smiles and quiet farewells.
“We should leave.”
“Congratulations again.”
“Have a wonderful evening.”
One woman gave Vanessa a sympathetic hug before quietly walking toward the door. Another nodded respectfully at me before following the others out.
Within a few minutes, the once lively living room had become eerily silent.
The champagne glasses were still half-full.
The broken crystal had been swept away.
Only the tension remained.
The only people left were Vanessa, Maya, the head butler…
…and me.
Maya still stood quietly near the coffee table.
Her head was lowered.
One hand clutched the cut on her palm while the other hung stiffly by her side.
She looked exhausted.
Defeated.
The red mark on her cheek was impossible to ignore.
Even from where I stood, I could still make out the faint outline of fingers across her skin.
My eyes lingered on it for a brief moment before I looked away.
This wasn’t the time.
Whatever had happened between the two of them would have to wait.
Right now, I had a bigger problem.
The engagement.
When the front door clicked shut behind the last guest, I finally broke the silence.
“You can turn around now.”
Vanessa slowly faced me.
There wasn’t a single tear on her face anymore.
Not one.
The woman who had looked devastated only moments ago now appeared perfectly composed.
It confirmed what I had suspected.
She had been acting.
“What do you want, Aidan?”
Her voice was calm.
Almost detached.
“I don’t want this engagement to end.” I said.
She studied me carefully.
Searching my face.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips before disappearing again.
“I wasn’t expecting you to stop me.”
“I meant what I said.” I replied.
She took a few slow steps toward me until only a small distance separated us.
“So…”
She tilted her head slightly.
“You’re apologizing?” She asked.
“If that’s what it takes.” I answered firmly.
Her smile widened almost imperceptibly.
“I’ve never seen you apologize before.”
“I don’t do it often.”
“No,” she replied softly. “You don’t.”
Silence settled between us.
Neither of us spoke for several long seconds.
The only sound came from the grandfather clock in the hallway.
Then Vanessa folded her arms.
“So tell me, Aidan. How serious are you about making this right?”
I didn’t hesitate.
“I’ll do whatever it takes.” I replied.
Something flickered in her eyes. Victory.
It disappeared almost as quickly as it came.
“You’d do anything?” She asked.
“If it’s reasonable.” I replied.
She laughed quietly.
A pleased, almost satisfied laugh.
“I was wondering when you’d add a condition.”
I said nothing.
There was no point pretending.
Vanessa knew me well enough to know I never agreed to anything blindly.
She walked back toward the coffee table where the engagement ring still rested.
For a moment, she simply stared at it.
Then she picked it up between her fingers.
The diamond sparkled beneath the lights.
She admired it for several seconds before slowly sliding it back onto her finger.
“I suppose…” she said thoughtfully, “I can forgive you.”
I remained silent.
She looked up at me.
“But trust isn’t repaired with words.”
“I know.”
“It requires action.” She continued.
“What do you want?” I asked.
Again, she didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she began walking slowly around the room.
Her heels echoed against the marble floor.
She stopped beside one of the tall windows overlooking the city before finally turning back toward me.
“I’ve always believed actions speak louder than apologies.” She said.
“They do.” I confirmed.
“So prove that today meant something.”
“How?”
Her gaze drifted lazily across the room.
Until it settled on Maya.
Maya hadn’t moved.
She stood exactly where she had been, pale, exhausted, and clutching her injured hand as though she wished she could disappear into the floor.
She wasn’t looking at either of us.
She simply stared at the marble beneath her feet.
Vanessa smiled.
Slowly.
“There is one thing I want.”
I followed her line of sight.
“What is it?”
She looked back at me.
“I don’t want her in this house anymore.”
The words landed like stones.
“I don’t want to wake up every morning and see the face of someone who disrespected me. She insulted me.” There was a brief pause before she continued.
“She embarrassed me in front of my friends. And now…”
She folded her arms again.
“…every time I look at her, I’ll remember tonight.”
She pointed directly at Maya.
“Get rid of her.”
Maya’s head shot up instantly.
The color drained from her face.
Her lips parted as though she wanted to speak, but no words came out.
Fear filled her eyes.
Vanessa didn’t even look at her.
Her attention remained fixed on me.
“She crossed a line today. And I refuse to live under the same roof as someone who has no respect for me.”
The room fell cold and silent once more.
Even the head butler lowered his eyes.
Vanessa took one final step toward me.
Her expression was calm. Then she said viciously,
“I want you to fire her, Aidan.”
- Writer
