Chapter 11
1267 Words
Valentina
I guess I will just have to find out when I reach home. I know that by then he will have returned, and I will get to meet the mystery woman.
Looking at Nora who had suddenly gone quiet, I saw her texting on her phone, her face squeezed as she replied to the text message.
Aside from us being cousins, we have another thing in common. We have both dated people who hurt us.
Nora fell in love with some man, her colleague, Richard and while their relationship seemed to be sweet at first, or at least that was only what Nora imagined.
She had a crush on Richard for ages and so when he asked her out, she didn't hesitate to say yes, but there was one problem; her brother Julian had pissed Richard's grandfather off, taking over their territory and claiming their vineyard as his own.
That was Julian's expertise. I wasn't surprised. He was good at manipulation and making illegal alliances just to claim a piece of property or blackmailing just to get what he wanted.
Their relationship was doomed from the start, but Nora didn't care. She has always said Julian's problem is his to bear . Why should I get involved? But she forgets one thing.
As long as they share the same blood, not everyone can overlook it, especially not the enemy's son.
She was blinded by her feelings for Richard, I didn't know much about the relationship but all I knew was that he was one of the best lawyers at Stellar law firm where she worked and had broken up with her over a text message and ever since then, Nora has been bitter, perhaps too bitter whenever they cross paths.
It equally made her not to really consider any relationship and just stay focused on winning cases and loving herself excessively since she often posts on social media, updating her followers or subscribers about her daily life which sometimes I find annoying, but some of her videos were certainly what puts a smile on my face on a bad day at work.
Out of everyone in the Veylor family, she was the only one who lived a carefree life and didn't seem to always harbor resentment towards anyone, not even towards Julian when he cut her off for living with us for a while and still talking with Kade and I.
I think it wasn't just about cutting her off, I think there was more to the relationship. I mean Julian and Nora, but I haven't really figured out that part.
All I know is that whenever Nora is with me, she doesn't like talking about him and sometimes when I try to pry to ask questions she changes topic and just smiles as if the world was happy, and she had no problem, but behind that facade, I am certain that something was playing behind the scenes and someday I would find out. I just have to look well and at the right time.
“Can I buy you a drink?” A deep baritone voice asked, and I lowered my gaze from Nora and looked up at him only to see the tall man with perfectly jelled up hair and the smell of expensive perfume.
“Keep moving, I am not interested,” I said and Nora looked between us, setting her phone aside. She loves to gossip. If she wasn't my cousin I wouldn't even bother with her.
“But it is just a drink,” the man insisted.
I hate men like this, always trying their luck thinking every girl would fall for their charms.
“We have enough drinks and I can certainly pay for mine, so don't piss me off and just go away” I looked around and noticed that two of my bodyguards were already standing, but I gestured for them to sit down I didn't want to cause a scene especially not in one of the clubs owned by my brother and I.
I decided to keep things short and to dismiss him but much to my dismay, he sat down. I wasn't the only one who was a little taken aback by the audacity of this stranger who just appeared, but Nora as well.
No man has ever invaded my personal space ever since what happened between my ex and I, not even my colleagues at St Helena's Hospital.
“So what's your name?” He asked, his eyes not parting away from me and I almost wanted to smash his face against the table. I was sick and tired of having to tell him to leave. I hate talking too much, much more irrelevantly.
“Her name is Valentina,” Nora was quick to say, and I glared at her.
“I'm sorry, it's just rude to keep him hanging there and, besides, it is just a name, but as you heard my sister, Valentina, she's not interested so you're just wasting your time, go back to your table and continue drinking with your buddies. I'm sure there are other women out here whom you can buy a drink for” Nora stated firmly.
“But I don't want other women, I want Valentina. If I can't buy a drink for you tonight, let me buy breakfast for you” he continued.
“Last I remembered, No is a complete sentence,” Nora said.
“What are you doing on Monday? Let's go for a walk Valentina?” He totally ignored my words and continued his luck.
“Can you just leave?”
“Please can I get your number?”
“That is not going to happen,” I replied.
“Why? It's just your number, Valentina” he stated and then quickly grabbed the phone on the table. My adrenaline rushed up. How dare this man!
Who the hell was he? I pushed him against the couch and snatched my phone back when he held my hand.
“You smell so nice, Valentina.” He admitted. He looked into my eyes like he was charmed at that moment.
“Hey back off, she said no!” Nora was furious. She stood up.
“I'm sorry, please forgive my friend,” That familiar voice echoed from beside us and I turned around and locked eyes with a man I know a little about but Nora knows too well. Her ex-boyfriend, Richard Price.
“Haven't you done enough now you're sending your friend over to attack us? Why don't you people just take a hint that she is not interested?” Nora's eyes shot laser beams at Richard.
“Forgive us we will just leave”
“I'm sorry but I haven't gotten her number. I can't just leave Richard, let me get your number Valentina, please I promise, I won't bother you again” he was not the type who gives up easily.
“I'm never giving you my contact, so just forget it”
“You heard her. No means no. Besides, what do you need her contact for? You want to take it then ask her out to dinner after a few days, then you two start chatting, you make love and then a couple of months or a year goes by and then you break up with her over a text. Isn't that what this is all about, Richard?”
“No. It isn't. Nathaniel has nothing to do with that”
“Nathaniel? Your name is Nathaniel.” I asked, my eyes darkened. I haven't heard that name in ages.
- Writer
