Chapter 16: Vanessa Returns
1337 Words
Vanessa spent almost an hour getting ready that morning.
She chose a beautiful red dress, styled her hair, and applied her favourite perfume. She wanted David to remember the woman he had once loved.
Although she told herself she was visiting to have a calm conversation, the thought of Ruth working beside him made her uneasy.
She picked up her handbag and left her apartment.
Today, she would find out whether David truly meant everything he had said on the phone.
---
At the mansion, Ruth was already preparing for work when David came downstairs.
“Good morning, sir.”
“Good morning. Are you ready for our practice session?”
Ruth nodded. “I've practised my presentation three times.”
“Three times?”
“Yes, sir. Aunty Kate even told me to stop disturbing the whole house with my speech.”
David laughed.
“Then I suppose we should see whether all that practice has paid off.”
They spent twenty minutes going through the presentation. Ruth stumbled over a few words, but each time she corrected herself and continued.
When she finished, David nodded approvingly.
“You're ready to start preparing the final version.”
Ruth's eyes widened. “You mean it?”
“Yes. But remember, you still have work to do. Don't become overconfident.”
“I won't, sir. Thank you!”
David watched her gather her notes. Her excitement was genuine, and he found himself smiling.
He wanted her to succeed, not because he needed to prove anything to Vanessa, but because Ruth deserved a chance to discover what she could accomplish.
---
By eleven o'clock, Vanessa arrived at David's office.
The receptionist recognised her immediately.
“Good morning, ma. Do you have an appointment?”
“I'm here to see David.”
“Let me inform him first.”
Vanessa frowned but waited.
When the receptionist called David's office, he was reviewing Ruth's presentation.
“Sir, Miss Vanessa is here to see you.”
David's expression changed.
“Did she make an appointment?”
“No, sir.”
He paused before answering.
“Tell her I can spare a few minutes.”
Vanessa was shown into his office. She smiled as she entered, but David did not stand up to greet her.
“Thank you for agreeing to see me,” she said.
“You said you wanted to talk. I'm listening.”
Vanessa sat down.
“David, I know things haven't been good between us. But we have spent years together. Surely, what we shared deserves more than a telephone call.”
“I didn't end our relationship over the phone alone, Vanessa. I have been unhappy for a long time.”
“Then why didn't you tell me we had reached this point?”
“I tried to talk to you about our problems. You dismissed my concerns whenever they didn't suit you.”
Vanessa looked away.
“People make mistakes.”
“Yes, they do. But a relationship cannot survive when only one person is willing to change.”
She took a breath and leaned forward.
“Is Ruth the reason you are doing this?”
David's jaw tightened.
“Ruth has nothing to do with my decision to end our relationship.”
“Then why are you always defending her?”
“Because she deserves to be treated with respect. Just like everyone else.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“So you really think that village girl is special?”
David put down his pen.
“Don't call her that.”
The firmness in his voice silenced her.
He continued, “Ruth is working hard to improve her life. She has done nothing to deserve your insults, and I won't sit here listening to you belittle her.”
Vanessa's eyes filled with angry tears.
“You have changed, David.”
“Perhaps I have. But my decision remains the same. Our relationship is over.”
For several seconds, Vanessa said nothing.
Then she stood.
“I hope you know what you're doing.”
“I do.”
She picked up her handbag and walked out.
David watched her leave, feeling no satisfaction in the argument. Ending a relationship was difficult, but pretending to love someone when his heart was no longer in it would have been worse.
He returned to his documents, determined to focus on work.
---
Vanessa was almost at the reception when she saw Ruth approaching with a folder.
Their eyes met.
Vanessa stopped.
“So you're still here,” she said coldly.
Ruth held the folder against her chest.
“Yes. I work here.”
Vanessa gave a bitter laugh.
“Enjoy it while you can.”
Ruth felt a familiar fear rise inside her, but she refused to lower her head.
“I'm here to do my job, ma. I haven't done anything to you.”
“You think being polite will make David love you?”
Ruth's eyes widened.
“Please don't bring me into whatever is happening between you and him.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“You may fool everyone else, but you won't fool me.”
Before Ruth could respond, the receptionist called from behind the desk.
“Miss Vanessa, your driver is waiting.”
Vanessa gave Ruth one last angry look.
“This isn't over.”
Then she walked away.
Ruth stood still for a moment, trying to calm herself. She had not expected Vanessa to confront her so directly.
She took a deep breath and continued towards David's office.
When she entered, David immediately noticed that something was wrong.
“Ruth, what happened?”
“Nothing, sir. I came to drop these documents.”
She placed the folder on his desk.
David studied her face.
“Did Vanessa speak to you?”
Ruth hesitated, then nodded.
“What did she say?”
“She was angry. But I don't want any trouble with her, sir. I only want to work.”
David's expression softened.
“You have every right to be here, Ruth. Nobody should make you feel otherwise.”
“Thank you.”
He wanted to say more, but he knew that Ruth needed reassurance, not another person making decisions for her.
“If she approaches you again and makes you uncomfortable, let me know. You don't have to handle threats alone.”
Ruth nodded.
“I will.”
As she turned to leave, David called her name.
“Ruth?”
She looked back.
“Don't let anybody convince you that you don't deserve the opportunities you've worked for.”
For a moment, she could not find the right words.
“Thank you, sir.”
She left the office with her head held a little higher.
---
That evening, Vanessa returned to her apartment furious.
David had not begged her to stay. He had not even tried to soften his decision.
Worse, she had seen Ruth at the office and realised the girl was no longer as frightened as she used to be.
Mama Nosa called to ask how the meeting had gone.
“He has ended everything, Mama,” Vanessa said. “He doesn't want me anymore.”
Her mother sighed.
“Then you must decide whether you will accept his decision or continue hurting yourself over him.”
Vanessa looked towards the window.
She could not accept it yet. But she was beginning to understand that she could not simply walk back into David's life whenever she wanted.
At the mansion, David stood by his study window, thinking about the day's events.
He had finally made his decision about Vanessa clear.
Now he needed to understand what was happening between himself and Ruth.
He did not want her to become a replacement for Vanessa. He wanted to know her properly, to understand her dreams, and to give her the freedom to choose what she wanted.
For the first time, David was not thinking about how to win a woman's attention.
He was thinking about how to become a man worthy of her trust.
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