Paid To Love

Episode 28

Paid To Love EPISODE 28

Victoria's POV

“Victoria. What did he say?”

“That has nothing to do with this,” I snapped at him.

“Oh really?, tell me what he said Victoria.” He grabbed my arm.

I felt a sudden rage. “Henry, take your hands of me”

He lets go slowly with his gaze pointed still at me.

“If he didn’t say anything then why ?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you ask me that?”

“Ask you what? If I look worthless to you? I was simply helping you express your thoughts, don’t tell me you weren’t think about it—” I yelled.

“No!” He screamed.

“Since the day I met you I have never once thought you were worthless,” he spoke, both his hands gripping me at my upper arms tightly.

“I'm—”

“You came here to prove your worth didn’t you? To me and father? To me? Was that why you were trying so hard?”

“Not like it mattered to you, you haven’t even glanced at me to notice an ounce of effort I put In neither did you look in my general direction this whole time. You were busy flirting with that tramp at the reception”

“What? Where is this coming from Victoria?”

I finally stopped, at this point i had already said too much. Now I regretted every word as I couldn’t even give him a reply. Did I just call the receptionist a tramp for doing her job? I was really turning to these people wasn’t I.

“Hen...”

“Do I make you feel worthless?” he asked, voice dropping considerably.

I was back to my senses after the cloud of rage had disappeared. My voice softened my. I had pushed him towards this conclusion. “No. Henry you don’t”

“Why would you ask me that, then?”

“I’m sorry,” I apologized because I know I pushed it this time.

“I pushed you towards that conclusion and its not fair on you, look I think I’m the worst person you would have picked for this job. I’m a wreck, a big wreck right now and I think I will probably just ruin all your plans. ” For the first time since we met I felt like I had been the insensitive one between us and it felt horrible. No wonder he hated how he treated me. Deep inside I felt the guilt and it didn’t settle right.

He pulled his hands away from me, turned and made for the door. He stopped once again and came back towards me.

We were so close I smelt every inch of him. “I heard you say something today that i never thought I'd hear from you, you asked me to make you good enough for my dad. I think whatever he said to you has pushed you to forget who you are, there’s a reason I chose, because of how different you are from the other girls, how you refuse to let me buy you clothes especially designer ones from shops like this. That’s why I didn’t bother because I knew you wouldn’t be comfortable in those clothes, with those price tags. Any other person I gave this chance would have easily taken advantage of me but you didn’t Victoria. Despite what my dad thinks Victoria, you should know that I’m the one who’s not good enough for you.”

Dumbstruck again, I was absolutely stupefied. There was a silence all of a sudden. We caught each other’s gaze and locked on to it. I felt a blush on my cheeks and the awkwardness of the situation became overwhelming, I had to break the ice. “That’s was sweet—” I blushed while taking my eyes away.

“Victoria,” he said sternly.

I slowly raised my eyes to meet his gaze again.

“Gather what you’re going to purchase,” he ordered, letting go of my arm. “I will pay for them.”

“Henry,” I repeated.

“You know what?, I’ll help you find a decent place you can move into as soon as possible. Don’t worry about having to pretend with my dad anymore or the lies, I won’t let you feel this way anymore . I’m terminating the contract. And since I will be the one cancelling, I will have to issue a cancellation fee.”

“What ?”

He pushed away and left.

What have I done? The realisation hit me and i knew what had just happened. The contract was gone. Just like that. He surprised me with that one, It was truly the last thing I thought I would hear from him. I felt like he needed me for the contract a lot more than I needed him.

“All for a dress.”

Well that was unexpected. I thought he felt bad so he would just apologise for not complementing me but now he wants to end the contract? He could have easily just said I’m sorry Victoria, you look stunning but he didn’t. I was dumbfounded, my jaw dropped right there as I stood there still staring at the door Henry had just exited from. I took a look down and the dress looked horrible all of a sudden. I felt my skin crawl and I had the sudden irritation that screamed take off the dress.

I was so arrogant. What had it mattered if he complimented me or not? His dad was right, I wasn’t in their class and I don’t think I could ever cut it. What was I trying to prove? In the quest to prove his dad wrong about me I had turned to the rich arrogant people I claimed to hood in disdain and even worse I did it all because of a dress.

Zoey finally appeared out of nowhere, my guess is that she was in the dressing room.

She caught me crying didn’t she?

“ What’s wrong Vicky?”

“I'm so stupid Zoey.”

“You aren’t stupid and you aren’t worthless either,” her reply serving as the confirmation i needed to conclude that she was eavesdropping and watched me make one of the stupidest mistakes in my life.

“I didn’t mean to pry, I mean as much as i don’t know what’s really going on but I'm sure Henry doesn’t think you’re worthless.”

“I know I’m not worthless but I’ve been thinking that I’m not sure I can fit in to what his father sees as an ideal woman for his son. I just think it’s for the best that he finds someone better. I’m not what he needs.”

“That's not what i heard him say.”

I let out a wry smile. “I know but, his dad obviously thinks I’m not good enough for him and I couldn’t even handle it. At least i should have just swallowed it if anything then for the money.”

“You reacted the way anyone would, that’s totally normal ” she shot back.

“But I’m not anyone, you heard him”

She dragged me to the restroom and pulled me in front of the mirror.

“what are you doing Zoey?”

“Look at yourself in the mirror, tell me who this person is. I don’t know who this is because my best friend wouldn’t be beating up herself over some rich snob’s impression of her. Who are you? The real Victoria knows she’s worth the world, the real Victoria knows she’s good enough for any rich snob's son. Why would you not think you’re good enough for Henry? Why? Who can decide that?”

“His father—”

“Doesn’t know you,” she interjected.

“Honestly I don’t think you have to prove s**t to anyone but I don’t think you should just give up, I think you should show his dad you’re too good for him. Even if this is just some fake relationship. Where’s that never-say-die attitude that has gotten you through life without your parents and your brother?”

Her words sank in, every word meant a lot, especially because they came from the best human being i had ever met. I stared into her eyes and I felt myself relax. She had that comforting effect om me, that’s probably why she was my only friend.

“Thanks a lot Zoey, You’re right.” I hugged her.

“I know but you need to act quickly and get him back.”

I leaned into the sink, turned the tap on, took some water and washed my face off. I wiped my face and I knew i had to chase Henry down and get my job back. For some reason I wanted him back more than the job. This felt like I was going to get the love of my life back rather than a job. Anyway I left the restroom and took off.

I was still wearing that black dress I tried on, I hurried out to the showcase room. But there was no sign of Henry. James was chatting with the lady at reception, seemingly totally unaware of what had happened, his back leaning against the counter. “Where’s Henry?” I asked him.

“He just went outside,” he replied, frowning a little. “Did something happen? He looked pissed.”

“Kind of,” I said and then ran out the door.

“Wait , mam” I heard the salesman call after me. “You can’t leave with that!”

I ignored him and exited the store. The main mall was not as crowded as it was when we got there, I stopped outside and did a total three sixty to see if i would see Henry. When O couldn’t find him I decided to head outside the building and I went out forgetting I wasn’t wearing any shoes. At this point I couldn’t really care but he wasn’t outside. Could he have left? He wouldn’t leave, would he? I doubted that he would leave us just like that, James was still with us though. I picked my phone from my pocket and dialled his number but it seemed to be busy. Maybe he called his father and was telling him everything? I had to find him before he explained everything and ruined the contract.

I walked over to one side of the building and heard an unmistakable voice yelling.

“Henry,” I thought aloud running in the direction of the yelling man. I got closer and he seemed to be on the phone.

“I know she’s there,” he was saying and I realized he was on his cell phone. “Gerald, hand the phone over to him now, I know he’s there”

He ? Did he mean his father? Wait.. Did I just hear Gerald? “Henry!” I called, closing the distance between us. “What.”