Chapter 2: Lady In Red
1684 Words
Vanessa POV
“Dan, don’t do this,” I plead, my voice trembling. “Don’t take this from me. This is my dream.”
My eyes search his face for a flicker of compassion, a trace of the man I once admired. But all I see is darkness. His smirk widens, and an overwhelming chill radiates from him, cold and hostile.
“I don’t know why you thought you could come in here and act all sassy, forgetting that I practically own you,” he says, his voice laced with disdain.
My heart races, fury bubbling beneath my sadness.
“What did you think this was, huh?” he taunts. “You thought you could waltz in here and become queen overnight?”
I want to walk out of this room, but the thought of going back to the streets terrifies me. I clench my fists, swallowing the rising anger in my throat.
“You should know I’m not an ordinary guy. Women throw themselves at me. You made it worthwhile—got paid and given a job. We’ve been doing this for three weeks, so why do you care if you have some competition? Jealous much?”
“Are you okay? You own me?” I break my silence, unable to withhold my laugh. What a comedian.
“Dan, you’re out of your mind.”
“Some people want to be in actual relationships and not settle for casual flings.”
His smirk falters slightly.
“You saw the beautiful, helpless maid—who had a crush on you and thought, ‘Perfect target, let me take advantage of her, afterall she’s a nobody’,” I fire back. “You Jacksons are supposed to represent class and integrity, but all you’ve shown me is how disgraceful you really are.”
“Good thing you haven’t taken over the company yet, because if you did, all you’d do is run the business into the ground with your stupid ego!”
“That’s enough, Vanessa!”
“No, it’s not!” I shout, stepping closer. “I poured my heart out to you. I loved you—maybe even more than I love myself. But to you, I’m nothing but a s*x object. And for that, I don’t give a damn anymore!”
He glares at me, and I stare back bitterly—fear now buried, disgust washing over my face as he continues: “You’re playing a dangerous game, Vee. I could ruin you with a snap of my fingers.”
“Do your worst!” I say through gritted teeth. “Blacklist me, freeze my accounts—I don’t care! But I’ll never crawl back to you. Unlike you, I have morals.”
I turn to leave, but he grabs my arm. I turn around, meeting his gaze with unflinching anger.
“You need me,” he says, his voice low and threatening. “And when you realize the mistake you’ve made, it’ll be too late.”
I scoff. “Mistake? The only mistake I ever made was trusting you.”
His eyes burn with rage, unable to handle my defiance.
“And one more thing,” I add, yanking my arm free. “If you ever come near me again, I’ll make sure everyone knows who you really are. Let’s see what that does to the Jackson name.”
I leave without looking back, slamming the door behind me.
“Vanessa!” Dan’s voice bellows behind me, loud and furious.
His footsteps echo in the corridor, heavy and fast.
“Vanessa!” he shouts again, more forcefully. My fear resurrects and the power in my feet activates as I move swiftly to the elevator—my dress not properly zipped, legs hurting, heels clicking sharply against the floor but I don’t stop or turn around.
When I reach the lobby, my chest tightens, and I’m trembling. His voice still echoes in my head, aggressive and raw.
I glance over my shoulder, half-expecting to see him standing there, but I don’t.
What if I really just made a mistake?
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself as I sit on one of the plush lobby chairs waiting for my friend. Just when I think I’ve had enough for one day, a lady in a red dress approaches me.
Her long gown clings to her figure, accessorized with gold jewelry and heels. Her sleek black hair is wrapped in a tight bun, adding to her high-status aura. Dark eyeshadow and bold red lipstick amplify the scorn in her gaze. She radiates power, but the bitterness in her expression tells me she’s trouble.
She stands silently, glaring at me with an intensity that feels heavy in the air.
“Can I help you, ma’am?” I ask, trying to remain composed.
“I want you to explain why you’ve chosen to stick your fingers in business that doesn’t concern you,” she snaps, her tone bold and confrontational.
I furrow my brows, trying to make sense of what she’s saying. “I don’t know what you’re talking about; maybe you’ve got me confused with someone else.”
Her lips twist into a sneer. “Vanessa, stay away from my man, or you’ll see hell on earth.”
I blink, momentarily thrown. “Your man? Who’s your—”
“Daniel,” she cuts in. “You know very well what I’m talking about, you sneaky bitch.”
“I saw you upstairs, before the show, getting all cozy with him. Fyi, he’s mine. Back off.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about. I wasn’t throwing myself at him, it’s actually the opposite,” I reply.
Her glare intensifies as she steps closer.
“Oh, quit it with the hard-to-get act. You’re lying to me, b***h. I see right through your bullshit.” She throws the words on my face like garbage. I’m flabbergasted. Her audacity is as bold as her red lipstick.
It’s only fair I go aura for aura, right? I scoff in disbelief as I scan her, my eyes moving up and down rapidly. My arms crossed, sizing her up, making her feel small like she did to me. Her eyes fiercely strike mine with rage as I match her energy. She seems like the kind of person who feels she can get whatever she wants. Well sorry sweetie, I’m just as crazy as you. If not more.
“Why would I lie? I caught him with another woman today, too. Trust me, you’ve got bigger problems than me.” I respond, throwing her on edge, but then she suddenly laughs—a bitter, humorless sound.
“I’m aware my fiancé has his fun with other women. I do, too.”
“Your fiancé?” I repeat, stunned.
“Yes, Vanessa. We’re getting married in a week.” Her smirk returns as she watches the shock flicker across my face. So all along, I was nothing but a casual fling. Wonderful. Her words feel like daggers, piercing my heart. At this point, I’ve had enough. I just need to go outside and get some air, because there’s no way today is real.
“Why get married if you’re both unfaithful? And why are you here confronting me, then?” I respond calmly, trying to brush the conversation off quickly, concealing the hurt in my eyes.
“Oh, darling,” she says, her tone dripping with condescension. “I think the question you should be asking is, why not?” My eyes flicker in shock. How did I get mixed up with these two psychopaths? Maybe I’m still asleep.
“You see, Dan and I go way back. We’ve been family friends for ages. We’re the ideal couple; we complement each other perfectly. Our relationship is largely for business—we look fantastic together in public.” Her mouth continues leaking without a faucet handle.
“If you ask me, I would say I’m definitely Jackson material.”
“Once we tie the knot, I’m going to take my rightful role as the Queen of the Jackson Empire. Why would I let such an opportunity slip away?”
“Wow, just wow. What a story—two deceitful liars. You make a lovely couple indeed. Happy married life in advance.” I say, acting nonchalant but inside I feel like crying a river.
I turn to leave because I cannot handle anymore of this. “Not so fast,” she says, blocking my path. “Dan normally tells me about all the girls he sleeps with, but in your case, he kept it a secret, and I only found out today.”
“I don’t know how you managed to keep him wrapped around your little finger, but whatever you two had is over. Stay in your lane, or you’ll regret it.”
“Why are you wasting your breath?” I snap. “I want nothing to do with him. Not after he cheated. I actually believe in loyalty and don’t normalize infidelity like you two. Will that be all, or you want to taunt me further? I reply, challenging her, resisting the urge to either slap her or scream.
“Great then. We’re on the same page. You better respect yourself,” she sneers, her tone sharp and defensive. Her smirk mocks me as she watches the news she just dropped begin to eat me up inside.
For a second, I freeze. It’s like life has stopped. I watch her walk away, her heels clicking as loudly as her arrogance. She glances back with a wink, indulging more into my misery.
As I step outside to make a call, my phone buzzes. A message pops up from an unknown number:
“ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO LET HIM SLIP AWAY THAT EASILY? GO BACK TO DANIEL, OR ELSE…”
A chill rushes down my spine. I glance around nervously, but no one seems out of place. Then I notice headlights glaring directly at me. My breath catches as I freeze, paralyzed by the sight of the car.
- Writer
