Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Kenneth Domanco

I engross myself with my work and my office door opened. In rage to teach whoever that person is a lesson, I look up and saw Vivian instead, my ex girlfriend.

"Hi, babe." She said sweetly at me as she walk majestically towards my seat acting like, she owns my company.

"What are you doing here?." I asked her the first question that popped through my mind. The last thing I wanted right now is something that would give me a headache.

I don't know what exactly she wants from me and why she started to show her face to me after so many years of departing.

"I feel hurt. I thought you will miss me." She pretends to be sad.

"Stop playing silly games with me, Vivian. What are you doing here? This is my office for fuck sake! You can't just keep coming and leaving as you own it! Or, acting like we're some kind of lovers."

"Ken, why are you talking like this. I've apologized to you. I said, I'm sorry. Forgive me already, will you?."

"Do you think, sorry can solve what you've done to me? You hurt me! You betrayed me!  I loved you and was willing to go against the world just for you. My mom, my dad...  Even my friends, non of them wants you for me but, I fight them all because of you, and what did you do in return? You left me! You betrayed my trust in you and now, you're telling me sorry?."

"I know, there's nothing that I say right now that will change your mind. I just want you to know that you're the only man I've ever loved. Then- and now. Nothing has changed." She said as she took a seat opposite me.

"A lot has changed. So many things has changed between us because the trust between us was broken."

"No matter how the trust in you is for me, you still love me. And that's the most important thing to me. If you love me, we can still work it out, Ken. I'm sorry for hurting you. " She said in an apologetic voice.

She isn't lying. Deep down in my heart, it still beats weirdly whenever she's around me. The same weird beat I feel whenever Chloe is around me too.

Am I okay? That, I'm not sure of. I get to meet this girl just weeks ago and now, I'm getting attached to her? I think, I'm going crazy already.

But, seeing Vivian now... Even though, my heart beat for her, I feel no excitement in it. Not the same excitement I had with Chloe if she's around me despite the fact that she's always annoying.

I tried as much as possible to deny it but, it's not working.

"I didn't come here to argue with you. I've always known you, Ken. Whenever you engross yourself into work, you hardly eat so, I brought you breakfast and I'm sure, you won't turn me down." She said sweetly and placed the box on my desk. She got up, clear up my table and placed my system aside. The files roughly scattered on the desk, she cleared it all too.

What exactly is she trying to get by doing all of these? I feel no excitement in what she's doing right now even though, I missed her a lot.

I wanted to hug her tightly, kiss her and forget about what has happened between us but, I couldn't. The pain is still there like a fresh wound. I can't forgive her and at the same time, I want her.

I watch her set the food neatly on the table just like how she used to treat me before she left me.

"Why are you doing this?." I can't help but ask.

"What do you mean, why am I doing this? Of course, I've done this before. You remember, how I set a table for you in the morning before going to work and evening when you're back from work, tired. I will even set the bath for you... Do you remember?." She asked me again, sweetly. She looks so happy right now.

Of course, how can I forget such a beautiful moment? Seeing her treating me as her husband then, made me decide to marry her and make her my wife but, she left and betrayed me.

I look at her and she gave me a sweet, innocent smile. Right now, the lady sitting in front of me is the innocent, pretty girl I fall in love with and, not the one that betrayed me.

I look at the food she had set on my table and then sighed. "What happened to Nathan? You left me because of him. You left because he was better than me. So, what are you doing here? Aren't you two together anymore?." I asked.

When she left me, I was so devastated. I wanted to die because, she was my world but, my friends were there for me and made me realize that she doesn't worth it.  Four months later, I started to stalk her. Trying to know all of her moves. She went out on different occasions with him, they both went to the mall, cinema and even traveled out of the country. She wasn't bothered about me. She was happy with the life she was having with him. The smile and happiness on her face say it all. She has never smiled like that to me.

A month later, I decided to stop stalking her. Maybe, she isn't the one for me and now, all of a sudden after three years, she showed up and started to act all caring towards me.

What exactly does she want from me?

"Come on, stop staring at me like that and have a taste of the food. I put in so much effort to prepare it for you, I will feel bad if you don't eat any from it. My day was almost ruined by that witch you call your assistant. So please, don't ruin it completely for me." She beseeches me.

What happened between her and Martha? Did she say something to her? I hope, she didn't hurt her?

Martha has always been like a sister to me despite the fact that she's my secretary. She never liked Vivian too.

"What happened between you and my assistant? I hope, she didn't hurt you?." I had finished saying it before I realised what I had just done.

Yes, I cared a lot about her but... I still do not want her to know about my feelings for her.

Her face brightens up immediately. "Oh my God! I can't believe this. Ken! You... You cared about me?." She asked me in a happy tone.

"Stop overthinking. I'm just worried about you because I know how crazy that girl could be. For the old time's sake, I'm just trying to look after you." I lied.

"And you think, I'm going to believe that? You of all people should know better than anyone that... Apart from Andrew, I'm the next person who can read you well like an open book. You cared about me and, it's all written on your face." She chuckled as she pointed at my face.

"Whatever!" I mumbled.

She chuckled again and open each plate. It's my favorite. Actually, she made me love it because I fell in love with it because of her, and to date, I still can't do without it. It's a toasted whole wheat bagel with a vegetable spread.

"Come on, let's forget about that crazy witch.... let's concentrate more on us. What do you think? How do you like it? Just as how you've always liked it prepared. I put in more effort to make it to your taste." She said, proudly.

I look at the food and sighed again. "You still haven't given me an answer to my question, Becca. What happened between you and Nathan? Are you not together with him anymore?."

"Can we just forget about him for now, please? I do not want us to talk about him. This is about us now... Just eat your food. I want you to eat it peacefully." She said as she pass me a spoon.

I studied her face for a second before I accept the spoon from her. Just, as I was about to scoop the food in my mouth, she had to ruin it by uttering and bringing up a discussion I wasn't expecting her to. "Ken, when are we getting married?." She asked me, innocently.

I drop the spoon and slammed my hand on my desk angrily. "What do you mean, when are we getting married? Is there something going on between us in the first place?." I can't help but ask.

"Come on, what are you saying, Ken? Must you keep going back again? I thought you had forgiven me already. I apologize to you and I thought, you ought to have forgotten about everything that has happened. That's our past and, this is our present. Let's forget about everything that has happened to us in the past and focus on our future."

"What future are you talking about? How do you expect me to forgive the woman who betrayed my trust years back and accept her with open arms as nothing happened between us? Marriage?! Forgive you?! What happened was now in the past?!!! Like seriously?!." I scoff.

"Ken, I-"

"Everything can be in the past to you because you were not the one who was hurt. I- was the one who got hurt and, I'm still not healed till date... All because of who? All because of you! Everything, happening to me right now is because of you. You are the root of everything!" I burst at her.

"That's why I'm here. To set everything right again. I made a mistake and, I can't afford to do the exact mistake again. I've once lost you, I don't want to lose you for the second time and, that's why I'm here." She said as she placed her two hands on my right hand on the table and caressed it softly and lovingly.  "I heard, dad wants you to take over his empire but, only if you get married can that happen. That's why I'm here, for you. Taking over his empire is like becoming the number 1 wealthiest man on earth. No one, no businessman would be able to compete with you. You know how much the empire's worth right? The stock alone is priceless. Once we get married to each other, the price of the stock will rise because you got married to-"

"Stop it! Stop this fucking nonsense you're talking about! Just, stop it!!!!" I yelled at her angrily as I roughly remove my hand from hers.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing from you. I thought you have changed. I thought, your mindset has changed but no, once again... You proved me wrong. You are not here because you love me. You're here because of my father's wealth. All you wanted was a share of it and be called, a billionaire wife and also, a daughter in law to Mr. President. You know, I'm so happy my father hid the fact that he was the owner of his empire years back, had you know about it then... Maybe, you wouldn't have left and stay with me all because of his wealth. Now, you believe, I'm going to beat Nathan when I take up the empire and, he won't be anywhere compared to me... That's why, you're back trying so hard to prove to me that you love me and you're sorry for all that you've done to me but the truth is, you're not sorry at all. You're only pretending. Once again, I'm fooled by YOU!" I yelled and throw every dirt food she brought on the floor with my two hands.

She jumped up from her seat and widened her eyes in shock. I guess, she wasn't expecting me to react this way towards her.

Why won't I? When I'm not a fool.

"Ken please, I beg you... You need up calm down. You've misunderstood me." She tried to defend herself by giving me another shit of lie.

"Misunderstood you?." I asked and scoff. "Do I look like a fool to you? I clearly understand everything that you're trying to do. I'm not a fool."

"Believe me, it's not what you're thinking, please. I just wanted to help."

"I do not need any of your help. Let's make one thing clear. You're the last person I will ever ask for help. Just get out! OUT NOW!!!" I yelled at her angrily.

I saw tears roll down her cheeks but, I don't care. I'm hurting more. She made me this way. She ruined me.

I saw her look at me for the last time before running out of my office. I called my security to get a cleaner for this mess. "Get one of the cleaners to my office. Now!!!"

"Ye...ye... Yes sir." He said and I hang up the call.

I'm in rage right now. I can't seem to control myself anymore. The only thing that came into my mind right now so, I could calm down is Chloe.

She seems to be the only person I could see and would be fine. Besides, the flash is still with her. I haven't gotten the chance to talk to her or see her since yesterday's night.