Trust me, Damien

“I’m not interested in this relationship anymore”, Justin said, crossly.

“What! Because I delayed you for a few minutes? Come on, Justin”, Vanessa replied, looking sorry.

“This isn’t the first time you've done this. It doesn’t even feel like I’m in a relationship. The only person that matters to you is your boss,” Justin continued, anger evident on his face.

“Justin, you know I’m working hard to keep my job… I need to put food on my family’s table”, Vanessa said, calmly.

“Please, do not patronize me… are you the only one with a job? Who knows if you are even dating your boss”, Justin continued expressing his anger.

“Calm down, Justin. It’s not up to this”, Vanessa said, trying to hold his hand.

“Don’t even try to come close to me. You act as if you are the only one with a problem, and you treat this relationship like an option. Just so you know… You are not the only one with a blind mother and a little sister,” Justin retorted, throwing the pack of cake he was holding angrily on the floor.

“What!” Vanessa said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Why are you crying? Oh! You want to act like the victim here, right? I have a job and a whole life to take care of too and that didn’t stop me from prioritizing this relationship”, Justin said, still fuming.

Vanessa couldn’t say a word. She just stood there watching him in silence as hot tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Imagine playing the pity card in this situation,” Justin hissed and left angrily.

She watched him leave and bent down slowly to the ground.

“Did he just say that to me?” she whispered to herself.

Just then, she heard her mother’s walking stick sounding down the stairs of their house and hurriedly wiped her tears as she stood up.

“Mum,” she said, moving closer to her to help her down the stairs.

“My baby, how was work today?” her mother, Jane, said with a big smile on her face.

“Fine mum. Where are you going this late in the night? And where is Priscilla?” Vanessa replied.

“I overheard your voice and Justin’s voice and I thought to come and check. Did you guys fight?” Jane asked, clearly worried.

“No mum… it was just a misunderstanding and we’ve settled it,” Vanessa replied.

“Now let’s go back inside”, she added.

“He didn’t even say hello to us before leaving”, Jane said as they walked inside.

“Oh, he got a call from work,” Vanessa replied.

She rushed outside to dispose of the cake properly as soon as she escorted her mother inside.

The night was long. Vanessa curled into herself on the edge of the bed, her pillow soaked with tears she couldn’t hold back anymore as she replayed the cruel words Justin had said to her.

She buried her face in the pillow and screamed. Not loud enough for anyone to hear. Just loud to release the ache swelling in her chest.

“God… why is this happening to me?” she whispered.

She tried to force herself to sleep, but she just couldn’t. It was way past midnight and she knew she had to sleep because she couldn’t go to work tired and with a swollen face the next morning.

Soon, after so much tossing and turning, she fell asleep.

It was morning and she didn’t even know when her alarm went on until Priscilla barged into her room and tapped her aggressively.

“Aren’t you going to work?” she shouted.

Vanessa sprang out of bed at the mention of work. She didn’t even waste a second, she just rushed into the bathroom.

“Oh my God!” she whispered on her way.

“I wonder what came over her,” Priscilla said, her arms crossed.

She looked around the room for a few minutes before going out.

“Is your sister almost ready for work?” Jane asked, going towards the dining table.

“Yes, mum. Come and eat. She will soon join us”, Priscilla retorted.

A few minutes later, Vanessa rushed out of her hand clutching her handbag tightly beside her as she struggled to wear her shoes.

“I have dished your food”, Priscilla said.

“Goodbye mum”, Vanessa said, ignoring Priscilla as she continued struggling with putting on her shoes.

“Won’t you eat breakfast?” Jane shouted after her.

“I have to get his breakfast and he mustn’t get to work before me,” Vanessa replied and dashed out of the house.

“Whatever”, Priscilla whispered and added Vanessa’s food to her plate.

That morning, Skyline Reels was beaming with workers and visitors as usual. Vanessa rushed in with a cup of coffee and a box of sandwiches in her hand. She quickly accessed the door with her employee’s card and dashed straight to the elevator.

“Isn’t that the girl with the red jacket?” Lilian, one of the secretaries in the company said, looking keenly to be sure of who she saw.

“Of course she is. Who else wears that red jacket in this company… I wonder why she came late today. She’s always the first person to resume work,” Flora, another secretary, replied.

“I hope her boss doesn’t eat her raw,” Lilian scoffed.

A few minutes later, Vanessa rushed past them.

“Hi Vanessa, not even a good morning?” Lilian shouted after her.

“Oh, girls! I’m so sorry… I didn’t see you,” Vanessa said, breathing heavily.

“Where are you rushing to?” Flora asked.

“I told them not to add onions to Mr. Damien’s sandwich, but they did… now I have to return it if I don’t want a query,” Vanessa sighed.

“Oh, sorry dear… you’d better hurry,” Lilian said.

“Will catch you later, girls,” Vanessa said and walked towards the exit.

“What’s Mr. Damien’s problem? Does he want to kill her before her time?” Flora said, following Vanessa with her eyes.

“It explains why she wears flat shoes. She’s always running one errand or another… sometimes I wonder if she’s still his secretary or an errand girl,” Lilian retorted.

“She’s also the only shabbily looking among all the secretaries of this company,” Flora added.

“Poor Vanessa… I wonder if she knows that people call her the girl with the red jacket,” Lilian said with a hint of concern in her voice.

“Who do they call the girl with the red jacket?” a voice said behind them.

“Gosh!” Flora exclaimed.

And they both opened their mouths in shock.