A few hours later after the confrontation…
Shonee’s POV
Emptying the closet, I zipped up my last suitcase, pretending not to feel the tremble in my hands.
I stood up, eyes glazing over the space I’d called my own for the past three months. The room felt unfamiliar now, stripped of the little traces of my presence, and most importantly, the intimate night Vincent and I had shared here together, on this bed.
It was all gone, nothing but a fleeting memory of the past.
With a heavy heart, I ignored the whirlwind of emotions in my head and proceeded to drag my bags out into the hall.
My life was now a big ball of uncertainty. I had no plan B. I didn’t know what was going to happen next or where I was going to go once Avril finally got rid of me. All I had to rely on for now was Vincent’s promise to find me a new place to stay and even after that, what was I going to do now that I didn’t have a job?
You should have thought about this before opening your legs for the billionaire, my subconscious remarked and I rolled my eyes.
I did think about those things. I knew that if Avril found out about us all hell would break loose. Yet I still went ahead and explored my feelings for Vincent because…it felt right. It was what my heart wanted and I just did what it asked. Even with the tumultuous turn of events this morning, I didn’t regret any of it. I didn’t regret having an affair with Vincent behind Avril’s back, and that’s because she didn’t deserve him. She treated his daughter like crap and only cared about her father’s business, fashion and all the material things life had to offer. Avril did not deserve to be a part of Vincent or Mirasol’s life and it hurt me to know that in a few weeks, she was going to be saddled with them for eternity.
Taking a deep breath, I frustratedly lugged the last of my bags down the stairs and stopped briefly to wipe a film of sweat off my forehead. Just then, Gerta appeared out of the dining hall, her expression sombre and sympathetic.
“Feeling sorry for the slut, huh,” I mumbled, bringing my hand down.
“Don’t call yourself that, my dear,” She replied and opened up her arms for a hug. Because I needed one badly, I let Gerta wrap me in a comforting, motherly embrace.
"I'm so sorry things turned out this way, Shonee," she said softly, her voice filled with genuine remorse. “I don’t know the details of whatever happened between you and Vincent, but I do know one thing. You’re not a slut. You’re a decent girl who cares a lot about this family. You’ve done a lot for them, especially for Mirasol. Now, she’s the best version of herself and none of it would have been possible without you.”
Pulling out of her embrace, I tried my best to offer her a smile, though it was weak. "Thank you, Gerta. For everything."
She beamed. “Don’t mention it, dear.”
“Watch over Mirasol for me, ok?”
“Definitely.”
Slowly, I dragged my things into the porch. Since I’d been denied access to the Beckham family’s drivers service, I had to call in a taxi. But before I piled everything into the trunk of the waiting vehicle, I had to inform Avril that I was leaving... just like she wanted.
I made my way towards the garden, hoping to find Avril there. As I rounded the corner, I spotted her sitting on a bench, her back to me as she spoke animatedly on her phone, almost like she was arguing. Her voice echoed through the air, and I strained to catch snippets of her conversation.
“No, no, no, listen to me babe…” She stood up and I quickly darted behind a bush.
Babe? My eyebrows narrowed in curiosity. Who the heck was that?
“…I’ve already told you. I need to marry Vincent," Avril huffed, her tone urgent. "This is not just about us. It's about my father's business. If I can secure this alliance with the Beckhams, it would mean everything to us. We’ll become New York royalty!”
There was a minute’s pause then Avril drawled, “Nooo, babe look, I swear on my life, this is not gonna affect our relationship. What we have is special. Vincent is nothing but a tool to me and I…”
Those last words struck me like a lightning bolt. “That bitchy hypocrite,” I muttered under my breath.
Avril Payne, the woman who had the guts to call me a 'whore' and attempted to kill me upon discovering my secret relationship with Vincent, was herself engaging in a similar act. She was literally cheating on her fiancé and the irony of it all was enough to make my blood boil.
Seriously, I was minutes away from walking over and confronting her right now, but I couldn't tear my ears away from the conversation as Avril continued to talk, her words cutting through the air like knives. She spoke at length, explaining to her lover how her newly acquired status as Vincent’s wife would change their lives. She was planning to use Vincent’s money to travel the world.
“Plus I can finally get you that casino you wanted in Vegas last year, remember?” Her tone dripped with delight.
Honestly, the more I listened to her, the angrier I got. This woman didn’t deserve Vincent. She didn’t deserve him at all.
Finally, the conversation came to an end, punctuated by a series of affectionate murmurs. I was hoping to catch the name of Avril’s secret lover boy, but when she pulled the phone off the ear and sighed, I knew that chance had passed.
“Wow, interesting revelations.” I stepped out of my hiding place.
Startled, Avril whipped around almost immediately, fright covering every inch of her face until it transformed into a frown. “What the fuck are you still doing here? Didn’t I tell you to leave?”
“Actually, I was just on my way out, until I decided to look for you. Then I overheard your conversation.” I drew closer and crossed my arms. “And what a conversation it was.”
Avril’s expression darkened, her features hardening with anger. “You need to leave now, Shonee.”
But I held my ground, my resolve unwavering. “Or else what?”
“Or else I will kick you out myself!” She shouted.
My lips coiled into a smile. “Yeah, you go ahead and do that and that leaves me no other choice but to tell Vincent everything I just heard.”
Avril scoffed. “Yeah right, as if he’s going to believe you without proof?”
“Oh I don’t need proof,” I frankly admitted. “Vincent already hates your guts. All I need to do is to inform him that you’re cheating and it won’t take long for him to find out who you’re doing it with.”
For a moment, Avril seemed to falter, her façade slipping just slightly. And then, with a cold, calculating look in her eyes, she squared her shoulders and met my gaze head-on. “You wouldn’t dare,” she said, her voice icy with contempt.
“Oh believe me I would.” I stepped forward, making sure my voice carried every note of a serious threat. “You didn’t hesitate to lung at me when you found out about Vincent and I. Now that you’re in a similar position, it’s my turn to do the same.”
Avril’s jaw tightened, her eyes flashing with fury. “You’re bluffing,” she spat, her voice trembling with barely contained rage.
I met her gaze with an equally steely resolve. “Try me,” I challenged.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps interrupted our standoff.
“Shonee! Shonee! Shonee!” Mirasol came running into the garden.
Surprised by her sudden appearance, I turned to face her, concern etched on my features. “What’s wrong, Mirasol?” I asked, squatting to her level, and she clobbered me in a hug.
“Gerta just told me you’re leaving,” Mirasol’s voice quivered with emotion. “But I don’t want you to go. I’ll miss you, Shonee.” Her eyebrows were pinched in that familiar I’m-about-to-cry-expression.
“Oh, sweetheart.” I pulled her back into our embrace, not knowing what to tell her.
Gerta soon appeared behind her, trying to catch her breath after chasing Mirasol all the way here.
Somewhat annoyed, Avril let out a groan then ordered, “Gerta, find some of the guys and have them take Shonee’s stuff back to her room.”
The instruction shocked us both.
“You changed your mind?” Gerta quizzed and Avril got angrier.
“Don’t ask me stupid questions, just do as I say!”
“R-right. Excuse me.” Gerta scurried off and I stood up, facing Avril.
She equally turned to me, her expression stormy as she muttered, “You may have won this round, but trust me. This isn’t over. If Vincent catches word of anything I said today, I swear I will not hesitate to make your life miserable.” With that, she brushed past me and Mirasol.
As Avril disappeared back into the house, my resolve to defy her swelled in size. I knew what she was doing. Her decision to keep me here wasn’t just based on a change of heart. It was her way of keeping an eye on me in case I spilled the beans and it made my frown deepen. There was absolutely no way I was going to allow her to intimidate me into keeping her secret. If she wanted to play dirty, then so be it.
I was done playing nice.