Chapter Seven - New Roommates

Vanessa's point of view

So the whole world knew I was getting married to their eligible billionaire and the girls would probably hate me now.

Elizabeth Thorn just fucked up my entire life for the second time.

"Probably not the whole world but the states in the US and some other countries in Europe and Africa" Victor voiced out when he couldn't stand the silence anymore.

Anthony just took a seat far away from me of course and went on texting someone, probably his girlfriend whom he needs to explain the situation to.

Mary's text came before her call and before I had the chance to even read it. I placed my phone to my ear and excused myself from the kitchen.

"Girl, we're not cool for a few days and you go and get married to the yummiest eligible bachelor" She practically screeched out the words like a bird into my ears "And you get to meet his hot dad"

I met Mary two years after the Thorn family cast us out and she doesn't know a lot about my past so she doesn't know I've met the hot dad before.

"Talk like a human being Mary" I snapped at her.

I was so tired right now and I thought I was about to come down with a headache. The signs were all there.

"You're getting married and it's on the news, you didn't tell me about it" She said, her tone was softer now "When will you come home?" She asked at the end.

I wanted to stay with my brother today and my sister and just transport myself to six years ago when we were together like this again, I also wanted to confront Elizabeth. I probably won't be going home till tomorrow.

"Not till tomorrow evening, I have work in the morning" I said.

I could literally hear her brain and her mind turning trying to understand everything but at the end, she said a quiet okay and hung up the call.

I couldn't deal with all this issues in my life at once. One step at a time.

"I take it that was your best friend"

Anthony's voice startled me and he wasn't even close to me. He was standing close to the kitchen door, hands crossed over his chest while he watched me like a predator watched his prey.

"Want to have some fun" He said when I didn't reply snapping me out of my thoughts.

My eyes rolled back on their own accord "Your definition of fun would probably be different from mine and why on Earth would you want to have fun at this time"

He shrugged "Because it's better to have fun than to mope around and wait for my mother" He moved away from the kitchen door and towards me till he was towering over my entire frame.

"And you don't know my definition of fun"

A whimper to the right followed by a crash arrested the words I was about to say from tumbling out my mouth. I thought I heard Anthony curse under his breath but that could be nothing.

The whimper turned out to be from Victor who was sitting on the floor close to where Anthony and I were having our little banter.

Were we so engrossed in our conversation that I hadn't realized my brother had come out.

Anthony was by his side before I could even react to what was happening and they seemed to be having this wonderful conversation about what happened and Anthony comforted my brother like the best elder sibling.

I just stood there awkwardly like a stranger.

Could six years erase nine whole years just like that.

And when it was confirmed that my younger brother would be okay, I got ready to take my leave.

"Where are you going to at this time Vanessa?" Daniel asked, he was standing at the entrance of the mansion and he was staring at me.

Anthony had not taken Daniel's eyes, he had taken Daniel's father's eyes however and from what I remembered, Daniel had been a joker about such things.

I sighed softly "I'm going home, it's been a long day" I was pretty sure anyone could hear the tiredness in my voice.

Daniel chuckled, he uncrossed his arms and placed them on his hips, his eyes were still on mine and they were starting to make me uncomfortable but I said nothing.

"I never understood the reason why my wife cut your family off, I tried to reach out you know" He gave his head a scratch then placed his hand back on his hip "I tried to reach your father but no one ever picked up the phone and whenever I went to the house, he was always high and always threatened to call the cops on me if I did not leave"

Silence. Pause. No reply.

"I did not know how to find you girls and my wife refused to help until the issue died down naturally" He continued.

Another silence.

He sighed heavily when he realized I wasn't planning to say anything and as if a silent agreement was made between both of us, I was finally free to leave.

"Please tell my sister I went home"

A nod was all I got.

*****

Dripping wet.

Teeth chattering cold.

Rained cats and dogs.

I had the worst luck in the world because the moment I was out of the Thorn Mansion, it started pouring and my Uber was still minutes away. I could not risk going back in and facing my guilt.

And what did I see when I entered my house.

Mary's freaking one night stand on my bed with no clothes on and Mary no where to be found.

"Geez, don't you knock" He shouted when he saw me.

I pressed my hands over my eyes "This is my apartment doofus and I don't plan on seeing naked men whenever I open my door" I argued.

I used my other hand to move around, careful not to knock into any new obstacle.

"Are you decent yet?" I asked hopefully.

There was no answer but I could hear shuffling and a lot of movement and finally the shit answered, claimed he was decent.

I kept my hand over my eyes for a few more seconds, just to be safe.

"Where's Mary?"

The one night stand shrugged his shoulders and went back to his phone like he couldn't care less. I decided to just send her a text that I was home and we needed to talk.

"Don't you have a house one night stand" I inquired.

I gathered some of the warm clothes I intended to wear in a basket and got another basket to put my wet clothes and showering products.

"One night stand?"

I gave him a shrug of my own but no reply and went into the bathroom. I shouldn't enter the bathroom when I'm home alone with a stranger but honestly, I was too cold to care.

I did lock the door, double bolted just to be as safe as I can be. I just wanted to have a shower and wear some clean clothes.

I wanted a normal ending to this chaotic day.

My phone screen lit up signifying I got a text, probably from Mary. Maybe she's back and wondering where I was. I thought about answering but just figured her one night stand would tell her.

I spent the next hour scrubbing everywhere, literally everywhere and when I was done, I stayed for what felt like an extra ten minutes just standing there and staring at my reflection in the mirror.

A five foot seven, black haired, grey eyed woman with a job as a waitress in a fancy restaurant and about to get another job as the wife to a billionaire playboy who probably had a girlfriend. I looked quite ordinary at this moment with my wet hair covering half of my face and eyes.

I wore my clothes fast, eager to be wrapped up in something warm and stepped out of the bathroom. One night stand was still playing games or whatever on his phone and Mary..... Mary was back, dressed in a nightgown and eating some sort of cereal in a bowl while watching a movie.

Mary gave me a small smile when she saw I was out of the bathroom, she patted the other side of the couch; an indication for me to come sit by her side.

I gave her a good natured eye roll but sat down nonetheless.

"Your one night stand is staying here now or what? Can't you have your nights in his house?" I stared at the bowl she was using to eat before looking at her eyes

Her smile turned upside down and she did everything to avoid my eye contact. She took a bite from her cereal.

"Turns out his rent expired and he has no where to go"

Oh Jesus. Where does she meet all this men?

"And he gives me amazing sex so I decided to give him a house where he can rest his head at night" She said faster than ever before I would explode.

My brain was working overtime to analyze the situation and understand what the heck was happening. Mary thought it was okay to house a man she met few days ago in the house we shared without asking me.

"I knew I should have asked you but you seemed so busy lately and you did say you were not going to come home today" She tried to explain but I was hearing none of this excuses.

Mary had crossed the fucking line.

I was going to be calm and mature about it though. Rational.

"I don't want to know anything about his situation, I don't care about him" I started this time my voice is audible and so loud, I was sure he could hear me "I want him out of my apartment this instant, I don't care the type of sex he gives"

And then I placed my headphones over my ears ready to play the loudest of songs so I won't listen to what either of them have to say.

A knock on the door though stopped the continuation of my activities, I gave Mary a look because I was pretty sure it was the men she had started renting our space to before I walked to the door to give that person a piece of my mind.

And well I guess, the person on the other end wasn't meant for Mary.

He was for me.

"When you have a phone and you decide to be fucking stupid by leaving the house in the fucking rain, you pick up that phone" Anthony practically growled.