“Well, I’m your boyfriend, that doesn’t make me a stranger. I didn’t demand to be let in either. I just asked if I could talk to you and thanked him for the apartment he got me. He let me in and took me to the den himself,” Calvin said and then started walking around the room a little. He was running his fingers over the soft fabric of her fresh bed linen, admiring the thread count apparently. He looked up at Veronica and smiled suddenly.
“You seem to have it pretty good here,” he said, in a tone that almost sounded like he was jealous of her.
“Yeah, isn’t this what you wanted for me?” she asked, glaring at him. Calvin shrugged his shoulders and nodded.
“I wanted you to manage your work better, bring in new and high paying clients. I didn’t want you to shut me out of your life completely,” he said and then took a few steps towards her.
“I haven’t shut you out of my life,” she snapped and Calvin raised his brows again.
“I had to beg you to go out on a date with me,” he said but he didn’t seem to be begging now. All the sweetness and kindness he had portrayed earlier had somehow vanished. Calvin had turned back into the man who Veronica was trying to escape when she took up the job.
“I was busy, I’m sorry about that,” Veronica said and Calvin pushed his hands deep into the pockets of his pants and took in a deep breath.
“Let’s forget that for a moment, shall we? I proposed to you two nights ago, Veronica. You still haven’t given me a yes,” he said and she noticed now that his nostrils were flared.
Veronica looked about her room and sighed.
“I’m still thinking about it. I just need some time,” she said. It wasn’t that she hadn’t made up her mind already, she just didn’t know yet how she was going to break it to him. What reason she was going to give.
“Need some time for what? We’ve been together for so long, Veronica. Isn’t this a natural progression of a long term relationship? Isn’t marriage what you wanted?” Calvin asked, and now he came closer to her. She remained where she was, nervous of what she might do if he tried to get any closer.
She could see that he was disturbed. Even though he wasn’t being as nice to her any more, she knew that she would be breaking his heart very badly if she just said no, bluntly.
“I don’t know if I’m ready yet,” she said, meeting his burning gaze. She was losing some of her earlier confidence now. Her bravado was beginning to crumble. On one hand she didn’t want Calvin to manipulate her like he always did, and on the other, she didn’t want to hurt him either.
“You’re not ready yet…with me or with anyone?” he asked, and his voice had softened a little.
Veronica looked away from him, trying to avoid his questioning gaze and she breathed deeply in through her nose and let out another sigh.
“I don’t know Calvin, I just think it’s the wrong time…it isn’t your fault,” she said and Calvin shook his head, then he let out a small cruel laugh.
“I know it’s not my fault. I’ve done everything by the textbook. I’ve done everything I could to give you a better life, to guide you in the right direction, save up for our future together…Hell, I even got you this job,” he continued with a snarl in his voice.
“Maybe, that’s just it Calvin, maybe I didn’t need your guidance. Maybe I didn’t need you to give me a better life. You didn’t approve of my business decisions any way,” she snapped and then there was silence between them.
Calvin was staring at her, with a sort of blank glazed expression in his eyes, while Veronica stared back at him with her shoulders heaving. She wasn’t exactly sure what he was going to say next.
He allowed the silence to extend between them for some time, before he cleared his throat and clenched his jaw.
“So, can I just put us out of this misery and ask you here and now if your answer is going to be no? I’m giving you the chance, Veronica, to get out of this easily,” Calvin said and Veronica suddenly felt like her mouth had run dry.
“Yes…I mean no. I mean, it’s going to be a no. I’m sorry Calvin,” she cried and felt hot tears pricking the backs of her eyelids as she tried to hold his gaze.
Calvin only nodded. Like he was expecting that very answer.
“Okay. Just one more thing, Veronica, before I get out of your hair. Are you sleeping with Frank Davenport?” Calvin asked, keeping his voice as steady and neutral as before.
As Veronica heard the words, she felt like she would rather dig a hole and jump in it herself, rather than face Calvin for one more second.
Veronica stared at Calvin in shock, speechless for a few moments. In her attempt to refuse Calvin’s delicately, she hadn’t once entertained the thought that he might have figured it out himself.
“I take it the answer to that is yes,” he said and Veronica tried hard to even her breathing. She wasn’t angry, she was only feeling guilt. Guilty because the man who had been her boyfriend for so long, who had done nothing truly evil himself…now knew about the fact that she had been unfaithful to him.
“How could you sleep with your boss, Veronica? I didn’t expect that from you. Is he the reason why you’re turning my proposal down?” Calvin asked, and took a few more angry steps towards her.
Veronica stepped away, afraid of him a little now. Never before had she felt the need to physically defend herself from Calvin, but now she wasn’t so sure. She couldn’t be certain what he might do in his rage.
“It just happened, Calvin. I didn’t plan for it,” she said meekly, but her voice only seemed to anger him more. Calvin’s eyes were rounded and fiery, the expression in his gaze seemed like he was ready to pounce on her at any moment.