###Chapter 18

Chapter 18



Ronaldo walked out of the office and saw Maria laughing over the phone.

He barged into the office.

"Hey Ric..."

"It's Ronaldo not Ric and cut everything you are intending to say, what have you said to Vanessa that made her angry!" Ronaldo yelled.

"Oh, don't be so mad, I didn't say much, only told her she doesn't belong here." Maria said chuckling loudly.

Ronaldo banged his hand hard on the table and she stopped immediately.

"How many times am I supposed to tell you to stay away from Vanessa?" He yelled.

"But I was just...."

"Just trying to get me? With this attitude of yours, you are causing me to hate you even more, if you don't stay away from me, I promise you, you will meet the dangerous part of me and I swear you won't like it, if you have something against me, do it on me, let Vanessa out of this." Ronaldo shouted.

She started crying.

"What have I done to deserve this Ronaldo? I have been faithful, loyal and working my ass out for this company, and even after you rejected me, I still respect you a lot, but why are you treating me like a piece of trash over that girl, that Vanessa who isn't even half compared to me, why Ronaldo!" She cried.

"First of all, dry up your tears as it doesn't affect me one bit, secondly you weren't the only one working your ass off for the sake of this company, everyone working on this roof has been loyal, faithful and whatever you claimed it to be, and yes, you are not the only one that respected me, I mean, everyone working here do respect me and even the CEO of this company, if you think you are giving your all to this company and you are tired, I will be waiting for your resignation letter at my desk tomorrow office, no one force you to work here, thousands of people will do anything to get to work in this company, if you think you are too big for it, fine and good, just quit, it will be even be the best decision to us." Ronaldo replied and turns to leave.

He walked to the door and turns the knob, but he stopped, he faced her.

"One last warning, stay away from Vanessa, you don't know who I am, nor anything about me, and you don't know how dangerous I can be, save your ass and stay out of her way, you know why? She is here to stay, if there is anyone leaving, and then it's you, I won't warn you twice."

Ronaldo said and walked out of her office.

"No, I can't let this go in vain!" She screamed and began to throw anything her hands could reach like a newly escape psychiatrist.

"I will make you, all of you regret this!"

She spat and wipes her tears.

"You also know nothing about me Ronaldo; I can be more even worst than you." She said and pushed her hair back.



**Vanessa's office**

Ronaldo returned to her office with a plate of food.

"Vanessa, you can't stay hungry you will fall sick." Ronaldo said worriedly.

She didn't spare him a glance.

"I don't want to work here anymore." Vanessa replied.

"We will talk about that when you eat okay, just eat something, it's already evening and you haven't eaten your lunch." Ronaldo said.

She stood up from her chair.

"I told you right, I'm not hungry and I don't want to fucking work on this god dam company." She yelled and left the office slamming the door hard.



"What is wrong with her?" Ronaldo asked himself pissed off.

He ran after her.

He bumped into Sarah on his way.

"I'm sorry sir." She said.

"Wait, come with me." Ronaldo said and she followed him.

"I saw you with Vanessa earlier, what were you both discussing?" Ronaldo asked.

"Oh, I heard her talking back at Maria and I went in to applaud her courage." Sarah replied.

"And you ended up discouraging her huh?" Ronaldo asked.

"No I didn't, I only told her to be careful with Maria, as there has been some rumors about her been in a secret Mafia group, and people who crossed her path doing usually lived to tell the story." Sarah answered.

He stood up shoving his hair back.

"Is everything okay sir?" Sarah asked.

"Nothing is okay, you just ruined everything, why can't you people see something and shot your mouth, because of what you said, you have discouraged her and now she doesn't want to work here, you don't know how the word Mafia's means to Vanessa, you messed up everything." Ronaldo yelled.

"I'm so sorry Mr Ronaldo, believe me I don't mean any harm, I just cared about her and I didn't want Maria doing something so stupid to her, we all know how dangerous she is, especially when it comes to you." Sarah said.

"Still, that doesn't justify what you said to her, do you want her to live in fear just like all of you? Don't you what one-day somebody to stand up for you? It's my duty to protect Vanessa, and while I'm alive, no one will get any chance to hurt her, now you have killed and successfully destroyed that brave and courageous spirit in Vanessa, you...I don't even know what to say, just go!" Ronaldo yelled.

"I know how to fix this, please give me the chance to." Sarah pleaded.

"Nothing can be done over split milk, just go, Weldon." Ronaldo said.

"Trust me Mr Ronaldo, I know what to do, just one more Chance please." Sarah pleaded.

"Okay, one last chance, I beg of you, doesn't make things worse than it is, Vanessa is really a scared girl, and small things like this will have an influence in her life." Ronaldo said.

"I won't sir, you seem to care so much about Vanessa, she is so lucky to have you, have a nice day sir, everything will be back to better tomorrow, I promise." Sarah said.

"Hope so, you can leave." Ronaldo replied.

"Okay, thanks." Sarah replied and headed to the door.



Ronaldo left to the parking Lott and he found Vanessa standing there clinging her body together, she looks so cold.

He removed his suit and wrapped it around her.

"Let's go." Ronaldo said.

"I don't want to work here." Vanessa replied.

"We will talk about this better at home." Ronaldo said.

She didn't move.

"Please, for my sake." He pleaded and she stared at him, he opened the car door for her and she entered.

She wore her seat belt and they drove off.



**Ronaldo's Mansion**

While they arrived at home, Vanessa removed his suit and gave it to him and turn to leave, he pulled her hand and she turn slowly.

"Maria threatened you right? She can't do anything to you; I'm here with you Vanessa."

Ronaldo said calmly, their face inch away, she tried her best not to look into his eyes as his cute eyes will always find a way to make her do what she doesn't wish to.

She pulled away.

"You don't understand it Ronaldo, I have been running away for months, my life has never been the same all because of your brother and his friend, I have to hide from Mozambique to Nairobi, to south Africa and now London, somewhere I never imagined myself to live, just for me to be safe, I throw away everything, my life and my career and most importantly my families, everything doesn't look easy here, I had to deal with racist Maria and my appearance and upon everything my life is still not safe? Tell me, what's the use of working there if it will be a threat to my life? I knew you were aware that Maria is in a secret Mafia group, what if I get attacked again? And she tries to shoot me, or burn down the grocery I will visit in the future, or send some gangs to kidnap me? Think about all this Ronaldo." Vanessa exclaimed with fears all over her face.

Moreover, Ronaldo couldn't protest against it, why? Because she was right, she has the right to be scared after everything that has happened with her, after escaping from death for the third time, and upon all this, his brother was among the reason for all this, it wasn't easy for her to get fit in and live a normal life where she isn't used to, where the culture and traditions are different, where her skin colors matters and how her way of appearance matters too, too much to take in.

He held her hand gently.

"I understand how you are feeling, but Vanessa, you been able to survived all those attacks means you have missions to complete on Earth, and no one can kill you before your time, that's why I'm here with you, to support you, and to protect you, you are my responsibility Vanessa, it's too early for you to give up, you have survived all that time and you gonna survive this time again, I promise you that, even if it will take me my life to sacrifice for you to be safe, I will do that, you just need to trust me." Ronaldo said.

She sighed and gently hugged him.

He placed his hands slowly on her back.

He could hear her heart beat.

"I'm just scared Ric, you have done so much for me already." Vanessa said.

"And I will do more and more for you, you mean a lot to me, apart from my brother, you are the only one I have right now, so tell me, why I wouldn't protect my special Vanessa." He asked and she blushed.

"Thank you Ronaldo, thank you so much."

Vanessa said and her stomach groaned.

Ronaldo laughed.

"Thought you wanna act brave and skip lunch, guess your stomach isn't in for it, I will order some pizza so you can eat something okay." He teased

"Okay sir." She replied and eyed him.

"That look, I was just joking." Ronaldo said.

She sat on the couch while he brought out his phone and placed an order for pizza.

Soon enough, the delivery guy arrived and Ronaldo went over to the door and accepts it then signed his signature.

He returned to the seating room but Vanessa wasn't there.

"Vanessa! Where are you?" He screamed.

"Hey, stop screaming, I just wanna change my clothes." Vanessa replied.

He breathes out in relief.

"I don't wanna imagine my life without you." He thought with a smile.

She later returned to the seating room wearing a white shirt and ash polo trouser.

Ronaldo was at the dining table waiting for her.

She met him there and he was already eating.

"You are such a foodie Ric, I thought this supposed to be for me, and I was the one who didn't eat lunch not you." Vanessa said.

"And I wasn't the one who told you not to eat, so girl, grab a seat, a fork, a spoon and whatever and eat, else I'm gonna finish this within a blink of an eye." Ronaldo replied.

"You are just exaggerating, you can finish this up." Vanessa said.

"Wanna watch me try?" He asked taking the pack away.

"Not this time, I'm so hungry that I could swallow a mountain." Vanessa answered.

He chuckled.

"Well, have some." He said and placed the pizza on her plate.

"I have one more thing to show you, but you have to finish this up else, forget about it." Ronaldo said.

"Just give me five, no ten minutes, I will eat up everything, not even a strand will remain, watch me." Vanessa replied and started forcing big size of pizza to her mouth and when she finished eating, she could hardly breathe.

She is so full, and her stomach has increased, Ronaldo will look at her and laughed.

"Stop laughing, it's your entire fault." Vanessa said
"Next time don't skip lunch." Ronaldo replied.