###Chapter 22

Chapter 22



Maria's new dressed arrived and she got dressed, Mr Martin drove her to his company and gave her all the necessary Investment contract documents.

"Thank you Mr Martino." Maria said.

"You welcome sweetheart, looking forward to see you again one day." He replied.

"Thanks, bye." She replied and went to her red sport car.

She entered and zooms off to the company.



**Ronaldo's office**

*Where on Earth could this girl be? She hasn't given me any reports on yesterday's meeting." Ronaldo soliloquies angrily and the door opened, Maria walked in.

"Where the hell have you been Maria?" He yelled.

"To get this." Maria replied and showed him the investment contract with Mr Martin's company.

"Oh my God, Maria is this true?" He asked excitedly.

"Yes, it's true, the contract you have been wishing to get." Maria replied.

"Gosh, Mr Martino was our enemy, sorry I mean Rival in the marketing world, how did you managed to get this, to get him invest with us, how did you even managed to convince him?" Ronaldo asked at once.

"I just noticed that your everyday wished was to get this contract and I decided that I will do everything to get it." Maria replied.

"This means so much to me, and to the company Maria, kudos to you." Ronaldo said and hugs her slightly.

Just then Vanessa opened the door and saw him hugged Maria.

"Sorry, I didn't know, I will just come back later." Vanessa said and before Ronaldo could say anything she left.

Maria noticed his attention were on Vanessa.

"So now, what are we waiting for? Let's go have lunch together." Maria said.

Ronaldo was quiet.

"But, I supposed to have lunch with Vanessa, Maria you know she is new here and..."

"And what Ronaldo? She is the only one that matters to you now right, you don't know who hell of stress I went through to get this contract which seems like impossible for everyone to get but I did, just this time, let's have lunch together, you can't say no time Ronaldo." Maria paused him.

On his face, he is sad, really sad, but Maria did try, didn't she, he has no other option.

"Okay, let's go." Ronaldo replied.

"Hurray, it calls for celebration." Maria said.

They walked out of the office together and Vanessa saw them through her glass door.



**Vanessa's office**

The image of Ronaldo hugging Maria never erased from her mind, it keeps on flashing back to her.

"Ahhhh, why am I thinking about it, I'm not jealous am I? Maria is his I don't care, so why should I allowed it to worry me." She said to herself.

Sarah entered the office.

"Vanessa, let's go have lunch." She said.

"No, I'm okay, I will wait for Ronaldo." Vanessa replied.

Sarah chuckled.

"You mean, the Ronaldo j saw having lunch with Maria?" Sarah asked.

"No, he isn't, wait is he?" Vanessa asked.

"Yes, Maria has done something so awesome today, this company and Martino Enterprise used to be great Rivals and Martin's company is a very huge company, Ronaldo has been looking forward to end that Rivalry and get them invest in our company, and Maria just did that, so of course Ronaldo most he very proud of her, and I know that girl didn't have good intentions." Sarah replied.

Vanessa turned her face to the other side.

"I can't believe Ronaldo left to have lunch without even telling me, its fine, thanks for letting me knows." Vanessa said, her eyes getting teary.

"Hey, it's okay, don't cry, you will still remain Mr Ronaldo's special girl, Maria's own Is just for this time, while yours will be permanent, let's go have lunch." Sarah said grabbing her arms.

"No, I'm fine; I'm not hungry, just go without me." Vanessa replied.

"Okay girl." Sarah said and left the office.

"Why will he do that to me, I thought he cared so much about me, he should have at least let me know." Vanessa thought wiping her tears.

"I'm going home." She thought and parked her things, she has some change Ronaldo gave to her yesterday, and she will use it for transport.



She walked out of the office and locked the door; the way to the main gate is closer to the cafeteria, which means she has to see Ronaldo.

Maria sighted her and intentionally placed her hands on Ronaldo.

Vanessa saw that and look away.

"I will be back Ric." Maria said.

Ronaldo kept on checking his time, worried about Vanessa.

Maria walked majestically to Vanessa with an evil Smirked.

"Awww poor baby, does it hurt?" Maria said.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

Vanessa replied making a straight face.

"Oh, I will tell you, I know your heart is boiling after Ronaldo ditch you for me, look at how happy he looks with me, we are even going on a date tomorrow, sound interesting right, I told you, I alone owned Ronaldo, I just proved that to you."

Maria said chuckling.

"At least, everyone knows I'm not as desperate as you are, Ronaldo has the right to have lunch or go on a date with anyone he wants, so I don't understand why you are making it look like a big deal, not everyone is as stupid as you are, you can have Ronaldo for now, but keep this safe at the back of your brain, you don't have what it takes to be with Ronaldo, I'm the one special to him, and I will always be." Vanessa exclaimed.

"That's only if I let that happen, I will make sure that you will become like a trash in front of Ronaldo, you don't know who I am girl, you are just hearing my name, I can get anything I want, you know why? Because I will go to any limit to get what I want, have this; don't spoil your cute dress with tears." Maria said and laughed at Vanessa before returning to her table.

Vanessa left the place angrily, that's when Ronaldo turned.

"I felt Vanessa Is somewhere here, have you seen her?" Ronaldo asked Maria who returned from the fake bathroom she told him.

"No, I think you are just imagining things, Vanessa must be at her office." Maria said.

"I need to go see her, I'm sure she is waiting for me, this isn't right Maria."

Ronaldo replied.

"What isn't right? I just did a legendary work and all I asked for was just lunch and you can't even gave that to me without complaining, everyone in this company knew how much I tried, I made the impossible possible, I'm sure Vanessa will understand, just few more minutes."

Maria said.

"Sorry, but I have to go." Ronaldo said and stood up from the chair and left the cafeteria straight to Vanessa's office.

Maria smiled evilly sipping her juice.

"Poor Ronaldo, you won't be able to find Vanessa, I'm sure this will cause a big problem between you both and that's what I want, the contract was your priority, and having you is my priority, you have gotten you priority because of me, now I will have my priority using that."

Maria thought swinging her head like a lizard.



Vanessa boarded a cab home, while she cried in the car.

*

Back at the company, Ronaldo went into Vanessa's office but she isn't there.

"Vanessa! Where are you?" He yelled knocking the bathroom door hard.

But no reply, like a crazy man, he left the office calling for an emergency meeting.

"I'm sorry I called you all here, please I couldn't find Vanessa, has anyone happened to see her going somewhere?" Ronaldo asked.

"I talked to her few minutes ago, after she discovered you left to have lunch with Maria leaving her alone, that's all I remember." Sarah said.

"Gosh, maybe that's why she left." Ronaldo said silently.

"Oh, Vanessa, just few minutes ago, I saw her boarding a cab, and when I asked her why won't she wait for you, she told me it's something urgent, and her eyes looked like she was about to cry or she even cried." A guy said.

"Thanks everyone, please you stay in the company, I will go search for her because she doesn't know any place in London, and I'm scared she will get lost." Ronaldo replied.

"Alright sir, we hope you find her soon, or should we call the police?" Sarah asked.

"Not yet, I will go home and check first, thanks for your concern." Ronaldo replied and exists from the meeting.

He drove his car at the highest speed till he reached home.

The door was locked which almost gave him a heart attack.

"If the door is locked, that means Vanessa isn't back home, God what have I done? Where shall I start searching for Vanessa in the whole London?" Ronaldo asked no one in particular, just a Rhetorical question.

He decided to use his own key and enter the house since he gave Vanessa the other key.

The house was quiet.

"Vanessa, are you in here!" He yelled no reply.

He checked the kitchen, his room, her own room and everywhere in the house.

He sat on the floor almost crying.

When he remembered one last place, he put all his hopes on it, they gym, yeah he haven't checked the place.

To his surprise, she was there seated hugging her hands with her legs, the place is so cold, he removed his suit and wrapped it around her, then sit next to her.

"Vanessa, why did you left the office without waiting for me, you barely know anywhere in London and your live might be in Danger." Ronaldo said.

She stood up and removed his suit.

"Oh wow, so I should wait for you till you are done romancing Maria then I will get something to eat huh." Vanessa asked.

"Vanessa, I'm so sorry for leaving you, I thought we will finished everything before I will come for you, but Maria didn't want me to leave, look Vanessa, Maria just got us the contract we had been looking for all years, I only agreed to have lunch with her to make her happy because that what was she requested."

Ronaldo answered.

"I don't care, I saw you with my two eyes hugging her, forget about the hug, you have the right to hug anyone you like, male or female, I don't care, but at least telling me you will have lunch will Maria won't be a bad idea instead of you to kept you waiting and hoping you will come when you won't, you should have come yourself or rather send someone to inform me about it, this success is not used for you, but for each of us working in that company, but do you even care, you were there having fun and enjoying yourself while I was crying my eyes out."

Vanessa yelled softly.

"I wasn't having any good time with her, all that time I was just thinking about you, thinking if you will get mad at me or not."

Ronaldo said.

"I saw you holding her hands at the cafeteria, was that even a lie?" Vanessa asked.

"I wasn't, she did held my hands but I quickly removed it." Ronaldo answered.

"I told you right, I don't owe you any explanation, I'm angry because you showed me I'm not important to you by leaving to have lunch without informing me about it, so I won't expect you." Vanessa said.

"Fine, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Maria didn't gave me the chance to, believe me I didn't want any of it but she insisted and since she have some a great job, I didn't want to discourage her, that hug was a normal congratulatory hug and no string attached to it." Ronaldo said.

Vanessa pouted.

"C'mon Vanessa, I'm sorry." Ronaldo said.

"Okay, fine, next time inform me so I won't expect you." Vanessa replied.

"And next time, don't leave without me, coz you freaked the hell out of me."

Ronaldo said.