My One & Only

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Bye, honey. Behave yourself, okay? Take care. Yes, I love you more." I hang up the phone.

I don't know what to do next. I can't escape him now. I slowly faced him and bravely met his gaze; Vince is still sitting on the couch. I'm wondering what he's thinking. I know that look and this is not going to be an easy talk. I silently walked towards him when I heard a knock on the door. Vince suddenly stood up and opened it. I saw that the delivery man was startled for a moment when he saw Vince in my room. Vince opened the door wide and let him in. He put my food on the table and went his way out to the door and left us both. I can see that Vince is eyeing me behind his lashes. I can sense that he wanted to say something but he just kept his mouth shut and sat again on the couch. As if we have all the time in the world.

Waaah! I really hate this man! I thought he wanted us to talk? Why is he acting like this?

"I...I need to get dressed first." He just nodded. I immediately run towards the bedroom and closed the door behind me. He is really annoying! I went to my closet, then hurriedly put on my undies and grabbed a pair of jeans and shirt then clumsily combed my hair. There's no time for me to blow dry it knowing that Vince is just outside. Okay, Eunice. You can do this. Just think of Von. I inhaled deeply before I opened the door and headed back to the living room. He's still there, waiting patiently for my return.

"You should have dried your hair, Eunice. You might catch a cold." Wait, did I hear it right? I don't know what he's up to but is this his way of prolonging this confrontation?

"It's none of your business, Mr. Dawson. Just spit it out, will you?" I told him acidly. What's your drama, Vince?

"Whoa! Stop the formalities, Eunice. I'm just being concerned here." He answered smirking at me.

"Okay, fine. So what do you want to know, Vince?" I asked him knowing that arguing with this man won't do any good in this conversation.

"How old is he?" That really made me stops breathing. I know that he's going to ask about Von but I still can't help myself from feeling this way. I suddenly feel cold and wasn't able to meet his eyes. Get a hold of yourself, Eunice! I scolded myself silently. Am I going to answer his question? What if he'll know about Von, about him being Von's father? What if he'll try to get my son away from me? Fear clasped my heart about the thought. I can't let that happen. I'll die if it does.

"Eunice, how old is he?" Vince asked me again. I can see the urgency in his eyes.

"Why do you want to know, Vince? Von is MY son. You have nothing to do with him!" I answered him angrily. I saw him frown and stood up, walked towards the bar counter near the kitchen and poured himself a drink. Wow! Wealth and power can really change a man. Thought this is going to be his way of talking, he surely takes his time. He's always in control.

"You don't have to be angry, Eunice. I just wanted to know. Even if you won't tell me now, I can have other ways to know everything about you." Why is he saying this? Is that a threat for me to just tell him the truth?

"Why now, Vince? We are okay in our separate lives, right? Why don't we just keep it this way?" I asked avoiding eye contact with him.

"I've been waiting for five years, Eunice. I searched for you back then, but you just simply disappeared without telling me the reason why. So tell me, can you blame me now? I need answers." He said bitterly facing me. I looked away; I can't stand to watch him baring his emotions. I feel guilty about what I did to him, but I had no choice before. How can I face my best friend after what we shared on that fateful night?

"I'm sorry, Vince." I said to him quietly. Thought that was the best word I can say to him now.

"Sorry? Do you think that's all I need now?" He shouted at me. I flinched with the way he looked at me. I've seen him like this before, at that time in our graduation ball when someone tried to make pass at me. He looks dangerous; I can feel my bones quivered inside my body.

"What do you want me to say, Vince? I am deeply sorry for leaving you, but look at you now. You have reached this far; you're a successful businessman. Do you think you'll get this if I hadn't left you before?" I snarled at him. Why can't he just accept the fact that things between us will never be the same again? He has his own life now and he is free to choose the woman he wants to be his wife. Even if that thought would surely hurt me.

"So, do you think I should thank you for leaving me then? I don't need all these things, Eunice. Why can't you see that? I only want you back in my life." I was stunned when I heard it from him. Vince wanted me back in his life? Why? How about Margaux?

"What are you talking about? I can't be your best friend again, Vince. You should know it by now." I told him sullenly, bowing my head. He went towards me, leaned down and reached for my face forcing me to look at him.

"Is it really hard for you to believe that I have learned to love you, Eunice? Maybe even before, I just didn't recognize that feeling because you were my best friend." He said watching me straight in the eyes. I don't know what to say, I kept losing my tongue in front of this man. Is he declaring his love for me? I really wanted to hear these words from him before, but why is it hard for me to believe it now?

"Is it because of Ian?" He's scowling at me now. I moved my face away from his hand and leaned myself more on the couch. Why does he have to bring Ian's name in this?

"It's not just him, how about Margaux? Aren't you going to hurt her feelings if we ended up together?" I answered him. Much to my surprise, he laughed when I mentioned Margaux's name.

"She's just a friend, Eunice." He sat down beside me and put his arm above the couch behind me.

"Well, for you she's a friend but for her you are her boyfriend." I said to him sharply. He chuckled.

"It's not my fault if she thinks that way, I can't blame her." He really seems amused by the thought. He is so over confident about himself. Arrogant brute!

"Marry me, Eunice." He said after a moment of silence.