Penelope's POV
I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT ALL ALONG! There was something going on between Ricardo and his maid, and if something hasn't escalated already, it was about to.
Earlier that morning, I couldn't stand by and let him continue to ignore me. After moving out his bedroom, I assumed he would have come after me, ask me to move back in and make it up to me.
BUT NO! His attention and his time were shifted elsewhere. After approaching him about the way I felt, he ignored me and that just made me mad at him. He was treating me like I was an outcast or a nobody. I refuse to be silent about what was troubling me.
Did he care? Maybe. Maybe not. If he did, he had a terrible way of showing it because before the morning could have even ended, he was with his maid in his private breakfast room.
As I entered, guilt formed on their faces. A look I was too familiar with. I launched at woman. How dare she?
"Let me go!" I yelled to Ricardo who had sprung up and caught me before I could have reached her.
"Penelope! You need to stop and calm the hell down!" he insisted.
"I wouldn't. You think I don't see what is going on here, Ricardo!" I yelled and turned my wrath on him where it should be in the first place. I pulled and twisted out of his hold and slapped him across the face.
The maid gasped.
"Miss. Prime, please excuse us," Ricardo said to her while getting a hold of my hands. She nodded and exited the room leaving us alone together.
~
He let go of my hands and rubbed his cheek where I've slapped.
"Pene, this shit is becoming very annoying!" he voiced with a shout. He moved back to his desk and retrieved his cellphone and stormed out of the room while making a phone call.
Feeling defeated, I sat in one of the chairs with a sigh. I had to gather myself by myself.
After several minutes, my phone rang. My father's name popped up on the screen.
"Hi, dad," I answered.
"Penelope, I want to see you at my penthouse. IMMEDIATELY!" he finished with a yell and hung up without waiting for a response from me.
I picked myself up quickly and went to refresh myself, took a shower, got dress and drove out of the mansion to my father's.
~
I knocked and waited. One of the housekeepers came to the door and let me in.
"Where's my father?" I asked her.
"The study," she answered.
I headed there. He was sitting behind his desk, having a cigar.
"Sit," he commanded as I walked in. I sat down.
"Ricardo called. Said you put your hands on him and he's reconsidering. Why would you do something so stupid, are you crazy?"
"Dad..."
"Do you want to ruin this for us, Penelope, huh, because you know this is bigger than your feelings for that man!"
"In my defense..."
"And if you do manage to screw it up like you've done previously, I will cut you off financially, I'll take you out of my will and I'll disown you as my daughter. Do you hear me!"
"You're not letting me speak. I can't even finish my sentences."
"You don't need to finish your sentences. You need to fix this mess you're constantly creating!" he bellowed. He put out his cigar and his expression grew even more serious.
"Dad, that man has something for his maid. I can tell just by the way he looks at her and she looking at him."
"Darling. You should be planning the wedding. You're telling me you're going to wreck it so a maid, who cleans toilets and vacuums the rug, can step in and take your place, is that what you're saying?"
"No dad, but it would be embarrassing if he chooses her over me."
"That's why you have to make sure that that doesn't happen! Step up! Treat and spoil him and get him to wrap around your fingers! How hard can that be, Penelope?"
"I.. I.. I thinks he hates me. I don't know how I would fix this one, dad. I slapped him across the face."
"Figure it out. I don't know how you're going to do it but you better do it and fast. Do you hear me?"
"I hear you."
"Good. Now get out of here."
~
Later that evening, I was waiting in Ricardo's bedroom. I had pampered myself earlier and it dawned on me that I should do the same thing to him. After all, he does work hard and I had to make it up to him and get back on his good graces.
Having finishing two glasses of wine by myself, he still hasn't arrived. Half an hour later, the door opened and he stepped into the room.
"Hi," I greeted him. He eyed me and didn't respond, "Okay, I deserve that. Ricardo, look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for slapping you and going at the maid like the way I did. I shouldn't have and this isn't going to repeat itself," I apologized.
Silence.
"Please talk to me," I begged.
Silence.
"To make it up to you," I started again and undid my robe, showing off the sexy bikini I was wearing underneath. I turned the lights off and the scented candles I lit earlier set a relaxing mood around us.
I stepped closer to him. He appeared exhausted and drained. Slowly, I help him out of his jacket, then his tie and his shirt.
"The jacuzzi is ready for the two of us," I said softly and trailed a finger down his chest. He exhaled and looked at the deck.
"Care to join me?" I asked. Without waiting for an answer, I stripped completely from the bikini and made my way to the outdoor deck where the massaging Jacuzzi was awaiting.
I waited and waited for him to join me but that never happened. After feeling winkled, I stepped out, wrapped myself in a towel and went back into the bedroom.
He was absent. I felt my anger brewing. As I got back into my robe, he walked back into the room.
"Ricardo, when are you going to talk to me, you know you can't ignore me forever."
Silence. He just continued on with whatever he was doing without even looking in my direction.
"Okay. What do I have to do to get you to at least talk to me?" I asked. My patience was running thin. I shouldn't be having to beg for communication like this.
"Penelope, I can't do this anymore. I've tried to. I thought this was what I wanted but it's not."
"Ricardo.. Please don't.."
"In my head, I was living in the past. Remembering what you and I had and tried to relive it but it's not worth it. I'm not going to do this to myself or to you."
"To me?"
"This isn't you."
"Ricardo. I care about you. I never stopped caring and perhaps it's one of the reasons I lashed out. I don't want to lose you. I love you. We're engage. I'm your fianceé."
"I don't know for how much longer."
"Please give me a fair chance to fix this. That's all I'm asking for," I said and tried my all to cry. Seeing me cry without having any remorse was one of his weaknesses.
_________
I knew it'd work. After a passionate kiss, I went downstairs and walked into the kitchen.
The maid was there, sitting quietly by herself and drinking from a glass. I had to say something to her. Making things up with Ricardo didn't mean I had to like his maid.
"What are you thinking about in that narrow mind of yours, Adani?" I asked her.
She eyed me.
"I wouldn't hit you," I said and got myself a glass of water. I sat across from her.
"You want to know what I'm thinking?" she asked.
"I do."
"Maybe I'm thinking about how I should take your man."
___________________
A/N
🤣
I've been itching to give Adani that clap-back.
Sorry for the no update on Sunday (and also Monday)
Time didn't favor me.