7 Chapter 7

PENELOPE

Divorce. 

Starting over is the hardest part, counting down all the days, weeks, months I have invested into this relationship, into him. When this is over I would always have to reintroduce myself to everyone we mutually know, put myself out there again, explain my life story to another stranger, go through the awkward first dates, first kiss, before I get comfortable enough to hold hands, lean on him, share secrets, share a bed. I would have to do all of that again because of James' greed. 

Am I even ready for that? 

Exhausted, that is exactly how I feel as Mum walked me through the divorce proceeding on the phone. Seated on the couch just staring at the wall in front of me, I know she means well, I know I have to go through with this but the whole process just made me want to cry. 

I would never be able to look at a man the same way again, to trust a man wholeheartedly. Sighting I spoke a little longer with Mum on the phone when I felt

Someone tapped me. 

"Ma'am, dinner is ready" the new house help Mum gave me said. I could really get used to this, I haven't been served like this in two years. 

"Mum, I will talk to you tomorrow. I have to go, dinner is ready" I said with a little giggle. 

"Goodnight, Nene, your father says hi." 

"Goodnight to you both" 

Turning over to face the petite woman, she looks much older than I am. 

"Thank you. Is the table set?" 

"Yes Ma'am" 

"The apartment isn't really big enough to get your own room for now, but we would be moving in a couple of days so you would have to manage the room at the end of the corridor" I informed her walkingtowards the dining table. 

"That won't be a problem" she said slightly bowing 

"You don't have to do that, it makes me uncomfortable please" 

"Oh… I thought-" we both stop at the sound of the door opening. 

"What is going on here? What is with all the bags?" James asked

"Good day sir, I am the-" 

"It is okay Charity. You can take the bags in and begin packing, I would join you when I am done here" I said cutting off her Introduction to James. She doesn't have to get familiar with him, he won't be around for long. 

JAMES' POV

The day started off shitty for me, matter of fact the whole week. Ever since the reading Penelope has been behaving weirdly. She was always out to please me before, she did everything I wanted but last night, for the first time since I met Penelope she rejected me and I wasn't taking it so well. Why would a woman who worships the ground I walk on not want to have sex with me?

This was all Vanessa's fault, she told me to try pleasing her, do something she likes so she would be more willing to invest in my company. Both women although friends were polar opposite. 

Vanessa is tall, beautiful, exquisite and regal. I could stare at her all day. Penelope on the other hand isn't bad looking she is just too basic, although the same height as Vanessa, she has no charisma and prefers wearing her hair in a plain ponytail. Vanessa calms me and keeps me on my toes even in bed but all Penelope ever wants is to know if I am okay even with sex. 

Boring!

All day I have been looking for a building suitable for my company, I want something fancy, something that attracts people to the

building but that has proven hard to find. At this point it was impossible and I would be needing a lot of money to turn whatever place I get into something I want. So I decided to visit Vanessa in her apartment after my search. Her apartment building is very modest compared to her apartment, she has exquisite taste in interior and it showed at every turn in the apartment.

"The rich brat rejected me" I said sounding like a brat myself

"What did you do?" Vanessa asked calmly, coming to sit beside me on the couch.

"You asked me to please her, so I tried sleeping with her and she rejected me. At first I thought she was playing hard to get but the bitch left me in the room to sleep on the couch" 

"I thought you had two rooms?" she asked with her brow raised

"Yes we do, but the other is basically empty" 

"How did you ask?" 

"How do I ask you?" 

"Don't fucking compare me to her" she said really pissed, moving away from me on the couch, she hated any form of comparison between them. 

I like Vanessa, a lot. If things go according to plan, I want to actually settle down with her. 

"She's got nothing on you babe" I said moving closer to her, kissing her cheeks. She didn't smile. 

"You need to be patient with her, at least till we get everything we want," she said. One more thing I like about her is that she remains calm and logical in almost every situation. 

"She has been so different lately" I said remembering everything that has happened since the reading. 

"I noticed that too, she is more cautious. It's probably the talk she had with her dad" she said facing me. 

"We need to keep her in check till this is over, try keeping her away from her family" she concluded. 

"We need the family's money. Shit!. this is way harder than I thought" 

"Were you expecting it to be handed to you? At least work for something" ouch! "Leave her to me, she still seems to trust me. All you have to do is get her to be all over you again like she used to" I turned to her 

"Oh yeah?. the only person I want over me right now is your ass" I said, moving to kiss down her neck. 

"Stop it James. The only person you need to fuck right now is your wife" she said pushing me away from her.

"Stop calling her that. I can't get it there and I can't get it here too?" 

"Go home to your wife" 

"Don't you care about my feelings?" I asked. I really want to know what she thinks about me. 

"Feelings? The only thing you care about is your dick James and money". she is wrong, I do care about her. 

"You are wrong, I care about you enough to settle down with you after all this."  I said sincerely. Looking at her so she can see how serious I am. 

She laughed, that kind of dark laughter that hid an untold truth

"I am going to be frank with you James" she sat up

"The same way you feel Penelope doesn't fit into your kind of woman, that is the exact way I feel about you being my man" "I want someone who can take care of me, give me enough money without ever having to worry about going bankrupt, my only job being to spend his money not someone scheming to take from a rich girl" she said looking at me like I said the most bizzare thing. 

"So you don't love me? You don't see us together?" 

"I don't. It is a fuck till I get a better choice kind of deal for me". 

I left, it was bad enough she saw me express my feelings for her but it would be worse if she saw me vulnerable. I went to a bar to get a drink, I wasn't ready to go home to that brat after having my heart smashed by Vanessa. I got back to the condo around nine a little tipsy. I won't call it home, home housed people you love. The only joy I get from coming back here is knowing the condo is in my name. I own something so expensive but she was about to take it away from me. I walked in to see tons of shopping bags in the living room with women's brands, she didn't get anything for me? 

"What is going on here? What is with all the bags?" I asked no one in particular. 

A small woman wearing an apron came towards me "Good day sir, I am the-" 

"It is okay Charity. You can take the bags in and begin packing, I will join you when I am done here" Penelope said, cutting her off from whatever she was about to say. 

"Who is she?" I said walking towards her at the dining table. 

"My maid" 

"We have a maid now?" When did she get the time to employ one and with whose money? 

"I do." I noticed the use of the singular terms but decided to ignore it.

"You went shopping? Did you get me anything?" I need to look good if I want people to take me seriously after I start my company but branded clothes are too expensive for me. 

"Yes I did and no I didn't" she was being so vague and didn't bother to spare me a glance as she kept on eating. 

"I need better clothes from the investors to take me seriously" I said to her. 

"I am the face and name of your company, the investors don't need to see you and if you still feel like you need to look good then get yourself some nice clothes". she said nonchalantly, finally raising her gaze at me. 

That is when I noticed she looked different, I hate to admit this but she did look beautiful. A little taken aback I asked

"Where is my food?" 

"You haven't eaten?" she asked like she was surprised. Is she messing with me? I have had enough of women treating me like I don't mean shit today. 

I was about to walk away when I heard her

"I am moving on Saturday. You can come if you want" 

"What? I haven't signed over the ownership of my condo. Why are we moving?" I asked a little hysterical 

"I bought it in your name doesn't mean you have to sign shit. We are married, so I can sign it too. Conjugal Property" she said with a shrug. 

Fuck my life!!