by Richa Resa
Valerie
RICHA RESA
Valerie
By Richa Choudhary
Copyright © 2018 RICHA CHOUDHARY
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms is used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.
(I’m an amateur writer. If you don’t like it please email me and tell me personally. English is not my primary language.)
Valerie
Copyright © 2018 RICHA CHOUDHARY
Cover Art by Richa Resa
Image source: Photo by Ivan Dodig on Unsplash
Dedication
To the wonderful people who supported the idea and me. My mere friends, who were always there for me to guide me up. Without you all I would have never found the confidence to publish my book. To my family for letting me write and to all those people who actually like to read heartbreaks, betrayals and pure love.
I would also like to dedicate this book to all those people who helped me in it.
Thank You so much for it.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Valerie
I was trying to reach home hastily as people rushed along the sidewalk around me. I might have even bumped into a few. When I saw my apartment, building come into view a sigh of relief left me. At last, I was going to be home. I was glad about it being situated in the hustle bustle part of the city and being in the walking distance of the office. It was a time saver. With quick steps, I reached to my apartment.
Getting inside I fell onto the couch in the living room almost instantly, a wave of exhaustion hit me. Waking up early and staying late at the office to submit plans for an event that was due today may not have been the best idea. Event planning wasn’t easy - the deadlines, the nagging clients, the pressure to make everything perfect was extremely draining on employees. After the stressful day, all I wanted was to have a peaceful night at home, with the TV and fridge all to myself. I wasn't a lonely person, but sometimes it felt good to be alone. I barely ever got time to myself.
Finishing the fifth episode of revenge and my last packet of salt and vinegar chips, I realized it was only seven pm. Battling with myself about whether I should go to bed early or watch another episode, I decided to take a bath in hopes that it would help me relax after a busy day. While the water was running I added some bath salts to spoil myself a little.
Lowering myself into the warm water, I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief, taking in the smell of the rose bath salts. In the back of my mind, I had this nagging feeling that I was forgetting something important. Unable to remember, I pushed the thought out of my head and enjoyed letting my muscles relax in the water.
The memory of the day Drew left me walked into my mind like an unwanted visitor. It had been years since I thought of that day, the worst day of my life.
It was the same day that my mother took her life years ago when he left me. I had woken up with the same feeling as the year before, miserable. Every year I wished the day of her death didn’t bother me so much, but it did. I felt the sadness creep in and the feeling of loneliness emerge inside me.
I pushed my thoughts towards Drew. He was the only person in my life that made me happy. He was the one for me. I never thought I would fall in love after seeing what happened between my parents.
I saw them from loving one another to tearing each other apart. My father was the devil who didn't have the courtesy to hide his affairs. He wanted to hurt her for some reason. In front of me, he changed from a good father to a father I hated. Every time Mom used to be out, he would bring women home, and warn me not to tell mom. I wasn’t an idiot; I knew what happened behind the closed doors from the voices that could be heard throughout the house. He wanted me to hide his secret but I told mom the very first time it happened only to be stunned by the knowledge that she knew. He wanted to hurt her to a new level so he started bringing women home in front of her. I saw her misery, her pain becoming unbearable to the point where she just killed herself. My father ruined our family, and I was stuck between two parents who didn’t love each other anymore. I thought that having Drew in my life wouldn’t make me feel so lonely. I was wrong.
On the bus to the college, I checked my phone for any calls or messages from him, just one call usually made my day. I frowned when I saw that he hadn't messaged me. I always received flirty good morning messages from him each day. Time passed by, shifting from morning to afternoon and I hadn't gotten any messages or calls from him. I felt that day was not being on my side, my sadness grew. I needed Drew, wanted him beside me. Not wanting to wait any longer, I called him myself only to hear his voice mail straight away.
I calmed myself by imagining him in a meeting, not able to check his phone.
The rest of the day dragged on and my classes ended. For the fifth time I checked my phone and I had no new messages. "Where is he?" I mumbled to myself. On my way home, I decided to check in at his office.
"Hello. How may I help you?" the receptionist asked me. His office building was posh and enormous, with ‘money’ written all over it. "I’m looking for Drew Weston," I told her.
"Oh, here’s not here. He already left early this morning for Chicago," I was perplexed by her answer.
Chicago? I wondered why he left, and then remembered he had family there.
Maybe there was some kind of emergency.
"Do you have any idea when he’ll be back?" I asked her.
"I have no idea miss, but I know he will be gone for a long time as he handed over the business to someone else in the firm." I felt discomfort settling inside of me. He handed his business to someone else? Maybe there was a big emergency.
He would have sent me a message about it, I thought to myself exiting the building. As I reached home I found a letter on the floor addressed to me. From the writing, I knew right away that it was from Drew. My heartbeat rose to touch the moon while opening the letter. A million possibilities were running through my mind. What was in the letter that he couldn't tell me himself? When I read it, my world came to a halt.
Valerie, we’re over. I don't want to be with you anymore. Please don't try to contact me. I don't want to hear from you. Don’t try to find me.
Goodbye
My heart clenched reading his words. We’re over... but why? Did I do something wrong? I thought for a while only to have my mind come up with nothing. We both loved each other. He was happy yesterday when we spent time together. What made him want to break up? And only with a note?
I wanted answers. I picked my phone and called him, again and
again only to find his number to be out of service. My heart was torn. For once in my life I trusted someone, let my walls down and I was rewarded with this. I fell in love only to have my heartbroken. I slipped down to the floor and cried my heart out for hours.
I let myself drown in the sadness and betrayal I felt. Letting out all the pain of everything that happened with me, promising myself to never fall in love again.
I was brought back to reality by the loud noise of the door banging close. I was quite sure that it was the front door. Only two people had the key to my apartment. One was my best friend and the other was my boyfriend.
"Valerie?" a male voice yelled from the living room and I knew it was my boyfriend, Aiden.
Aiden and I started dating a year ago. We met when my best friend Shay and I were at a party. I was a little bit drunk when my eyes found him. Our contact was instant. He appeared before me, in all his grandeur. A tailored black suit with a charming loose red tie. His chiseled jaw lifted with a sexy devilish smile. His eyes a sparkling blue, and his soft, feather like black hair brushed away from his brow. He was charmingly devilish. He oozed of hot sex. I had wanted him and I had made the move only to succeed. From the minute we started dating, I was brutally honest with him, telling him that I didn’t want anything serious, that I wasn’t looking for love. He said he was fine with that, and now I think about him as more of a partner in bed than a partner for life.
Wrapping myself in a towel, I made my way to the living room to find an angry pacing Aiden. I wondered what had him fuming now.
"Aiden, what are you doing here?" I asked.
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? Why are you not even dressed?" He snapped at me.
"What do you mean Aiden?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip.
"You forgot, didn’t you? God! Val, why can't you remember things? You know, I thought you would be the one to remember everything, but in this relationship, I’m the one that has to do everything,” he complained with raised voice.
“Today is our one-year anniversary, Val," Then it dawned on me, that’s what I forgot earlier. We had discussed the plans for today a week ago. We were going to have a lovely romantic dinner and then spend the rest of the night somewhere far away from the city for the next two days.
Shit. I forgot all about it.
Aiden continued, "I’ve been waiting for you for the past half an hour in the restaurant making a fool of myself when you don't give a shit about it. You didn’t even remember," by now he was in front in me and his eyes burned with fury. I had never seen him like this. The worst fact was that it was all my fault.
“I’m really, really sorry, Aiden,” I said in a voice that I hoped would calm him down. He looked at me and shook his head slowly.
“It’s just that I wanted today to be perfect for us. Maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on you.” He sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry for forgetting, Aiden. I had too much work piled up in my plate. So much hours I was putting in that I just forgot." I explained him while apologizing.
“I get it," he said understandingly. "Thank god, we still have two days away from here to make it better. I’m sure you’ll redeem yourself on our get away." His voice was optimistic.
God! my life couldn’t get any better. Note the sarcasm. I hadn’t asked to go on a leave for the trip and I knew my boss would be fuming if I disappeared just like that. Even if I did ask for a holiday now she would surely snap on me.
"Aiden. I forgot to ask for a few days off from work, and I can’t leave without having my boss’s permission..." I said while detaching myself from him. In a flash, his boiling anger returned and my lack of remorse just added fuel to fire.
"What?” he asked stunned.
“You forgot to ask for time off? We made this plan a week ago!” he snapped.
“I took a holiday for this once, just to have a romantic holiday with you and you didn't even apply for the time off? I wouldn't have been this mad at if you said your boss didn't allow it but you saying you didn’t even ask is just a whole other thing,” he shouted at me. He stopped and put his head in his hands.
“You know, I’m tired of your attitude, Val. I feel as if I’m the only one trying to make this relationship work while you’re off being busy in your own little world. I just don't know what to do with you,” he said with irritation.
"You think you’re wasting time with me, Aiden?" I asked as his words enraged me. How could he think something like that? I know I am not perfect but I had tried my best to keep him happy.
"Yeah I do, because I love you, and you don’t love me,”
That one hit a nerve.
"I already told you, Aiden, I wasn't looking for love in this relationship and you had told me that you were fine with it. Now you are the one who is determined to make me fall in love with you. I’m sorry that your charm didn't work on me that well but that’s not my fault." Clearly, my words didn’t help the situation.
"Just forget it!” he screamed out frustratingly. “Maybe I was a fool thinking I would get over you after sleeping with you once but I just can’t. You just got into my head more and more and I’m sorry about that. But you know what? I’m out of here," He stomped out of the apartment banging the door before giving me a chance to speak.
I know I shouldn't feel bad but I do. I was so accustomed to having him around me that it felt empty without him. I was sure that he was the most romantic person but I still didn’t love him like I loved Drew.
If I had never met Drew, I never would’ve had my heart in pieces. He messed everything up.
Chapter 2
Valerie
I groaned looking at the clock. It was 3.25 in the morning. I couldn't sleep after the fight with Aiden. Tired of tossing and turning in bed, I moved to the living room thinking that maybe some TV would help me. Checking out what was on, I was given two options: ads, or some romantic movie.
Aiden was mad at me and I hated it when someone was mad at me. I knew I had to apologize. I picked up my phone and called him. Even though it was at 3.30 am, I knew he would be awake.
"I’m really sorry," were my first words when he picked up the phone.
I could hear him breathe on the phone but not saying a thing. "I’m sorry, Aiden. Can you please forgive me?" I pleaded. Seconds passed before he spoke.
"I’m sorry too, Val." I heard him breathe out a sigh. "I knew what I was getting into with you but it's just, sometimes I want more for us. I know it’s not your fault but I just want to know what it feels like to be loved by someone whole heartedly. I can't tell how much I love you, Val." I stayed silent, absorbing his words. Somewhere I felt guilty for playing him. He surely deserved better. I knew I could never return his love.
"You couldn't sleep, could you?" I was thankful for the subject change by him.
"Yeah, feeling really restless tonight. You couldn’t either?”
"Yeah, guess I couldn't sleep without you." He paused. "Can I come over? I still want to celebrate our first anniversary,” The last sentence made me excited and giddy.
"I’ll be waiting," I said huskily.
"Mission accomplished," I yelled after ending the call. It was always easy to get Aiden's forgiveness. As it was our anniversary I decided to light up some red candles in the bedroom to make it special. Aiden would surely see it as me taking an initiative to make our anniversary a good time.
Fifteen minutes later I heard keys outside. Adjusting the lingerie that I had changed into I jerked open the door. Aiden was in a dark shirt that clung to his chest and jeans looking devilishly handsome. I grabbed him by the collar and crashed his lips to mine. His hands roamed over my body as I kissed him like my life depended on it. It didn't take me by surprise that we reached the bedroom without knocking anything. We both landed on the bed with a thud. It was only then when we came up for air. We were both breathing heavily. My hands inside his shirt while his rested on my hips.
"Did you miss me?" he asked in his voice sexier than ever. I could see the
lust and love in his eyes.
God knows what I was going to do with him.
"More than you think," I answered before crashing my lips into his again.
As we devoured each other, our fight was forgotten. We were far away from the rest of the world for the rest of the night. It was a night filled with passion and lust.
**********************************************
I groaned feeling the sunshine hurt my eyes. Turning my face to the other side I glanced at the clock to find that it was seven thirty in the morning.
Shit, I was going to be late!
I removed Aiden’s hand from my waist and rushed to the bathroom to get ready. Having a quick shower, I ran to the closet and got dressed hastily.
When I walked back into the bedroom I found Aiden lying awake, looking up at me. I applied the lipstick while my eyes were glued to his eyes in the mirror. He looked extremely sexy that I had a thought about pouncing on him in that instant. Gathering his clothes that were scattered on the floor I threw them at him while giving a wink and air kiss.
"Where you off to my lady?" he asked, putting his clothes on. I forgot how sexy his voice was in the morning.
"To the office. Where else would I go?"
"What am I supposed to do then?” He pouted. I looked at him with an eyebrow raised.
“You know I’m technically on holiday leave…” I knew he was just telling but also trying to make me feel guilty. I did feel a tiny bit guilty but I just couldn’t get away from work.
"I will make it up to you tonight," I suggested facing him.
"How would you do it?" he questioned while grabbing me by my waist and bringing me close. Our lips were just inches apart.
"That’s a surprise," I whispered, kissing him.
"Now I’ve got to go. See you tonight," With that I moved out of his embrace. Picking up my bag, I just rushed to the office. I was greeted with the sight of a cheerful Melanie, my secretary, in the office.