Valerie

by Richa Resa

  "You will regret spreading lies," He said, before walking out.

  "You will too," My dad yelled, for his ears to hear. Maybe killing Drew, and going to the jail, was a better option than destroying him, and teaching lessons.

  Chapter 21

  Aiden

  "I love you." Her beautiful hazel eyes, stared into mine. Sexy dark blonde strands of her hair, spread over my pillow, with her under me. Those red, puffy lips of hers, begging me to taste them. Her eyes gleamed with so much love, that even I, couldn't have loved her that much. I was buried deep inside of her, but this declaration of hers, took me on cloud nine. My heart became hers, and hers mine. The way her eyes looked into mine with love, I wanted to drown in them. She was the one for me. But, there was this nagging feeling inside of me, and then hit me hard.

  The hazel eyes turned to blue eyes. The puffy lips turned to thin lips.

  "I love you too, Aiden." It wasn't her anymore. The woman under me, wasn't the one who made me happy. Whom I craved. My heart beat faster, taking in the woman underneath me. No! I felt guilty. No, I felt ashamed from deep within.

  Isn’t that what I wanted? Her?

  "Why?'" The voice asked, from behind me. I was no more in my bed. No one underneath me. I was inside my office, looking out at the city. I turned around, and there were those hazel eyes again, but no hint of love in them. All there was, was agony, pain. Her swollen red eyes, and tear stained cheeks, broke me.

  "Why can't anyone love me, for me?" She cried out in pain, falling down on her knees.

  "Because, you are just my shadow. No one will ever love you, because they will always love me." A voice said, from beside me, blue eyes staring at me. Laura looked at me, and then she was kissing me. I looked at Val from the corner of my eyes. She wasn't there anymore, neither was Laura

  "It's going to be alright, Aiden. I will be always here for you. You will just have to share me, with Drew," Laura said, with her blue eyes filled with sympathy. We weren't in my office anymore, we were at someone's house. It looked like Val's house. Everyone was dressed in black, and there was this sad air enveloping me. My heartbeat spiked, in nervousness. There was a coffin right in the middle of the room. Every step I took, was heavier than before, my heart breaking every second. I looked inside the coffin and my world stopped. The pale and ashen body of Val, laid there. I fell onto my knees, beside it.

  "Why are you here?" Someone spoke angrily, I looked up, finding Shay standing there, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

  "She killed herself, because of a bastard like you. Aren't you happy now!" She raged out. My heart stopped.

  My eyes snapped open. I was sweating. My heart was beating to the moon, I thought it would burst out. Covered with sweat, and panting. I hastily sat up, with my head in my hands. Val, even the thought of her like that, killed me, shattered me.

  She won't ever do that.

  Why won't she? You have hurt her enough, to push her to her end? My sub consciousness asked me.

  My breath was turning to normal. How could I have done this to her? How? I love her, but she shared my heart with Laura. I would never want such fate for her. If she dies, I would die too. I was confused with my feelings, but a part of my heart still belonged to her. She was my Val. She explained me. She wasn't Laura's shadow, she was Val. Sexy, and strong Val. She will always be loved. Always.

  Then, why did you leave her? Why did you pretend that it was Laura who was underneath you? Why hurt her, with the truth? Why leave her, when there’s only a small chance to get Laura back? Why?

  These questions were haunting me. Killing me. Tormenting me.

  The blaring of my phone, snapped me out of my haze. Drew's name flashed on the screen. I really didn't need to talk to that bastard. I silenced my phone, and let it ring. Unfortunately, it rang again, and again. Leaving me no option, but to pick it up.

  "Just hear me before turning me down. It relates to Laura, and her health." He spoke fast. I sighed and said nothing.

  "I hope you remember, that Laura's heart is still weak. The doctor has told us many times that any news that would upset her, would have her end up in the hospital. However, Val doesn't know that, Aiden. She has been trying to tell Laura the truth. Even spreading rumours. She would have come to know the truth, if Laura hadn’t given her phone to her father, Aiden. This news would have killed Laura!" He exaggerated every word. My eyes grew wide. Val was trying to tell her the truth. Good, but the thought of Laura getting hurt in between, tugged at the strings of my heart. Laura deserved to know the truth, but at the cost of losing herself. But, then there was Val, who has faced so much. And rumours, Val would never spread those. I was confused to the point, where I wanted to bang my head on the wall.

  "Drew, I can't do a thing." I told.

  "God, why don't you understand, Aiden. If the truth comes out, it will destroy Laura. Don't you care about her?"

  "Drew, I care about her but if the truth comes out, you will be the one who will be destroyed. Not Laura. You are just doing this, to save your ass. You used, Val, and now you want to hide what kind of man you are from, Laura." It was the truth, I knew it. He didn't care about Laura.

  "Like you’re a saint, Aiden. You used her, too. I know it all, you fool! You went after her, just because she looked like Laura, and you can't deny that. Just remember, if my truth comes out, yours will too. Val told about both of us to, Laura. Laura would hate us both, and end up dead, and her death will be on your hands. I can't talk to, Val but you can, however, your love for Laura and getting her back, is clouding your mind from saving her. If the truth comes out Aiden, there won't be Laura to fight for, remember that. Right now I’m not the enemy, but Val is, and only you can stop her." His words hit me hard. They were manipulative but they were true on some level too.

  "I will talk to Val,"

  ************************************

  I had told Drew that I would talk to Val but even an idiot like me knew that it wasn't possible. Val was the opposite of Laura, and it made her special. She clearly didn't take shit from anyone and would rather shoot you between the eyes. That was my Val. However, the thought of Laura dying, because of the truth coming out, scared me enough, to even take a shot for her, from Val. I loved them both, and it tore me apart, every time I thought of Val. I had hurt her more than Drew ever did. I had said to her face, that I didn't love her, that I had used her. That night, in the club, when she said those words, I felt like I was a monster. The raw pain in her eyes, was burning me alive, in the flames of agony. She had trusted me. Given me her mended heart, and what did I do? I killed her. Broke her heart into a million pieces and left it in a way never to be mended again.

  The dream from the early morning kept on haunting me. Val committing suicide, would make me kill myself. She was everything a man would want, but she had to meet assholes, like me and Drew. Why was God so cruel to her? It was the wrong question. The right question, was why was I so cruel to her broken heart? Why was I doing this? I should stop. I shouldn't go to her, begging for Laura’s health. How could I do this, after the way I had sliced her heart, with the truth. I should ask my driver, to make a U-turn, and drive me back to my office. I had done enough to hurt her. I was not going to put her through more pain. However, an image of Laura's lifeless body, flashed through my mind, making me lose my resolve. There couldn't be any more devious, and confused person than me. I was torn between my love for two different women. Each of them, held a part of my heart, but Val wouldn't have been there in my life, if it wasn't for my love for Laura. But, Val was so much more than Laura. How did a man, love two people at the same time, and hurt one for the sake of another?

  "Sir, we have reached Ms. Caulfield office." The driver spoke, from the front, drawing me out of my dilemma. I looked up at the building. My heartbeat rose in anticipation of seeing her, but more in the thoughts of hurting Val again. I took my time to get out from the car, trying to delay what I came to do. My steps were slow and unsteady. I wasn't the confident businessm
an, but a man whose heart, begged, to turn back the time, and never have said the words, that I did to Drew. I waited for an elevator car to come, Val's office was on the twentieth floor. Another car came, but I didn't get in it. I waited for mine, and when it did, I was scared to get in it. What was I doing?

  Every time I blinked, I would see the images of Laura's lifeless body, forcing me to talk to Val. As the car reached the twentieth floor, and I stepped out from it, my heartbeat spiked. It had been more than a week since I last saw her.

  "How may I help you?" The receptionist, in the front, asked me, with a bright smile, and for a second, I forgot what to say. Maybe I should just turn away and go back.

  Don't you love Laura? Do you want to see her dead? My demon asked me. Gulping, and closing off my love for Val, I manned up.

  "I’m here to see Valerie Caulfield." My voice wasn't strong. It trembled between words.

  "Do you have an appointment?"

  "No, I’m her... boyfriend," Guilt weighed upon my heart, as the words left my lips. I saw the smile on the receptionist's face, dim a bit.

  "Give me a second," She said, and called someone. She talked in a hushed tone, while I stood there standing, looking at the entrance to the inner offices. I knew where her office was.

  "Sir, why don't you sit down. Someone is going to be here with you soon. Ms. Caulfield is with a client right now." The tone of her voice wasn't the same as before. Not paying much attention to it, I settled down, trying to busy myself with a magazine. It wouldn't have been more than five minutes, when I heard the clacking sound of heels coming towards me. Someone stood in front of me, and as I looked up I faced Melanie, Val's Assistant. I stood up and straightened my suit, to look presentable in front of Val.

  "Please come with me, Sir," She told me. Rather than taking me towards Val’s office, she was taking me somewhere else. We were in front of the conference room, rather than Val's office.

  "Please go inside," Melanie said, opening the door for me. Maybe Val was discussing things here, with her client. Stepping a foot inside, there was torture to my heart. My heart whimpered, thinking about the pain I was going to suffer and make her suffer. When I entered inside was a bit confused to find it empty. There was nothing but empty chairs.

  "Aiden," A soothing voice called my name, from behind, and it wasn't Val's.

  "Ms. William," What was Val's boss doing here. I knew her on a personal level. She was a close friend of Laura’s, and my mother.

  "I was here to meet, Valerie," I told her. She didn't answer me, but just smiled.

  "Aiden, dear, why don't you take you a seat?" She sat down and pointed to a seat beside her. I sat down, but my mind was so fucking confused.

  "I know you are here to meet, Valerie, but I can't let you meet her, Aiden. The news of her breakup with you, had reached my ears weeks back.” I was ashamed of that knowledge. I wanted to take back what I done to her. “She is one my best workers and I really wouldn't want to see her turn into a ghost again." Her words had me stunned, and had my heart filled with remorse.

  "I have no intention to--" She cut me off.

  "I don't know what your intentions are, son but I really wouldn't like seeing my best employee look like the dead again. Her work was affected a bit by you, but now, she is back, and working overtime just so she could run away from your memories. I had been in love once, too, Aiden, and also through messy heartbreaks. I know how she might be feeling. She is trying to get back to normalcy, and I can't really have you destroy all the progress she had made. I don't know what happened between you two, but I have heard flying rumours that Laura was the cause." She left me flabbergasted. What was this all about? My mind couldn't think about what words to think about first.

  "No, it's a lie. It wasn't because of Laura." I really didn't want her to be dragged in this mess that I had created. Ms. William raised a brow, and looked at me with, questioning eyes.

  "See, I tell the truth. I just want to talk her once." I persisted, but Ms. William answered back that she won't let me see her. I couldn't go to her house. Her father might just kill me, and this was the only place left, where I could talk to her.

  "Security is outside that door, Aiden," She said pointing at the door of the conference room. "They are going to escort you down, and make sure you are gone. I would feel happy, if you would get out of here silently, or I assure you, your mother is just a call away. You really wouldn't want me to call her to sort things out here, would you?" The threat of my mother, was enough to have all my resort to talk to Val break. If my mother got involved, things will get messier, and I would be on the receiving end of her rage. I nodded to her and walked to the doors silently. True to her words, there were security guards outside, who escorted me downstairs, and made sure that I was settled in my car and gone away.

  "Thomas, park the car, after turning on the street," I asked my driver to do so. The only way I could now talk to Val, was to wait for her to get out of her office. There was this restaurant in front of her office building, where I could sit, and wait for her to come out. Exiting my car, I asked Thomas to go back home. I didn't know how long it was going to take me, and there was no reason to keep him hanging.

  Hours passed, and I sat there in the restaurant taking the window seat. It wasn't some sleazy restaurant, but the one where even the reservations were made months back, but money talked. I didn't care about the expense, all I wanted was to talk to Val, not even talk. I just wanted to let her know about Laura's condition. I didn't care about her telling the truth to Laura, but I did for Laura's condition. She can think of other ways to tell Laura the truth. Ways that wouldn't harm her. A laughing couple passed by the window, and I couldn't stop thinking that at times Val and I were like this. A happy couple, even if it was for a very small time. I was with her for a week. A week, where she was Valerie, and not Laura, but I took it all away. She confessed her love for me, and I repaid her, by telling her the truth that cut her deep, and made her heart bleed.

  "Aiden," A manly voice called out for me.

  "Son, it has been a long time since I saw you." It was Laura’s uncle, Travis. They looked the same, besides their eye colour, but the main difference by which one could differentiate from each other, were their voices. His was a deep heavy one, while that of Laura's father, was soft and lower pitched. He had a very different way of talking, friendlier to me, than Laura's father.

  "Travis, how are you?" We were on a first name basis. He was of my father's age, but he had asked me to call him by his first name, because Mr. Johnson just didn't suit him.

  "Great, but by the looks of you, I don't think you are that great. You seem lost. You know, I called you twice, before I got your attention." He settled down on the seat opposite of me. He was the closest to me, after my father. I couldn't talk to my father anymore, because dead people can't talk. He was my father's friend, and he was the black sheep of his family. He had helped me in business, in ways that no other could. I looked out the window for a second, to see if she was out yet, or not.

  "Waiting for somebody?" He asked, and I shook my head as a no.

  "What is it, Aiden? You look down and upset. Why a long face?"

  "Have you ever made a mistake, Travis?" He laughed at my question.

  "Aiden, ask me how many I had made?" Even I laughed at it.

  "Have you ever regretted something, Travis. Something you want to take back?" His eyes softened, and it seemed as he was thinking about something. Minutes passed, and he seemed lost, and zoned out.

  "I did. I made one mistake in my life that I want to take back. I don't regret it fully, but I regret a part of it. You don't know how many times I wish to go back in time and take back my words and actions. I, the one who doesn't regret a thing in life, feel deeply shattered just to think about one mistake I had made. It was life altering for me, Aiden." His eyes didn't meet mine, and his head was bowed.

  "Why are you asking about this?" He asked, with his head bowed.

  "Because I made a mistake to
o, Travis. Not a small one, but a blunder of it. The worst part was, I broke someone's heart, even when I knew that it was once already broken. I had the gist of it, but I still kept on making the mistake. I regret it, too, but the situation that I’m in, is making me want to hurt her again, and I’m so confused. I'm in love with two women at the same time, and I can't even make up the mind, on who I love the most. I'm just lost," frustrated, I told him. My eyes moved towards the building’s entrance. She should be out in five to ten minutes.

  "You know, I always thought, that you would marry Laura, and became the son I always wanted, and a part of my family. I know about the one woman you love, but not the other one, Aiden. My brother always preferred Drew over you, but I did the opposite. You are a good man, not deceptive or cunning one, like Drew, and that is what I liked about you. You wear your heart on your sleeve, and it is really hard to believe, that you broke some poor girl’s heart. When Laura chose Drew over you, I was mad at her, but I knew you could never win to Drew. He had my brother under his thumb, and through his deceptive ways, he allured Laura in. Laura is naive. You tell me, that you are confused and lost, Aiden, but you are just battling between your heart and mind. I can tell you, from so many years of experience, that the heart is never wrong. So, do what your heart says, and I know it wants you to back out, and not to hurt the woman you love the most." I heard every word and knew that they were true. But, his last words had my eyes wide open.

  "You don't love Laura, you just care about her deeply. Nothing more than that. She had been your first love, and she always will be, but this girl you talk about, you care for her heart and soul. You feel the pain she does, and it breaks you. She is the one you love, because only true love hurts the most." His words opened a new door for me. It helped me in clearing out the clouds of confusion and doubt in my mind.

  Every word hit me like a bullet to my heart. It brought a sense of calmness, to a storm inside my mind. I saw Val from the corner of my eyes. She looked better. I heard my heart, telling me not to go after my Val. Until the truth comes out, I will stay away from her, but after it does. I was going to go after her, and beg her till my last breath, because she was the one to whom my heart belonged and wanted. And, we all know, that the heart gets what it wants.