9. Skylar

Skylar stood looking out of the window as she watched Vino's car pulled out of the driveway. What is it with him that brought out the demon in her? Skylar wondered as she turned and walked out of the art center.

She stopped a taxi that would take her to her mom's flower shop. She wants to retrieve her car and go home to rest.

The taxi pulled to a stop as Skylar scrambled out and made a run for the door after paying the taxi driver.

Skylar's mom was surprised to see her as she gasps “ Mom, how are you doing?” Skylar greeted her mom and walked to the freezer to get a drink.

“I'm okay. What are you doing here? Where's Vino?” Skylar's mom questioned her with arms akimbo as she watched her intently.

Skylar huffs as she drains the water in one go, she belches and turns to stare at her mother “ He left me stranded at the art center ” Skylar replied shaking off the thoughts that Vino might sack her due to the way she talked back at him.

“Why? What did you do this time?”Her mom asked, raising her eyebrow at her.

“Wow mom! Really?. I'm out of here” Skylar storms off her mom's office into her car annoyed. She couldn't believe her mom was taking Vino's side.

She entered into her car and pulled off the driveway driving to her home. She opened the door to her apartment and was surprised to see everywhere neat and dust free.

She smiled appreciatively at her cleaner before walking into her room to shower and retire for the night.

Skylar tossed and turned on the bed trying to sleep but alas!, there was no sleep in her. Skylar stood up frustrated as she abandoned the idea of getting any sleep tonight. Her insomnia was taking a toll on her again.

“Please not again!!. Not tonight” Skylar screamed in frustration. She stood up and took out her laptop, opening it she typed in her password and connected it to google. In the keyword space, she typed in Vino Thompson.

“Oh my God!!” Skylar exclaimed astonished. In the news was a recent picture of Vino and Camille at the beach. He looked so handsome and calm. Skylar checked the time and spook the picture with her finger”

“What? Four hours ago?” Skylar was infuriated. To think he left her stranded just to go to Camille. Few hours ago, he was barraging her with questions about Leon that she felt he was jealous. Now this!!.

Skylar scowled as she shut the laptop angrily. She turned and walked out of her room to take a glass of water in the kitchen.

“I might as well watch the movie since I'm not feeling sleepy yet,” Skylar thought to herself. She went into the sitting room, putting on the television. The video resumed playing. Skylar stared at it perplexed.

She had not put on her television in a year. The video playing was ‘ Fifty shades of Grey’. She had only watched it with Leon. After her break up, she has been so busy with her online job that she didn't have time for a movie....

Skylar angrily off the television and went back to bed as she forced herself to sleep.

Skylar arose the next morning, refreshed and calm. Even after sleeping late, she couldn't believe how refreshed she was. What changed?. Well, she went to sleep with the thought of Vino on her mind. He was her drug, a cure for her insomnia.

Skylar scrambled out of her bed into the shower. She bathed and dressed quickly as she was running late for work.

Getting into her car after locking up, she pulled out of her apartment and took the route to her office praying in her mind that Vino should not send for her today since she didn't want to see him.

Parking her car, she got out, taking her laptop and bag with her. She pushed open the door to the reception. She was surprised not to see Cynthia at her usual desk.

Entering into the elevator, Skylar pressed the number for the third floor and rested her back against the wall. She heaved a sigh of relief.

“Hi!” Madison's sweet smiley face greeted Skylar as she walked into her office. Skylar was amazed to see Madison in her office. She walked behind to her desk.

“I'm sorry, Camille is in my office with the boss. That's why I'm here in yours ” Madison apologized, she doesn't want Skylar to be angry with her since they just met.

Skylar's ears perked up the moment she heard that name “I guess she wasn't satisfied with the beach yesterday, then” Skylar mumbled to herself as she arranged the files on her desk.

“I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that. What did you say?” Madison asked, her ears reddened from embarrassment.

“It's nothing,” Skylar replied, smiling at her “ How is your health now?”

“My health?” Madison asked her to be sure she heard right. Cause as far as she knows, she wasn't sick rather it was Skylar who was sick yesterday. Skylar nodded, affirming that Madison heard right.

“I'm not sick ” Madison replied wondering why Skylar would think so.

Skylar hands froze on the file she was holding as she turned to regard Madison “ Then why weren't you in the office on Monday?” Skylar asked. She rested her back on the armrest and waited for Madison's answer.

“Nothing. Mr Thompson called me to take the day off”

“What? That lying son of a bitch!!” Skylar swore furious with Vino. She can't believe he fooled her.

“Language, Miss Evans” Vino replied slowly as he walked into Skylar's office. Madison scrambled out of her seat surprised, she didn't hear the boss come in.

“You lied to me. You are a fucking liar” Skylar screamed pointing her finger at him.

“Miss Brooke, can you excuse us for a minute? ” Vino said to Madison without looking at her. His mouth thinned with displeasure.

Madison ran out of the door closing it gently behind her.

Skylar stood with her hands folded across her chest glaring at Vino without backing down. Vino breathed in to calm his nerves. How dare her accuse him in front of his secretary?.

Vino smiled and sat down in front of her desk, he motioned for her to sit down too. Skylar resumed her seat as she waited for his apology.

“Miss Evans. Need I remind you that this is my company and I do to it how I deem fit. If I want to give Miss Brooke a day off, I can. What's your problem with that?” Vino scowled arrogantly as he sat with his legs crossed in front of her.

Skylar growled at him “ My problem, Mr Thompson is, why did you need to lie about that?”

“Miss Evans, why do you always find fault in whatever I do? Are you trying to make me notice you, because it's______”

“Notice me? Hell no!!” Skylar scoffed at him “I can never do that. You are everything I don't want in a man” Skylar screamed at him. Her body shaking in anger ready to explode any moment.

Vino stared at her shocked, he has never been rejected by a girl. Not after he has spent the night thinking on how he's going to ask her to be his girlfriend today only for her to say she doesn't want him again.

“Why? Where did he go wrong?” Vino wondered in his mind as he kept watching her curiously.

“ What do you not like in me?” Vino asked her bracing himself for her response.

“Too many. I don't like a man who lies which you just did. I don't like a man who thinks of women as an empty vessels that are only used for sexual satisfaction, which you are, a player”

“I don't like a man who is richer than I am because I won't be free with him which you are, a fucking billionaire. So, Mr Thompson, did you see reasons why I can't love you? Do you want more?” Skylar said as she averted her eyes from him. She felt drained after her outburst.

“No, Miss Evans. That is enough ” Vino replied after some time. To say he was speechless, was an understatement. He couldn't believe she hates him so much.

This was not his fault, he was born this way. Rich and handsome. What was he to do when women flock around him, they begged him to bed them. He only succumbed to their plea.

“I am______” Vino cleared his throat as he stood up looking at her. Her mouth was pulled up in a thin line. He waited for her to say she was joking with him . Waited for her to say she loves him and couldn't wait to be his girlfriend but none of that was forthcoming.

“Well Miss Evans. I'm sorry for putting you through all that trouble. Now, if you would excuse me I have a meeting to attend”

Vino turned and walked to the door. He suddenly paused, having remembered why he was in her office in the first place. He turned to look at her.

His eyes met with Skylar's as they both stared into each other's eyes. Vino felt himself drowning in their depth as he struggled to break free but it was pulling him in the more...

Skylar averted her eyes as she randomly grabbed a file on her desk. Anything to get her mind off his coffee brown eyes which was tempting her to explore their depth and the owner himself.

“Can I help you, Mr Thompson? ” Skylar said after she had found her voice. She was thankful she sounded normal compared to her escalated heart beat and the butterflies in her stomach.

“Yes. Sure. Are you free this weekend?” Skylar's eyes shoot up immediately to stare at him shocked. Doesn't he get it ? She is doing him a favour by breaking off whatever feelings they have now before it's too late.

After surfing the internet yesterday, Skylar was surprised at how wealthy Vino and his family were. She was more surprised at the kind of women he has been with which she is nothing compared to them. And the most shocking of all was the story of Michael and Nina.

She can't bring herself to go through all of that just for love. No, Never!!. It takes a love so strong to overcome such and she's not ready for that.

“No, that's not what I meant?” Vino's frantic voice pulled her out of her thoughts as she turned to stare at him.

“Mr Ernesto requested that you paint a mural for him in his home town Spain. Since, I will be having a meeting with potential investor there, I was wondering if you would like go with me”

“Sure. Text me the address and time to meet you” Skylar replied without looking in his direction.

“Will do that. Goodbye Miss Evans ” Vino lingers a bit longer before succumbing to fate, he walks out of the door.

Skylar slumped heavily on the chair, she let the tears she has been holding flow freely as she cried her eyes out. She let out the tears she has refused to shed when Leon left a year ago and now this:

Skylar looked at the clock on the wall amazed. How time files. She had forced herself back to work, burying her sorrows in her paintings.

She and Vino path didn't cross until she walked into the parking lot, preparing to enter into her car. There standing across from her was no other than Vino and Camille making out in the parking lot.

Vino was whispering something into her ears while Camille was giggling like the whore she was. Skylar storms angrily into her car and back off into the road leading to her apartment.

Skylar opened the door to her apartment immediately when she got home, she went to her bedroom to pack her bags for her trip the following day before going to the kitchen.

Knowing fully well she won't be getting any sleep tonight due to her insomnia. She opened a bottle of brandy, Leon had bought one certain time. She took it with a glass cup into the sitting room. She drank it bit by bit until she was drunk to a stupor.

Skylar forced her way into her room, she collapsed onto her bed and succumbed to dreamland.