Chapter Nine: Caged In Gold!

Vanessa's POV.

I drove into the garage of my parents house as I turned off the engine of my car and stepped down to bring out my boxes.

I was struggling with the three boxes and just when I succeeded in rolling the boxes to the front of my car. The last thing I was expecting was to see my mother standing by the door like a trained dog looking for a criminal to attack.

Her lips were pressed against each other and she crossed her arms against her chest. She began to tap her leg on the floor as she looked at me dangerously. And it was exactly just what I would always receive.

“Vanessa” she called out my name and I rolled my eyes at her. Because I knew I was about to have a talking session.

“Mom please can you just let me breathe. I am no longer a kid and you have to understand that fact, you don't have to stand here like you have been waiting all night for me. I didn't run away, I'm a grown-up for goodness sake. I'm a fucking adult.” I expressed but the frown on her face did not disappear; it was still there.

“I wouldn't be standing here if you had picked up my call. I have been calling you for so long but yet I didn't get any answer from you and you don't expect me to get worried?” she asked and I ignored the question.

I knew for a fact that she was exaggerating. Because she had only called me twice, just like every other person would call. But I decided not to pick up the call because I didn't want her to know where I was at that moment, otherwise she might start nagging and interrogating me which I didn't want for myself. 

I dragged one of my boxes towards the door and I noticed the way her eyes settled on it. 

“Where are you coming from with all of these boxes?” she questioned with an authoritative tone.

“Can I at least step inside before you begin to interrogate me?” I muttered, walking past her as I dragged my box inside the house.

One thing that was very perfect with the Roothmoore mansion was the fact that it always smelled nice. But there was also something missing, it never smelt like home to me.

Obviously, I knew that my mom would follow me. She was never patient enough for her to let you speak whenever you wanted to. She just wanted it at her own time.

“Vanessa, you haven't answered my question yet” she said and I dropped the box angrily on the floor as it gave out a loud thud.

“Fine. You want answers right then I'm going to give you what you want. I went to Damon's house to get the rest of my things. Are you satisfied now? And don't think I'm lying to you because I wouldn't do that.” I said and her eyes widened at me as though I had confessed to murdering someone.

“I hope you aren't planning on going back to him Vanessa? Are you?” she asked and I chuckled at her words.

“I swear mom. You must love your daughter so much to let her go back to that excuse of a man. Never in my life will I go back to him because I and Damon are done forever. Besides, I already agreed to marry Lucian and you should know your daughter by now, and that she doesn't go back on her words.”

I could see satisfaction and relief at the same time on my mother's face as she spoke up.

“That is a good thing to hear from you. Then you need to get ready because we are having dinner with Lucian's family tonight” she announced and my stomach dropped.

“What? No, mom. Absolutely not. I won't be going there with you guys. You didn't even see the need to ask for my permission before accepting their request” I said.

“What do you mean by that? You already agreed to marry him so why should I seek your permission to go spend some time with your soon to be in-laws?”

“Mom, I don't want to go and my decision is final. You can enjoy the dinner with dad”

“In case you are forgetting, let me remind you that you are the one getting married, not me. And you will have to join us for dinner , so go to your room and freshen up. I have already laid out clothes for you in your room because I know how hard it is for you to choose what to wear. You just have two hours to dress up and your father and I are coming with you” she said and her harsh tone left no room for argument.

I balled my hands into a tight fist. Every part of me wanted to scream a loud no to her, but what was the point? Fighting with my mom was like throwing stones at a wall. They would only bounce back and hit me harder.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Two hours later, I was dressed in a gold dress. My mother had chosen it for me and to me it felt too girly and too soft. The dress wasn't really me and I sat at the dining table, but I was seated beside Lucian.

He looked at me like he had just stepped out of a men's fashion magazine. But it was of no use because his charm wouldn't work on me. It would only work on the people that don't really know him. 

I still couldn't get over the fact that I really despise him a lot. But I was left with no other option than to marry him. I knew where I was doing this. 

To his parents and my parents. He had the perfect smile, the perfect hair, and the perfect manners. In fact he was too perfect to be a human. 

“Vanessa,” he called out my name softly as he leaned closer to me and I shifted my body a bit. I didn't even enjoy the feel of his touch.

“I want to thank you for giving me another chance because on the first day I met you I really liked you so much. I swear and I'm not lying to you just to make you feel better. This is just me expressing my feelings towards you” he said and I forced a smile at him but inside of me I was irritated.

I was burning in irritation as I felt a hand slap me lightly on my thighs and I looked up to realize that it was my mother. Her hand was under the table as she pinched my thigh and I bit my lip in order not to scream too loudly. I just had to hide my pain.

“Say something sweet Vanessa” she whispered as she clenched her teeth together and only me could understand what that meant.

I really wanted to say to her, you want me to say something sweet? When I feel like vomiting but instead I muttered, “I am glad we are here today and we are together”

Lucian smiled at me and as if that crumb of affection I gave to him wasn't enough. He decided to make matters worse by picking up a forkful of salad and held it towards me.

“Let me feed you Vanessa. Please give me that pleasure.” he said and before I could say no to his request. My mother interrupted.

“Oh that is so lovely. Say yes Vanessa. Isn't your soon to be husband so romantic?”

I opened my mouth to let him feed me because apparently, my free will didn't exist anymore. He slid the fork between my lips, and everyone at the table. His parents and my parents smiled like this was the cutest thing they had ever seen. 

I swallowed the salad quickly and I raised my hand up when he tried to feed me again. 

“That is enough Lucian. I can feed myself” I said, not minding if I sounded rude to him or not. Then Lucian's mother chuckled, taking me unaware as though what I said was funny. I didn't even crack a joke.

“I think your daughter is just shy.” she said to my parents and everyone laughed out loudly except me as my father leaned back on his chair.

“Yes she is shy. She got it from her mother. Sylvia was the same way when I begged her to marry me. She was so shy that she couldn't look me in the eyes” my father teased and my mom blushed at his words. But then I was the only one that rolled my eyes at him.

The conversation between both parents drifted to wedding plans. I nodded my head when I had to, and I answered yes to dates and ideas. But inside of me I felt like I was suffocating.

Their laughter filled the dining room but all I could hear was the discomfort in my ears. Then my phone vibrated on the table and I looked down to see an unknown number. Again.

I quickly stood up from the dining table as I excused myself with a tight smile to answer the call. My mind drifted back to when I received this unknown number call in the afternoon but when I picked it up nothing was being said over the phone.

“Hello?” I said but there was silence just like last time.

“Who the hell is this?” I snapped angrily. But the line went dead and I returned to the dining table. Irritation was plastered on my face and my mother immediately asked me.

“Who was that? You just received a call?”

“I don't know. The person won't say anything to me” I replied and she gave me the one response I wasn't expecting from her. 

“Then switch off your phone. You are with your in-laws so you have to show some good character.” She ordered and I leaned closer to her and whispered.

“Mom, don't you think you are doing too much?” I asked and the way she glared hard at me made me shut up my mouth instantly, otherwise there was definitely going to be chaos which I didn't want. I didn't really like to be dramatic just the way my mother loved it. And I didn't switch off my phone, though. 

Then Lucian's father clapped his hands together.

“We are going to finalize the wedding date soon. But I just want you to know that everything is coming together nicely.” he said and I thought that that was the end of the conversation but it wasn't as Lucian's mother grabbed my hand and squeezed it warmly.

“I really like you, Vanessa. You are going to make a wonderful addition to our family” she said and I had to force another smile at her. But inside of me I felt nauseous as I grabbed my fork and began to push the food around my plate, pretending to it while my mind went back to the unknown caller. 

My phone vibrated again on the table and my heart jumped. I looked down to see who was calling but this time around it wasn't the unknown caller. It was Lawrence, my lawyer and I excused myself quickly to answer his call.

“Vanessa. Your divorce with Damon Thorne has been scheduled for tomorrow. So be at the court by ten” he said in a calm voice.