023: Losing Control

Vanessa couldn't stop thinking about Adrian.

His words echoed in her mind over and over again.

"I'm trying to understand someone I failed to appreciate."

She closed her eyes.

She didn't need to ask who he had been talking about.

It was Elena.

A bitter smile appeared on her lips before quickly fading away.

She had believed that once Elena was out of Adrian's life, everything would finally fall into place.

Instead...

He seemed farther away than ever.

The next afternoon, Vanessa arrived at Sterling Technologies carrying a neatly packed lunch.

She wanted to surprise Adrian.

Maybe if they spent a little time together, things would go back to the way she had imagined they would be.

She walked confidently to his office, only to be stopped by his secretary.

"I'm sorry, Miss Vanessa," the secretary said politely. "Mr. Sterling is currently in a meeting."

"I'll wait."

The secretary nodded.

An hour passed.

Then another thirty minutes.

Finally, Adrian stepped out of the conference room, surrounded by several executives.

The moment he saw Vanessa, he paused.

"Vanessa... what are you doing here?"

"I brought you lunch," she said with a hopeful smile.

Adrian glanced at the food before looking back at her.

"I'm sorry."

"I have another meeting in a few minutes."

"I won't be able to join you."

Disappointment flashed across Vanessa's face, but she quickly forced a smile.

"It's okay."

"You should focus on work."

"Another time."

Adrian gave her an apologetic nod before walking away with the executives.

Vanessa remained standing there, clutching the lunch bag in silence.

For the first time...

She felt like a stranger in his life.

Later that evening, Vanessa met her close friend, Sophia, at a quiet café.

The moment Vanessa sat down, Sophia noticed something was wrong.

"You look exhausted," she said gently.

Vanessa let out a weak laugh.

"I am."

Sophia leaned forward.

"What happened?"

Vanessa stared into her cup of coffee for a long moment before finally speaking.

"I thought once Elena was gone..."

"...Adrian would finally love me."

Sophia remained silent.

Then she asked the question Vanessa had been avoiding.

"And does he?"

Vanessa opened her mouth.

No words came out.

She lowered her eyes.

That silence was answer enough.

Later that night, Vanessa returned to her apartment.

She sat alone on the living room floor with an old photo album resting on her lap.

Page after page showed pictures of her and Adrian together.

Birthdays.

Business dinners.

Vacations.

Smiling faces.

Perfect moments.

But as she looked closer, she noticed something she had ignored for years.

Adrian had always been there...

But emotionally, he had never truly been with her.

She slowly closed the album.

Tears gathered in her eyes.

"I didn't come this far just to lose," she whispered.

Just as Vanessa is about to put away her phone, it rings.

She answers immediately.

"Hello?"

A familiar voice speaks.

"Miss Vanessa, this is Mark."

(Mark is someone who works at Sterling Technologies.)

"I thought you should know... Mr. Sterling hired a private investigator this morning."

Vanessa sits upright.

"A private investigator?"

"Yes."

"What is he investigating?

A brief silence.

Then Mark answers,

"his ex-wife."

Vanessa frowns.

"No..."

Mark continues,

"Not where she is."

"He's investigating her childhood."

The call ends.

Vanessa slowly lowers her phone.

Her mind races.

She whispers,

"What are you looking for, Adrian?"

Then she looks out the window.

For the first time...

She isn't afraid of losing Adrian to Elena.

She's afraid Adrian is about to discover something that will change everything.