Adani's POV
As the dancing and mingling commenced, I saw Penelope heading to the direction of ladies' restroom.
"Excuse me for a moment. I need to use the restroom," I told Ricardo.
"Sure," he replied. I excused myself and tailed behind her.
~
"Adani," she said when I pushed the door in.
"Penelope, do you even know who exactly is your date tonight?" I questioned.
"Of course I do. Wayan and I are officially dating."
"Girl, you don't want to do that. Wayan is a terrible human being. I have more than enough experience with him so I can tell you exactly the kind of person he is."
"Would you just stop it, Adani! Are you set on ruining my life. You got Ricardo wrapped around your body, isn't that enough?"
"Penelope, I'm a woman, and so are you. I wouldn't want anyone to experience what I've experienced being with Wayan. Look, I know we're not friends and we'll never be friends, but I can't stand by and not warn you. It's going to be cataclysm if you don't get out."
"Thank you for your concern, Adani, but I don't need it. Wayan is worshipping the ground I walk on. While he may have treated you like the dross you are, he's treating me like the queen I am," she uttered then head into one of the stalls.
I waited until she got out.
"You're still here?" she snapped and rolled her eyes as she went to the sink to wash her hands.
"Penelope, Wayan is an..."
"Do you know everything there is to know about your fiancé, huh?"
"This isn't about Ricardo and me."
"Of course it isn't but don't try to tell me who I should date when you don't even know who the hell you're engaged to. You think he doesn't have secrets too, you think he's a saint?"
"You're deflecting."
"I don't have to listen to you. You're a cockroach."
"Can't you hold a mature conversation like a grown-up without name calling, I'm trying to look out for you!"
"DON'T! You've said enough and done enough. Go enjoy Ricardo and leave me and mine alone."
"Fine. I tried to warn you," I finished.
I left and returned to Ricardo's side.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I am," I answered.
~
The evening went on and to mine and Ricardo's utmost surprise, Penelope and Wayan won The Couple Of The Evening award.
~
After we bid our goodbyes and goodnights, we got back into the car and returned home.
"The event was lovely, despite you know.. Penelope showing up on Wayan's arm," I said as I removed my heels.
"Is that bothering you?" Ricardo asked as he removed his jacket.
"What, if course not."
"Oh really, because I couldn't help but notice that you mood changed the moment you saw them together. And don't think I didn't know you went into the restroom after Penelope."
"I didn't go to cause any confrontation. I only wanted to warn her."
"Why, huh, why is it still your concern?"
"Ricardo, she's a woman. I am too and I know Wayan and what he's capable of. I wouldn't want my worst enemy to end up in the same situation I was in."
"You had your eyes on them for the remainder of the night, Adani. You didn't even applaud when they won the award."
"I'm not their cheerleader."
"Are you sure that's not just jealousy?"
"It's not."
"That wasn't comforting."
"And you think you're the only one uncomfortable when someone is always dropping a hint that you're hiding things and I don't even know who I'm engaged to."
"This isn't about me. You don't get to turn the table on me."
" And you're not going to blow this whole thing out of proportion and make it into something that it is not. You don't get to do that!" I snapped.
"Why are you getting angry at me?"
"I am not."
"Yeah. You are. The way you're speaking to me right now says it all. I'm only going to ask you this question once, Adani, are you still in, love with your ex?"
"No."
He accepted my answer but kept at a distance for the remainder of the night. We usually slept in each others arms but when he came to bed, his back turned towards me.
~
The next morning when Ricardo left the house under a cloud of steam, I called over Mavielle and Adonna and told them about last night.
"She's dating Wayan, your abusive ex-fiancé?" Mavielle asked in incredulity.
"Well, if she wants your ex then let her have him. She didn't end up with the King so she's settling for the joker," Adonna rambled.
"I tried to warn her. I really tried, you guys," I said.
"And you did what was right. You're not to feel guilty when he starts beating her ass," Adonna voiced.
"Maybe he might treat her better to make you feel jealous, you know, to get a rise out of you, to make you want him back. I think this is about you," Mavielle said.
"I don't want him back. Ricardo is mad at me and my focus is trying to fix this."
"What's Ricardo upset about?"
"He thinks that I might still have feelings for Wayan and that seeing him with Penelope made me angry."
"Are you?" Adonna asked.
"No. How could I when I'm happy with Ricardo?"
"I mean, from Ricardo's point of view, you spoke to Penelope to get her out of the way. He's probably questioning why you should care."
"Wayan is a monster."
"Yeah, but isn't Penelope aware of that though? Didn't she throw that shit up in your face, even Mrs. Parriston did it as well," Mavielle chimed.
"You're right. If she doesn't care, why should I. Now, I have to smooth things over with my man."
"Go surprise him at the office," Adonna advised.
"With lunch," Mavielle inputted.
~
It was ten minutes before lunch when I walked into PIT lobby and greeted the front desk receptionist before taking the elevator up to the very top floor.
I exited and walked towards Ricardo's office where I saw him in a conversation with one of his employees.
She sat across from him and she was beautiful. She wore a black silk dress with a black fitted silk jacket to match. It looked like it was only tailored for her. Her lengthy brunette hair was styled in beach-wave curls, her makeup was neatly applied and her whole appearance seemed powerful. She commanded the room and the attention of my man, so much so that he didn't even notice I was standing right outside his door.
__________________
A/N
This novel is not going to have a cast but I see Ryan Destiny as Adani.
Lemme know who you're casting as:
-Adani
-Ricardo
-Penelope
-Mavielle
-Adonna
-Wayan
-Mrs. Corrine Parriston
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Dropping The Crown
General Fiction"Stay away from my son or you'll regret you ever became a maid here." Meet Adani. A beautiful woman, desperate to leave a toxic relationship she was 'trapped' in. Beaten, battered and belittled almost every day of her life, she finally managed her...
