Victoria stabbed the white button on the wall, calling for the elevator. Impatient, she jabbed at it manically until the doors opened. The elevator car was empty, she stepped inside and slumped against the back in defeat at the news she just received from her doctor.
Her carefully planned life was falling to pieces. Even now, she could feel the pain of her soon to be death reaching for her, threatening to destroy everything she'd worked so hard to achieve.
She felt tears burn the back of her lids and closed her eyes, taking a few deep, calming breaths. Tears wouldn't help. She'd learnt that lesson a long time ago. The elevator pinged and she straightened her spine, her face an impassive, composed mask when the doors slid open to accommodate another guest.
The mask slipped and she rolled her eyes when David Gandy entered. She readjusted the thin black strap of her purse across her shoulder before folding her arms.
"Good afternoon to you too, Your Royal Highness." David said, pressing the button for the lobby.
"Good afternoon to you." Victoria said.
He stood off to the right of her, shoulders relaxed, his hands in his pant pockets as he silently waited for the lift to reach its destination.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Victoria asked.
Soft blue eyes turned to her as he rocked back on his heels. "I was visiting a friend, why are you here?" David replied.
"I was visiting a friend." Victoria said.
"Which one of our friends are in the hospital?" David asked.
"I should ask you the same thing." Victoria answered.
"Fair point." David said.
"Mhm." Victoria said.
"Vic, What happened to us?" David asked.
"Life is what happened to us." Victoria answered as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.
Without a backward glance, Victoria strode towards the exit of the hospital, desperate to escape.
"Victoria! Wait!" David called out.
She didn't turn, just continued walking until David's hand caught hers and spun her around.
"Let go of me!" Victoria exclaimed.
Her arm tingled and perhaps his did too because he immediately dropped her arm as if he'd touched a live wire.
"We need to talk." David said.
"No, we do not. Remember you broke up with me because my lifestyle was not for you and now you want to talk. About what? You said everything when we broke up." Victoria said.
"Victoria, I love you. I'm in love with you." David said.
"David, please." Victoria said.
"I tried to move on and forget you but I cannot. I care for you and I cannot lose you, please, I need you in my life, Vic." David said.
"I cannot do this." Victoria said, as she turned away and walked away.
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"David, is here." Catherine said as she put the phone down, after her conversation with the front gate security.
"Why is he here?" William asked.
Frozen to her spot by surprise and uncertainty, Victoria had never been more grateful for her sister in law's quick thinking and impulsive actions.
"Hello, David." Catherine greeted David at the door, effectively blocking his entrance.
"Hello." David responded, his gaze sweeping the room and stopping briefly when it landed on William and then it flickered to Victoria then back to Catherine. "I uh, I'm sorry for just dropping by..."
Finally finding her voice, Victoria joined her sister in law to address her unexpected visitor. "David, Hello. What are you...doing here?" She asked.
"I just uh..." Making eye contact with Victoria, he nodded his head toward outside. "Can we talk for a second?" He asked.
Victoria paused a moment before nodding uncertainly, fully aware that William and Catherine was watching her every reaction. As much as she dreaded the conversation to come, Victoria couldn't say no to a simple request from the man that had been such a huge part of her life for eight years.
"Sure. Let's go outside." Victoria answered.
Glancing over her shoulder, Victoria's gaze met William's. He looked concerned. He looked tense. He looked like he was ready to catapult himself out of his chair and do something impulsive and brave and utterly foolish. With the slight shake of her head urging self-control, Victoria offered him a reassuring smile.
"I'll be fine." She said.
As the door closed behind Victoria and David, Catherine turned back to William and covered the awkwardness of the moment with a bright smile.
"I'll kill him if he makes her cry again." William said.
"And I won't stop you." Catherine said.
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"Why are you here, David?" I asked.
"Victoria, Everything I said at that the hospital to you. I meant it." David answered.
"David, I told you I cannot do this with you." I said.
"Victoria, I love you more than any words can say. You have made me a complete person. You are everything to me. And I cannot think of living life without you. And I will love you forever." David said.
"You can love me. I respect that but I cannot...we cannot do this." I said.
"Are you seeing someone else?" He asked.
"No." I answered.
"Then why we cannot do this?" He asked.
"Because we cannot." I replied.
"What is it then? Do you want me to change? I'll do anything for you, Victoria." He said.
"No. I—" I was about to say before he interrupted me.
"What is it, Victoria?" He asked.
"David, I'm trying to be honest here. I'm trying not to waste your time. My life is changing and it's full of things I do not want you to witness; things you do not want for me. So if I drag you down that path that my life is on, chances are you're going to hate me when we get to the end of this. I cannot have you hate me when the time comes." I said.
"Victoria." David said.
"I love you too, David but this is goodbye." I said.
