Inessa's life took a drastic turn when her father owed Vincent Valentino a lot of money. Unable to pay him back, Vincent decided to take Inessa as collateral. Inessa's world came crashing down, but she didn't cry; she was disappointed in her father...
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Friday noon- Inessa
As she walked back to the mansion, Inessa couldn't help but think about Vincent. She knew she needed to talk to him and clear the air, but she didn't know how. When she arrived at her room, she found Vincent standing outside, looking nervous.
"Inessa, I'm sorry. I was an idiot for saying those things to you," Vincent said, his eyes pleading.
Inessa was taken aback. She had never heard anyone apologize in such a heartfelt manner before. Vincent seemed genuinely sorry for what he had done.
"I forgive you, Vincent," Inessa said, smiling softly.
Vincent let out a sigh of relief and pulled Inessa into a tight embrace. They kissed passionately, their bodies pressed against each other, and for a moment, Inessa forgot about everything else.
But then, she pulled away. "Vincent, we can't do this. I have a Russian tradition where we don't engage in any sexual activities until we are married," she said, her voice serious.
Vincent looked disappointed, but he understood. "I'm sorry, Inessa. I didn't know about that tradition," he said.
Inessa nodded. "It's okay. And, Vincent, remember that this is all fake. Our engagement, this mansion, everything. Don't get too caught up in it," she reminded him.
Vincent nodded, looking a bit disheartened. Inessa knew that she had feelings for him, but she couldn't tell him. She was too afraid of getting hurt again.
With a small smile, Inessa went back into her room, feeling more resolved than ever to stick to her beliefs and not let anyone else dictate her life.
As she closed the door to her room, Inessa let out a deep breath. She needed to clear her mind, and decided to change into something comfortable. She put on a pair of Nike shorts and a grey shirt, along with some grey socks and soft slippers.
Just as she finished changing, there was a knock on her door. Inessa opened it to find Elijah standing outside, looking nervous.
"Inessa, can I ask you for some advice?" he asked, fidgeting with his hands.
"Of course, Elijah. What's on your mind?" Inessa asked, smiling kindly.
Elijah hesitated for a moment before blurting out, "I want to learn how to make out. Can you teach me?"
Inessa was taken aback by the request, but then she remembered that Elijah was still underage and inexperienced when it came to relationships. She smiled and motioned for him to come inside.
"Okay, I'll teach you. But you have to promise to keep it a secret, okay? And don't try anything with anyone until you're ready and you find someone you really care about," Inessa said, giving him a stern look.
Elijah nodded eagerly, his face turning red. Inessa took a deep breath and began explaining the basics of making out, showing him how to kiss and where to place his hands. As she talked, she couldn't help but think about Vincent and how different it felt to be with him. But she pushed those thoughts aside and focused on helping Elijah.
After a while, Elijah seemed to have gotten the hang of it. He thanked Inessa profusely and left her room with a newfound confidence.
Inessa lay down on her bed, feeling both amused and relieved. She had never expected to be teaching someone how to make out, but it had been a welcome distraction from her own complicated feelings.
Inessa made a mental note to talk to Vincent again, to try and figure out where they stood with each other. But for now, she was content to just relax and enjoy the peace and quiet of her room.
(...)
With a sigh, Inessa closed her eyes and let her mind wander. She thought about her family back in Russia, wondering what they were doing and if they missed her. She thought about her life before coming to America, how different it was, and how much she had changed since then. She even thought about the other contestants on the reality show, wondering what they were like outside of the carefully crafted personas they presented to the cameras.
But eventually, Inessa's thoughts drifted back to Vincent. She knew she couldn't ignore her feelings for him forever, but she didn't know how to confront them either. She wondered if he felt the same way about her or if he was just playing his part in their fake engagement.
With a deep breath, Inessa sat up and reached for her phone. She hesitated for a moment before typing out a message to Vincent.
"Can we talk? I need to clear some things up," she wrote, her fingers hovering over the send button.
After a few seconds, she pressed send and waited nervously for a reply. To her surprise, Vincent responded almost immediately.
"Of course, when and where?" he wrote back.
Inessa smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. Maybe things would work out between them after all.
"Tomorrow, after breakfast. The gazebo in the garden?" she replied.
Vincent agreed and Inessa put her phone down, feeling more at ease than she had in a while. She knew the conversation would be difficult, but she was ready to face whatever came her way.
With a sense of determination, Inessa settled back into bed, ready to get some much-needed rest before the next day's confrontation.
