FLAWLESS

CHAPTER 16

Shanelle POV

As I stood frozen at the sight of Vincent outside my door, a mix of shock, anger, and confusion consumed me. He was standing before me with an intense look in his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I managed to ask, my voice laced with a hint of resentment.

Vincent's voice was filled with genuine remorse as he replied, "You left without giving me a chance to explain myself."

I glared at him, shaking my head in disbelief. 

"I don't have time for this," I said, my voice laced with frustration. 

I reached for the door to close it, intending to shut him out of my life once and for all.

But Vincent, driven by desperation, quickly intervened, placing his hand on the door to stop me. His pleading eyes bored into mine.

"Please, Shanelle, just give me a chance to explain myself. If you still don't want anything to do with me after that, then I'll walk away, forever, and we'll never have to see each other again."

I hesitated for a moment, realizing that he was being earnest. Reluctantly, I stepped back and let him into the house. Vincent's emotions were raw, and I could see the vulnerability etched onto his face.

He began desperately explaining that there was nothing between him and Lina.

"The what? Are you saying that she was lying about being betrothed to you?" I interjected, my voice quivering. 

Vincent exhaled heavily, the weight of his confession hanging in the air. 

"Shanelle, I need you to understand," he began, his voice tinged with both resignation and determination. 

"The truth is, the betrothal between us was nothing more than a business deal orchestrated by our families. It was a merger, a strategy to combine our family businesses into a single entity. I had no say in any of it."

His words struck me like a thunderbolt, the revelation shaking the foundation of my world. 

Vincent's gaze met mine, filled with remorse and frustration. 

"Look, I've been trying to find a way out of this predicament, to break free from the chains of my father's decisions. But every path I've explored has been met with dead ends. It's as if our lives have been mapped out for us without any regard for our desires."

I watched Vincent closely, his anguish etched across his face. I could see the battle he fought within himself, torn between his sense of duty and the longing for personal freedom. 

"I didn't wanna tell you all of this because....everything was going perfectly well between us and we were getting to know more about each other and I was afraid that if I tell you the truth, it would ruin everything," Vincent confessed, his voice tinged with regret.

"No." He frowned at me with confusion.

"No?" I nodded.

"No. You were just looking for an excuse to forget about the betrothal and your fiancée, and I came along. You used me and played with my feelings just to escape the reality you have to face."

Vincent took a step toward me, his emotions reflected in his eyes. 

"No, that's not true," he declared, his voice filled with determination. 

"What we had is real, and there wasn't a moment where I thought of using you in any way. I never liked Lina, and I can promise you that. When I met you, I didn't expect that things would be different between us. I was honest about how I really feel about you. This whole thing with Lina means nothing to me. If you can just trust me again and give me another chance, I'll do whatever it takes to cancel all this marriage bullshit. I can promise you that."

As I listened to him, conflicted feelings raged within me. I saw the truth in his eyes, and my heart ached with the knowledge that he might genuinely care for me. Vincent reached out and placed his hand on the side of my face, his gaze piercing into my soul.

"It's you that I want, Shanelle," he confessed softly, his voice brimming with sincerity. 

"No one else. Just give me a second chance, and I can prove it to you."

A teardrop slid down my face, and Vincent gently wiped it away with his thumb. His proximity ignited the familiar feelings I had for him, making it incredibly hard to resist. His lips were temptingly close, and I yearned for his touch, but I held back, restraining myself.

"I need more time," I finally whispered, my voice filled with uncertainty.

Vincent's face fell, disappointment evident in his eyes. I opened the door, indicating for him to leave. However, to my surprise, another figure stood outside—Shelby. Her expression was a mix of confusion and then realization as her gaze shifted between Vincent and me.

Vincent walked away without saying a word, but not before casting a stern look at Shelby, who returned it with equal intensity. As he disappeared from sight, I let out a heavy sigh and turned to face my sister.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice guarded.

Shelby shrugged nonchalantly, brushing past me to enter the house. Despite my initial reluctance to invite her in, I closed the door behind her. It was clear that Shelby had likely overheard my conversation with Vincent, and her presence now only fueled my curiosity. I braced myself for the questions that were undoubtedly coming.