Page 11 of Controlled By the Virgo

I curse under my breath before I turn and storm out of the building and into my car. I have to find Valerie and set things right. She needs to know she means more to me than they could ever imagine.

The drive to her place feels like an eternity, every passing second heightening my anxiety. When I finally reach her doorstep, I pause, trying to collect myself. How do I put into words just how much she's come to mean to me?

I knock on the door, my heart hammering against my ribcage. Valerie answers, her green eyes wide with surprise, only to narrow with suspicion. "What are you doing here?"

"I've heard what they're saying about you at work," I confess, clenching my fists. "It's not true, Valerie. You're not just a plaything to me. I—I love you."

Her expression flickers with a mix of disbelief and vulnerability, but she remains silent, her gaze locked onto mine. "I had to see you," I continue, my voice cracking. "I can't stand the thought of you believing those lies about us."

"Van..." Her voice wavers, and for a moment, I think she might relent.

"Please, Valerie," I plead, desperate to convince her of my sincerity. "Let me show you how much you really mean to me."

"Van, I can't do this," Valerie says, shaking her head as she crosses her arms over her chest. She avoids my gaze, her green eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I can't forget how we started. You coerced me into being your personal assistant after I tried to pickpocket you. It's not right."

"Valerie, please just listen to me—" I start, but she cuts me off.

"No, Van. I need some time alone. I have to check on my mom." With that, she closes the door in my face, leaving me standing helplessly on her doorstep. The sinking feeling in my stomach grows heavier as I watch her retreating figure.

I pace outside Valerie's house, raking my fingers through my hair until it's disheveled and messy, a mirror of my inner turmoil. I can't lose her. My thoughts race as I try to think of a way to make her understand.

* * *

Valerie

I walk into my mother's room, my heart heavy with the weight of Van's confession and my own conflicting feelings. My mother looks up from the bed, her face lighting up at the sight of me.

"Valerie, dear, you won't believe what happened!" Mom exclaims, her voice weak but filled with joy. "We received an anonymous donation for my cancer treatment! Isn't that amazing?"

My breath catches in my throat. There's only one person I know who's rich enough to arrange such funding.

My eyes fill with tears, and I cover my mouth to catch my sob.

Mom reaches out and grabs hold of my hand. I fall into her arms, and we both cry together.

But, for once, these are tears of hope and relief.

* * *

Van

As the sun begins to set, I find myself back at Valerie's doorstep, unable to walk away without trying once more. My knuckles rap against the door, shaking with the force of my desperation. When she opens it, I waste no time in professing my love once again.

"Valerie, I can't live without you," I say, my voice raw and hoarse. "I'm going crazy not having you by my side. I need you to know that we have an unbreakable connection, and you were made to be mine. I'll always take care of you, no matter what."

"Like you took care of Mom's treatment?" Valerie asks, her voice trembling as she confronts me.

I look down, guilty, before I admit, "I just wanted to make things easier for you, Valerie."

When I look back at her, her green eyes glisten with unshed tears, and my heart aches at the sight of her vulnerability. I can't help but reach out and brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"But I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to feel obligated to me," I admit, my own voice cracking under the weight of my emotions. "I just...I wanted to do something good for you, Valerie. It was the least I could do after everything that happened."

Her lips tremble as she whispers, "Thank you," and the tears finally spill over, trailing down her cheeks like rivers of relief. She steps closer, closing the distance between us, and I can feel the warmth of her body radiating against mine.

"Van, I...I love you too," she admits, her voice barely audible. "I've been fighting it for so long, but I can't deny it anymore."

My heart leaps in my chest, and I pull her into my arms, our bodies fitting together like pieces of a puzzle that were always meant to be joined. Our mouths meet hungrily, tongues tangling together in a desperate dance that speaks volumes of our pent-up passion.

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