Damien As Camilla entered my office, I felt a mixture of relief and annoyance. She had a knack for interrupting at the most inconvenient times, but her presence also meant a break from the emotionally charged conversation with Natalia."Sorry to interrupt, Damien, but we have an urgent matter to discuss," Camilla said, her expression serious."Come back later, we are in the middle of a discussion," Natalia said arrogantly."Actually, we are done with what we were talking about, what do you need?" I said.Natalia whipped her head around to look at me. It was as if she could not believe that I could choose Camilla over her.Taking the cue, Camilla walked in and took a seat beside Natalia. It was not like I trusted her, in fact she was my number one enemy because of her immediate threat to my wife.Natalia refused to leave and I knew that another round of drama was imminent. She said nothing but glared at Camilla and occasionally, at me."What is it?" I asked, hoping it wasn't another c
Isabella It saddened me that Damien did not wake me up before he left. I guessed that after yesterday's battle of words with my father, he did not have the mind to be around me for now. He was still feeling awkward after his sudden show of emotions."I am so sorry you had to see that," He had said after we had locked lips and groped each other for over thirty minutes.I had laughed at his apology. I caressed his face. His handsome chiseled face."You are only human, Damien," I had told him as I ran a hand through his soft hair. Emilio's visit had rocked our world and it was not in a good way.I had a quick bath and brushed my teeth. I did not bother to blow dry my air but I rubbed it thoroughly with a towel. I put on blue jeans, a soft white shirt, and a cream-colored woolen jacket.I wondered what I was going to have for breakfast but there was no appetite so I opted for coffee instead. The maids had not yet arrived. I walked into the kitchen and found the coffee machine half filled
Damien I sat alone at the bar, nursing a glass of whiskey as I waited for Emilio to arrive. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel my muscles coiling with anticipation. Meeting with Isabella's father was never an easy task, especially considering our tumultuous history.I had left home angry after I had spoken to Isabella about her father's unwanted visit. It had been an ugly conversation with my wife. I had not even sat down before the questions began to fly everywhere."What are you hiding from me, Damien?" Isabella demanded angrily. I knew that her father had triggered her with his visit. It was about time we had our face-to-face conversation."What did he tell you this time?" I asked wearily. "Why is he so interested in our lives, Isabella, why do you always let him in?" I asked angrily."I can not believe you, Damien," She replied hurt. "You do not want to tell me," She added in a pain-filled voice. It killed me inside to see her look at me that way. I had vividly seen
Isabella I hated that I loved him. That was why it was too devastating for me any time we had our quarrel. Although, Emilio had not really said what exactly my husband did but his demeanor had revealed that it must have been bad.I wish that I had not confronted him but it was too late. We had both said hurtful things to each other and he had angrily left. If there was one thing Damien hated most, it was fighting with me. He had called it exhausting when we had our first fight.I could not stand the fact that an estranged father knew more about my own husband that me. What Damien failed to realize was that keeping me in the dark only made me doubt his commitment no matter how good of a husband he turned out to be.It was clear now what I want to do. A long no bullshit conversation with Emilio and who he really was. I had mirrored Damien's suspicious feeling about Emilio's mysterious knowledge of Renaissance's bloody and illegal history. Despite the fact that he was open about his wil
Damien It was certain that Emilio was hiding something. He had sounded so sure of himself when we had our confrontation at the bar. He was really pissed that his daughter was married to me. I knew if there was a chance for him to invalidate out marriage, he would take it.The problem with Isabella's father was that I could not decide if he was friend or foe. He claimed to care about his daughter's safety but then he began to do the exact opposite thing that would actually protect her.I paid for my tab and called Natalia. It was time we had that talk. It was time we really needed to come to terms about what the hell was going between us. I was no longer going to tolerate her interference into my life and marriage.I had no intention of meeting her in a place like this so I decided that the most suitable place for our discussion was in a diner with good coffee."Let us meet at that fast food place, opposite the office," I told her."Give me thirty minutes," Natalia replied over the ph
Isabella 175.I needed a break from all of them. Emilio, Damien, Natalia and Camilla. I had watched Natalia storm into this place more times than I could count. I had almost feared for my life because I believed that she was going to get physical with me.Natalia was not the kind of person anyone could say no to and that was why she was finding it hard to let go of Damien. I had not actually met her in person but her family were famous in the city as business moguls and elite.However, delving deep into the family dynamics, they just all took advantage of Damien when he was living with them as a child. Natalia's parents were Marcus and Rose St. Dumas. What surprised me was that while living with the St. Dumas, Rose was steadily having an affair with Damien in when he was just barely seventeen and Marcus, the husband was aware of it.Ever since he married me, it had been one unwanted revelation after the other. I packed a little of my things and reluctantl
Damien 176.I sat there for a while after Natalia had unceremoniously left me at the diner. All eyes were on lonely me as I sat alone and drank my coffee. This was not how I had planned the whole thing. I sighed deeply and looked out of the window. I knew that she would be back.The women of St. Dumas were relentless in their pursuit of whatever they wanted and they only gave up if they were bored.My phone rang and a number that I thought I would never see again showed up on the screen. It was a call from my Commanding officer back in the army. He just recently retired and was now working as a criminal analyst and profiler.He had been the head of the precinct at the City police station but he had been transferred because he was asking the right questions from the wrong people. He had been helping me investigate the killings at Renaissance.While I had left the army, he had chosed to retire than resign and he was not even that old yet."I did not think I was g
Isabella 177As I sat across from Ava, the weight of our shared experiences hung heavy in the air. I watched as the early afternoon sunlight danced through the leaves, casting dappled shadows across the porch. Ava's eyes held a sadness that mirrored my own, a silent testament to the burdens we both carried."Tell me about those early days, Ava," I urged gently, breaking the somber silence that had settled between us.Ava sighed, her gaze drifting into the distance as memories from the past flooded her mind. "Those were dark times, Isabella," she began, her voice tinged with regret. "After Vito was arrested by the army, I was left alone to fend for myself and Damien.""Rose was the only one who stood by me back then," Ava relayed to me. "But she took advantage of my helplessness," She added bitterly.I knew what she was talking about. Rose had an affair with a young Damien and it ruined the relationship between Ava and the whole of St. Dumas."I knew about