Damien 93.There was no use playing her game. Rose loved to have leverage over people who were desperate enough. Fortunately, I was not one of them. I knew that if I allowed it, Rose would only tease me with that knowledge of where Vito was. I was not interested in games nor did I have the time.If she did not want to tell me, that was fine. I was confident in my ability to lure him out myself."The fact that you referenced him in our conversation means they he his near," I told Rose. "I will find him without your help," I told her."You should cut him some slacks, he was desperate," Rose said."Rose, if there is nothing else for you to say, I need some privacy, got to prepare for my trip," I told her already bored of her presence.If she was still seeing that needy little scared teenager when she looked at me, then that was her problem.She gave me a slow smile and I knew that she was not going to stop. I had wasted the whole morning talking to Rose and no
Isabella 94.I knew that Natalia and I would never get along but I did not intend to hurt her. I wrongly assumed that she was aware of how things ran in her prestigious family. I felt bad for her and it surprised me. I sat on the public bench and table beside the food truck.I had not yet ordered anything because I was waiting for Damien. I had no idea how Natalia was dealing with the news of Damien's past but I genuinely hoped that she was alright.I smiled as soon as I spotted Damien crossing the streets. "Have you ordered anything yet?" He asked as he joined me."I was waiting for you," I told him. We both ordered extra large hot dogs with ketchup and mustard."I like this," He told me as he ate."Yeah, they make good hot dogs here," I said. He chuckled lightly."No, I meant that I like hanging out with you and the scenery is beautiful, with you I feel normal," He said with a smile as he happily looked around.I looked around also and saw what he meant. We looked like casual busine
Damien 95.Isabella went mute and wide eyed when I broke the news to her. I was terrified of what was going on in her mind. Was she blaming herself? Was she happy? I could not tell."Say something, Isabella," I pleaded. But there was no response. She gave me a haunted look as she shook her head in denial."Please do not beat yourself up on this, you had no control over what could have happened," I implored her."Damien, I need to be alone, I need space," She said in a quiet voice that threatened to break.Being alone was the last thing she needed but I had to respect her boundaries. I reluctantly stood up and headed for the door. I was filled with intense concern as I reached the door."Damien?" She called softly. I turned back to her."Thank you...for letting me know," She said. I nodded a little and closed the door after me as I left her office.I wanted to call Jackson but he was already on his way to Isabella's office. He was all smiles when he came but gr
Isabella 96.It took a while for me to get over the death of my ex. It took days actually. That was a lie, it took more than days. There were times I would be busy going through work, and I would realize that he was dead and a heavy bout of depression would hit me.Sometimes, I would have panic attacks and it would take Damien holding me and whispering soothing words before I got myself back together.I was deep in work when someone walked in. Her perfume hit me nose and I knew who it was. I was actually surprised that she was here. She had been avoiding me ever since I unwittingly blurted out that her mother was a cougar.Natalia sat and made herself comfortable, gazing at me with an blank expression. She had on a peach colored couture work dress and crossed her legs."Please, make yourself at home," I said. I had no idea what she wanted today but she was my boss and the rules were different here. Despite the fact that we were enemies, business was business."I h
Damien 97.I knew it was going to be a long day when I met Natalia in my office waiting for me. With so much happening, I had no time for anyone's drama."What do you want?" I asked, gruffly settling down my suitcase. I had no idea what version of her bullshit was going to be my headache today."To apologize," She said."Apology accepted, you may leave now," I told her, getting ready to work."Please, Damien, just hear me out," She implored which maid me pause. She sounded sincere. I sat down and leaned backwards against the chair.I waited, attentive to what she had to say."I had no right to treat you the way I did and I failed to understand that you are the victim hear. I am so sorry, Damien," She said."Thank you, if you really mean that," I said, mildly surprised that this side of Natalia existed. I had no idea what what she was up to but I suspected that it was going to be something different."One more thing," She said, coming closer to my mahogany desk."I will wait. I know th
Isabella 98.I was lying to myself if I said that I understood what was going on in this conference room. I was even more shocked to realize that the beautifully old lady was Damien's mother. Vague memories invaded my mind as I tried to recall where I had seen her.The smell of apple pie came to my nose and I knew that she made those on the weekends. For the first time, I saw Vito for who he was. In this conference, he had no say. He had been rebuffed twice by his estranged wife and I realized that he almost had no say on this meeting.Was that why he resorted to almost killing me? Because he could not control his wife? Or did he hate women in general. Damien, although looking worried did not seem to care about the meeting.He was more concerned for his mother, because he kept looking at her like she was going to spontaneously combust into flames. It felt so cute to see my husband dotting over his mother."Calm down, son, I promise you that I will not do anything
Damien 99.I knew that bitch was going to try something as outrageous as this. I was not surprised that she was here, I was surprised that she came with a firearm. Did she think killing Isabella would even things out.I had no idea what she hoped to accomplish but I knew that that only way for her to get to Isabella was over my dead body."We need to get you somewhere safe, Isabella, she could be anywhere in the building," I told Isabella."Using the elevator is out of the question because she could be on any floor," I told the security men. "We can not take any chances," I added."So what should we do? I am not going to be sitting duck for some bitch," Vito said angrily."The men are armed and capable, Vito, plus as long as you are here, you will never be given any weapon of any kind," I told him."Flank the entrance and use the chairs as barricades," I ordered the men. Who did as I said.We all sat on the remaining chairs and waited."So this is what a typical
Isabella 100"Change of plans, we are going straight to the airport," Damien told me as he looked at the screen of his phone as he drove down the highway.I saw my room being torn apart by men in suits and masks."Why are they doing this?" I asked getting angry at the breach of privacy."They think that I have something," He replied replied. "What exactly it is, I am not sure," He added.One of the men spotted the camera and raised his gun. The screen went blank.I watched him put a call to Jackson. "My home has been raided, meet us at that airport," He said as soon has Jackson answered.At the airport, Jackson was anxiously waiting for us. His face was etched with worries. I had no idea why he was here, because he was just the assistant HR for Damien's company."What is going on?" I asked Damien when we got close to Jackson. "Why is Jackson here?" I asked."He is your bodyguard from now on but you have to keep it a secret, he is undercover as an assistant HR to investigate some compa
Isabella As I lay on the floor, bound and helpless, a whirlwind of emotions swirled within me – fear, uncertainty, and a desperate longing for safety and freedom. But just when it felt like all hope was lost, the door burst open, and there he was – Damien, my husband, my savior.Relief flooded through me as I saw him stride into the room, his presence a beacon of strength and determination amidst the chaos. With him was Jackson, his trusted ally, who had helped orchestrate our rescue. I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude towards both of them as they quickly moved to untie me and Ava, their movements swift and efficient.As the ropes fell away and I rose to my feet, I couldn't suppress the overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude that washed over me. Damien enveloped me in his arms, holding me close and whispering words of reassurance and comfort as tears of relief streamed down my cheeks.Together, we made our way out of the room, leaving behind the nightmare that had thre
Damien My gaze never wavered from Vito's face as I listened to my arch nemesis. The gravity of the situation got more and more deadlier as the night wore on. The papers were still in Vito's hand as I kept the phone to my hear.My father had an inquisitive look on his face as he watched me closely. The line went dead and I put the phone back into my pocket. I collected the the contract and without breaking eye contact, slowly tore it up right in front of him.Vito's eyes widened in shock and utter disbelief. "What the fuck are you doing?" He yelled maniacally as he knelt on the floor trying in vain to join the piece of paper together in a futile attempt.For the first time in my life, I saw him for what he was. An empty barrel of a man, a pathetic and sorry excuse for a husband to my mother and a fucking dead beat piece of shit of a father. I felt nothing but contempt and disgust as I watched him scrambled across the whole floor."Do you know what you have done?!" He yelled at me as h
Isabella As Ava was pushed into the room, I felt a rush of relief flood through me at the sight of her, mingled with a fresh wave of fear for our uncertain future. She stumbled slightly, her eyes wide with shock and confusion, but when she saw me, her expression softened with a mixture of relief and concern."Isabella, darling, are you alright?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion as she hurried to my side.I reached out to her, my hands shaking as I clutched hers tightly, drawing strength from her presence despite the terror that still gripped me. "I'm scared, Ava," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what's going to happen to us."Ava's eyes filled with tears as she wrapped her arms around me, holding me close in a comforting embrace. "We'll get through this together, sweetheart," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."But before we could say another word, the door swung open once again, and Camilla e
Damien As I waited anxiously for Camilla's instructions, every second felt like an eternity. My mind raced with a thousand thoughts, each one more frantic than the last. Where was she keeping Isabella and Ava? What did she want from me? And most importantly, how could I save them from whatever danger they were in?The minutes ticked by agonizingly slow, the silence of the room weighing heavily on my shoulders. I felt a surge of frustration building within me, the urge to take action and do something, anything, to rescue my wife and mother from the clutches of their captors.Finally, the sound of my phone buzzing broke the silence, and I quickly grabbed it, my heart pounding in my chest. It was Camilla, her name flashing on the screen, and I answered it without hesitation."Damien," her voice came through the line, smooth and composed as ever. "I trust you've had some time to think about our situation."I clenched my jaw, my grip on the phone tightening with barely contained anger. "W
Isabella As consciousness slowly seeped back into my mind, I found myself engulfed in darkness. Panic surged through me as I struggled to make sense of my surroundings, the weight of my own fear pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket.My heart thundered in my chest as I became aware of the rough bindings cutting into my wrists and ankles, the coarse fibers digging painfully into my skin. Panic tightened its grip around my throat as I realized the full extent of my helplessness, the stark reality of my captivity crashing down on me with brutal force.Frantic thoughts raced through my mind as I struggled against my restraints, the panic threatening to consume me whole. Where was I? How had I ended up here? And most importantly, where was Ava?A wave of despair washed over me as I realized that I was completely at the mercy of my captors, whoever they were. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I imagined the worst, my mind conjuring up horrifying scenarios of what fate awa
Damien As I strode through the familiar corridors of the office building, my mind raced with thoughts and plans. Natalia's brazen attempts to undermine me only fueled my determination. I had come too far to let her or anyone else stand in my way.But it wasn't just about me anymore. My family – Isabella, Ava, our unborn child – they were my driving force. I would do whatever it took to protect them, to ensure their safety and security. And that meant taking down anyone who dared to threaten what was mine.And now, as I sat there, surrounded by the trappings of power, I couldn't help but feel a surge of determination. I wouldn't rest until the Founder's Association was dismantled until my family was safe until Renaissance was secure.With a steely resolve, I reached for my phone and began to formulate my next move. There was no turning back now. The game was on, and I intended to win. Immersed in the intricate details of my plan, my phone suddenly rang, jolting me out of my focused s
Isabella Chopping vegetables for the lasagna, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort wash over me. Cooking had always been a soothing activity for me, a way to channel my thoughts and focus on something tangible amidst the chaos of life.Ava, my ever-supportive mother-in-law, stood beside me, offering gentle guidance as we prepared dinner for Damien. "Now, Isabella, remember to slice the vegetables thinly for the lasagna layers," she instructed, her voice warm and reassuring.I nodded, taking her advice to heart as I carefully wielded the knife. "Like this?" I asked, holding up a perfectly sliced zucchini for her inspection.Ava smiled approvingly. "Just like that, dear. You're a natural," she praised, her encouragement filling me with a sense of pride.As we worked side by side, Ava shared her secrets for creating the perfect steak marinade, imparting her culinary wisdom with the patience of a seasoned chef. "The key is to let the meat marinate for at least an hour," she expla
Damien I was watchful during the conference meeting. I took my time to really look at the board members sitting at the table to see if I could see a member of the Founder's Association but none were seated at this conference. Even Rose St Dumas was not present. Maybe she was preparing her cronies of corrupt businessmen and women for the final show down.Camilla Valdez was also not present but Natalia was. I could not tell what was going on in her head as she gazed at me. If her mother was one of them, did that not make her automatically part of tht fold? Was I over reaching? If the plan with the detective worked, it meant that a lot of people will inevitably get hurt. "What is the profit margin for today?" I asked as I got down to business. "Eight percent since last year," Natalia said in a professional manner. "That's lower than last two years," I said with a frown. "That was due to the Al Vegas controversy," One of the board members said. "You mean the embezzlement," I replied
Damien Returning to the office after the recent turmoil felt like stepping into a minefield, each step fraught with the risk of detonating hidden dangers lurking beneath the surface. As I walked through the familiar halls of Renaissance, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gripped me like a vice, a constant reminder of the precarious balancing act I was now forced to perform.Every interaction, every word spoken, had to be carefully calculated and measured, lest I inadvertently reveal the truth lurking beneath the facade of normalcy I presented to the world. I couldn't afford to let slip even the slightest hint of my alliance with Michael, for fear of the consequences it could bring crashing down upon us both.My colleagues greeted me with smiles and nods as I made my way to my office, their cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within me. Behind their friendly facades, I couldn't help but wonder who among them could be trusted, and who might be secretly wo