"Some silly nerdy guy at my company." Brian improvised quickly. He gulped the last of his drink and tried to look less suspicious.
Charles and Lucas grunted in agreement with what he said. They didn't know how Damien would react if they told him what they were talking about.But Damien knew exactly what they were talking about but decided to play along, like he didn't."Let's toast!" He declared, pouring the golden liquid into their glasses.It was true that marriage wasn't his thing, but it didn't scare him. He just didn't want it. Not after what happened with the first girl he ever truly fell in love with, Céline. Céline Curt."What are we toasting to?" Charles demanded, raising his glass.There was more to life than being obsessed about one woman. He deserved to have fun, he worked hard for it."To a life without worries!" Damien said, beaming with renewed joy.They raised their glasses in the air and clinked them together."I need the files on Trés chic's order, can you forward them to my mail?" Damien's voice rang through the phone.He was no longer sweet and tender like before.Heck, he wasn't even seductive anymore. He sounded thoroughly professional. He sounded like Céline was exactly what she was, an ordinary assistant.He only called when he needed something concerning the office and she barely even saw him. She kept getting a cup of coffee for him but that was it, nothing else remained the same.Céline was truly in trouble now."Yes, I will do that right away..." she stuttered. The line went dead immediately and she was left with the to
The familiar smell of black coffee welcomed Damien into the office and he couldn't help but smile.He wanted to forget Céline but there were some things he couldn't force his body to stop doing. Like the smile that grew on his face every morning when he got to work and found his coffee waiting. The fact that Céline made it, was even more difficult to keep a straight face.Thankfully, he had gotten a separate office down the hall prepared for her. That way, he didn't have to worry about showing his weaknesses to her. He could maintain his cold attitude for as long as he wanted, till he was certain of what he wanted.Despite the fact that he had changed drastically towards her, Céline hadn't stopped taking care of his morning coffee nor his office.
It had been three weeks since Céline started working with Damien Culhane. Two weeks since they had a major lapse in their relationship, thanks to Céline's inappropriate timing. Life at the Culhane group of companies, had become a dilemma.She had to worry about John, her psychopathic ex-boyfriend and still worry about Damien. Sometimes she didn't understand him. Did he want her did he not want her? The questions were unending.The last time she was in his office, right before his friend came in, she saw his stern eyes soften. He even sounded like he was loving what he was seeing. She had specifically worn that gown to test him. She left her red hair flowing to seduce him. Though, she didn't get to physically seduce him, she saw the change in his eyes. He looked like he wanted her, but she couldn'
It was a few days to the Trés Chic's sale gala and Damien had decided to take a break from work, so he could have time to practice his speech and prepare himself for the big day.Trés Chic was one of Damien Culhane's most popular high class boutique. It was not your average clothing boutique. It was a first-class boutique that provided exquisite pieces for the high class. These facts made the sale gala attract a lot of publicity, even from media outlets his publicity and marketing department didn't hire. It was the talk of the town.Everybody who was important was going to attend. Any body who appreciated high end fashion made it a date. So, Damien had to make sure everything from his speech to his mood went flawless.He sat
Elizabeth let out a gasp as she gazed at her niece taking slow steps into the living room. There were tears of joy and admiration in Elizabeth's eye. It felt just like yesterday when she had found Céline in front of her house that morning. The little girl was now a young beautiful woman she had nursed so well."How do I look?" Céline twirled. She was beaming with joy.She was dressed in a silver intricate gown that flowed around her feet like silver clouds. It had fringes draping around it, sparkling in the light of their living room. It was the most expensive gown, Céline had ever owned. It had embedded diamonds lining the breast cups. Céline felt like a queen in it. She could not stop smiling down at herself.Real fucking
Damien held Céline possessively as they walked confidently down the red carpet. The photographers were eager to take their pictures. Camera lights flashed all over their bodies and Damien knew the picture would trend in the tabloids for weeks on long.It wasn't everyday Damien Culhane came to an even with a woman and held her so firmly. Though the firm hands he had on her was mostly to boost Céline's confidence. He had seen the self doubt in her eyes just minutes before they alighted from the limousine. Holding her hands made her stronger. She held her head up high and she had the smile of a goddess.He also held her hand to pass the message across to the men ogling at her to back off. It was a sign that screamed, 'back off she is mine'.
Céline was stunned. She sat there with her glass in mid air gawking at Damien. She couldn't believe her own ears. Her legs shook with surprise and happiness, all at once.Was this really happening? Was Damien really proposing?She couldn't bring her brain to accept what her ears were telling her. Her heart was not even helping the situation, for it kept hammering in her chest, causing butterflies to erupt and flutter everywhere, leaving warm kisses everywhere they touched.She didn't know what to do. Should she scream a fat yes, or should she remain quiet? Should she run and hug him with a fast nod or should she keep gawking at him from a distance?Her breathing started coming in gasps as she kept looking at
Céline took out her phone and quickly scrolled to the news. A soft gasp escaped her lips."What is it babe?" Damien asked.When Céline kept quiet. Damien snatched the phone from her and his frown deepened."What is the meaning of this?" He barked. "When did this happen?""The moment you walked with her into the hall, they went to dig in all the information they could about her and spread it all over the internet.""They will presently be lurking around her house, hoping you will go straight home." Charles continued saying but Céline was no longer paying attention.Panic w
Céline's phone dinged, notifying her of a message. She checked it and heart stopped."Céline, what is it?" Her aunt asked.Céline was unable to talk, she passed her phone over to her aunt to check for herself. Elizabeth took the phone and squinted over the device to check. She read the name but it didn't ring any bells."Abel? Do you know this person?" Elizabeth could not figure out what had gotten Céline so worked up over a simple name."Check again, aunt." Céline whispered as tears spilled from her eyes. She couldn't believe what was happening.Elizabeth furrowed her brows and checked the message again. "Is this message from John?"Céline only nodded, using her hands to muffle her cries. It seemed to her that her problems where never ending.Elizabeth checked the message again and gasped. Like a difficult puzzle, she had been able to put the pieces together in her head."Oh my God!""Abel
"His name is John Sherman. He dated Céline back in high school and they broke up when she had to leave for college." Lucas read from the file in his hands.They were in Damien's office going through reports they were able to get their hands on about Céline's caller."It says here, he was admitted for psychiatric care but vanished with no trace months ago." Damien said pacing the office.They were dealing with a psychopath here and it made the hairs at the back of Damien's neck stand erect. Céline must have been so scared, that was why she accepted to do it."Don't worry bro, we'll catch him. Brian has contacted the best hands in the police department. The best private investigators are searching
Céline was in deep thoughts. She would be a mother soon. She wouldn't want her child to think of her as the thief she was going to be after taking the money Damien had giving to her.Yes. He gifted it to her and that meant she could use it. Yet, her mind rejected the option. Where else could she find legit money to pay off John and within the hour; because John wasn't happy at all, making him wait would only get him riled up.She would just have to call that bank officer and make use of that money. But she would work hard and pay it back, somehow.Elizabeth returned shortly after Mrs Culhane and Damien had left the room. She brought a plate of baked rice and chicken for Céline with a fresh jug of water.
"What have you done!" Mrs Culhane's screeched."Mom, it is not as bad as you think... We just wanted to spend sometime at home-" Damien tried to explain to his mother but she was not having it."Do not give me that Damien Culhane! Do not even try it! Why would you call off your honeymoon! Didn't you think of your innocent wife?""Look at her! She is sick and pale because of you!" She barked pacing the room."Poor girl would be worried sick!"Somehow, Mrs Culhane had found out about Damien calling off his honeymoon and she got to the house when Céline had gone unconscious."Mom, she is sick b
The day after the conversation she had with Damien and even the weeks that followed, Céline remained in her room. She couldn't go to see her aunt as he had suggested. She had finally understood why he was acting coldly towards her. She had gotten the answers to all her questions.He knew.Damien somehow found out about her deal with John and just like she feared, he misunderstood her. He thought she was a gold-digger. A woman who only came after him for his money. A woman who had pretended to love him so she could get her hands on his wealth— and he was right.Whatever he was feeling or thinking about her was true. She was a gold-digger. A cheat, who deceived him. She was a woman without morals. She had seduced him to get his money.&nb
Céline was worried to the bones as she paced around the room that had somehow become her prison. What she had feared had finally happened.She knew the moment Damien brought in Sarah that whatever plans he had would go down the drain. Someone had to notice Sarah's movement in and out of the house and somebody eventually did! Lucas noticed.He came into the house unannounced and he had met her at a very vulnerable position.She had been thinking about her life and how she hadn't been able to see her own husband in almost two weeks, that was when he walked in on her. The shock and fear of seeing him in the house when Damien had wanted to stay hidden from all of them made her unable to control her panic.
"What do you mean by that?" Lucas asked, slowly moving to sit with Damien on the bed."I- I don't have any prove yet but I think she only married me for my money." Damien explained.Lucas stared up at Damien like he had grown a new pair of eyes. "You think?" He asked, laying emphasis on the last word with his eyes almost falling out of their sockets."All these..." Lucas said referring to Damien's marital situation."...you are doing is based on a fucking thought you have? Come on Damien, you are way smarter than this. Give me something concrete.""Well, I over heard her talking to her boyfriend on the phone about it!" Damien said kissing his teeth.
Torturing Céline proved to be even harder for Damien than he had initially thought.He had underestimated his love for her. His body couldn't watch her cry. His heart broke whenever he caught a glimpse of the sadness in her eyes. He couldn't do it.He had called Sarah in so she could handle his meals and maybe a few other things because he feared Céline might poison him. He had to be careful her character was questionable even if he loved her, he didn't trust her.His love for her made it impossible for him to do the things he planned to do to her. He couldn't handle seeing her break down again. Even if he knew she was only faking it, his own heart couldn't take her pain. If he kept seeing her, it wouldn't be long before he ran to her begging for forgiven
Damien helped her make a decision.He walked right pass her like she was a real statue. A monument and nothing more.Swallowing her pain, she went after him. At some point they would have to settle their differences. They couldn't continue like this. They were two adults and they had to come into some sort of arrangement at least.Damien headed to the room. Céline followed but stayed by the door watching him as he took out a bag from the closet. He started picking out his clothes from the neat pile of clothes folded in the cupboards and threw them into the bag.Maybe he was also packing for the honeymoon, Céline thought. Maybe there was a way of solving this problem of theirs all she had to do was star