The big day finally came, their wedding day.
Céline's house was bubbling with activities. Two of her aunt Elizabeth's close friends from work came to the house to help out with final arrangements. Not like there was any arrangement to be done anyway -Mrs Culhane had single handedly taking care of all preparations- they just mainly came for emotional support since Céline didn't have other relatives aside her aunt.
Her old friend from college, Olivia also came as she was the maid of honor.
Céline sat in front of her dressing mirror, letting Mary fix her hair and makeup. Mrs Culhane had borrowed her Mary, one of her trusted attendants to take care of her. The young girl had been more than helpful. She did everything from Céline's dress, her nails and
The symphony in the church rose higher as Damien stepped forward to meet the officiating minister, Lucas following closely behind him."May we all rise to welcome the bride to be." The minister said in a sing-song manner.The entire mass got on their feet and another tune started playing as everyone's eyes fell to the carpeted passage at the center of the cathedral."If you still have doubts about this, now is the right time to run brother." Lucas whispered in his ears.Damien discreetly glared at him and Lucas smiled."Do not even think about it, I was only joking. Céline would kill me if I let you run off." He snickered.
The reception was just as well planned and decorated as the ceremony at the cathedral. Gold and silver paper birds hung on the trees. Golden chairs were arranged in groups of tens and twelve with a round table for guests. Céline was in awe just staring at the beautiful ensemble made for her big day.It was an outdoor setting with trees and a swimming pool, designed so naturally, one would never think it was only artificial. Lights of different colors bounced on the water creating an enchanted aura.Waiters and servers roamed around replacing people's drinks and passing around plates of cakes and other side dishes, Mrs Culhane had arranged with the help of international chefs she had invited.Céline and Damien were seated under a canopy clothed with a mass of in
The car parked in front of Damien's house.Céline felt like an Hiroshima had exploded within her body. Her limbs felt lifeless and her heart thumped so loud she could literally feel the punches against her chest.She glanced at Damien and noticed he was unperturbed about the dilemma she was going through.How was she going to face him in that house? If he started asking questions about money and things related to her past, what would she tell him?Damien opened the door and stepped out of the car, leaving Céline to her own dilemma. Her dress suddenly felt too tight and she was gasping for air.She had two options; Sleep in the car or fol
As much as he wanted to derive joy from hurting her, Damien hated himself afterwards.As the cold water from the shower trickled down his body, he kept regretting his actions over and over again. He wasn't a monster. He wasn't the kind of man that took a woman by force; But for the first time in his life, he had physically hurt a woman. He should have felt good, considering the fact that the woman in question was a cheat and a gold digger, but he felt terrible. He felt horrible.He shouldn't have done it. He should have just ignored her and moved on to his other plans, not touch her, touching her was never a part of his plan. He should have remained on that couch and not run after her in the bedroom when she had managed to enter the house. He shouldn't have hurt her because somehow, knowing he put her in pain, made his heart hurt.
It was hurting.Céline's heart was hurting. She sat on the floor shaking with tears. Tears trailed down her cheeks as she was too weak to even wipe them. What had she put herself into?This was not the man she fell in love with. This was not her Damien. She knew deep down that he might have perceived her original reasons for wanting to marry him but, she was still in denial. He couldn't have found out about that.After the brutal way she had lost her virginity last night, she had thought she could make it up to him by making breakfast and talking to him. She even made up her mind to tell him about John and the stupid contract she made with him. Despite the soreness between her legs she tried to make breakfast for them. She wanted to make her marriage work. There
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
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
"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.
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