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
They got to Charles' house, the Gomez Place and they all alighted from the limousine. There were no paparazzi lurking behind nor around them, so it was safe to leave the vehicle.Out of all Damien's friends, Charles had the lowest profile. He preferred to live a low-key life with his wife away from the radar of story-crazy reporters and journalists.Charles' house was like a palace. The white structure sat on a very large expanse of land. Despite the dim lights of the night, the beauty of the place could already be perceived. It was like an exotic resort right in the middle of the city.Damien was grateful to Charles for offering his penthouse to him and Céline. His hold on her hand tightened as they walked through the large front doors of the big house. If he h
"Are you sure he is not going to leave you pregnant and alone only to attend some business trips?" Elizabeth inquired in a low tone.As soon as Céline had reached home with Damien, she stylishly dragged Céline into her room for questioning."Aunt, it's too early in the morning for these kinds of interrogation. I am tired." Céline whined, passing a hand over her messy hair.She had such a peaceful night in Damien's arms. He kept whispering sweet words to her until they had both falling asleep on the large romantic bed back at Charles' palace of a home. It was the kind of bed, Céline referred to as Romeo and Juliet's bed.When she first saw it, she got scared. She wasn't ready yet. Sh
"Have you seen the way you look at her? Bro, I am telling you, it's over. Your nights of chasing women up to the sheets of the Fuck Hotel is over," Lucas said with a grin, Damien only shook his head.Ever since Damien informed him about his upcoming marriage, Lucas did not let him breath fresh air without teasing him about Céline."You know, Céline wasn't the only one shocked that night...even I didn't believe it! You are getting married! Who would have thought!""You are one lucky bastard bro! That woman is a total package, damn!" Lucas whistled dramatically; earning a warning glare from Damien."That's my future wife you are talking about, mind your words!"
Damien was yet to become accustomed to the changes in the office. So each time he rushed in, he still got the same surprised look he got a week ago, when the interior team had called him to approve their work.The lounge had turned into a mini-office, with a work table and a chair designed to suit the setting. It was also painted differently, his own side maintained its black and white theme, while Céline's side had a more feminine touch to it.The new decor was beautiful but when you were already used to seeing your office in a certain way and it suddenly changed- even if that change was plausible- you keep having the feeling you are in the wrong place each time you step in.The feeling soon passed like it usually did and his eyes landed on his beautiful
Céline was in utmost joy. She could finally see the big bright silver lining at the end of her tunnel of problems. She will soon have no reason to feel the guilt if she ever saw the news about the crimes John, her ex-boyfriend committed because he wouldn't be doing them anymore.He had become so focused on finding her parents' killers, he hadn't been involved in any murder lately. Pregnant women were starting to roam the streets again. Céline's conscience was getting cleaner with every passing day. Only the need to avenge her parents remained.That too, made her happy because she could feel her hands on the money already; and that meant she would be dealing with them as soon as John found them.She heaved a sigh as she dropped her pencil on her table. She
As soon as Céline got into the office, her thoughts caved in on her and she started pacing. What could be the matter?She paced the room trying hard to think but nothing came to her mind. As she paced, her mind conjured up the image of Damien snapping at her not to touch him. He was so cold, so furious. She couldn't remember doing anything to warrant such cold attitude from him.Was this a trait in him she needed to know of?Oh my God, what if he was suddenly scared of marrying her and wanted to back out?Her heart shook in fear as the idea came to her. If that was the case, she would not only be losing everything she had worked so hard to get but, she would be hopelessly heart broken.
That night, Damien couldn't sleep.His thoughts inundated his mind and sleep drowned out of his system. All he knew was pain, heartbreak, frustration and even more pain.How could a woman play such a game on him? What even hurt him more, was the fact that he so stupidly fell for it. He allowed her roll and tangle him on her little finger.He loved her unconditionally. He gave her all his heart without leaving a muscle out. He opened himself up completely to her, making a total fool of himself because she never loved him.She only loved his money."Fuck it!" He screamed, jumping off of his bed for the nth time that night.
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