LEXIE'S POV
“Wear this….” Damian handed me an elegant red mask with an intricate design that seemed like it would complement my dress nicely. I took the mask; he wasn’t giving me the amount of information I needed. He had said we were going to a party, but where? Who were we meeting, and where the hell was the brief of our contract that stated the part where I would be left in the dark all the time? Mental anguish, as I fiddled with the hem of my dress, my heart kept pounding in my chest as the car sped towards the grand venue. Serious mental anguish is what I was going through, , and guess what? The marriage wasn’t even up to a month; did I want to leave? Heck yeah! But guess whose mom was going to die? Can anyone guess? Okay, I’ll just throw in the answer as a bonus, mine! My mother’s life was on the line if I couldn’t even keep up with half of what I was facing at the moment.Damian was too intense for him; he wasn't the kind of man you could handle because he would totally consume you.
“Why….” I inhaled sharply, trying to muster up the courage to question him. because I didn’t think my little talk back at him at the boutique was past him yet. “Why do I need to wear this?” I asked as I held up the mask. He blatantly ignored me; his face was just fixated on the road. which then led me to another yet troubling question, although i had always thought of it, What kind of CEO drives his own car himself? Where was his driver? I sighed, feeling more uneasy by the second. I began to tap the side of the passenger seat three times for relief. “What are my rules?” Damian’s voice broke through my thoughts; it was sharp and demanding. “Stay by your side at all times. Smile for the cameras. No flirting with other men, and no speaking out of turn." I recited, like an anthem. What else would he do aside from this? Get me a leash, so I’m a good girl dog? “Good,” he replied, and the car came to a stop. Damian pulled open the compartment built in the dashboard where I sat, and I saw a pair of black leather gloves sitting pretty there. Gloves? He wears gloves; how could I have forgotten? You would almost never see him without his gloves on, but why? What was he hiding? Or was he just a lover of hand gloves? He brushed the side of his hair to make it neater, adjusted his tie, and put on his coldest demeanor. Then he came down from the car with flashing lights as Paparazzi swarmed. My stomach soon started to rumble; it does that when I’m extremely nervous. I started tapping three times nervously on my thighs; my nerves were seriously threatening to overwhelm me. Almost like the blinding array of sunlight when you swipe open your curtains in the morning, Damian opened my side of the car and held out his hand. I placed mine in his, and he helped me out of the car. The minute I stepped out, the cameras seemed to go wild, eager to catch a glimpse of me. It was oddly satisfying to see people paying attention to you and trying to get just a little peep of you. I smiled, but then it curved down into a stiff and nervous one the moment I heard “Over here! ...” one of the photographers yelled. “Victoria, you look beautiful.” “Where have you been? Lady Victoria, we missed you!” “Smile for us!!! Show us that beautiful smile we all remember.” Another one yelled. Then the reality of the situation hit me—they didn’t want me. They all just wanted to catch a glimpse of who they thought was Victoria; why would I even have the audacity to like all these? This was Victoria’s spotlight, not mine. I wasn’t ready for this; Victoria was the daughter of a CEO. Would I still get the same attention if I took off this mask and they saw that I’m just a nobody? Any other popular woman would still get their attention, with the best headlines talking about how she managed to bag a man like CEO Damian Valour. What would they say about me? “Take off your mask,” Damian whispered, his hand steady on my back. My heart thumped hard in my chest; I couldn’t. “Trust me.” He whispered again. There it was again, the soft part of him that I had met. The aura that would make me do anything for this man, he was at it again. I hesitated but complied, slowly removing the mask that shielded my face with trembling hands. The earth seemed to stop rotating; the world held its breath the minute the mask came off. The cameras stopped, silence and confusion. They were expecting someone else; what were you thinking, Lexie?? I heard if you bite your tongue hard enough, you’d die on the spot. Could I try that now? Hades or hell was better than here. I looked at Damian; he was so calm about this. His composure was like anything I had ever seen; he was relaxed, a little bit too relaxed, with a small smirk on his face. What was going through his head? And then, as if on cue, Damian leaned in and planted a kiss on my cheek. The cameras roared back to life, capturing every moment. “Is this the new Miss Valour?” “Mr. Valour, you have the best pick at women. Is she your new lady?” “You look absolutely beautiful. Please give us more of you!” Questions started flying at us from all directions. I forced a smile, feeling the weight of Damian’s arm around my waist. Was this really happening? They love me already? Could I keep pretending that this wasn’t affecting me in any way? Damian gave a short wave and turned to walk away; I followed in his steps and turned away too. We entered the opulent hall; the attention of every guest was now on us. Mostly on me, and I mentally travelled back to when I tripped on that stage. The origin story of how my life was slowly turning into something you’d only read in fictional books. “You are doing great; keep at it and you might get a raise,” Damian said to me. I couldn’t believe him; he was enjoying every bit of this. But was it his fault that I wasn’t just used to his world yet? I was the one with a problem, not him. He’s just rich and unbothered; I’m just a girl who slept with him for money. But then my kind of luck is what girls are looking for. I could write a book and title it “I FUCKED A BILLONAIRE, THE FAME CAME AFTER: A TRUE LIFE STORY,” then it would have like a table of contents and stuff. “Remember not to speak unless spoken to.” He warned again, and as he held my hands through the crowd, his grip was firm yet gentle. We approached a group, and the people engaged in a lively conversation. I had no idea who we were approaching, and I couldn’t ask. I’m just a dog, remember, except that I don’t have a leash with my name on it. But their laughter was loud and carefree; it could also pay my mom’s medical bills. That’s how I figured that we were moving towards some pretty rich and powerful people; the laughter was that expensive. Plus, the air of authority around them and the way people gravitated towards them made it clear they were important. As we got closer, Damian exchanged pleasantries with one of the men there. “The conversation seems interesting; I can see that you’re enjoying your evening.” “Damian! I’m glad you made it.” The man replied warmly. “It’s good to see you again, since you chose to be far away from me.” “Father, I see you haven’t stopped being the dramatic man you are.” Damian responded, and I felt a jolt of surprise. So this was his father, the man who paved the way for a devil/angel into this world. “Your mother was more dramatic; she wanted to be away from me so bad that she died. And the son she left refuses to even pay me a visit. Aren’t I father of the year?” He chuckled softly, but I could see Damian clench his jaws. His mom was dead? so Evelyn wasn't his real mother.That explains his coldness though, or at least a part of it.
His father turned, his eyes full of curiosity. Despite his youthful appearance—his sharp suit, fit build, and barely any grey hair—there was an air of wisdom around about him. a certain deepness, or should I say depth, of his eyes that hinted at his age. “And who might this be?” “This is Lexie,” Damian said, introducing me with calm confidence. “She’s my girlfriend.” His father extended his hand to me, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lexie. Be sure to treat my boy nicely.” I shook his hand, smiling warmly. “The pleasure is mine, sir. I sure will, and besides, Damian speaks very highly of you; I am honoured to meet you.” I lied. To be honest, my life was just honored to meet his son’s pockets and apparently his pants. Though I noticed that his father didn’t seem to notice that I wasn’t Victoria, “I wanted you here early, Damian, so you could meet my friend’s son, who’s interested in becoming business associates with you. But he had to leave early for emergencies.” They began discussing business, and I just stood there, feeling uncomfortable and useless. I was like an antique; maybe I should hold a drink tray so I’d feel needed a little bit. Just kidding. Suddenly, a woman’s sharp voice cut through the conversation, making me jump slightly. “You’re still taking your sexcapades seriously, Damian.....""Victoria would be so disappointed.”
He got up, and I felt confused and shy as Evelyn and Valerie turned to us. But he held my hand firmly and whisked me away. My heart raced as I moved through the crowd; Damian’s grip on my hand was strong, and I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. He led me upstairs; we moved through the elegant corridors, each step echoing with the distant sounds of the auction below. We reached a door at the end of the hallway; he opened it and ushered me inside, then locked the door behind us. The click of the lock made my heart jump excitedly. He turned to face me, his eyes filled with so much intensity and hunger. Without breaking eye contact, he shrugged off his jacket and let it fall to the floor. “I-erm…” He cut me off; his lips crashed against mine. The kiss was intense, filled with nothing but hunger that left me breathless. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer until there was no space between us. His hands went down to cup my butt, giving it a rough knead. “Fabio
DAMIAN’S POV TWO WEEKS LATER I had just gotten back from my tiresome two-day business trip to Las Vegas; it was a sight to behold, and it indeed was the city of casinos, also filled with hot women that were ready to go down anywhere you wanted it. But my body just ached for rest, and my mind was all over the place. I barely got enough sleep on the jet; I just kept tossing and turning. Probably because I wasn’t used to the new jet yet. I originally had requested a change of pilot when I landed in Vegas, because the last one reminded me of someone I wanted dead so badly, and I bought a new jet because I wanted a change of interior. If not, I would have been home last night. But the jet got to Las Vegas this morning. As I walked through the door, my cook, Mary, hurried over with a warm smile on her face. She was gifted with retentive memory and smart enough to remember all my preferences. She had carefully prepared a cup of black coffee, just the way I liked it. It was like
LEXIE’S POV “If Victoria came back, where would that leave you?” A question that lingered on and on in my heart for the past three weeks I had been with Damian. “WILL THE CEO’S DAUGHTER TAKE OVER HER FATHER’S COMPANY?” Another video showed a woman speculating about Victoria’s imminent return. I settled on the couch beside my mom’s hospital bed. I had taken it upon myself to spend the whole day in the hospital. I couldn’t bear to stay with Damian for another day in that house after the heated argument between us yesterday. My mom had been moved to the VIP section on Damian’s orders and the agreement between us. The room was quieter and more comfortable, and she had private nurses attending to her. Everything I had busted my ass for but couldn’t get. I was grateful for this, but the sight of her still made my heart ache. Knowing that if she knew the conditions at which I got her these treatments, she would have preferred to die. “She can’t be away forever; the company w
VIEWERS DISCRETION ⚠️: This scene portrays abuse, violence and maybe fear. VICTORIA’S POV FLASH-BACK “Please. Please, I’m begging you.” A pair of strong hands grabbed me by my hair and threw me across the room. I crawled backwards on the cold floor that was already stained with my blood. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, tears mingling with the blood. “I…. I’m sorry, okay? Please don’t hurt me,” my breath shaky as I begged for my life. A cruel laugh echoed in the room. “You really are pathetic, aren’t you? Just like your mother,” he sneered, his tone dripping with so much contempt. I stopped crawling and looked up; my vision was blurry as a result of blood hanging in one corner of my eyeballs. His wristwatch had hit me in the eye when he slapped me with the back of his hand. He crouched down to my level; his eyes were glistening with satisfaction, while my whole body trembled in his presence. “I wonder what goes on in that head of yours.” He as
LEXIE’S POV It’s been four days since my heart shattered into a million pieces. Four days since I last saw him, as he wouldn’t come home. Four days since I realised that Damian couldn’t be mine, that I was nothing but a fleeting moment for him. It was just in the span of a few days that I understood, with a soul-crushing finality, that I was just a joke to him. I could leave; in fact, I was supposed to leave. Our contract ended earlier than it should, right? And I was supposed to sign the divorce agreement, isn’t it? But what if? What if I still had a chance with him? What if things could change? “He can still love me. I know it.” Jenny’s anger pierced through my thoughts like sharp arrows. “What the actual fuck is wrong with you?!” she exploded; her face was masked with frustration. I had been echoing the same thing over and over since I got to Jenny’s house. “I love him.” She exhaled heavily; her fingers ran through her thick blonde hair as she stared at me in disbelief.
VICTORIA’S POV “I don’t see you as my sister.” His voice echoed in my head, and I covered my ears tightly with my hands; it felt like I could still hear my own screams that came afterwards. What did I do to deserve this kind of treatment? Why wouldn’t he just treat me as his sister? I sat in my bathtub; the water felt warm and flowed in such a reassuring manner around me. My knees were pulled to my chest, my arms wrapped around them tightly, as I rocked myself slowly. If only that could help to ward off the chaos that was swirling in my mind. The sound of rushing but yet familiar footsteps echoed in my head, a constant reminder of the terror I experienced. “Why didn’t you just make a run for it when all of these started, Victoria?” I asked, with a throat dry. “You could have saved yourself the trauma; you’re the author of your own problems. Aren’t you?” I continued, but the woman in the full-length mirror resting on the bathroom wall just stared at me in silence. “Look at
LEXIE’S POV “This is E-Gossip, and we’re back with the latest celebrity gossip. Pictures circulating of the billionaire CEO, Damian Valour, and the millionaire heiress, Victoria Hayes, have got fans in a chokehold.” I stared at my phone; the screen glowed with the faces of the ones making my emotional state even more miserable. My heart sank as I heard the familiar buzz of the latest scandal; the blogs had been eating Victoria’s return back like hot cheetos. “The two love birds were spotted taking a romantic walk in the city yesterday. Which leaves fans wondering, are they officially back together? Should we be expecting a wedding?…… “The more challenging question was, What happened to his other woman? Was she a side piece, a potential scandal we could look into, or did they have a fal……” Before I could digest the rest of what was bad for me, Jenny snatched the phone from my hands and threw it across the room. It landed on the opposite couch with a soft thud. “Do you wan
CONTINUATION: LEXIE’S POV My eyes fluttered open; the ray of sunlight that penetrated into the room irritated my pupils, and I struggled to keep them open. Immediately I was hit with a crazy throbbing headache, a reminder that I had drank to stupor last night—a hangover. My body felt like it had been run over by a truck, and I’m not talking about the white ones that always appear in Korean dramas; every muscle ached, and I could barely move. As I tried to sit up, I noticed something different; at least my brain was starting to work. I was wearing a different shirt than the one I had on at the club, then I remembered taking off my shirt and flashing my neon-painted boobs to the crowd. Fuck, I face-palmed myself, such an embarrassment. But I had more pressing issues at hand, like the unfamiliar environment around me. I was lying in a king-sized bed, surrounded by soft pillows and a pristine white duvet. The room was almost too spotless. And there was a strong, masculine