HER WORLD, NOT MINE

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.”