Nate got the bribe.Camille was relieved that the screenshots were erased completely and her daughter wouldn't be exposed. She still kept some of the screenshots to torture Vanessa when she feels like it.Everyone got what they wanted in the end. Even me. Vanessa thinks that she got away with damaging the diamond dress but I got the last laugh. I'm still happily married to the man she desperately wants. That's more than enough punishment.I've been doing more sketching lately. I've been attending all my classes. We have exams in a few weeks that I should study for. I can't believe I almost gave up on school because of Vanessa. Fashion & Design is something that I've always wanted to do. The sad part about all this is that I still can't bring myself to go to the home studio. I tried to do it yesterday but I just couldn't. I sat on the swivel chair and tried to sketch but instantly felt like I was drowning in a sea of sadness. So I stormed out. Fùck Vanessa.I wanted to leak those scree
DAMIENThe entire day has been a ball of confusion.The screenshots between Vanessa, Sophia and some guy called Razer leaked on the Internet. According to the screenshots, the three ganged up to steal the diamond dress and then frame Dani. But that makes no sense. Why would they do that? What was the motive? And who leaked those screenshots? And what was their motive? It must be someone who hates Vanessa and wants to sabotage her career.A thought slips in my head but I push it way immediately. There's no way my wife did this!I've been calling Dani all day but she has been ignoring my calls. That adds more to the confusion. She's the first person I want to talk to and get some clarification on the matter. Or maybe she's just as lost as I am. Maybe she also doesn't know what the hell is going on and who is behind this.Maybe I should call Vanessa. No, that's a bad idea. She's probably busy with her husband or her lawyer, trying to fix this scandal. At this point, I just want an end t
DANIDamien takes my hand in his.It's embarrassing how nervous and anxious I get before interviews. I wish I was as calm and collected as Damien. But he's already used to this. His mom was a model. His dad is a painter. He grew up in the spotlight. But this is all new to me.Violet Turner, The famous host, sits on the cream couch directly opposite from us. We literally got these new couches yesterday for this interview today. The house looks much more brighter and colourful. Even Violet compliments the impeccable decor.And in turn, I compliment her dazzling decor. That silk purple gown matched with the golden necklace and golden heels look perfect on her. That quickly turns into her showering me with a rain of compliments. I've met a few famous people but they are not nearly as nice as Violet Turner.When everything is set, the director gestures at Violet and the cameras start rolling. The host quickly introduces us as the guests and proceeds to dive into the questions.Violet: I kn
The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity.I sat for my first CAT and passed. Damien got his first big gig in Paris. He goes to the office three times a week and spends the rest of the day being a photographer and capturing beauty. He's still looking for the perfect person to take his position after he resigns from the company next year. I'm so happy that Camille let him keep fifty percent of the shares of the company. He totally deserves it.In the midst of all the madness, we moved into our new home.A huge house that's a little far from the city. The house is brand new and we actually bought it from a brilliant architect who is friends with Damien. He was building it for himself and his family. When he was almost done furnishing the house, his wife got a job abroad and they had to move. So he sold it to Damien at a generous price.The house was finished at the perfect time because we needed a new home after getting married.The house is an emblem of perfection. From the
I sit still for four hours straight, the tormenting events of that night playing in my head like a horror movie.Camille can't be the man that I hit. First of all, It was a man. Not a woman. A man in a black cap and a big coat and baggy pants and a pair of sneakers. And he was tall and looked like he goes to the gym. He was a huge man. That doesn't sound like Camille's physique. Brandon just wants to mess with my mind. And I won't let him.The doorbell rings, pulling me out of the sea of thoughts that I was starting to drown in. My heart literally stops when I see Camille Hunt and her bodyguard standing behind her. She looks up at me and frowns."Aren't you going to welcome us?"I stand out of her way and she rolls in, her huge tall bodyguard following closely behind. I never really cared about the bodyguard following Camille around. But now that I think about it, maybe he was hired to protect her from people like me. Am I the one who really nailed Camille to that fùcking wheelchair
We sit in silence for a long moment before Camille puts away her tea and clears her throat."Look." She says. "Caleb is the perfect husband. But I'm far from the perfect wife. We had spent twenty years together, doing everything and going everywhere and trying to be the perfect parents for our twins. I just started getting bored of it all. But I didn't want a divorce. Caleb is my best friend and I still wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. But I just felt like I wanted to explore with other men. I didn't find my husband attractive anymore. And we were not having sèx anymore. So I told him I wanted to start seeing other people.""And he was okay with it?""Yes." She nods. "Just like me, he also didn't want a divorce." "So you started seeing the bodyguard?" I'm shocked. "Wasn't that too painful for him everytime he saw him?""Caleb is mature." She smiles. "He didn't give a fùck. As long as I was happy. And as long as I wouldn't leave him. That was the agreement. He wasn't jeal
DAMIEN"I know you're mad at me." I say. "But can I hug you?"Dani slowly but reluctantly nods.I drop the briefcase and pull her in my arms. I peck the top of her head and get a whiff of her sweet-smelling shampoo. Her embrace is warmer than ever. It's not until I pull away that I notice the tears rolling down her cheeks. My heart breaks knowing that I am the cause of the tears. I am to blame for the deep sadness in her eyes. I should have told her about working with Vanessa. Now she feels deceived and betrayed by her husband."Dani." I say softly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about working with Vanessa..."Her head drops as she rubs away the tears. Then she turns and runs upstairs. Too soon. She needs some space from me. I betrayed her and now she doesn't want to be anywhere near me. That's why she couldn't clear the table after dinner with me. That's why she couldn't do the dishes with me last night. That's why she couldn't sleep in the same bed with me. My heart shatters when I he
DANIDamien turns to look at me with a hopeful and sympathetic look on his face."Yes." He smiles. "You know you can tell me anything. I'm your husband. That's my job."My heart shatters at his sweet words. I ruined his life and his mother's life. He shouldn't be sweet to me.I bury my face in my hands and burst into tears again. I've had bouts of brutal meltdowns since finding out that I'm the one responsible for Camille's accident. I didn't just put Camille in a wheelchair, I also murdered her boyfriend. I deserve to die.The worst part is just how wonderful and warm Damien is. When he pulled me close for a hug earlier, I couldn't stand being in his arms. The guilt was burning every inch of my skin when he touched me. So I pulled away and ran upstairs. I know he thinks that I'm all teary because of Vanessa but I'll let him believe that for now. I can't tell him the truth. It will ruin everything.Damien walks back to the bed and sits next to me. He wipes the tears away for the milli
DAMIENtwenty years laterIt's our twentieth anniversary.For every anniversary, we celebrate it in Bali. In the same hotel we went for our first, second and third honeymoon. There's been a lot of changes and renovations in the hotel over the years but it still gives me a feeling of nostalgia every time I come here.I step out of the shower and start drying myself with the towel.Dani is busy typing on her laptop. I apply some lotion and slide into a pair of white shorts. My wife doesn't bother to look up."George filed for divorce." I huff. "Gina cheated on him again. This time, with a younger man.""Not surprised." I sigh. "Why can't he just leave her?""He's addicted to the toxicity."Dani doesn't respond. She's still busy on her laptop. Plus, she's so over George and Gina. And honestly, so am I. For years, I wanted to save George from that abusive marriage but he clearly doesn't want to be saved. He made the bed. I'll just let him lie in it. Even if it's a bed of thorns that makes
DANII stare at Nate in shock.But he's not staring at me. He's staring at Damien."When Dani's dad shot me, I was paralysed." Nate says. "I could see everything. I could hear everything. But I couldn't move. I couldn't even feel blood oozing from my body."Okay, where's this going?"Dani was in shock after her father shot himself infront of her." He continues. "She just sat there, staring at his lifeless body. She was in shock and despair. She had lost all hope for life. That's until you came out of nowhere and wrapped your arms around her, crying. She was relieved. She was hopeful again. I was relieved too. And I was hopeful. That's when I allowed myself to pass out. All that time, I'd been forcing myself to hold on a little longer for Dani. I didn't want to leave her all alone and scared. But when you showed up, I knew she was in safe hands. So l let myself pass out."Nate finally turns to look at me, a small smile forming on his face."Remember that double date with Richard and yo
DAMIENI ring the doorbell.Dani swings the door open, dressed in her pajamas. She stares at me in complete shock and confusion."What are you doing here?" She asks in concern. "Are you okay?"I don't reply to that. I just pull her in my arms and cling to her body. I know she's pregnant and I'm probably hurting her baby but the baby will have to forgive me. I need his mother now. He can wait.Dani escorts me to the livingroom. She sneaks to the kitchen and brings me coffee. Yes, I definitely need coffee this time. I'm shaking due to the cold. Or maybe I'm shaking due to the shock. It's been a night of horror and I can't wait for it to end."What's going on, Damien?" Dani asks softly. "Where's Vanessa?"Just hearing her name sends chills all over my body. I look up at the ticking clock.The images of the last three hours play vividly in my head.Vanessa screaming in terror. Vanessa's head being chopped off. Vanessa's head being tossed in a black plastic bag like garbage. The "bad guys
VANESSABe calm.Whatever happens in life, be calm. That's one of the greatest tricks to tackle every situation in life. Be calm. Take a deep breath. Don't lose it. You might be losing it inside, but don't show them. Act calm. Act confident.I turn to look at Damien.Ofcourse I'm shocked. And confused. He just jumped out of the kitchen. He was listening to the conversation this entire time. I should have listened to my gut when I entered the house.I got a whiff of his cologne when I entered the living room. Then I got a glance of his shoes at the door. But somehow, I convinced myself that they didn't belong to Damien. A bunch of shoes look the same. And there's no way they belonged to Damien. I mean, I left him home looking hungry and exhausted. There's no way he could drive back to the city for two hours instead of taking a rest. God, I was in for a shock!But I'm still calm. "Babe." I smile. "You know I hate surprises.""Don't babe me!" He snaps. "I heard everything you just said,
DAMIENI dash into the kitchen and pour all the coffee in the sink.I don't want coffee. I want something stronger. Something like scotch. Something that will make me forget about my dad. And Vanessa. And the pregnancy scam. And the whole drug dealing thing. And the way I just talked to Dani. And the way she looked at me. All I do is hurt her with my words and actions. And all she does is be kind and nice to me. After everything I did, she's letting me spend the night at her house. God, I don't deserve her...It's pouring heavily outside.I look outside, the rain beating down on the roof and sliding down the window. For a moment there, I wish that the rain could wash away all the pain. I wish that the rain could slide down my soul and wash away all the sadness and sorrow. The doorbell rings, pulling me away from the sea of sad thoughts."Good evening, Dani." I grit my teeth when I hear that familiar voice. Vanessa. What the fùck is she doing here? How the fùck did she know that I wa
DANIDamien is standing at my door when I get home from the hospital.The second he sees me, he runs to me and our bodies clash in a tight embrace. He starts crying in my arms. And I start crying in his arms. And now we're crying in each other's arms. I don't even know why I'm crying. But I definitely know why he's crying.He lost his father. A father that he deeply loved. And today he lay his father to rest. That's hard on anyone.The sky rumbles. We break apart and silently walk into the house before it starts raining. Damien takes off his shoes and sits on the couch. I take off my black coat and sneak to the kitchen. There, I make coffee and grab some cookies from the pantry. Damien looks like he needs something stronger than coffee but it's the best choice for now. "Thankyou." He smiles when I set the tray of coffee and cookies on the table.I sit across from him, creating some distance between us. I'm just from seeing Nate in the hospital and we even kissed when I left. I wou
DAMIENThe ride home was silent.Two hours on the road with Vanessa sulking and seething and staring at me, her eyes filled with fury.The second I stop the engine, she flies out of the car and storms into the house. I follow her quickly but I can't keep up with her pace. When I walk into the house, she's already flying up the stairs.Maria steps out of the kitchen with a bunch of sandwiches on the tray."Spill the tea." She giggles. "Why is she so mad this time? What happened at the funeral?""Nothing interesting." I shrug.That's my way of brushing Maria off. Although I like her, she can be a little nosy in a way that's annoying and steps on boundaries. Vanessa is still the mother of my child. She's just a surrogate. Sometimes I think that Maria forgets that. Vanessa can be a pain in the àss but she still deserves respect as the biological mother of my child."Want a sandwich?" She offers."Sure." I grab it. "I'm starving!"I run up the stairs, chewing on the sandwich as I head to o
DANICamille's mansion was the perfect pick for the reception after the funeral.The guests are waltzing around the large livingroom, cups of coffee clutched in their hands. A bunch of bowls are sitting at the dining table with cookies and biscuits and even chocolates.I'm sitting on the couch next to Camille, munching on the crunchy cookies. Her face is blank and void of emotion but I know that deep down, she's having an emotional crisis. A few hours ago, she broke down as her husband was put to the ground. I can't imagine what that felt like for her. Spending half of your life with someone and then having to watch their lifeless bodies being lowered to the ground. Tragic."Look at them!" Camille points to Damien and Vanessa. "She's always complaining about something. They should break up already."They seem like they are fighting. Vanessa is nagging about something. And Damien is glaring at her. They are obviously the unhappiest couple in the room. I get a little thrill watching the
DAMIENVanessa slides into her black heels and walks towards me.She stands so close, looking up at me. There's a blank look on her face and it's kinda creepy. She straightens my collar and starts fixing my black tie."I'm going to ask you something and I want you to be completely honest with me."The cold tone in her voice sends shivers down my spine. She's not been speaking to me the entire morning. I thought it was odd but chose not to overthink it. I thought it's because we were both busy getting ready for the funeral. I thought maybe she's giving me some space and silence because this is the day that I lay my dad to the ground. From the tone of her voice, that's clearly not the case. She's mad at me. And from the way she's playing with this tie, I might end up getting strangled if I don't provide the answer that she wants. And that makes my heart start racing."Have you been fùcking Dani?"I can't help but laugh. I thought it was something serious. Something that was going to be