Sam entered the front door silently ahead of Damian in the Stratham mansion and watched as the staff came after them bringing their belongings. She smiled politely when he introduced her formally to the household, who greeted her in unison.“Have my wife’s things placed in my room,” Damian then instructed and the head housekeeper immediately instructed the staff and helped with one bag. He then turned to the butler. “We will have lunch in thirty minutes.”“Yes, Mr. McLaren.”When they were finally alone, Sam was about to say something to Damian when his phone rang. Answering his phone and telling the caller to wait for a while, he turned to Sam and kissed her on the head.“It’s Frederick,” he informed. “I’ll take the call in my office. I’ll look for you.”Sam watched as he took off until she was on her own in the wide foyer. She walked towards the center table where a large flower arrangement of lilies was placed.After staying for three more days in Menorca, Damian informed her that
Damian, sitting in his chair inside his office, is deeply analyzing the words that Sam had said yesterday. The phone on his desk rang but he didn't answer it. His frown intensified especially when Sam told him that while they are together, she will do everything in her power to protect him from her world. She seems to have forgotten who she is married to, he thought with annoyance. He leaned back on his chair. Just how cruel is your world, Samantha? He recalled the way her face changed when he surprised her by having her dog brought to Stratham. When he found her at the terrace, her expression was void of all emotions, the wall she had built over the years, gaining another inch. But when Gunny came in, it's as if it vanished as her expression changed into relief, knowing that she has someone with her now to erase her loneliness. Damian suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy towards her dog. Sam never had that expression on her face when she sees him. He wondered when will she
Sam leaned back on her chair as she read through the financial report that she requested that afternoon of the same day. She reached for a highlighter and started marking the figures that she checked.For the next two hours, she reviewed the files Shirley had placed on her table. The last folder she picked up contains the ongoing works at several floors of the building below where Damian's shopping mall will connect.Opening the file, she first read the progress report along with photos attached. She noted the delays and the buffer of works being done to ensure the target percentage."Shirley?" Sam called out, pressing on the intercom and waited for the answer. "Can you please check if Felix's at his office? I need to see him now.""He just came in here, Sam," Shirley responded with a hint of surprise in her voice. "I'll let him in."Sam stood up when the door to her office opened and Felix Conroy came in with a set look on his face. She already has a suspicion in her mind and it's fr
Sam entered her office the following day and abruptly stopped when she saw Felix Conroy standing by her office, obviously waiting for her arrival. She gripped the folder in her hand when he turned towards her expectantly.“Were you able to have the figures revised?” Felix then asked expectantly.Walking towards her desk, Sam placed her bag on the chair and handed him the folder. She watched as Felix opened the file and read through it with his eyes for a long while before finally nodding with satisfaction.“Good to see that you had him agree to this,” he said to her calmly. “The ROI he presented will not be suitable for us. Have this notarized immediately by legal, Sam and then we can put this to rest.”“I had Shirley call them to come here to get the file,” Sam informed patiently.“Well, that’s it then,” Felix said with finality. He looked at her and there was some glint in his eyes but decided not to say it. “As long as you are keeping McLaren in check, we won’t be seeing each other
Damian stared grimly as Sam was tucked into her bed by Ara in the room she had first stayed in at Stratham and watched Gunny immediately jumping up the bed and settled beside her, his head resting on her upper arm.Sam had also taken some pills.At Ara’s firm insistence, when they all decided to take Sam back home, she stepped up and told Damian to let Sam stay in a separate room. He was about to refuse but Oliver Morgan, Sam’s therapist backed her up. He was the unknown man in Sam’s office when he was able to bring Sam out of the toilet.He recalled what Sam said after he informed that he was called in urgently.“I thought I was going to be okay,” Sam only replied. She stood beside Damina silently for a long while. She was breathing slowly before looking back at Oliver. “But I don’t think I ever was, Ollie. I thought I was but I’m not. I don’t know what to do.”“I’m here,” Oliver assured as he walked towards her but stopped when Damian gave him a dark look. He gestured to one of the
Damian was left sitting on the couch as Ara and Vincent escorted Oliver out of his house, talking in lowering voices about Sam’s condition. He leaned back and closed his eyes as the words of her psychiatrist came haunting him back.“Sam said that she is dirty,” Oliver said.“Dirty?” Ara asked, aghast at the word. “How did she ever come up with that description to herself? Why did she even think of that?!”“She refused to expound,” Oliver responded grimly. “I tried to let her expound but stopped because the more I tried, the more she retreats. I cannot have that happened. It was difficult pulling her out from the abyss she drowned in.”Oliver continued to discussed some more about Sam’s condition and apologized that he couldn’t be able to give them more answers. Only questions have remained and he gave his word that he will check on Sam from time to time.“If she decides to go down at her own time, give her the upper hand,” he suggested. “She will for sure look for some affirmation. Ju
Sam entered the lobby of her office the following Monday morning and shook her head at Shirley when she saw her secretary about to ask regarding the two bodyguards, which are following her behind.Pushing the door to her office, she immediately proceeded to her desk and sat down.“Did Damian give instructions for you to stay here?” She questioned tightly when she noted that Noah and Brandon, the other guard assigned to her stood by the door. She frowned when Noah turned to her and nodded briefly. “Pray tell me how I can be able to escape? The only way is through those glass and I have no plans in jumping.”“We will stand by outside your office, Mrs. McLaren,” Noah finally responded and the two of them immediately went out.Sam leaned back on her chair, closing her eyes.Ever since telling Damian that she wanted divorce, she had the two men following her wherever she goes even if she is just at the Stratham mansion. She tried talking to Damian, but her husband seemed to have disappeare
Sam stared at the file on her hand intently while gripping it with her hand tightly.Thoughts of what transpired between her and Damian came flooding back into her mind as the memory of her insisting on the figures for the ROI surfaced. She recalled the lengths she had to go through for Damian to finally agree.“Who the f8ck are you?!” Lucilla shouted at the bodyguards angrily. She turned to Sam. “Oh, so you now have the arrogance to hire bodyguards to protect you, Sam?! Do you really think you have a lot of threats that you need protecting?! It should be the other way around because they are the ones that needs protection from you!”He’s doing this on purpose, Sam thought wildly, not hearing Lucilla’s continuous rant. Is this the hell that he told me?Unable to control her emotions, Sam felt her body trembling, her knees starting to get weak. The file she held in her hand suddenly dropped to the floor and Noah turned towards her when he felt it.“Madam?” He asked in concern.Sam look
Sam opened her eyes the following day and turned towards the balcony, watching the sun’s rays breaking through the sheer curtains. She smiled at the simple beauty that she is looking at before checking the time and saw the clock read eight in the morning.Turning slowly towards Damian, she saw him still in a deep sleep, his shoulders rising gently with his breathing.She looked at him lovingly, memorizing his features.Raising her hand, she lightly traced his eyebrows down to his cheek and his lips. She remembered his lips that explored her body last night and how she loved every second of it.She looked at her hand with the engagement ring that Damian had given her and smiled, touched that he even considered the color scale of the blue diamond which is faint blue. It would go perfectly with whatever hues that she will be wearing.“You’re everything to me, Sam,” Damian confessed to her last night after he made love to her. “The thought of losing you made me go crazy. I’m never going t
Damian watched as Sam hugged Nile and Candice Robertson tearfully and warmly in the driveway after his surprise guests for her got out of the car that same night as they stood waiting at the entrance as the car stopped in front of them.He watched as Candice studied his wife with a big smile on her face while Nile is responding the questions being asked. Their grown children along with their partners and children, surrounding them with smiles on their faces.After she told him the name of the foster family that took her in the longest and seemed to have a place in her heart, Damian had Frederick look for them. It took a while for his secretary to locate but he considered it to be a blessing. Their timely arrival is perfect to help her from her grief.But deep down, Damian knew that she’s going to be okay from now on.He smiled devilishly inside as he recalled what happened inside her room. He was relieved to feel that Sam had also longed and desired for him. Nearly six months of holdi
Sam placed down her brush and carefully checked that she had tied her hair neatly, turning to both sides. Turning towards her bed, she walked towards it and untied the ribbon of the box that was placed on top.She removed the lid and it revealed a lilac butterfly sleeveless high waist irregular swing midi dress. After putting it on, Sam walked towards the full-length mirror beside the dresser and smiled when she noted that the intricate silhouette flattered her figure and the fabric is very light. She also made sure that the breast pads are in place since it looks better without wearing a bra.She had also noted that the dress is in her favorite color and she assumed Ara had made that decision. Taking her phone, she took a picture and sent it to Ara.“Thanks for helping Damian choose the dress,” she typed with a light smile. “As always, you know my color. The dress feels wonderful.”She placed her phone down while seeing Ara typing a reply and put on a pair of low-heeled sandals that
Damian handed his bag to one of his bodyguards and a box to one household staff with instructions, as he went out from his car on an early Wednesday night and proceeded towards the entrance at Stratham. He immediately took off his coat, unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt and loosen his tie.“Where’s my wife?” He asked when Winston greeted him while checking his phone. “How is she doing? Has she eaten?”“At the garden by the pool, sir,” Winston replied. “Madam barely ate her lunch but I convinced her to eat the fruit bowl I gave this afternoon.”“We’ll have dinner in an hour with guests. Frederick already coordinated with the chef,” Damian informed, nodding at the butler’s response. He pocketed his phone after answering a message. “Call him as well. I had him do something and needs to coordinate with you.”“Right away, Mr. McLaren,” Winston answered.Damian then headed towards the glass doors and pushed it open, his eyes searching for Sam. He found her sitting by one of the loun
Sam heard her phone ringing as Damian handed his card to the waiter after they are done with their meal. She reached for it inside her purse and saw Vivian calling her, showing it to Damian before answering.“Vivian, is anything wrong?” Sam asked after answering the call.“Madam, we are on our way to the vet right now,” Vivian answered calmly. “There’s something wrong with Gunny. I already informed Mr. McLaren’s driver so he can immediately take you there.”She gripped her phone, her face turning pale.“Everything okay with Gunny?” Damian asked.Sam shook her head, abruptly standing up and grabbing her purse. Tears started to well up around her eyes that her husband immediately noticed that he stood up as well and took her hand, heading out of the dining room.After giving instructions to one of his men to take care of their billing, he quickly ushered Sam to the car, who is already waiting for them.“Here,” Damian offered, handing his handkerchief to her.Sam took it and wipe her eye
Damian watched Sam as she walked ahead of him to check some local goods bazaar being held at downtown. He noted that Noah and Brandon immediately went closer to her for easier access in case of emergency.After their conversation a while ago, his heart felt lighter but also quite heavy.Sam looked at him in confused after he told her that he loves her.“What did you say?” She asked slowly.Damian just stared at her for a while before blinking, realizing he uttered it in Italian and in a low voice. He shook his head before looking at her again, placing a hand on her face and smiled. He didn’t know if she understood him or not but if she did, she asked to make sure that she heard him right.“Did you say-?” Sam started.He cut her off by pulling her face down and pressing his lips on hers in a hungry kiss. He wrapped his other arm tighter around her waist, deepening the kiss when she kissed him back with the same intensity.He didn’t know how long they stayed in that position. All Damian
Sam opened her eyes to a dim room, feeling heavy. Her eyes ached as she cried herself to sleep and also taking her medication, when Damian all of a sudden walked out on her when she begged him not to take Cameron away from her.She looked towards the balcony and saw that the curtains had been closed to prevent the light from coming in. She reached for her phone and saw that it was nine in the evening.Checking her messages, she saw none that came from Damian and her heart dropped and felt heavier. A whimper came out of her mouth.“Are you alright?”Gasping in shock, she turned towards the other side and saw Damian, lying beside her on top of her blanket, looking up at her.He was still in his work clothes and only removed his coat and shoes and unbuttoning his polo at the top.Damian reached for her one arm and pulled her back down. When she is on her side, he then immediately pulled her in his arms, pushing her face into his neck and resting his chin on her head. He let out a long an
Damian gripped Sam’s shoulders tightly as he deepened the kiss, to make her stop struggling away from him. He bit her lower lip to get her to cooperate and when he finally felt her relax, he ran the tip of his tongue to soothe the sting.When they finally pulled away, Sam rested her forehead on his shoulder, breathing heavily. Her hands are clutching at his shirt tightly and suddenly her breath hitched as she started to cry.He only stood, his arms wrapping around her and let her cries out. Her tears soaked his shirt but he didn’t mind and let her continue.“Feeling better?” Damian asked when she finally became silent.Samantha shook her head.“I-I wanted to smashed the glass I’m holding at Omar’s head when he invited me to go up,” she whimpered as she covered her face with her hands. “I feel sick and wanted to throw up when he touched me. I wasn’t entertaining his advances as you claimed.”“Were you also judging me when SJ hugged me that night at the charity gala? Did you think of th
Opening her eyes and removing the blanket over her head, Sam checked the clock and saw it displaying twelve minutes past ten in the morning. Finally deciding to get up, she padded to the bathroom and took a quick shower.After putting on her clothes, she went out of her room, hearing Gunny’s bark from outside, probably from the exercise Vivian is tasked to do.“Good morning, Madam.” Frederick greeted.“Hasn’t Damian come down yet?” Sam asked.Frederick looked at her for a while. “Mr. McLaren left before I arrived and told me to stay here when I called him,” he answered patiently. He followed behind when she proceeded to the dining room, stopping when Sam glanced at him. “He will call me if there are any urgent concerns.”Sam fully turned towards him; her eyebrows raised.“He told you to babysit me, didn’t he?” She questioned tightly. “I don’t need one.”“He told me to tell you that when you will ask of his whereabouts,” he responded calmly. He looked at her for a while, gauging her mo