The Forgotten Marriage

It was a choice for her to make; not just any choice, but one that would alter her life overnight.

Just her outfit alone indicated that she wasn't anyone common. She was virtually a queen. Not just any queen, but the supreme queen of magnificence. Looks like she had the guts, to show up at such a place at such a sinful hour. Just her way of walking made heads turn. 

And her looks? Man! She was gorgeous. Nah! 'Gorgeous' was an understatement. She was magnificence itself. 

   She casually sauntered in and went right to the bar counter. Though she looked delicate, her impression was one admirable to be complimented.

 But, something seemed off...

'Something must be wrong for a person like her to be in such a place, at such a time.' He assumed as he saw her tug a stool next to him.

Damien couldn't help but stare closely at the lady beside him. It had been ages since he last took a liking to the female specie. He found it tiring, and worthless. Sincerely, he found the other gender ' morally repugnant.

Eleanor turned her head to the side and unintentionally locked gazes with the man beside her. She sneered as an intention incited in her mind.

He was mesmerizing to the eye.

Black eyes, wavy hair, fair skin.

'He'd do just fine she supposed to herself. She didn't surmise that such an excellent-looking man existed, but she was looking at one now.

    El, as she was fondly called wasn't in the 'Castle of Wine' for no purpose. Nah!

She had a plan, she had ideas. And the man beside her would suit her plans well.

"Miss, you shouldn't ogle so much," Damien said, as he swirled the wine goblet in his hand. He felt her gawking so much. 

Eleanor didn't look away, as he turned to look her in the eye; rather, she shriveled her brows.

"Looks like there's something on your mind," He asked, bored. 

"Wanna share?"

It was slightly remarkable, his facial expression hadn't altered a speck since she came in. She feels such men were only attempting to play arduous to get.

She scoffed inwardly.

"Why would I want to share with you?" Eleanor asked with a look of skepticism on her face.

Damien twisted to her fully and glimmered. His glimmer wasn't soft, and neither was it cold. It was solely...

Business Like.

"You're a weird person" He began with a soft tone.

Nonetheless, Eleanor's tone was similar to his, "What incites you to say that?"

"Walking in a murky street, late this night, aren't you courting death?"

Eleanor stayed silent. After a time, she whispered, "I need a drink."

"Drinking wouldn't resolve all your troubles. You can only ease up a little by spewing everything to the person who'd be ready to would listen."

"Why would I do that?" she eventually mumbled after a deafening silence between them.

"Because you're prepared to do so"

Eleanor reflected for a while, she certainly needed to babble about her troubles as it was too hard for her to suffer alone. 

She lifted her head to glimpse at the man before her. He appeared to know everything.

"Come with me," He whispered as he stood up and started walking towards a door. After a few seconds, she chose to follow him.

"You can begin talking now," he said lightly as he gave her a glass of water. Eleanor looked at the glass of water in her hand for a while, before taking a sip.

She took a deep breath and started to speak, "My family disowned me. Simply because I refused to marry the scumbag they wanted."

"He isn't up to your standards, right? His financial situation isn't good. Am I right?" Damien speculated. It was a usual thing, after all.

Eleanor sneered, "Thought you'd be able to put the rest together. Well, things are different."

Damien's interest was instantly piqued, he didn't expect it'd be a different stereotypical plot, "Finally, something interesting. Go on"

"His status is good. You see, my family took a wedding contract to him and arranged a blind date for me today. I thought it was a normal business run with my father, but little did I know that I would be asked to sign a wedding contract with a scumbag. A scumbag who f*cks anything in a skirt. Of course, I declined...."

Eleanor spoke everything out even though she hadn't wanted to in the beginning. But, she felt better as the stress had been relieved.

Damien sat quietly for a while, but he began to laugh.

"I stand to be corrected. So, you're leaving, but you're planning on having a one-night stand with a total stranger. For revenge. Right?"

El looked at him and didn't reply.

How did he know?

"I need a drink," She said instead of replying to his speculations because he was in fact right.

Damien smiled as he had gotten the answer from her silence. She wanted a one night stand and he wanted it too, so...

"If that's the case, let's play it"

"Scram!" Eleanor shouted.

Damien laughed at her reaction.

"There's no use having a guilty conscience. Don't tell me you didn't expect it? You most definitely did!

"I'd tell you why you plan on a nightstand. It is so that you can conclude your life after being assaulted. It's better if we do it when you're sober. That way there'd be no regrets and you'd be able to experience the pleasure in it. Or do you plan on doing it when drunk?"

He was being too plain, Eleanor thought as she looked at him.

Eleanor burst into a fit of laughter suddenly, "Say, you've had eyes on since I walked in, yea?"

"Who wouldn't? Though I reckon you are around 18-19 of age, you are still attractive" He replied in all honesty. Damien wasn't one to keep secrets.

"Although I'm a very picky man, I don't just touch any woman. So you should feel honored" he added as he sipped from his wine glass.

Eleanor looked at him. He was quite a narcissist, but, given his exquisite and well-defined looks, he had the right to be a narcissist.

"You up for it? We don't have all day. Shall we play it?"