Chapter 50 Unholy matrimony
THIRD PERSON’S POV
“Wait, can you repeat what you said happened again? This time slowly.” Trisha said, pacing back and forth in Damian’s large living room.
“Trisha, it was horrible.” Serena sighed, burying her face in her lap. “I had to sit there and watch them tear up everything we’ve worked so hard for these past weeks.”
“But your grandfather specifically said it couldn’t be contested. So how could they override his orders?”
“They can override his orders if the heirs have acted with malicious intent.” Damian said, coming in from his study, “Which, in this case, is entirely true.”
Serena sat upright, straightening her back on the chair. “I didn’t know you were home.”
Damian’s eyes softened when they met hers; he tipped his head forward in greeting.
Trisha rolled her eyes at the exchange, snapping her fingers. “Hello, focus, guys.”
“Like I was saying.” Damian took the seat next to Serena. “The Gregory name is attached to a product that advertises family values and togetherness. That’s your grandfather’s legacy.” He pointed at Serena. “Now, you tainted that family image by acting deceitfully and therefore bringing shame on the family name, and to rectify that, you have to make the families of Monterra fall in love with not just you but the idea of me and you together as a couple.”
“That means,” Trisha’s voice trailed off, “it means I have to go under the spotlight. I have to leave my shell.”
“I’ll help you create your Instagram account.” Trisha chimed eagerly before she could stop herself.
“Wait a minute,” she turned to face Trisha. “Are you happy about this?”
“Of course not,” Trisha replied immediately, “but I’ve been trying to curate your social media for so long; forgive me for being a little excited.”
Serena rolled her eyes and then turned to Damian. “You don’t look too mortified for someone about to have a TikTok account.”
“Oh,” he shook his head. “No, none of that nonsense for me.”
“What?” Serena gasped, “Why do you get a choice?”
He leaned into her ear, “Sweetheart, I’m a business tycoon; I run two empires. Nobody expects me to be dancing around on TikTok, okay?”
Trisha laughed so hard she had to lean forward to catch her breath.
“I’m going to get some air in my lungs.”
Immediately they were alone, and Damian faced Serena again. “I haven’t heard from you since the night at the cottage. You are not avoiding me, are you?”
Serena's chest tightened; she cleared her throat, suddenly needing a glass of water. “Why would I be avoiding you?” she stammered.
“Maybe because you would rather not acknowledge what we did.” He whispered.
Her cheeks turned the color of ripe tomatoes. “Damian, please.”
She looked down. “Someone could hear you.”
Serena had never been comfortable speaking openly about intimacy, and no amount of death and rebirth could change that.
“We are husband and wife. I’m sure everyone expects us to be having sex.” He said.
Serena’s eyes widened. “Keep your voice down, Damian.”
“Now that the reading is over, when are you moving in with me?” He looked up at her.
“That’s why we are here; they are bringing the last of my things tomorrow, and I’ll be moving in the day after that.”
He smiled and nodded, leaning in for a kiss.
“Damian,” Serena used her hands as a shield, blocking him from reaching her lips. “We can’t lose focus on the main purpose of this marriage.”
Damian stiffened, all the playfulness leaving his body like someone splashed cold water on him.
For a moment he had allowed himself to be deceived into thinking this could potentially be the start of something more for them.
He stood up abruptly. “You are right, apologies. I got carried away.” He picked up his keys, turned, and walked out the door, not looking back once.
Had she said something wrong?
“No,” Damian raised a hand, stopping his guards from following him. “I want to go on a drive alone.”
When the guard looked at him as if he were speaking a foreign language, Damian added, exasperatedly, “My tracker is on, if there’s any emergency, you will be notified.”
Once Damian eased the car out of the iron gates of his compound, he rolled down his windows and let the cool breeze fill his lungs.
He pressed the accelerator, and the car sped onto the freeway at full speed.
He could negotiate billion-dollar contracts without flinching, but one sentence from her had dismantled him.
Not because the marriage was a transaction, he had agreed to that.
But because she had sounded relieved to remind him of it.
He hadn’t expected love, but he hadn’t expected to be treated like an obligation so early in the marriage.
Now he was driving at full speed on a sunny afternoon, heading to God knows where, all because Serena had reminded him their marriage was nothing but a transaction.
It wasn't clear to him why he was hurting so badly. After all, he had also known that the marriage wasn’t a romantic one.
Yet, something in his heart cracked at the way she spoke tonight. He had allowed himself to imagine something real and she had reduced it to paperwork.
He pressed harder, the engine roaring in protest sending the car screaming down the road.
He didn’t know where he was going, but he kept driving.
His phone vibrated from the passenger’s seat. He ignored it.
“Edith, is Damian in his study? We are about to leave.” Serena asked the housekeeper.
“No, Mrs. Serena, he hasn’t been back since he drove out earlier in the afternoon,” she replied.
“He drove himself?” Serena asked.
“Yes, ma’am, and he instructed all his guards to remain behind.
“Okay, thank you,” Serena said distractedly, already taking her phone out to text him.
She and Trisha bumped into each other the moment she turned the corner.
“Watch it,” Trisha hissed, holding her forehead in pain.
“Sorry, Trish, are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Trisha observed Serena. “What’s wrong with you? I thought we were leaving.”
“Trish, I think I did something wrong.”
“What’s happened?” Trisha asked, worried.
“I think Damian and I were having an intimate moment today, and I panicked.” She covered her face with her hands. “I panicked and reminded him not to get carried away and that our marriage is only contracted.”
“Hmm,” Trish thought hard, “you didn’t do anything wrong; you just stated the fact. And it’s better like that so you both remain on track.”
“That’s what I was trying to achieve. “Serena sniffed.
“So where’s he now?” Trisha asked.
“I don’t know. He’s not answering my calls, and none of his guards are with him.”
“Look, Damian can take care of himself. We need to start heading back home so you can go over your speech for your family’s company dinner tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I guess you are right.”
“I am right,” Trisha said flatly. “Remember, we still have a bigger task ahead of us; we still have to figure out who killed you.” She whispered finally.
“Fine, fine, let’s go.”
Serena said, leading the way to where the valet had carefully parked her car. She sent another message to Damian.
She looked back one last time, praying to God that Damian was fine wherever he was. This would have been a good time for her tipster to contact her, but it seems even they have also abandoned her.