Chapter 41 THIS OLD MAN.
\~~~SERENA.
We stepped out of the car together, the cool evening air hitting my skin. And there they were, waiting like they had been on lookout duty. Melissa, Ryan's mother, stood with her arms crossed tight over her chest. Next to her was an older man, Damien's brother, I figured, as he was all stiff in his suit. And then Ryan, hanging back a little, his face already looking sour.
"We… really didn’t expect that you’d come," Melissa said, clearing her throat. Her voice had that forced politeness, like she was swallowing nails.
Without thinking, I linked my arm through Damien's as I walked over to stand beside him while I plastered a smile on my face, the kind that hid all the nerves bubbling inside. Then my eyes dropped to Ryan, and that smile turned real, sharp, and satisfied.
Revenge was such a sweet asshole. Especially this kind, all twisted up with taboo vibes.
But who cares? Definitely not me, and definitely not tonight.
"I should," Damien said smoothly, starting to walk toward the entrance. "It is a dinner gathering hosted in memory of my father."
"B… but, you never came," Ryan's voice came from behind, small and low, like he was trying to sound tough but failing.
"Well, my wife wanted to be here so bad," Damien replied, chuckling dryly right next to me. "She talked about fulfilling duties and stuff."
I nudged him gently with my elbow. "Hey," I whispered through gritted teeth, shooting him a quick side-eye.
"Why, moonlight?" He smiled at me, all gentle and teasing.
"Did you just lie?" I frowned.
"It is fun saying it, my wife," he added, smacking his lips. "You should try it sometimes."
I pushed him lightly, but kept my arm locked in his. I turned my head slowly, and that's when I caught the glares from Melissa and Ryan that could kill a person on the spot.
I whipped my head away and shook it. "I really really hate this place," I mumbled under my breath.
"Me too," Damien nodded, his voice low as we stepped through the double doors.
Inside, the room went still. Everyone jumped to their feet, bowing and murmuring hellos. Some came up close, congratulating us on the wedding from just yesterday, their smiles bright but fake. Others grinned like they were in pain, clearly wishing the whole thing would end already.
We headed to the dining room and took our seats at the long table. The eldest man there, some uncle, I guessed, said a quick prayer about family and lost loved ones. Then the eating started, forks clinking on plates of roast meat, veggies, and all that fancy food.
But for me, it tasted like nothing but stress.
Mid-meal, I turned to look at Damien. He was already sipping water, and then dabbing his mouth with a crisp handkerchief, calm as ever.
"Ah, Ryan," he said out of nowhere, and the whole table froze. Forks stopped moving, and every eyes went wide in that split second.
"Y… yes, uncle," Ryan stuttered, his voice shaky.
"I went through the quarterly reports a few days back," Damien continued, his tone even. "And I noticed a decline in leadership decisions over the last two months. You know, my wife has actually pointed out something to me about accountability recently."
Ah, there he went with the 'my wife' thing again. I rolled my eyes, but a little spark of excitement hit me anyway.
"So, if that trend continues, I may need to restructure your position," Damien went on. "An assistant manager might give you more… focus."
"What?!" Ryan's fork hit the plate with a loud clank. He shot up from his chair, his face turning red. "Assistant manager? Me?! Uncle, I have been the manager for years! It is time I get promoted, not demoted!"
Damien didn't even flinch. He just leaned back, glancing at me with his lips tugging into that sly smile. I knew exactly what was coming and I swear, I could feel it.
"You see, my wife here," he started, and I let out a slow breath. Yep, he called it.
"She doesn’t like inefficiency at all," he said, shifting his gaze from me to Ryan. "So, I have been learning to be more intentional."
My eyes darted around the table. Everyone was staring at me now, not the guy dropping the bad news.
Oh, God, the pressure.
"Uncle, first, you married…" Ryan began, his voice getting louder, but Damien raised a hand, cutting him off clean.
"If you have concerns, run them through my wife," Damien said coolly.
I pressed my lips together tightly. It was getting so messy, like a storm in a teacup.
But why did I love it this much?
I mean, I had picked this powerful Hale man to marry for exactly this reason.
To get payback on Ryan, who cheated and broke me.
So why was I shocked by Damien's real influence in this family?
"She manages what I don’t have the patience for," Damien added, his voice firm. "Therefore, we make decisions together now."
He stood up then, all tall and commanding. "Dinner is over, moonlight. We should leave." He stretched out his hand for me to take.
Suddenly, I snapped back to the room. All those eyes on me, boring holes like lasers. But instead of squirming like I had when we arrived, I nodded and stood. "Right about time. I was getting indigestion anyway," I said, grabbing his hand.
We turned to go, but Damien stopped short. He looked back at the table, his expression hard. "I expect harmony moving forward," he said, his voice sharp. "If I sense any resentment toward my wife, I will cut off every last tie you have to the family business, starting with your jobs, your shares, and everything. You will be out on the street before dawn."
Gasps rippled through the room. Melissa's hand flew to her mouth, Ryan's face went white, and even Damien's brother shifted uncomfortably. The threat hung heavy, making the air thick.
Damien placed his hand on the small of my waist then, guiding me gently out the door. As we walked toward the car, I couldn't pull my eyes off him. My lips parted, like I had something to say but no words came.
"Would you like to pierce a hole in my face or something, baby?" he asked, not even looking at me, a hint of amusement in his tone.
I hiccuped, caught off guard.
Oh, my great lord, this old man is going to be the end of me.
And, I don't even mind at all.