Chapter 51

Damien looked at Emily strangely at her question. Asking for things back after giving them away? That was something Damien had never done before. Was that the trend now?

“Of course not. You can take the things I gave you as soon as the contract is over.” Emily looked thoughtfully at Damien.

“Alright,” the girl replied and went into the store. If it was like that, Emily wouldn’t refuse anything Damien gave her.

“I can choose anything?” Emily asked Damien for confirmation. It was her last question before she started exploring the shop. Damien nodded.

“Go for it,” and Emily immediately went for the shoes that caught her eye.

“Take whatever you want,” Damien said, after sitting down on the sofa. He saw Emily touch the shoes. Her eyes lit up. She was like a kid in a toy store. The man frowned. How much fun was it to take Emily shopping? He had only taken her earlier on a whim, because his work was done. It was also the first time Damien’s schedule hadn’t been full, and the thought came to him immediately.

“These too,” Emily handed the clerk a pair of white sneakers. She had already picked out three shoes. Emily had had enough. She walked around and collided with Damien’s gaze as soon as she looked at the sofa. Why was he just sitting there? The girl approached Damien.

“You didn’t pick out any shoes?” Emily sat down beside the man.

“I told you, whatever I want will be delivered to my house every month. I don’t have to come to the store in person to buy clothes or shoes. Keep looking,” Damien said.

“I’m done,” Emily replied, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

“How many pairs of shoes have you taken? One? Two?” Emily shook her head.

“Three. That’s enough.”

“Pick again.” Emily chuckled.

“Where do I wear them? These three shoes are more than enough. I have shoes too. So let’s go home.”

“You’re an actress, right? Public figures must need a lot of shoes and clothes to support their appearance. It’s not nice for you to wear the same things.” Damien was right. But for her wardrobe and events Emily had to attend, it was the agency’s job to provide them.

“Choose again,” Damien ordered.

“This one was a gift from me. And the one you’re about to choose is an investment from your sponsor.” Emily didn’t move. She just stared at Damien.

“You want to go home soon, right?” Emily nodded.

“Do what I say. If you don’t do it in five seconds, I’m going to drag you out of here and take you to another store.” The threat was very nice. If it was anyone else, they would have taken all the shoes in this store by now.

“Pick ten pairs. Then we’ll go home,” Damien made things easier for Emily by telling her the number of shoes to choose. The girl should have moved quickly, but instead she kept staring at Damien.

“Emily,” Damien called, which the girl answered with a murmur.

“Do it, sweetheart.” Emily’s eyes widened as soon as she heard the nickname come out of Damien’s mouth. Why did he say it so easily? Was it because they were in a public place? But Damien called her name instead of Victoria.

“I’ve pushed back your language lesson,” Damien said, looking at his watch.

“Do it, Emily.” The girl got up from the sofa as if hypnotized by Damien’s words. She continued to feel strange about Damien’s behavior.

Damien looked at Emily, who was choosing shoes again. He called out to the clerk who passed in front of him.

“May I help you, sir?” the clerk asked. Damien handed her his credit card and pointed to Emily.

“Put everything my wife chooses on my bill and make sure there are ten pairs of shoes,” Damien ordered.

“Yes, sir.” The clerk left Damien’s presence. He went back to watching Emily. This time the girl wasn’t picking out shoes like before. She seemed to be moving automatically, more like she was just choosing to fulfill Damien’s order. Looking at Emily, Damien’s mind drifted to his wife. He had forgotten Victoria those days. Even when his work was done, Damien didn’t think of checking on his wife. He was so busy making plans for Victoria’s family that he forgot to check on his wife’s condition.

“I’m done,” Emily approached Damien thirty minutes later. Where was that girl’s smile when she first finished picking out her shoes? The clerk he’d given his credit card to was back.

“Bring the shoes to my penthouse.” Damien was a regular at the store. Emily linked her fingers with Damien’s as he turned to leave the store. Damien stopped. He turned to Emily who was already beside him and looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow. Unusually, Emily took his hand first.

“We’re in public,” Emily said quietly.

“I’m doing my job.” Emily gave Damien a serious look. He wasn’t the only one who could make the first move. Damien gave a small smile.

“I’m glad we can work well together, Emily.”

***

“Why are you stopping here?” asked Emily, confused, as Damien stopped his car at the front door of the apartment building.

“Aren’t you going home?” Usually Damien went straight to the basement, but why would Emily ask that? Why did she care?

“I’m going somewhere,” the man replied without looking at Emily.

“Where are you going?” Damien looked at Emily.

“Are you going back to the office?” Emily pressed her lips together as soon as the question came out. She silently cursed herself for being so curious.

“I’m stopping by the house.” They stared at each other. The house? Did Damien mean his house with Victoria?

“Are you going to see Victoria?” Emily asked, confirming her suspicion. Damien looked ahead and nodded.

“Can I come?” The man turned back to her.

“Allow me to see Victoria.”

“Don’t you remember what I told you? You can’t meet her,” Damien said with a hard look.

“That’s a myth, Damien. What could possibly happen? Have you ever seen people with similar faces die after they meet?” Damien had no answer to Emily’s question. The girl was right. It was just a myth. But Damien believed it. So he still wouldn’t let Emily see Victoria.

“You have seen her picture. Now, out. Your tutor must be waiting upstairs.”

“Damien, please.” Emily begged. She really wanted to meet Victoria.

“Victoria might wake up soon if she meets someone new.”

“I don’t know,” Damien said quietly, no longer looking at Emily.

“So far the doctor has not given any good news about Victoria.” Emily was silent. Damien’s voice and flat expression made Emily think he was trying to hide his sadness. The girl touched Damien’s hand, thinking she was comforting him.

“She’ll be fine,” Damien gave Emily a long look. The girl’s resemblance to Victoria struck him. The man pulled his hand away from Emily, causing the smile on Emily’s face to fade.

“Let’s go see Victoria together.”