Chapter 14 Vacation Time

Chapter 14 Vacation Time
Damien’s POV

The sound of my footsteps echoes as I walk away from Seraphina.

What the hell did I just do?

I can still feel her lips… soft, warm, trembling under mine.

For a moment, everything went quiet. My anger, my confusion... all of it disappeared. It was just her. But as soon as I pulled away, guilt hit me like a wave.

I can’t even explain why I did it. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the way she looked at me... scared, innocent. Or maybe I just can’t control myself around her anymore.

I walk straight to my room, slam the door, and lean against it.

The mirror across the room stares back at me. I look at myself, and I hate what I see.

Damien Harrington. Future CEO of Harrington Corporation... now reduced to forcing a kiss on a girl he can’t have.

Mom’s words echo in my head, sharp as ever: "Nicholas will take over until you learn how to seal good deals."

I grab a glass from the bedside table and pour whiskey into it. I gulp it down in one go. My chest burns, but the burn feels better than the guilt.

Mom storms in, Victoria right behind her. Of course. Victoria must have gone crying to her after I shoved her aside earlier when she tried to stop me from leaving the room.

I don’t regret what I did. She had no right to question my whereabouts. She’s not my fiancée yet, we’re just family friends. If I could, I’d run far away from her.

Mom walks up to me, snatches the glass from my hand, and drops it on the table. “What’s going on with you, Damien?” she asks, like she doesn’t already know. “Is it about the conversation we had?”

So now she wants to talk? Of course it’s about that. She replaced me with Nicholas, like I haven’t done enough already.

“I was only joking,” she says, but I’m not ready to listen. I stand and walk past her. She grabs my arm. “Damien, come on, that’s enough.”

“Mom, I just want to be left alone,” I say, almost shouting as I pull my arm free.

“Is that really what you want?” she calls after me as I reach the door.

“Yes,” I mutter without looking back.

“Okay, fine,” she says.

I grab the doorknob and start to pull it open when her voice stops me again.

“You can take your time off,” she says slowly. “Go on a vacation… with Victoria. Come back when you feel like.”

With Victoria?

I turn, and my eyes meet hers. She’s smiling, clearly happy with Mom’s idea. But me? The thought makes my stomach turn. Going anywhere with her is the last thing I want.

If I’m going on a vacation, I’ll need someone different with me. Someone who doesn’t drain the life out of me. Someone who can make the trip bearable.

“Victoria stays,” I say flatly.

“Why?” she snaps before Mom can even speak.

“Just!” I cut her off and leave the room.

...

The next day, I’m already getting ready for my trip to Spain... a place I’ve always dreamed of visiting since childhood.

As I finish dressing, Seraphina walks in with my breakfast. She greets me quietly without looking at my face. I try not to stare at her either, but the memory of yesterday hits me again... that kiss.

When I kissed her, I felt something I’d never felt before. Something real. I still can’t explain it, and maybe I don’t want to.
But right now, I feel that same urge again... to touch her, to taste her one more time.

Crazy. I know.

She finishes serving the tray and turns to leave.

“Have you ever been to Spain before?” I ask suddenly.

She turns slightly. “No, sir.”

I’m not surprised. From what I know of her background, she probably hasn’t even left the country.

“Would you mind going there with me?”

Her expression changes instantly. She looks confused, and a little scared.

“It’s just for a week or two,” I add, “if you don’t mind.”

She hesitates, her eyes finally lifting to meet mine. But before she can answer, the ever-annoying Victoria walks in, dressed like she’s attending a red carpet event. I can’t stand her confidence, or her perfume.

Seraphina turns quickly and leaves, escaping before Victoria can speak.

“Damien, this isn’t you!” Victoria starts complaining. “Ever since you came back from Mexico, you’ve been so mean to me. Does that mean what happened between us wasn’t real? The first love we made, you were pretending?”

The first love we made?

I almost laugh. I was drunk that night, and she knew it. She took advantage of it. I barely even remember what happened.

“Look, Damien,” she steps closer, “I am sorry if I said anything wrong. But I need answers. I can’t keep doing this if you keep treating me like trash.”

You are trash to me, I want to say.

And no, Mexico didn’t change me. I just finally started seeing things clearly, especially what kind of person you really are.

“You want me to stop treating you like trash?” I ask, and she nods quickly. “Then tell Mom to...”

The door opens before I can finish. Of course. My room might as well be a public hallway at this point.

It’s Alex, one of the male servants. “Sir, the chopper… has arrived,” he says as the loud thump of blades fills the air.

I glance out the window and see it landing on the helipad outside.

“Tell Seraphina to come and get this stuff outside,” I point at my luggage.

Alex hesitates. “Is it necessary to call her, sir? I can do it myself.”

I glare at him. “Just get her.”

He nods quickly and turns to leave, but Victoria stops him.

“She doesn’t have to. Alex, carry the luggage instead.” she orders.

I turn and stare at her in disbelief.

“Seriously?” I mutter under my breath, anger tightening my jaw.

She has no idea who she’s messing with.