CHAPTER FOURTEEN
2000 Words
URIEL’s POV.
Imagine the surprise on my face when Damon came to stand in between me and my step mother. I didn’t expect that he would ever even do that. They both knew each other and were practically friends but here he was, in front of me and against her. He shoved Louisa’s hand and she almost lost her balance but Felix fast enough to catch her and steady her.
“What do you think you are doing?” He asked him through gritted teeth.
“And what do you think you are doing?” Damon asked him, anger evident on his face, “allowing your woman to hit someone else is not something that you do, Felix?”
“Are you standing up for this frump aunt?” Louisa inquired in a disgusted tone, “since when did she become your friend? You hate her.
“What’s going on here?” Felix asked again, since when did the two of you become friends?”
Damon didn’t say anything to them, he only turned to me and I could see the look in his face soften.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes” I nodded, “I am fine”
“Take her to check for the dress” he said to his assistant and the shop lady, “and next time, you keep your mouth to yourself” he was talking to his assistant, that look was back on his face again. He looked really upset at this point but u didn’t try to say anything. I was still surprised. Why would he help me? He hated me. He was Felix’s best friend, he wouldn’t stand up for me risking his friendship with Felix.
“I am sorry sir” his assistant said before hurrying away. With one last look at the three of them, I walked away. I was not in the mental state to even comprehend what was going on and genuinely, I didn’t care what happened.
We finally entered the room and my jaw dropped at how magnificent the wedding dresses looked. They were all too good to be true, I was sure I would have a hard time choosing.
“There are all custom made dresses” the shop lady whose name I later found out to be Amanda announced, “some have been worn once and some never at all”
My eyes caught one in a corner and I immediately strode across to it. Beautiful was an understatement on how it looked, ethereal was a better word. The shining stones on it were what caught my attention and how beautiful the flay looked.
“We call this the bride’s tear” Amanda announced again, “unfortunately the bride who we had it custom made for couldn’t wear it because her fiance died. It’s been here for a year, no one wants it”
“But she could have taken it. What if she finds someone else who…
“How about we stick to getting a dress?” Damon’s assistant chipped in with an irritated voice.
“This is really beautiful” I muttered under my breath as I ran my fingers through the dress again, ignoring her tantrums, “I love it”
“How about you wear it?”
“I don’t think I should….i…
“There is no harm in that ma’am”
I watched her take the dress from its hanger before leading me into the sitting room. I was nervous, really nervous. I loved the dress and the story behind it was too emotional. How could I wear it for a fake wedding? It would be so bad and my conscience could judge me forever.
She finally helped me put it on and my mouth hung open in awe when I saw how magnificent it looked on my body. It was really beautiful, I couldn't lie. Even the diamonds were shimmering.
“Wow, you look so gorgeous ma’am” the lady squealed excitedly.
“It looks pretty,” I told her as my eyes traveled through my body.
“You should get it ma’am”
“No, it’s too beautiful for what I want to do. I will opt for…
A knock on the door cut off my speech and Damon’s voice came through.
“Aren’t you done checking the dress yet?”
“I am just getting out of it, I will be out in a while”
“You should let him see it and approve of it”
“I am coming in”
Before I could respond, the door pushed open and he stepped into the room. He stopped, his eyes traveled over me. I didn’t understand that look on his face. Did I look okay? Was he disgusted?
“You should get this” Damon told me, “it fits”
“It’s too expensive and I…
“Have the dress altered as necessary and have it sent to the Devante mansion”
“Of course sir,” the shop lady answered.
Damon pulled out his wallet and handed her his black card, one that only the richest of the rich had.
“I will step out of the dress now”
“I am waiting outside”
Without another look, he turned around and stepped out of the room while the lady helped me remove the dress. I felt a little suffocated, maybe because I couldn’t forget about the encounter I had with Felix a while back. He was getting a wedding dress for another woman, someone who was older than him. The more I thought about it, the more upset I was but I didn’t say anything..it didn’t matter to me anymore or so I thought.
After I was done, I made my way out of the room to meet Damon and his assistant deeply engrossed in a conversation. I could see the way she was behaving. I could swear on my life that she likes him, her body language said it all.
“I am done,” I announced.
“I will take you home” Damon suggested and walked off without another word. I picked up my bag from the table and followed him, not giving his assistant any other attention.
He was already seated in the car and as soon as I entered, his driver zoomed off. He looked busy but somehow I wanted to ask what was going on in his head. I wanted to know what he and Felix talked about. Did he tell Felix about it or he?
“You look like you have a million questions to ask, tell me” he closed his laptop and focused his attention on me.
This was the opportunity I was waiting for, I wanted to badly know.
“What did you tell Felix?”
“Why? Are you scared”
“I am not, I just want to know what the two of you talked about”
“I told him I was getting married to you”
“You didn’t”
He leaned forward, his hot breath fanning my face. This man was gorgeous and he knew that so well.
“Do you think I am lying?”
My breath hitched and I pressed back from him. I didn’t know what was going on in his head but I wasn’t comfortable with how close we were.
“You said you would wait and you..
“Louisa almost slapped you, I couldn’t let her do that. I won’t let anyone bully you even if that’s my best friend. Do you understand that?”
“But…
“Can we stop talking about them?” He suddenly sounded irritated, “we have a wedding photoshoot to plan. We should focus on that and not your ex”
I wanted to say something but I decided against it, he wouldn’t understand anyways.
“About that dress” I changed the topic, “it has a story and I don’t think it’s appropriate to use it. What we are doing is a lie and that dress, it has a beautiful story and I don’t want to be the one or ruin that story”
Damon let out another frustrated sigh, his patience must be wearing thin, I could feel it.
“What makes you think you can’t wear that dress?”
“Because it’s a lie” I blurted.
“It can be real if you want to to be”
“What?”
“Forget it and let’s focus on what matters now, okay?”
“I don’t know what games you are playing now, Damon”
He smirked hard but didn’t say anything, he only closed his eyes and I used that opportunity to study his facial features. Everything about this man was ethereal.
“Don’t look at me, Uriel. Someone might think you are in love with me”
I cleared my throat and looked away, who the heck was in love with him? Eww!!
My phone chose that moment to ring and when I saw the caller ID, my countenance changed. Why was he calling me now?
“Answer your phone, darling” Damon’s deep baritone filtered into my ear and I licked my lips lightly before clicking on the receive button and pressing the phone against my ear.
“Hello”
“Really, Uriel?” Felix’s mocking tone reached me, “Damon of all people? You are sleeping with a rogue? I didn’t know you had it in you. I always thought you were a naïve and dumb girl. You really know how to warm your way into men’s hearts”
“Excuse you?”
“Damon will break your heart, Uriel” is continued, “warm someone else’s bed and not his. He is my friend, he will f**k you and leave you”
“Coming from someone like you is rich, Felix. If I remember correctly, you are the one sleeping with my step mother but you call me and you…
“Don’t be too sure of yourself. Like i said, he is my friend and i know what Ie can do”
Before I could respond, he ended his call while I was left boiling with anger.
“Well, do you believe him?” Damon Inquired, his eyes still closed.
“What do you mean?”
“I will f**k you and leave you. Do you believe him?”
I didn’t say anything because I had no answer to his question. I never for once thought like that, not with Damon.
“You should be the one to answer the one to answer that” I finally found my voice, “I am in no mood to sleep with you”
He smiled and didn’t say anything again. But I knew that smile was not ordinary. Damon had always been a weird man.
“You can ask me for anything in this world and I will give it to you, Uriel” he says again, this time in a more serious tone, “and I mean every single word”
Well, Felix promised me that but here we are.
The phone on the space beside us began to ring and a certain name popped up..beloved. It changed my whole mind. Damon was an only child and his parents were dead. It could only mean one thing, he had someone he loved and I was just the stand in.
What the heck was I thinking anyways? I started to laugh and Damon opened his eyes.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Your beloved is calling. Why don’t you answer?”
He stared down at his phone which was still ringing but he didn’t make a move to pick it up.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, Uriel” he finally said, “and take some rest, I booked an appointment with the doctor for you”
He closed his eyes again while the phone continued to ring…he never picked it up.
- Writer
