Chapter Fifty two
Third Person POV;
Aleena screamed so loud when she saw the news. She had seen Damien in an interview accompanied by that middle class girl. How could he debunk those rumors just like that?!
She paced the room back and forth in a frenzy. Her irritation had greatly increased because of the news. She should have waited, she really should have. This was what her anger had pushed her into.
When Tracy had called to let her know of the happenings in the mansion concerning Damien's return and extravagant apology, she grew mad.
Damien never apologized to anyone, ever! But there he was being all romantic to some classless little girl. He was beginning to develop a soft spot for her, she was sure of it l, so she did the next best thing that came to mind. She asked that Tracy leaked what they had found out immediately to a friend in a prestigious media house and as expected, the news spread like wildfire but it was not enough.
She had expected a different reaction from Damien but no, he had debunked the rumors and lost his chance to be free from that cunning opportunist that had somehow roped him into a marriage contract obviously to milk money out of him. He had better not be falling for her, he had better not because he was only hers to be with.
She had tried calling him over and over but he ignored her calls and it angered her even more. Her phone rang and she picked up eagerly assuming Damien had finally returned her call.
Unfortunately, it was a work call, she had to leave as soon as possible for a modeling shoot in the UK.
It was one of those times she really hated how demanding her job was but on the bright side, she needed time away so she could focus on herself and strategize a better way to have Damien in her grasp. Getting married to Damien would give her career a much needed boost to put her on top of her game and she would not lose out on such a juicy opportunity because some little girl was trying to get in the way. She would return and take what rightfully belonged to her. She was not going down without a fight and she knew her return was going to bring about a change, a change no one would see coming.
"Just wait for it." She smirked sinisterly as she sipped on some wine. She picked her phone and called her other insider.
"Let me in on everything going between Damien and Ariana, do not miss even a single detail." She instructed.
"Yes ma'am." The person on the other end said.
"Good." She hung up immediately and went ahead to prepare for her trip to London.
****
Stella paced the room back and forth with her heels clicking the floor as she did, making her husband go dizzy.
"Stella please sit already." He said gently.
"What if it's actually true?"
"You saw the interview, he just debunked the claims." Gerald pointed out.
"Yes, I know but this is Damien, he's capable of anything, no matter how unusual it seems, he is very capable of such." She said frowning in worry.
"You worry yourself too much, Stella it's just a rumor." He said dismissively but she was not having it.
"Every rumor has an atom of truth in it. Besides the person who leaked the news is one of our own. Tracy-" She reasoned out but was interrupted in the middle of it.
"Tracy does not like Damien's wife and she could come up with anything to make her look bad. Say, there's actually some truth in this and their marriage is a sham, do you think Ariana would be able to orchestrate such and pull off such a stunt with someone like Damien?" Gerald cut her off and gave her something to ponder on.
"No, Damien is way to rigid to give in to something like that and if there's anyone capable of-in your words-orchestrating such an atypical plan, it must be Damien." She eventually agreed.
"Now can you relax?" He asked her.
"Hmmm." She hummed apparently still in thought.
"Let it be, Stella." He said gently.
She sighed resignedly.
"Fine." She finally gave in.
"I just don't feel like they're both in love, you know. You know when people are in love, it shows and radiates all over them but here they aren't even bothered about not seeing or speaking to each other all the time. Damien does not have that look in his eyes and neither does she. I just want Damien to fall in love and finally be happy." She poured her thoughts out hoping her husband would understand why she was actually so worried about the contract thingy.
"I guess you're right on that one." He nodded in agreement.
"But I think you should give it time." He added.
"If you say so. But I want us to help them get closer." Stella said suggestively with a grin.
"Immediately no." He shook his head repeatedly.
"No, Stella and that's my final answer. No funny games." He said firmly.
She groaned and pouted like a kid.
"You're no fun." She whined.
He rolled his eyes at her childish antics.
****
Tracy sat back in her room wondering how things had gone wrong and their plan had flopped. Not just that, Damien knew it was her who had leaked the news and now he did not trust her anymore. She definitely did not think it through before listening to and carrying out Aleena's anger induced decision. What's worse is that she was taking all the blame while Aleena was somewhere else, chilling innocently. She had tried reaching out to her but Aleena had ignored her calls. She knew better than to go with Aleena's selfish ways now. It had been about two days since the who fiasco came to an end and she had not come out of her room even once because or how shamefaced she was.
She got on her feet and felt dizzy. The dizzy spells she had been getting the last few days were beginning to increase and worry her, she discarded it as stress though, she had a new project she was working on in one of her stores so she assumed it was getting to her.
She yawned and stretched. She felt more tired than usual, always wanting to nap which was very unlike her.
"Maybe it's my period coming." She said to herself as she yawned again. She paused.
Period. She had missed her period. This was the last day of the month and it was nowhere in sight. Wait, what?! She rushed to the bathroom and washed her face severally almost like she was trying to get rid of the thoughts by washing them off.
"No, no, no. Think positive Tracy, it's probably your cycle playing games with you as always." She reassured herself nervously.
She sat on her bed rocking back and forth as her mind spiralled out of control. She could not be pregnant, no way.
"Tracy?" Stella called out as she walked into her daughter's room.
She jolted out of her thoughts when her mother shook her slightly.
"Mom?!"
"I've been calling you over and over, what are you thinking of?"
"Nothing." She said and sealed her lips shut while her mother eyed her suspiciously.
"You look really pale, are you okay?" Stella asked scooting next to her daughter.
"I'm fine, perfect in fact." Tracy said with a tight lipped smile plastered on her face afterwards.
"Hmm. Well, you haven't been joining us for our meals and I had to come call you for dinner tonight." Stella informed.
"Where exactly are we having dinner?" She questioned.
"The east Wing of course." Her mother replied with a blitheful shrug and her eyes went wide.
"I don't think I have an appetite mom." She said quickly, avoiding her mother's gaze.
"I wish I could buy that excuse and let you be but no, your brother's calling for you and your have to be there right now."
"Damien's calling for me? Just tell him I'm not home or make up an excuse for me, please." She pleaded desperately.
"No can't do missy. Now get up, don't keep us waiting at the table for too long." Her mother said and sashayed out of the room.
She laid down on her bed and groaned tiredly. How was she supposed to face everyone after everything that had occurred only a few days back. This was not going to be easy.
She dragged herself out of her room few minutes later and reluctantly made her way out into the bigger house.
She pushed the door to the dining room open and saw that all eyes had fallen on her. Her eyes surprisingly met Aiden's concerned ones and she looked away quickly, she did not want memories of the moment they shared flooding her thoughts at such moment. She muttered greetings to everyone present and soon found herself taking the seat next to Ariana for lack of a better place to sit. She almost rolled her eyes in irritation but kept her cool.
Fish soup was served and she suddenly became nauseous as soon as the smell of fish hit her nostrils.
She ran out of the dining room into the guests' bathroom and hauled her guts out in the toilet. She felt someone hold her hair and rub her back as she did so. When she was finally relieved, she went to the sink to wash her face and when she looked up her eyes met with that of the last person she expected to see by her side.
Could this night get any worse?
