Chapter Ninety one

Damien's POV;

I sat still on my seat pondering on what my wife had just said. Did she just threaten me with a possible divorce?

I shook my head. She had got to be kidding if she thought I'd let her go just like that. We still had over six months to remain married and I believed that everything would be back to normal long before then. Or, so I thought.

Anyways, I gave her some space and by that I mean, I let her be until our flight landed in LA.

As usual, she had her face to the car window and did not utter a word to me until we arrived at the villa.

Everyone else had arrived before us and were most probably resting in their various rooms so we went ahead to do same.

I heaved a sigh, happy that I was finally back home after nearly two months of being away. I had not been here since the year began because even when I left Italy, I went straight to New York to surprise Ariana on Valentine's day.

I looked around and saw that everything was spick-and-span just as expected.

Barely an hour after our return, a knock came through from the bedroom door. Coincidentally, Ariana who was seated by the vanity mirror, brushing her hair, met my eyes.

"Who is it?!" I hollered so the person outside could hear.

"Oh, come and open up already!"

I chuckled as I climbed out of the bed and unlocked the door.

"Hi Ma Rosa." I grinned as soon as I met her mischievous gaze.

She reached up and squeezed my cheeks like a kid and I groaned in pain. Her fists were like iron.

"Is that how you greet me when you're just seeing me for the first time this year?" She scowled.

"Ow!" I exclaimed when she squeezed harder.

"Sorry." I muttered after she released my cheeks. Then, I bent over pulled her into a warm embrace.

"I missed you." I said honestly.

"Oh shoo! Liar!" She scoffed and shoved me aside as she went into the room.

"Hi Ma Rosa." I heard Ariana say sounding like she was smiling.

"Oh my darling!" Ma Rosa exclaimed sweetly and went to hug my wife who was kneeling on the bed.

"How I missed you!" She said, dropping a peck on Ariana's forehead even as the latter giggled.

"I missed you too."

"This is unfair." I audibly muttered.

"What is?" Ma Rosa questioned, glaring at me.

"This!" I gestured between Ariana and I.

"You practically squeezed the life out of my cheeks and pushed me aside when I said I missed you but now it's my wife's turn and you're all over her, giving hugs and pecks. If this isn't female privilege, I don't know what is!"

"Are you done?" Ma Rosa deadpanned. Ariana chortled a little loudly at my expense.

I was speechless. Women are mean people, I tell you.

"Sweetie, how have you been?"

"I've been alright Ma Rosa. How are you?"

"I'm great."

"My deepest condolences. Your father was a really good man." Ma Rosa said somberly and the mood went sad for a minute.

"He was. Thank you." Ari responded with a solemn look and appreciative nod.

"I just had to come check on you. I'll leave you to rest now, you surely must be jetlagged."

"Thank you so much Ma Rosa."

"You're welcome darling. Have a good night."

"Good night." Ariana and I said in unison.

Ma Rosa gave us hugs and soon excused us.

I turned to Ariana after the door shut and once again she avoided my gaze.

"Can you ever forgive me?"

There was a long period of silence after that. I was stuck wondering if she was tongue tied or just plain ignoring me.

"Time would tell, Damien." She said after a while and wrapped herself under the sheets, turning away from me.

I said nothing. I just stood there with so many thoughts swirling around my mind all at once.

This was tiring.

****

The awkward air between Ariana and I hardly dissipated within the next few weeks. She was always moody and withdrawn and all efforts to bring out her lively and vibrant side proved futile.

We all were collectively worried about her wellbeing.

So one day, I decided that it would be a step in the right direction if she got professional help.

"Babe?" I called out to her that evening while she stood at her usual spot in the balcony leaning on the railings.

"Mhmm." She hummed in response absentmindedly.

"I wanna talk to you about something." I started, gesturing for her to take a seat on the large arm chair opposite mine.

"I'm all ears."

She sat cross-legged opposite me and I gulped. She looked so beautiful even in sadness, so much so, I had to believe there was something ethereal about her looks.

"You've been so sullen and gloomy for the last few weeks and we've been worried -I have been worried- about you." I tentatively reached out and held her hands and luckily she did not draw it back like the other times. That was good.

"Before our trip to Italy, I'd like for us to seek professional help."

"How do you mean Damien?" She asked with an undecipherable tone to her words.

"I want us to go see my therapist. Daisy-"

"No." She plainly said.

"Babe we need to get help. I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me, I'm only mourning my only family member like anyone else would do."

The way her eyes sparked, showed me how aggravated I had gotten her in only a matter of seconds.

"Wait, calm down. Let's not fight over this. It's fine if you don't want to go to therapy but I want you back to your usual self. I need you to be okay."

It really bothered me that she had become so much of a shadow of herself.

"If this has to do with your grand opening, it's fine. I'll pull the fake happy face in front of the world but let me tell you, Damien, if you keep trying to keep up appearances," she sat up straight and gestured between us with her right index finger.

"none of this would ever be real."

Her words dropped on me like cold water. I was dumbfounded.

I could not bring myself to say anything. What was I supposed to answer to that? She was stating facts only but I still did not want to believe that she was dropping another hint about leaving me.

Little did I know that that hint was going to come through sooner than I expected.

***

Ariana's POV;

I groaned and grunted in displeasure over and over even as I watched Ma Rosa help me pack my luggage.

Another long trip. Another unnecessary show of wealth and opulence. Another script to act. More fake smiles to give. More fake PDA. Ugh!

Maybe the last one isn't so fake?

I glared at my inner self for her and wild way of thinking.

"Don't stress over it dear." I heard Ma Rosa say, jolting me out of my train of thoughts.

"How can I not stress over it Ma Rosa? I'm not over the loss of my father and he wants me to start all these publicity runs all over again. I was so relieved when I was in NYC away from him and all the paparazzi drama."

I sighed.

"And I have an odd feeling about this trip. There's something inauspicious about it." I had had that inkling for the longest time and I warded it off but now it just got stronger. I just prayed that nothing would happen to us along the way.

She plopped down next to me on the cushioned sofa and had my head resting on her shoulder.

"Maybe it's all in your head baby. Look on the bright side, you surely need a distraction from your grieving. It's not healthy for you. Damien just doesn't want you to leave his side, he's worried about you." She said, rubbing on my hair slowly.

"I'm really tired of everything." I admitted honestly.

"I noticed the awkward air surrounding both of you since you came back last month. I don't know what it is he did you but I'm asking that you forgive and let it go." She said making me raise my head up to look at her.

"It's not that easy." I mumbled.

"I know but you should know marriage isn't a bed of roses, there are thorns too."

"Yes but would I let these thorns prick me until I go numb and unfeeling?" I asked, not noticing a tear drop. She wiped it with the pad of her thumb.

"No, my dear. You'll heal. As long as you love him, you'll heal."

"That's the thing, I don't love him. I don't even know if I feel anything for him at this point." I really wanted to blurt that out but once again my tongue betrayed me.

"I'll try my best." I promised once again.

Stupid, stupid me.