CHAPTER 63

Lisa's POV

Damien was pacing the room with a phone clamped to his ears and his lips moving when I walked in without knocking first.

I wait outside the door till he raises his head to look at me before I go inside.

He adds, "Yes, I'll give you a call later today," as I go by him to drop down my suitcase and find a place to wait until he is through so that we can discuss the news.

How in the world could someone mislead the media that we are not really a couple? Who the heck is that, anyway?

Since Damien and I are really doing a terrific job of making things appear genuine between us, I still find it extremely difficult to believe. Except for his mother, who continues to question if I'm a gold-digger, no one would have believed we were fake.

Perhaps she is at fault. Perhaps she is using this as yet another means to have me permanently removed from her son's life.

Do you know who was responsible for this? I'm abruptly awakened by Damien's voice, and as I turn to face him, he is waving a newspaper in front of me.

I swallow hard and respond without bothering to take it from him. The question is, "Who else would it be?"

He exhales. The question "You know who?"

"If it wasn't your mother, then who else would it be?" I say again, shocked that she isn't even being considered as the prime suspect. This is the same lady who offered me a sizable sum of money in exchange for my departure.

It demonstrates how determined and competent she is to ensure that I go.

"Mother?" He re-asks, seemingly to confirm. His countenance is marked by a severe frown. He rapidly shakes his head. "Mother can't be it,"

"What?!"

"Yes, my mother can't be the culprit. Although I should have told you, Mother and I had a lengthy conversation about our marriage and she now embraces you wholeheartedly. She even requested that I invite you to supper, but I refused since you were leaving on vacation.

"Your mother has invited me to dinner?" He stands with his arms up and nods. The question "without you?"

She requested that you attend the dinner party since it is for girls only.

"So that means she isn't the one?" you ask. He bows. How certain are you about this? Who is accountable if she isn't?

Even though he seems perplexed, he still nods his head. "I'm certain Mother wouldn't say anything like this. She is very concerned about our reputation. This is the primary reason we got married. I am very certain that she didn't do this because she cared about what others thought or said about us.

She is still very much in my mind as being accountable. I don't know if I can ever feel comfortable with her again after what she did to me in the hospital, but inviting me to dinner could be a way to take my mind off of her wrongdoings.

She made fun of me. I would have been ashamed if Gabriel and Damien's father wasn't responsible and sympathetic. And now all of a sudden you want us to be friends?

Bullshit!

"Did you talk about us at the party today with Helena?" Damien asks me once more while leisurely lowering his arms.

I fail to see the point he is making. I collapse heavily to the bed while scowling.

Did you consume any alcoholic beverages? He asks again, and I give him the side-eye.

"Damien, I wasn't intoxicated that day. Did I seem inebriated to you?

"No, you weren't, but I simply need to be certain of your source. I can take care of it after we identify the culprit, he says.

Because of my initial discomfort with the loudness and everything else, I kept quiet the whole time at the party. I stop.

"But then what?" Within minutes, Damien is standing in front of me while I continue to blankly gaze.

Eunice.

While Sabrina was there, Eunice and I discussed Damien, the contract, and my marriage. After we departed from Sabrina's house, we didn't bring it up again.

"Damien?" Damien is kneeling in front of me, shaking me back to reality with his powerful arms.

"Eunice…" I can't bring myself to tell him what we truly discussed, so I merely say that.

How in the world am I expected to explain to him that Eunice and Sabrina said I was in love with him, and if I wasn't, I wouldn't have been married to him in the first place while knowing we wouldn't have sex or have any kind of emotional connection? Oh my God, who is that? He grunts loudly, and I shake my head in disbelief.

Eunice can never be me. While Eunice was aware of this, she remained silent. Why would she do it right now?

He says angrily, "Lisa, say something," and I blink once in response.

I tell him, "Eunice was the woman you almost married," but instead of recognizing me, he gives me a puzzled look.

He ought to be able to recall her, right? Why can't he remember her now that I've indicated that she is something he nearly got married to if he can't remember her by name?

Oh my god, who is that? I didn't get married, not even close, as you claim.

"Sabrina's companion is Eunice. There is no need to mention that this is the woman they brought to you but you couldn't marry because she demanded conditions, but I had to do it so he would ultimately identify her.

It succeeded. His expression transforms into one of recognition. He carefully gets up and puts his arm around his waist to stand in front of me. The question "What about her?"

"That day, I saw her at Sabrina's house."

He stops me and says, "No, it can't be that girl," which causes my mouth to gap wide in shock.

Just did he defend her? Not Eunice, can it?

How confident are you? How do you know this wasn't done by Eunice? I confront him with my inquiries. Despite my conviction that she is unrelated to this, I can't help but feel a stirring in my emotions at the way she is protecting her.

Eunice is a stunning lady who has a model-like appearance, precisely like the kind of ladies I assumed would belong to Damien's category of women. If I hadn't been informed of the nature of their conflict, I may have wondered why he would leave such a divinity for a plain, ordinary girl like me.

That chick is quite seductive. Men will take many looks at her. "I bribed her to stay silent. She has this vibe, that look that can make a guy fall on his knees in surrender for a seduction. Additionally, she told me that she wouldn't say anything since she is Sabrina's best friend.

"You two crossed paths again, but you didn't know her name?"

He gives me a wrinkled foreheaded glare. The question "What are you implying?"

I am aware of what I'm doing. Eunice's success has made me envious.

Shit! "I only ever met that girl once, but I could tell right away that she wasn't the kind of woman I needed. The day I ran into you at the party was the same. I don't believe it would be appropriate to use Sabrina's assurance that she could be trusted against me at this time when she hasn't said anything in the past. She is quite likely to return for more money.

"At the party?" you inquire. I raise a finger and inquire. I recall what transpired at that gathering. On the day I made the decision to accept his offer, I recall that he seemed irate and left the party just as it was starting.

Did he depart out of resentment about not finding a lady who met his criteria for a contract and who could agree to "No Strings Attached" in full?

Yes, during the gathering. Do you have any information or know somebody who can? At the same moment that it registers in my thoughts, he gasps as well.

Juliet attended the event. I was persuaded to accept the offer by her. Juliet also told Damien that she was interested in the legally binding marriage behind my back.

Juliet was the one who told Grandma about the ostentatious union. Why the heck didn't I consider that earlier?

Juliet is the author of this. Juliet is to blame for this. Juliet is the traitor and backstabber, not Jayden's mother or Eunice.

I know Damien also recalls her as I turn to face him, perhaps as a result of our previous interaction on the evening we had dinner with Alejandro.

We both simultaneously make a big announcement. "Juliet?!"