CHAPTER 82

Damien's POV

"Lisa? How about she? I ask when my pulse is pounding and my brows are wrinkled.

Did she experience anything? Is she all right? Was she trying to kill herself because of what I did?

For a long, Gabriel's face remains expressionless, and I am inclined to approach him and yank him to tell me what it is so I can stop my heart from exploding.

I yell out, "Gabriel." "What has happened to Lisa?"

"No!" He responds sternly.

"No?" I'm not sure whether I should be happy or not. That came out quickly, and I'm not sure what to make of it.

"Don't you think you guys need to get yourselves together?" I roll my eyes and again turn to face him when he asks.

Is that the reason you're here? I believe he came to express regret. He still seems determined to get me to date Lisa and make this whole thing happen.

"Yes, and also to express my regret for the way I talked to you before. I was just enraged.

"Pissed?" I turn sharply around to face him once again. "Angry that I'm following the right path?"

"What is right?" He laughs. "Did you just say what needed to be said? Tell me what about this is correct. If you hadn't had sex with her, I wouldn't be angry. What does having sex while married mean to you?

I shot out at him, "Says a man who is unfaithful to his wife", and he remained mute. "How dare you educate me on what constitutes a good marriage, of all people? How many years have you been wed? When did you start lying to Sabrina?

He grinds his teeth and says, "This isn't about me, Damien," his face goes crimson with rage.

That's where I am now. His point of rage.

"Is this about me if it's not about you? When you aren't even acting in the best interests of your own genuine wife, you have no right to lecture me about morality. I'm not really Lisa, so...

"Jackass, shut the f*** up!" He snarls at me before approaching in three steps. "Don't you dare ever again bring my wife and me up in conversation," I said.

"Why?" I cock my shoulder. Do you feel bad about betraying her so frequently?

"What the f--- are you going through? I stopped," he yells, but I don't feel alarmed. "I've already stopped a long time ago."

I don't believe you have, however.

"How are you supposed to know if I stopped or not? Do you remember when I was in the club?

"Don't ask me any nonsense. How am I meant to know because you already know that I won't go to that club unless we want to meet?

His breathing becomes heavier, his teeth tighten, and then there is gradual silence.

Why are we even discussing him? Lisa is the subject here, right?

He laughs to himself, shakes his head, and then looks up while face-palming.

But I won't be doing this if you don't mean a lot to me, Damien. This is enough to make me want to quit our friendship. Everyone is able to tell that Lisa is a wonderful person. You won't ever find another lady like her if you let her go. Since the error has already been made, why not follow the current? Why do you have to sabotage the lovely thing that is developing between you two? Why not practice selflessness for a change?

The last sentence bothers me. Up until the latest sentence, he has been speaking with a lot of logic.

I accuse him with a finger point as my rage rises. "This is the most noble action I've ever taken. I can't screw her up. That girl is stunning on the inside and out. How can I let her in?

Helena is still the subject of this, right? He stops me in my tracks by looking intently into my eyes as he seeks a response to his query.

"This relates to your history, correct? Have you ever imagined Helena smiling down on you from above for not only making the correct decision by giving the relationship another opportunity but also because you now own the most beautiful lady who is almost a carbon copy of her? What if it's fated to be this way? What if Lisa and you were intended to be together? Don't you ever think about how similar she is to Helena? I think Lisa is the right lady for you, Damien, and Helena would want you to be happy.

It seems like Helena would want you to be content.

I once heard Lisa say something to me.

Helena, though, is unhappy. She isn't beaming at me from below. Even if she isn't sobbing, my heart is troubled. I am really curious as to how she is feeling.

"The greater distance you maintain with Lisa, the longer you will remain on to the past. You could ultimately lose her to another guy.

A second man?

That grabs my interest. Gabriel asked if he saw any men with Lisa. Romeo has he arrived in New York?

He rubs my left shoulder and adds, "I'm really glad things didn't work out between you and Eunice," in place of responding to me. I'm happy that you wed Isabella instead.

Then he turns around and walks away.

The question "What do you mean by another man?" This is what really worries me.

He casually shrugs, and I assume he won't respond. He pauses at the doorway as I am ready to yell at him to explain what he is trying to say.

Who is to say? Lisa could run into a different guy at the party tonight, so...

"Party? What event?" I make a hasty demand while fist-clenching my hands.

"She attended a party with Eunice and Sabrina. He responds, smiling before walking away, "They insisted on setting her up with a male tonight.

I watch him go as the words gradually register in my mind.

"Shit!" I let out a loud curse before snatching my phone and my vehicle keys.

I swear once more in my head as I run for the exit.