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Damien’s eyes scanned the crowd for the twentieth time in twenty minutes. He hadn’t seen Sierra since she’d been looking over the auction items, and he was getting ready to seek her out. He knew he didn’t have to be with her twenty-four-seven, but he was concerned her father may have snuck back in. There was strong security present, but still, he felt better having her in his site.
He excused himself from the conversation, then turned around to find Joseph and George Anderson approaching. Years of hatred brewed instantly to life as he eyed the men walking so casually toward him.
This is what you want, he reminded himself as they neared. You want them to feel safe around you. In reality, he’d nearly forgotten all about his vendetta against them during the last few months. Something inside him was shifting the longer he was with Sierra. She was so full of life, and filled his days with laughter and his nights with unbelievable passion. She was changing him, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to change.Content © NôvelDrama.Org 2024.
“Hello, Damien,” Joseph said as the two men stopped in front of him. Damien was surprised for a moment that Joseph was acting so casual with him. Normally, people speaking for the first time had the courtesy to use last names.
“Joseph,” Damien replied, his voice coming out a little too cold.
“We’re very happy to meet you. Would you like to come with us there’s something we’d like to discuss that I think would be much better done in private,” Joseph said.
Damien’s mind whirled as he wondered if they’d somehow found out about his plans. He’d been very careful. He didn’t want them knowing until it was too late for them to do anything about it. He felt confident as he nodded his head and followed the men through the crowd.
He was a little annoyed at how people seemed to part for both of them as if they were royalty. If the men and women in the room knew who they truly were, they wouldn’t act with such deference to them. They didn’t deserve it.
Joseph stepped into a private office with George on his heels, and Damien, taking a deep breath, followed. He stopped in the doorway when he saw the other occupants. His eyes narrowed when they connected with Sierra.
As he looked at the faces around him, Joseph, George, Lucas, Trenton, Bree, Sierra, and a couple people he didn’t recognize, his stomach turned.
She’d told them. Sierra had betrayed him. His heart felt like it was shattering inside him. He’d felt like she was special, like she truly cared about him. The evidence was clear. Her loyalties were with his enemies.
“I can see by your face that you’re upset, Damien, but to my brother and I, this is a happy day. We’ve searched for you for years, tried countless times to find you. Your mother came to my Katherine with you wrapped in a blanket, resting in her arms. She was only there one night, and in the morning she was gone. We were unable to track you down,” Joseph said.
Damien looked at him incredulously. The man was a hell of an actor; Damien would have to give him that. Lies! It was all lies. His mother had told him the truth. They’d killed his father and then thrown out a woman in need. Only monsters did that.
“That’s a great story, Joseph, but we both know it’s nothing but fabrication. I’ve always been right here. If you’d truly wanted to find me, you would have. With your limitless fortune and resources, nothing you want can be out of reach. My mother told me the truth. By the look in Bree’s face, over there, it looks like Ms. Monroe has already told her everything, so I don’t really see a need for this farce of a reunion to continue,” Damien said as he glanced for a brief moment at Sierra.
What little color she had left in her face washed away and her expression fell, but he hardened himself against her. She’d betrayed him he had no use for her anymore.
“Damien, please, I have proof. Your mother left a toy at our home. Katherine saved it. It has the initials D. W. on it, but we didn’t know what that stood for. Your father married her under a fake name, giving you a false identity. We had no idea how to find you, what your mother’s name was, let alone yours. The only clue we had was the toy,” Joseph said.
Damien shifted on his feet. The man made so much sense but no, he was lying. He had to be lying. There was no way his mother carried that much bitterness around inside her unless her story was true. He couldn’t’ believe Joseph’s story because then it made his mother into a monster.
“I’m done here,” Damien said, his emotions churning. He had to get out of the room. He turned on his heel and started walking away. He needed some air.
“Damien, wait!” Damien paused in the hallway as he slowly turned, his face giving nothing away.
“What do you want?” he asked Sierra, his voice cold enough to freeze the hall.
“I…I’m sorry. I was trying to do what was right. I know you’re upset right now, but if you’d just listen, you’ll see they really are good peo ”
“Stop. I don’t care. I don’t want to have anything to do with them. I already know who they are and they’re the type to take and take until there’s nothing left to take any more. I thought I knew who you were. I was wrong. You’re fired. Notify my secretary of your address and I’ll have your belongings delivered.”
“But…Damien,” she gasped, tears spilling over as he gave her one last look. He didn’t give her a chance to finish whatever she was going to say. He simply turned and walked away.