Chapter 7. J*rk

Gwen POV

I have always imagined that my wedding would be the most wonderful day of my life. I have always envisioned this in my head.

It turned out it wasn’t.

All because my husband disappeared and his twin brother, who was purportedly estranged from the family, pretended to be him, fooling everyone.

And now, the same twin brother was shattering all the plans Damon and I had made for ourselves. He was making the rules - ones over which I had no say.

This is crazy.

Damon is gone, and his twin brother is calling all the shots like he was the real deal.

He made it look like I was the gold-digger that the people in their circle branded me when he did not know me. Well, what do I expect from people like him?

He may have been exiled from the family, but he moves in the same circle, and their kind looked down on ordinary people like me.

Only Damon was different. He looked beyond my bank account, saw me for what I was. He loved me, and I loved him.

Was it so bad to want a simple life with my husband? Was it so bad to want to be a stay-at-home wife and mother to our future kids?

I squeezed the crumpled name card of Genna Black in my hand and felt its sharp edges pierce my palm. It’s not much. The pain does not equate the feeling rushing up to my head.

I knew what Damian wanted to do. He wanted to humiliate me.  Because in his head, I was not the ideal woman for his brother. He thinks that I was after his brother’s money.

He was such a brute, evil. Maybe that was the reason his family never talked much about him in his absence. He was the total opposite of Damon, who was sweet and protective of me.

My hand squeezed the name card again, and I squared my shoulders in a quiet resolve.

If Damian was out to embarrass me to the whole Olson Hotel staff, I am not going to give him the satisfaction of that ever happening.

Without much thought, I marched inside the master’s bedroom. My feet are drawing a fiery path toward the walk-in closet to pull my suitcase out, placing it in the center of the bed, and opening the lid. Then, I began marching back to the closet to begin my haul.  

I walked out, carrying my personal effects, important documents, and the clothes I had brought in. I tossed everything inside the suitcase.  I was not even discriminatory about it.

My movements were brisk and hurried.

I do not want Damian to find me gone, so I had to move fast.

I called Lou, but she was not picking up.

She was tipsy when she left the party and might be too far gone to dreamland to notice my call.

Maybe it’s a good thing.

I shut the suitcase’s lid and carried the suitcase so as not to make a sound.

I was like a thief when I poked my head out of the door, looking right and left, making sure that no one was around to catch me leaving.

The second-floor hallway proved empty, allowing me to go downstairs unnoticed.

I was barefoot. My slip-on sneakers are sitting on top of my suitcase. After making sure that the coast was clear, I placed my shoes on my feet and began walking toward the main door.

My hand was ready to turn the lever when it opened from the outside.

It was too late.

Damian discovered me. He took one look at me, then at the suitcase in my hand, and demanded,

“Where are you going?”

“Isn’t it obvious. I am leaving. This marriage was a farce.”

His face darkened, took two steps forward, forcing me to step back.

My suitcase landed on the floor with a loud thud, but it was the danger in his eyes that got to me.

I blinked and swallowed the lump that formed in my throat.

“You are not going away.”

His hand went to his back, allowing me to remember that this man is dangerous. He possesses a gun!

“Don’t hurt me,” I said as water blurred my vision.

He shook his head. His arms lifted, and I  shut my eyes in panic.

“Don’t,” I said in a whimper before I turned my head away.

If he had any intention to kill me now, he could do so.

Then, I heard his laugh. It sounded raw and masculine, which made me gawk at him.

“What?” He asked defensively.

“You looked funny.”

I wanted to throw things at his maddening face, but I suddenly felt as if all the fight had been left in me. My energy drained.

“I may look funny to you, but my fear isn’t,” I told him, feeling like my legs had turned to jelly.

I almost sagged if it weren’t for his arms. They held me up and steadied me. Who would have thought that they were the same arms that frightened me earlier?

And the look on his face? Was that a concern?

I dismissed the thought immediately. Damian would not be concerned with anyone but himself.

When I could feel my legs again, I began to pull back.

“Thank you.” My voice sounded stiff, but Damian did not seem to mind.

He checked my face as if he were trying to analyze the problem of the world.

“Are you sure you are alright?”

“Yes.”

“You still look pale.” He said.

And to my consternation, my stomach growled.

It made me realize that I had not eaten since I woke up this morning, and my intestines are begging for nutrition.

My gaze flew to his face in embarrassment.

I thought he would laugh at my situation, but he only narrowed his eyes at me, piercing me with those black orbs of his that reminded me so much of Damon.

“When was your last meal?”

The sternness in his voice made me pause. Hesitation filled me. Should I tell him or not?

I stared at him. Damian, on the other hand, pulled me inside the house.

We did not stop until we reached the empty kitchen.

Damian let me sit on a dining stool while he began to rummage in the fridge. He worked fast and efficiently, like the kitchen had been a second home to him.

I was watching him, surprised at the transformation, but too tired to even make a comment.

Maybe he is a bum who knows his way around the kitchen.

I sat there silently, watching him, deciding that the square I pegged him into did not match this man at all.

A few minutes later, he placed a clubhouse sandwich in front of me.

“Eat. I noticed you haven’t eaten anything at the reception.”

I did not need any more encouragement. I leaned close to the plate, inhaled the smoky, tasty, and delicious aroma of the food in front of me.

With my mouth salivating, I eagerly grabbed it with both hands, ignoring his reminder to take it easy.

Then, I pulled the sandwich to my mouth and took a big bite before closing my eyes.

The food tastes heavenly.

I almost moaned when it filled my hungry stomach.

I was all too aware of his eyes on me, but I did not care. My attention was all on the food and on making myself full.

I was really enjoying myself. The food seemed to lift my mood, and I looked at Damian as if he were the sole savior of the entire world.

When I finished with a satisfied burp, he smiled.

“You’re welcome.” He told me.

And for the first time since I learned about Damian, I smiled.

In my mind, my first impression had been altered. He was not so bad after all.

Maybe he saw something in my expression, making him frown.

“Don’t be too cozy. You are still going to report to work tomorrow.” He told me, shattering the image that he was not so bad after all.

Ignoring my glare, Damian stood and walked away.

“J*rk!” I muttered to myself.