4. Challenge My Patience

Samantha’s POV

I woke up to a heavy thing wrapped around me. Forcing my eyes open, a groan escapes my mouth as I push whatever it is clinging to me.

“Good morning,” Damian greets, smiling from ear to ear.

I’m going to smile back when I caught a whiff of alcohol. He’s drunk and he’s not even hiding it.

“What’s with that frown?” He asks, grinning like a fool.

I cover my nose and move away, getting out of the bed. “Where were you last night?”

I cried myself to sleep when he didn’t get home after sunrise. I don’t even know how to face him now after the photos I’ve seen from the news.

Damian follows and pulls me in his arms.

“You know where I was last night. I was appointed as the CEO, don’t you remember?” he mutters, snuggling his face in the crack between my neck and shoulder.

“I see. You were with that woman? Is it Lorraine? Yeah, her name’s Lorraine Belrose,” I say bitterly, holding my hands into fists.

“Oh, that? Yeah. We’re cooperating with Belrose and she needs an escort so I had no choice,” he replies, snaking his arm around my waist.

Liar. That’s not how you escort another woman when you’re married.

I can’t believe I’m hearing him say those lies on my face.

“Why? Are you jealous? Come on, hon. Lorraine is just a business partner. I won’t have to accommodate her once the contract is signed,” he continues, sounding like what he did last night wasn’t a big deal.

Maybe for him, yeah. It’s not a big deal, it’s always about business. But how about me?

“I heard you’re marrying her too.” I can’t help but mention it. “It’s all over the news, Damian.”

He exhales sharply, pulling his hand away from me and running it through his hair.

“News? Gossip columns will say anything to stir drama. That’s how they do their stuff. You should know better than to believe whatever they write for attention,” he mutters, avoiding my gaze.

But I can't just let it go. My chest tightens and my voice trembles as I press on.

“Then why won’t you answer my calls? Why did you kick me away last night while she clung to you like you belonged to her?”

He let out a dry laugh, a hint of guilt flashing through his blue eyes.

“You’re overthinking again, Samantha. Lorraine means nothing. I told you, it's business.”

“Business… Always business!” I blurted out, tears streaming down my face. I bit my lip, fighting the escaping sobs and continue. “Do you even realize what this is doing to me? To us?”

Damian knows what to do. He just needs to tell me what’s going on, and I’ll try to understand, like I always do. All I ask is honesty. If he shares his plans with me, I can prepare myself and stand beside him. I don’t like surprises, and he knows that better than anyone.

I’ve made up my mind. If Damian is honest with me this time, if he takes my side and protects my heart, I’ll finally tell him about the baby. But if he chooses the opposite, if he betrays me, then maybe it’s time to go our separate ways.

We can’t keep playing this endless tug-of-war, not now that I’m no longer the only one at stake. I could endure the pain myself, but the baby’s life… that’s different.

I press my palm against my stomach, feeling the faintest reminder that something precious is growing inside me. A part of Damian… A part of me. A life that deserves more than this chaos.

And he doesn’t have the right to be a part of this baby's life when he can't stand up for me even once... I don't want this innocent life to 'endure' anything in this life. Every tear I shed and every moment of doubt, it all reaches the child who depends on me.

“Even the maids were talking about us getting a divorce. I also heard Victoria mentioning it with that woman,” I say with a hollow laugh, shaking my head as I wipe away the tears in front of him. “Am I the only one who has no idea about this? When did we decide to divorce?”

I closely watch Damian swallow a lump in his throat, his eyes lingers everywhere but me.

“You believe those maids? Hah! Why are you even asking me about it if you've seemed convinced just by hearing gossip?”

Ah. A roundabout response. He’s not facing it head-on.

“Gossip, huh? Then what about this?” I show the pictures on the news headline. I thought I’ll need them and I was right. “Are you going to say this is fake? Edited? What?”

“Oh fuck,” Damian curses under his breath. “I told you to stay quiet, Samantha. Why do you have to keep challenging my patience like this?”

“T-That’s it? Wow!” I exclaim in disbelief.

Here I am, confronting him, hoping to get his side of the story and is willing to understand him but what, he wants me to shut up?

“Honey, just let this go, okay?” Damian coaxes me, reaching out for a hug.

“Don’t touch me,” I snap, stepping back.

I can’t let Georgia’s schemes, or Lorraine’s presence, or Damian’s silence decide the fate of this baby. I have to be stronger, even if it means walking away from the man I thought I couldn’t live without. My heart aches at the thought.

I still want him. I still want us. But I can’t gamble with my child’s future.

My voice trembles, but I force the words out anyway.

“This is a hopeless battle I’m fighting, Damian. Let’s divorce.”