Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

She swallows her curiosity for the moment and freshens up, her suitcase already waiting for her by the side of the bed.

Everything is in perfect condition, so she has no trouble finding things and all of that.

In the next thirty to forty-five minutes, she’s already out of the room, heading downstairs.

The table has been set for a late breakfast and without exchanging many words, she takes her seat at the table, with her parents.

The food is served and they dig in, still not many words said, until…

“Would you like to tell us what happened?” Salem asks, setting down her fork, her eyes lit with curiosity. 

Serena looks from her, to Ray, who is also watching her as well, awaiting her response. “Things just did not work out well with him, that’s all.” She pauses for a moment, takes a deep breath, and regales the entire event at the proposal to her parents while they listen without interrupting her.

Salem sighs audibly at the end, glancing at her husband before speaking. “You deserve better than that scumbag, I’m sorry you had to go through all of that.”

Serena smiles, “I have a question though.”

“Go ahead darling.”

“You both seem to have known that I would be coming home very soon. How did you know? Have you been spying on me?”

“Spying?” Salem mutters, chuckling. “You are our daughter, we saw you grow up. We know what you hate, what you like, and right now, I can only guess your next line of action against that scumbag.”

Serena chuckles. “That would be funny, won’t it?”

Ray sighs, “Serena, what would you like to do now?”

“You two aren’t pissed with me? I cut off contact for all those years just because of a scumbag that has now shown me that you were both right all alone, you’re not angry?”

Ray and Salem exchange some glances before bursting into laughter. “Your mother and I initially eloped. Just happened that we stayed true to one another, and eventually patched things up with our families. So no, we are not angry, if anything, it only shows you are our daughter really.”

A wave of relief floods Serena’s face as she visibly relaxes, especially on the fock she’d been holding like a death vice. “Thank you so much.”

Salem chuckles again. “You know, if you feel so bad, we’d like to give you an opportunity to apologize, you know, to show us that you really mean your apologies.”

It’s been five years since she’s set eyes on her mother, but Serena still knows very well how sneaky she can be.

“What do you mean?”

“We’d like you to do some things for us. You’d be doing it for us, but honestly, I think it would do you much better anyway.”

“What’s that? Stop beating about the bush.”

Ray nods. “Your mother and I have agreed to an engagement for you.”

The fork clatters down loudly from her hand, hitting the edge of the plate and falling to the ground with a loud clatter. “What did you say?”

“Look, darling—“

Serena bursts into laughter, startling both her parents.

“Of course, that explains quite a few things, and honestly, I am not even angry. I’d do anything right now to rid my mind of the stench of that jerk. So, who is it?” She asks, leaning on the table, interested.

“His name is Damien Blackwell. He’s just a guy I’ve come across a few times during all these fancy businessmen dinners. And he’s in search of a woman, so I just told him randomly that I have a single daughter.”

Serena raises an eyebrow. “When was this party you’re talking about?”

Neither of her parents can raise their eyes to meet hers.

“You know what, it’s fine by me.” Serena accepts, grinning.

Their heads whip up in surprise. “Really? You’d do that? You will give him a chance? He’s a stranger, you don’t even know him?”

“Are you trying to discourage me?” Serena inquires, and they all laugh.

Easy laughter, the way it had been before Adrian came into her life and turned it so upside down.

“If you don’t mind then, I’ll go make a call.” Ray announces, pushing back his chair and rushing out of the dining room with a slight swagger in his steps, and a smile that he’s trying desperately, but unsuccessfully to hide.

The two women watch him go, their stomachs full without even eating much.

“So… who is this Damien Blackwell? He sounds like a rich guy just by hearing Dad talking about meeting him at a fancy party. Who is he?”

Salem sniggers. “If only you kept your eyes farther than your nose before now, you will not be asking me who THE Damien Blackwell is. How about you do one thing for me?”

“Hm hm?”

“Look him up on the internet.”

Serena swallows her words and does as Salem has asked her to. The man’s details, everything except an actual picture, flood her page, and for the next few seconds, she is speechless as she reads through his ‘portfolio’.

“How did you manage to—“

“He’s almost here for your date.” Ray announces, bouncing back into the dining room.

Both women’s eyes snap to him.

“WHAT?!”

“Who is ‘almost here’?”

“Damien, he was apparently happy, so happy that he’s coming already. Apparently, he’s only about ten minutes away from here.”

Serena literally flies up the chair, red and exasperated. “You… GRR. I’ll deal with you both as soon as I am properly dressed. I can’t believe you’d set me up with no breathing space…”

With that, Serena stomps up the stairs, absolutely mortified that everything seems to be happening so damn fast.

“Your date’s here!” Salem called out from below some thirty minutes after.

Serena shrugged at the top of the stairs, her heart in her mouth as she wondered what the man would look like in person, feel like even. As much as she’s happy to have a rebound so soon, she’s more worried about disappointing her parents all over again.

With one last heavy inhale, she walks down the staircase where three people wait for her.

And when her visitor turns around, she stops in her tracks.

Him…!

The man from the previous night is Damien Blackwell…!