CHAPTER 6 TIRED OF BEING A PAWN.

The CEO

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As we walked into the living room of my mansion, I grabbed Lucy by the arm and turned her to face me. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I warned you someone was going to cry, but you chose to be stubborn," Lucy replied, laughing into the sofa and crossing her legs. She pulled a sweet from her purse and popped it into her mouth. "Did you see how she cried?" Lucy smiled, crossing her arms. The crack of the sweet between her teeth irritated my ears.

"You think you can win my heart like this?" I asked.

She got up and strode towards me, staring up at me. "If you think I did this to win you over, then you're pretty dumb." She cracked the sweet between her teeth again, a wide grin on her lips that I felt like slapping off. "I've tried being sweet and lovely. But that doesn't work with you. You prefer fear." She walked back to her seat. "Next time, follow her around like a thirsty man, and I'll do worse." She picked up her phone and began reading the news articles.

"The gold digger finally loses it... Lucy Beckham was attacked by Damon Wesley’s toy. I guess she couldn't handle going back to poverty." She giggled. "News travels fast. It happened tonight, and it's already everywhere."

"Stop it!" I yelled, my muscles quivering.

"Oh, look at this comment—'She’s a very disgraceful woman, fighting over a man who doesn’t want her.'” She laughed again, slapping her palms on her knees. “And this one—'Never knew she’s a psychopath. She should be locked up in a hospital.'”

Lucy gasped as I snatched her phone and slammed it to the floor, repeatedly stomping on it.

“What, you can’t stand seeing your Binky being ridiculed?” She jerked up and jeered at me.

Her eyes widened as I gripped her arms, pinning them to her body. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction she was looking for. She had to pay for what she did to my Binky.

"The only disgraceful woman here is you—fighting over a man who will never love you. The psychopath who should be locked up is you." The satisfaction in her eyes was replaced with shame. "Every nasty comment you read—they were all describing you." I smiled at her.

She slapped my face. I caught her hand as she tried to hit me again.

"Fear, you say?" I scoffed at her words. "You think you can control me with fear? Well, let's see how you do that."

Lucy stood there without uttering a word as I stormed up to my room. I hurled some clothes into my luggage. I wasn't planning on spending the night with the devil's spawn. I wondered how Binky was feeling. She already hated me, and now this. I felt so ashamed that I couldn’t even protect her.

I carried my luggage and strode downstairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lucy asked, gripping my bag’s handle. "You're going to meet her, right?" Her voice was strained.

"You’ve hurt my Binky. She needs someone to console her," I replied, pulling her hands off my luggage.

"Damon!" she screamed my name maniacally. "One step out the door, and I’ll send reporters to her house. You’ll be all over the news as a cheating partner."

Dropping my luggage, I turned back. A victorious look gleamed in her eyes.

"While you're at it, I'll tell them what really happened. I even have a video to prove my claim." I smiled.

"I took care of the cameras," she stated, her voice tinged with doubt.

"Did you? After all, you warned me. I had to take precautions."

Her eyes flashed with terror as she bought into my lie.

I picked up my bag and walked out the door.

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I slipped into my car and drove off as soon as the security guard opened the gate. A few kilometres from my house, I pulled over. Reaching for my phone, I dialed Zach's number.

“Today has been hell for you,” Zach laughed as he picked up.

“You have no idea,” I replied, running a hand through my hair.

“I never knew your Binky was that crazy,” Zach said, making me flinch.

“Binky didn’t attack Lucy. Lucy orchestrated everything. I think she attacked herself.”

“Wait, what? Lucy attacked herself?” Zach said, giggling.

I wondered what he found so amusing.

“She had to. Binky wouldn’t do that. Lucy warned me she was going to do something stupid, but I thought it was just empty threats.” I sighed heavily.

“Wow!” Zach was still laughing.

“You find this funny?” I asked, furrowing my brows.

"Sorry, man, but you have the worst luck. Imagine having William Wesley as a father, and as if that’s not enough, a psycho for a wife,” he remarked. “With the way things are going, you might not even have to fake your death.” His laugh was deafening.

I couldn’t help but smile at his comment. Although it was a joke, he was right. If things kept going like this, I might die before my father.

“Please, help me deal with the media. Do it in a way that won’t be traced back to us,” I said.

“Sure. But you have to deal with your father and Lucy,” Zach advised before ending the call.

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Starting my car, I drove off, my mind racing with thoughts on how to beg my Binky for forgiveness. I couldn’t protect her from the public embarrassment, and I wondered how she was coping. As I approached our apartment, I imagined her crying her eyes out, or maybe drinking—a new habit she had developed. I blamed myself for pushing her into alcohol.

I stopped at the gate, about to step out, when my phone rang. Mr. Wesley's name flashed on the screen. My heart tightened as I answered the call.

“My house now,” his wicked voice commanded.

I stared at the apartment, torn between checking on her and obeying my father. Deciding it was best to deal with my father first and get this weight off my chest, I drove off.

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As I approached the door of my father’s house, the air grew thicker, choking me. I hated the house—hated every memory that came with it. Opening the door, I walked in, my heart beating in places it shouldn’t as I saw the three of them: my father, Mrs. Beckham, and the Devil’s spawn—Lucy, sitting in the living room.

“Sit down,” my father gestured, and I obeyed.

“How many times do I have to remind you of the importance of this union?” my father questioned, his voice calm yet terrifying.

I uttered no word, sitting there like a coward.

“Daddy, he didn’t even protect me during the interview,” Lucy stated, shedding fake tears.

I cringed at her dramatics.

“I watched the interview,” my father notified me. “A girl embarrassed your fiancée, and all you could say was ‘No comment.’” His voice was still calm. “Are you still in love with that trash?” He scoffed. “Do you think you’ll end up with that garbage that has nothing to offer? Not while I’m alive. You must be very stupid to think you will marry for love. Besides, look at Lucy, a beautiful, intelligent daughter of a well-to-do family. Yet you chose to fall in love with that creature from the gutter.”

I tightened my fists as he continued his torturous rants, wishing I could punch him in the face for all those adjectives he used on my Binky.

“Daddy.” Lucy called out, sitting next to him on the sofa. “And when I corrected him, he slapped me.” Lucy lied.

My temper sparked, and I stomped to my feet. “That’s a lie. Lucy slapped me. She’s the one who attacked herself and framed my Binky.”

“And so? She was only protecting what was hers.” I clenched my jaw as soon as those words left his mouth.

Of course, he would take her side. My father had already set his eyes on Beckham Construction, planning to convert it to his, just like he did with my mother’s business. Lucy is so foolishly in love that she’s become blind to the fact that she and I are just pawns in my father’s greedy game.

“How dare you lie against my daughter?” Mrs. Beckham shouted.

“Lie? Your daughter is a lying machine.” I shouted back.

Mrs. Beckham turned to my father. “Control your son. I won’t tolerate any more insults.”

“Forgive me. It seems my son has forgotten his manners.” He picked up his phone and typed a message.

A few seconds later, five hefty men entered the living room.

Lucy and her mother screamed as one of the men swung his metal bat, hitting my head. Sudden dizziness crept in as blood spilled down my face. I collapsed to the ground, pain shooting through my body. I curled up, protecting my head with my hands, as they kicked me repeatedly.

“Please, forgive him,” Lucy begged, terror evident in her voice.

She thought my father was a sweet, nice man. I hope she can see the monster she is about to have as a father-in-law.

After a few minutes, they stopped.

“Kneel and beg for forgiveness,” my father ordered.

Spitting out the blood from my mouth, I rose to a kneeling position and pleaded for forgiveness. He gestured dismissively. Using the chair for support, I winced as I stood up. I bowed before leaving the house.

I was done being his pawn, done sacrificing myself for his greedy ambitions. I had to make Lucy pay for this. I needed to cook up the best revenge that would cripple them. I would teach my father to fear me.

As I got to the car, pain and anger coursing through every cell I was made of, I reached for my phone and dialed Zach’s number.

“Create two paper companies,” I announced as soon as he picked up.

Starting the car, I drove heading to my Binky’s place