YOU WILL MARRY DAMIEN

CHAPTER 4: YOU'LL MARRY DAMIEN

KIMBERLY:

“What is it?” Jasmine asked, seeing the puzzled look on my face.

I turned my phone screen toward her so she could read the message.

“I think you should go.”

“But Jas ..”

“Just go babe. What's the worst that can happen? Just as I told you earlier, be smart and take advantage of the situation,” Jasmine advised me.

I nodded.

My fingers trembled as I put on my shoes and combed my curled hair. I barely glanced at the mirror before I hurried off.

When I got to the Carter's estate, I was led into the drawing room—one of the smaller reception lounges, but still grand with its high ceilings, ornate chandeliers, and marble floors that gleamed under the lights.

There, seated like a queen on her throne, was Mrs. Evelyn Carter.

She wore a deep emerald gown that looked like it belonged in a museum, and her silver-gray hair was styled to perfection. Her piercing eyes, was sharp as razors, and settled on me the moment I entered. Damien sat beside her on the right and my dad sat on a couch on her left.

Damien looked charming as he crossed his legs, furrowed his brows slightly and lazily tapped on his phone.

Roland sat at a far end of the room, pouting. As soon as I came in, he rose from his seat and came to me. He hugged me tightly while I tried to push him away.

“I'm sorry, Kim, I didn't mean to hurt you. Please don't leave me.” He looked regretful but I wasn't going to fall for that.

"Come here, Kimberly," Evelyn said authoritatively. “You get off her, Roland.”

I obeyed as Roland shifted a little, my heart a frantic drummer inside my chest.

"Sit."

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it didn’t need to be. It carried the weight of a thousand commands.

I sat on the edge of the antique couch, barely letting the cushions sigh beneath me.

"Why did you do what you did?"

I blinked. I'm I to be blamed now?

I opened my mouth, then shut it. She deserved the truth. They all did.

So, I reached into my handbag, pulled out my phone, and swiped until I found the video.

"You should watch this first, Mrs Carter," I said, handing it to her.

She took the phone with delicate fingers, adjusted her glasses, and hit play. I watched her face, trying to read the minute shifts in her expression.

Even Damien looked up from his phone then.

A heavy silence filled the room as the video played—Roland's low moans, Tess’s breathy whispers, the unmistakable betrayal all on display.

When the video ended, Mrs. Carter handed the phone back without saying a word.

She looked at me, her expression unreadable. “So, what do you want to do with that video?”

I hesitated, but there was no point pretending.

“I’m no longer interested in getting married to Roland,” I said, my voice low but firm. “I’m aware of the deal between our two families but I can't live with a man who fucks my own sister every chance he got.”

“Watch your language, Kim.” Evelyn warned.

“I'm sorry, Mr. Carter.” I apologized. Then continued. “This video is evidence of why I'm no longer interested in getting married to him. Not after this. I can’t trust him. I won’t waste my life waiting for him to hurt me again.”

“I already told you I'm sorry Kim, more than ten times.” Roland was still on his feet.

“That doesn't change a thing,” I retorted.

Damien cleared his throat, his lip twitching into something that looked suspiciously like satisfaction.

His grandmother gave him a side-eye before turning back to me.

“Good,” she said. “Then you’ll marry Damien.”

Roland gasped.

My heart palpitated..

And my Dad didn't look happy at all. He probably came to convince Evelyn to let Roland marry Tess.

What he just heard was totally unexpected.

“What?” I cried.

“That's not happening. There's no way in hell I'm letting Damien have her.” Roland protested defiantly.

Evelyn turned to his direction with a look of disdain. “You dare to challenge me?”

“I'm sorry, Nanna but Kim and I grew up together. She might be upset now but when she calms down, she'll get back to her senses and realise that we can't live without each other. I love her, grandmother.”

“You should have thought about all these before you went about sleeping with her sister.” Evelyn retorted.

Roland turned to Damien. “What do you have to say about this? Please tell Nanna you can't take my wife.”

“She's not married to you yet, Roland. So you can't just call her your wife. Besides, I've always had the best interest of this family at heart and if Nanna says marrying Kim will save our family name from a scandal, then so be it.”

“You bastard! How dare you….” Roland was so furious.

He raised his hand to hit his brother but Damien gave him a look that says ‘I dare you to try.”

“I'm the Victim in all of this, Roland.” Damien seemed a little smug. “I didn't make you go sleep with your fiancee 's sister and neither did I ask Kim to kiss me. Now I'm being forced to marry her and you still blame me?”

But the look on Damien's face said he isn't entirely against the idea.

“Mrs. Carter, please I.. I didn't mean to stir any trouble..” I spoke to her with a trembling voice.

She lifted a finger, silencing me.

“This family doesn’t do scandals. And you, Kimberly, are already caught in one. You kissed Damien in front of the cameras. Your sister posted it on social media. Your father is humiliated. Roland is a disgrace. But you,” she smiled faintly, “you can still make something good out of this.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but nothing came out.

Damien leaned forward then, his voice calm but firm. “Do I have a choice in this, Nanna?”

I took a quick glance at him. His eyes looked as piercing as his grandmother’s and his beard was neatly trimmed. His lips pressed into a thin line and his designer suits hugged his broad frame like a second skin.

He was hot, really hotter than Roland.

But this was really irrelevant right now.

His grandmother simply shook her head and muttered, “No.”

“I don’t want to marry Roland anymore,” I whispered. “But I didn't think it would come to this.”

“Life rarely goes according to plan,” Mrs. Carter said. “You’re getting married right now. Your marriage licence has to be flaunted in the same platform where the picture of you kissing Damien was posted. That way, no one will have the right to question you kissing your husband in public. Did I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Mrs Carter.”

Damien stood, adjusting his cufflinks with a sigh. “Well. I suppose we should get going.”

“That marriage will never happen.” Roland said as he stormed away.

“It’s not like you can do anything about it.” Evelyn said as she rose to her feet.

I stood up and followed her behind. But I wasn't sure where I was going because I sure couldn't be dragged into a marriage I didn't plan for.

But as I took a few steps towards the hallway, a woman appeared out of nowhere and jacked the collar of my shirt. “You cheap conniving sloth! You must have planned all this.”