It was a choice for her to make; not just any choice, but one that would alter her life overnight.
Just her outfit alone indicated that she wasn't anyone common. She was virtually a queen. Not just any queen, but the supreme queen of magnificence. Looks like she had the guts, to show up at such a place at such a sinful hour. Just her way of walking made heads turn.
And her looks? Man! She was gorgeous. Nah! 'Gorgeous' was an understatement. She was magnificence itself.
She casually sauntered in and went right to the bar counter. Though she looked delicate, her impression was one admirable to be complimented.
But, something seemed off...
'Something must be wrong for a person like her to be in such a place, at such a time.' He assumed as he saw her tug a stool next to him.
Damien couldn't help but stare closely at the lady beside him. It had been ages since he last took a liking to the female specie. He found it tiring, and worthless. Sincerely, he found the other gender ' morally repugnant.
Eleanor turned her head to the side and unintentionally locked gazes with the man beside her. She sneered as an intention incited in her mind.
He was mesmerizing to the eye.
Black eyes, wavy hair, fair skin.
'He'd do just fine she supposed to herself. She didn't surmise that such an excellent-looking man existed, but she was looking at one now.
El, as she was fondly called wasn't in the 'Castle of Wine' for no purpose. Nah!
She had a plan, she had ideas. And the man beside her would suit her plans well.
"Miss, you shouldn't ogle so much," Damien said, as he swirled the wine goblet in his hand. He felt her gawking so much.
Eleanor didn't look away, as he turned to look her in the eye; rather, she shriveled her brows.
"Looks like there's something on your mind," He asked, bored.
"Wanna share?"
It was slightly remarkable, his facial expression hadn't altered a speck since she came in. She feels such men were only attempting to play arduous to get.
She scoffed inwardly.
"Why would I want to share with you?" Eleanor asked with a look of skepticism on her face.
Damien twisted to her fully and glimmered. His glimmer wasn't soft, and neither was it cold. It was solely...
Business Like.
"You're a weird person" He began with a soft tone.
Nonetheless, Eleanor's tone was similar to his, "What incites you to say that?"
"Walking in a murky street, late this night, aren't you courting death?"
Eleanor stayed silent. After a time, she whispered, "I need a drink."
"Drinking wouldn't resolve all your troubles. You can only ease up a little by spewing everything to the person who'd be ready to would listen."
"Why would I do that?" she eventually mumbled after a deafening silence between them.
"Because you're prepared to do so"
Eleanor reflected for a while, she certainly needed to babble about her troubles as it was too hard for her to suffer alone.
She lifted her head to glimpse at the man before her. He appeared to know everything.
"Come with me," He whispered as he stood up and started walking towards a door. After a few seconds, she chose to follow him.
"You can begin talking now," he said lightly as he gave her a glass of water. Eleanor looked at the glass of water in her hand for a while, before taking a sip.
She took a deep breath and started to speak, "My family disowned me. Simply because I refused to marry the scumbag they wanted."
"He isn't up to your standards, right? His financial situation isn't good. Am I right?" Damien speculated. It was a usual thing, after all.
Eleanor sneered, "Thought you'd be able to put the rest together. Well, things are different."
Damien's interest was instantly piqued, he didn't expect it'd be a different stereotypical plot, "Finally, something interesting. Go on"
"His status is good. You see, my family took a wedding contract to him and arranged a blind date for me today. I thought it was a normal business run with my father, but little did I know that I would be asked to sign a wedding contract with a scumbag. A scumbag who f*cks anything in a skirt. Of course, I declined...."
Eleanor spoke everything out even though she hadn't wanted to in the beginning. But, she felt better as the stress had been relieved.
Damien sat quietly for a while, but he began to laugh.
"I stand to be corrected. So, you're leaving, but you're planning on having a one-night stand with a total stranger. For revenge. Right?"
El looked at him and didn't reply.
How did he know?
"I need a drink," She said instead of replying to his speculations because he was in fact right.
Damien smiled as he had gotten the answer from her silence. She wanted a one night stand and he wanted it too, so...
"If that's the case, let's play it"
"Scram!" Eleanor shouted.
Damien laughed at her reaction.
"There's no use having a guilty conscience. Don't tell me you didn't expect it? You most definitely did!
"I'd tell you why you plan on a nightstand. It is so that you can conclude your life after being assaulted. It's better if we do it when you're sober. That way there'd be no regrets and you'd be able to experience the pleasure in it. Or do you plan on doing it when drunk?"
He was being too plain, Eleanor thought as she looked at him.
Eleanor burst into a fit of laughter suddenly, "Say, you've had eyes on since I walked in, yea?"
"Who wouldn't? Though I reckon you are around 18-19 of age, you are still attractive" He replied in all honesty. Damien wasn't one to keep secrets.
"Although I'm a very picky man, I don't just touch any woman. So you should feel honored" he added as he sipped from his wine glass.
Eleanor looked at him. He was quite a narcissist, but, given his exquisite and well-defined looks, he had the right to be a narcissist.
"You up for it? We don't have all day. Shall we play it?"
Eleanor's eyes widened at Damien's suggestion. Disbelief flickered across her face. "Remarried? No, that can't be. Mirabella never mentioned anything about remarrying, and we have no reason to think so."Damien leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms in contemplation. "Well, it's unusual for someone to go by different names within the same family. Could there be something we're missing?"Eleanor shook her head. "Sienna is in her twenties, while Eliora would be the same age as myself since she is my twin."Damien agreed. "Does that mean Sienna is a relative of yours, then?" he inquired thoughtfully.Eleanor shrugged. "That's the only logical explanation for the moment," she rasped out. "Besides, judging by the story Mirabella told us, the man must have loved my mother too much to remarry," she added with a sigh."Or, she is adopted," Eddy, who had been quiet, suddenly chimed in, causing the duo to turn to him."What do you mean?" asked Eleanor, confusedly.Eddy crossed his arms ove
Eddy, still trembling, pulled out the letter and extended it toward Antonio, who took it with a cursory gaze directed at Eddy."Yes, Mr. Huxton," Eddy stammered. "I have a letter for you. It's important, and I was instructed to deliver it personally."Antonio's gaze traveled between the letter and Eddy. Something about Eddy did not sit right with him. Antonio thought that he had met Eddy before but he could not remember where."Who sent you?" He asked, slowly tearing open the letter."Z-zara Anderson-Red, sir," Eddy answered.Antonio's head whipped up to Eddy's face quickly. There was shock clearly etched on it as his eyes widened."The Andersons?" He muttered disbelievingly and Eddy nodded. Antonio quickly pointed to the couch. "Please, sit."Eddy nodded and sat, although he still did not feel comfortable.To Sienna, Antonio said, "Go, get our guest something to drink! Hurry!"Sienna stood up and left. As she made her way to the kitchen, she kept trying to remember where she had hear
Eddy's head quickly whipped to the angle the voice had come from. His jaw dropped the moment he saw the lady who had called him, walking towards him. For a moment, Eddy lost himself in the magnificence way her hips swayed as she walked towards him.Her black hair danced with the wind, making her look like a celebrity. Her eyes were clear and focused on him. Eddy was so lost in her beauty that he did not see her stop in front of him."Hey, mister! Here!" She snapped her fingers before Eddy, jolting him to reality. "Who are you?""Uhm," Eddy suddenly became confused. He scratched his head that was not itching. "I, I, uhm-i..." he suddenly coughed. "I am Martin Derek, a writer. I have a letter for Mr. Antonio.""Martin Derek..." The woman drawled, looking at Eddy's messy red hair. His eyes were a brilliant shade of jade, shinning through the spectacles on the bridge of his nose. "You don't look like a 'Martin Derek'," she stated."W-what?" Eddy chuckled nervously. He adjusted the tie on
Eddy's head quickly whipped to the angle the voice had come from. His jaw dropped the moment he saw the lady who had called him, walking towards him. For a moment, Eddy lost himself in the magnificence way her hips swayed as she walked towards him.Her black hair danced with the wind, making her look like a celebrity. Her eyes were clear and focused on him. Eddy was so lost in her beauty that he did not see her stop in front of him."Hey, mister! Here!" She snapped her fingers before Eddy, jolting him to reality. "Who are you?""Uhm," Eddy suddenly became confused. He scratched his head that was not itching. "I, I, uhm-i..." he suddenly coughed. "I am Martin Derek, a writer. I have a letter for Mr. Antonio.""Martin Derek..." The woman drawled, looking at Eddy's messy red hair. His eyes were a brilliant shade of jade, shinning through the spectacles on the bridge of his nose. "You don't look like a 'Martin Derek'," she stated."W-what?" Eddy chuckled nervously. He adjusted the tie on
"How do we get in?" Damien asked.Eleanor had suggested that they try to get into the Huxton's site, but they needed to find a way in. How to bypass the security at the gate without drawing attention to themselves."Well," Eleanor said, chewing her pen cover under the watchful gazes of Damien and Eddy. "How about we use Eddy?""As a scapegoat?" Eddy asked, with wide eyes. "No, thank you! My boss would not eve-""I agree," Damien nodded, surprising Eddy who shook his head slowly."I knew it!" Eddy cried. "You hated me for a very long time. Now, you are gonna send me to my death."Eleanor smiled."Stop being fussy, Ed." She turned to him. "Nothing's gonna happen to you. I have a plan."Eddy slumped to his knees."She has a plan," he kept muttering."What's with him?" Eleanor asked, turning to Damien who simply smiled."He's fine…" he replied. "What's the plan?".*.*.*.Eddy was sweating. Every step he took was as if he was walking on pins to his demise.How did he let Eleanor and Damien
CHAPTER 56… WE MAKE A PRETTY GOOD COUPLE.*.*.*.*.*.When Eleanor got out of bed the next morning, breakfast had already been served in a tray and placed by her bedside.She yawned, stretched and got out of bed. After her shower and dressing up, she returned to the blue themed bedroom. It was large, about the same size of her bedroom back home.As she was about to sit and dig into the breakfast in the tray, a knock interrupted her."Door's open," She called, watching to see who would come in.Damien walked in. He had already bathed and was dressed in a pair of blue sweatpants, and yet, another thousand dollars Nike shoes."Did not think you would be up already," He said, pointing at her. "And I see you are already dressed up."Eleanor nodded."Hmmm. Good morning," She greeted and turned to her tray of food. "Care to join me for breakfast?" She asked, glancing at him before adding, "it's the least I could do to thank you for bringing me to such a comfortable room."Damien nodded."Enjo
CHAPTER 55… SAD NEWSDamien's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He had expected Eleanor to be anything but not a hacker. He was tempted to tell her 'no', but as he looked into her eyes, he could see clearly, the unwavering determination that mirrored his own.Toni turned to Eleanor, her eyes widening in surprise."Can you do it?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of skepticism and hope.Eleanor nodded, a small smile playing on her lips."Yes, I'm a hacker too," she revealed, her tone filled with a quiet confidence. "I can break through that firewall, gather the information we need, and I'll also make sure to log out before the system can trace me."Toni's doubt did not fade away, but she let Eleanor take the seat, then she stood behind her."Let's see what we got here..." Eleanor drawled as she began tapping quickly on the keyboard. Her eyes stuck to the screen of the computer as she worked with a very clear mind.As for Damien, he found himself curious to see if she could really do
CHAPTER 54... A HACKER.*.*.*.*.*.The next morning, Damien looked out at the vibrant city of Spain, feeling a sense of nostalgia washing over him. It had been far too long since he last visited, but the familiarity tugged at his heartstrings, welcoming him back like an old friend.Eleanor sat quietly in the cab, her gaze fixed on the passing streets. Her mind was filled with thoughts as she observed the people around her. While many smiled and exchanged greetings, she could see glimpses of hidden struggles and doubts behind those cheerful facades. It saddened her to realize that there was often more beneath the surface than met the eye."We can finally move out of the hotel," Damien noted, pulling Eleanor's attention back to him as the driver kept driving. His voice was filled with a sense of relief. Curiosity sparked in Eleanor's eyes as she could not help but wonder. "Just how wealthy are you?" she asked, a faint smile playing on her lips.Damien shrugged casually, not giving too
CHAPTER 53… LOOKALIKE .*.*.*.*.*.The next morning, Selena came out of the house pulling a suitcase behind her. Behind her, Cassie was pulling another, and then Penny, who was carrying a lunch basket.Damien was already waiting for her in front of his car. When he saw her, he put his phone away and like a gentleman, reached for the suitcase in her hand.Eleanor hesitated and said, "You do not have to come along if you do not want to, you know."Damien hissed and pulled the suitcase out of her grip gently. "Firstly, I'm going on this trip because I want to. Secondly, I'm going because I have a meeting in Spain. And thirdly," He paused and flashed her a wink. "Let's leave that one for later.""If anything happens to her, you will not make it out of Spain alive!" Cassie yelled sternly.Damien stuck his head out of the trunk and smiled before returning it.Penny brought the bags and gave them to him before going back to bid her goodbyes to Eleanor and returning into the car.The kids we