HEAVEN
"You had better keep your mouth shut! Claire is only busy, she would be back before you know it!" I tried to struggle from his grip but he was too strong for me.He was hurting me and I really wanted to get away as quickly as possible even though I wanted to annoy him more."I have no interest in women like you." He spat.I knew I was pale immediately I processed his words and the smirk on his face confirmed he was satisfied with my reaction.I exhaled and forcibly retrieved my hand, my lips in a tight line as I tried to compose myself.I was not going to allow him win this."Neither do I have interest in a slut following man like you," I grinned, staring at him dead in the eyes.His face mirrored the reaction I had earlier, his jaw clenched and I saw his nose flare in anger. I couldn't help but smile.Just what I wanted. But I never expected him to retaliate so quickly."Who decided to follow me around if she was not struck by me?" He had an eyebrow raised in way that show arrogance despite sporting a grin on his lips.Huffing in annoyance, I tried to think of a comeback I could possibly dish out but my thoughts were interrupted by Maria as she walked up to us.Mr Jerk straightened up, folding his arms across his chest with an aloof expression on as he stared at his mother.Did he ever smile?"I see you guys are getting along well..""You're wrong, mom. I can never get along with this woman," He glared at me as he spoke, causing me to chuckle.Me neither."But why? I mean, she is nice and well mannered," She stated and glanced at me, causing me to smile at her.Mr Jerk exhaled and shook his head seemingly annoyed that his mother had stood up for me.He exhaled and pressed his fingers against his temple, obviously trying to calm himself down.Why was he so pissed? Did he hate me that much?"Can we talk, mom?" He requested when his eyes opened.Maria shook her head. "You can say whatever you want here, you are getting married to her soon after all," Her tone was clipped like she had stamped her words.No way."Can I speak with you, Maria?" I requested unable to no longer hold my tongue.I needed to know what I was getting into. She never mentioned it to me until I was dragged on the conference room.Glancing at Mr Jerk and returning her eyes to me, she nodded slightly.I could feel his gaze burn my skin as we both walked out of the conference room."Why didn't you let me know that this was the job you had for me? Am I getting married to him just like that? Is this a good idea?" I paused when I realized that I was asking too much in one breath. I sighed and spoke softly."Its obvious we both do not want this," I finished.Looking at Maria, she had an amused look on her face as she stared at me, causing me to look at her questioningly."Look, I'm aware you have been helping me since the day began but I need one more help from you," she pleaded, staring into my eyes. "He is so in love with Claire that it would take him a while before realising that his Claire.. was gone and he needs to assume that position as quickly as possible."Taking in a deep breath, I tried to weigh my thoughts. I certainly did not want to this, how could I keep up with someone I barely knew? Someone who couldn't stand my presence?Shaking my head, I spoke, "I'm sorry I can't do this, Maria. You should find someone else,"Maria shook her head and held my hand. "I can't find someone else. I think you are perfect for this job,"I bit my lower lip and exhaled as I tried to gather my thoughts.I never planned for this. All I wanted was to find a good job and settle down after moving out of Elisa's. But now, I'm made to get married to someone I barely knew.I didn't have any reason to this and it was obvious that Mr Jerk already hated me, seeing me alone irritated him, so how can I marry him?"I promise he would treat you well. You don't have to worry about money, I'll pay you," she continued when I was not saying anything. "It's just a six months thing."Six months? It was still too long for me!"And I'll be paying you 2 million dollar," she offered and I looked up at her, my eyes widening to their limits.Two fucking million dollars! For just six months!I wanted to exclaim but I tried to keep my cool. That was a lot of money! A lot of cash that would out an end to my mystery."How about him?" I asked glancing at the conference room and refusing to mention about agreeing or not.She smiled. "Don't worry about him, we can deal with that later," she said and I nodded. "So, is it a deal?"I twisted my lips looking downwards and nodded slowly.She pulled me into her arms."Thank you so much," She mumbled, rubbing my back. What did I just agree to?I exhaled as we returned to the conference room together.I still couldn't believe had agreed to her proposal. What do I tell Elisa?Mr Jerk was sitted on the table opposite where I was sitting earlier. He had his coat off now.Rolling my eyes, I went to sit opposite him, folding my arms across my chest.He huffed and stood, turning to his mother and giving her a questioning look.Maria exhaled. "You have to get married to Heaven," She informed him without breaking eye contact.He broke into a fit of laughter, laughing loud hysterically before stopping abruptly."This must be a joke right?" He asked."Do I look like I'm joking, Damien?" Maria asked, her face turning more serious.Damien? A hot name for a jerk.He began to pace the room, refusing to speak for a moment."I can't get married to her, mom," I could tell he was trying to hold back from yelling as he spoke calmly, his voice raising an octave higher on each word."you don't have a say, son," She told him nonchalantly and sat beside me.Damien.. no Mr Jerk glared at me angrily and huffed again in annoyance before he continued pacing again."I can't marry someone like her! My girlfriend is going to be back!" he yelled.I didn't want to reply his garbage but i found myself opening my mouth to spit out words."Me neither but unfortunately I'm now your fiancée," I told him with a smirk on my face.Rubbing it in in the way it would hurt. Just like I wanted it. "You don't tell me what to do! Don't.." He wanted to continue yelling but his father's voice interrupted him."What's going on here? Do you want to continue embarrass us? Haven't you done enough!" He spat without giving his son any chance to speak.Damien's chest ballooned as he took in a deep breath trying to calm himself down."I did not embarrass you, father, Claire is only busy,""There you go again! Always giving excuses for her! Can't you see it? I didn't birth a blind son," Maria sounded angry as she spoke but her face did not show it."I'm not giving any excuses, mom," he spoke calmly like he was trying to negotiate with her as he crouched in front of her. "Just give me time, I would bring her here."Maria sighed and took her son's hand."I would give you time like you requested but do not disappoint me again at the meeting in two days time and if she still does not show up, you would have to get married to Heaven immediately," She stated clearly and Mr Jerk nodded."Maria, don't-" his father tried to say but Maria smiled at him."He said he wanted time and we would give him but after that he shall whatever we wish," she explained to him and he nodded.Mr Jerk sighed in relieve and stood up, picking up his coat.Placing a chaste cheek on his mother's cheek, he gave me a venomous glare before storming out of the conference room."And did you agree to it?" Elisa asked after I told her everything that had happened today.I plopped on the chair in the sitting room, placing a large bowl of sundae on the table.Agreeing to Maria was hard but after much pleadings, I decided to gave in.Wrong. That was not only the reason.I knew I genuinely wanted to help her out and save her face from shame but deep down, I also knew it was because of the mouthwatering offer that went along with it."Heaven? Are you still there?" Elisa questioned in a high pitched tone, causing me to bounce back to earth and take the phone away from my ear slightly.She was much of a shouter sometimes."I have always told you to quit shouting," I rolled my eyes."But you were not listening," she retorted. I could tell she rolled her eyes too. "Answer the question, young lady."Wait.. did she ask anything? "What was it again?""Did you agree to it?""Well, I did but not officially. But he wanted time to bring his girlfriend and they agreed,"Elisa sighed. "Heaven, I really hope you're making the right decision,"I hope so too.DAMIENI had my head lowered as I leaned against the bar counter.I came here immediately I got off work, still unable to wrap my head around the occurrence of today.All the attempts to reach out to her all through the day proved abortive. I checked everywhere I could think Claire would have gone but she I was not there.I tried not to think of the words that mom had told me before she left the office but her words still reverberated in my head."I don't want you broken again, son. It's high time you realise it," she had told me with a smile on her face but her eyes held a familiar gaze.The one that everyone had given me years ago. Fear. Pity.I hated that look they give me.No matter how I tried to push mom's words out of my thoughts, they reverberated more loudly like a reminder that caused my heart to wrench and ache.Another familiar feeling.I was over this. No way was this going to ever happening again.I loved Claire and I was hundred percent sure that she loved me the same
HEAVENI did not want to do this. No matter how I thought of it, I wanted Claire back but then a part of me kept whispering to me the opposite of what I wanted. But.. Do I really have an idea of what I wanted?Mrs Maria had requested to that we should meet and Eliana was strongly against it, but when I looked at the amount of zeros remaining in my account- after I spent some in getting work clothes- I felt like I should really meet with her.I had walked into the cafe, my eyes scanning the place until they settled on her.Maria. I finally decided to meet her.Walking to where she sat, I bowed slightly."Good afternoon, ma," I greeted.She smiled and gestured to the empty chair in front of her. I nodded slightly trying to smile too as I took my seat."How have you been, dear?" Maria asked as she picked up her glass and brought it to her lips, taking a sip."Very well, thank you." I clasped my hands on my crossed legs.I wanted this meeting to end as quickly as possible, I was beginni
HEAVENHe can't see me. I do not exist in this room.I kept chanting in my head as I picked up my handbag and was about to head to the door when his voice made me stop short in my tracks."What are you doing?" His spoke almost beneath his voice like he was trying to threaten me, causing shivers to run down my spine. Letting out a breath of air out of my mouth, I slowly turned around to look at him with a smile that almost faltered as soon as my eyes landed on him.Blue and brown clashing together as our gazes met. I could feel my heart palpitating for reasons I couldn't fathom as he kept his unflinching gaze on mine.Shit. He was obviously in a terrible mood as he stared down at me like I was a prey that he was ready to devour.But somehow I... No my brain did not care as words flew out of my mouth."Yes? What does it look like I'm doing?" I questioned, my gaze never leaving his. I knew I looked fearl
"What!?" the word escaped from my mouth before I could even bite my tongue. "Why that soon? What's going on, Maria?" I offered the fragments of thoughts I had left as every word in my head flew out as soon as the heaviness of her words settled in.Despite my outburst a few seconds– minutes ago, Maria was calm as she chuckled staring at my face.Don't look at me, I look crazy."I know it's too sudden but can we just do this and get this over with it?" Maria said, her eyes looking like they were drowning in sadness. I exhaled and squeezed my eyes shut. Why was everything turning around so quickly? Everything was moving so fast that I couldn't even process anything before another event occurs. Taking a deep breath and sighing, I said, "let's just do that but fill me in with everything." I know I had said that but inside of me, there was a war going on and when I saw Maria sigh like a load had been lifted from her and her eyes flooded with relief I could not help but question myself i
"Damien is missing," Her words poured on me like ice water, causing me to be speechless. "He has been missing since Wednesday."I felt a rush of excitement immediately. The wedding was not going to hold, I was finally not going to be stuck with that asshole. "So, what is going to happen now? Is the wedding still going to hold?" I tried to keep the excitement in my voice away. Maria exhaled before trying to speak. "Sweetie, I know this is all too much for you but I assure you that it would be fine." It wasn't too much at all. I didn't even want anything to be fine. It was good like this. Maria shoved her stuffs into her bag and hung it on her shoulder and offered me a smile. "You can get changed and go home. I'll text you if there is anything.""Sure." No witty reply, no nothing. She'd better text me that ot was cancelled. She was almost at the door when she turned like she remembered something. "And the wedding is still holding, even if he doesn't show up."And with that statemen
The familiar deep tone in which he spoke to me in made me recognize who it was. I thought he was missing?My thoughts consumed me even as he lifted up the veil and my eyes tried to adjust to the environment. Indeed, it was him standing in front of me in a white suit that made him looked good. Too good that he looked more of a real husband to be than a fake one.I felt nothing but spite as I stared at him. He should have disappeared until the wedding was over, that way I would he humiliated and won't get married to him."Take her hand in yours," The priest clad in a black gown ordered in an Irish accent and he did. "Damien Jones, do you take Heaven Harper to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?"As long as we both what? Sir, that should be as long as this facade lasts.I was sure he was almost nauseating as it took heartbeat before
I still couldn't get over the fact that I was tricked into this. Staring out of the window, I couldn't stop my thoughts from drifting to Damien. I had left him there without thinking about the fact that he might not be able to go back... I scoffed in disbelief. This kind of thoughts should not come to me, I don't give a fuck about him. All I should be thinking about now is how worse the situation I'm in now has become. I was not just living in someone's shadow, I was forced to without any option.I understand now the reason why Eliana has refused to speak with me. I could have foresaw this but I was just blinded. The driver drove through a large gate held by white colored pillars. Tall trees adorned both sides of the road as we drove further, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful the mansion which sat in the middle of a large expanse of land– was as we rounded the fountain and came to a stop in front of the mansion. I almost thanked the driver for the ride but remembering how
It took me a little while before I was able to compose myself after I was distracted by that jerk.I ran a cold shower to help me calm my nerves further before I went down to join him for dinner. I can't afford to be affected by him again. When I came out of the en-suit, I walked to the closet in order to look for something comfortable to wear but I quickly realized that the clothes in the closet were new ones– Louis Vuitton, Gucci and nothing from the ones in my closet. Not even a trace of me.I preferred to sleep in my shorts and oversized t-shirts but he obviously got rid of them. Rolling my eyes, I begrudgingly slipped on the red negligee I found there and took one last glance at myself. Not satisfied with the way I looked, I picked up a robe before going down. The aroma of food filled my nostrils as I climbed down the stairs. I reached the dining room to find him sitting with an impatient look on his face. It was obvious that he had been waiting for a while now. This thought