The SuperXWIFE

ROMANCE has bRoKe dOWn

the boy's a fool

he broke the rules

he hurt her hard

this time she'll break down

Serena wondered who was furiously knocking on her door. She was surprised when Darien pushed her inside the moment she opened it.

Serena tried to pull her wrist from his hold. 'What are you doing here? Who's looking after my kids? Let go of me!'

'Make me,' he sarcastically replied. 'Why don't you get your lover to stop me? Where's Diam? How much pleasure did you give him last night? Is he so lacking in stamina that he's still sleeping it off?'

'What the heck are you talking about?' Serena pulled her wrist from him, her eyes darting furiously.

'I'm talking about you and your lover getting away like this and you leaving your kids to me. I'm going to break every bone in his body!'

She stared at him, stupefied. Maybe she really had reason to be confused by Darien. She knew for certain that he didn't love her, but he would always act this way whenever Alex or Diam was around.

And seeing him now, she noticed the pallor in his face, the deep shadows under his eyes, and the tense, strained lines round his mouth. She thought, 'He looks more miserable than me.'

he lost her trust

and so he must know all is lost

the system has broke down

romance has broke down

She found her voice and said slowly, 'You thought I went away with a lover? That's ridiculous!'

'Is it?' he asked bitterly, his face dark. 'Why else would you give up your children, those little angels that you love so much, if not to be with Diam—or someone else?

'I did not abandon my kids, not in the way you meant. How are they? Is that why you're here?'

'The kids are fine. At least they are when they're not crying for you.' He saw her wince. He knew how to hurt her and he would do it. It was his ace. 'Don't play the innocent, Serena,' he added roughly. 'I'll hunt him. I'll tear this cozy place apart, and when I do find him…'

the boy is crackin up

the boy has broke down

the boy is crackin up

the boy has broke down

'I'm telling you I'm alone here,' she said. 'That's how I wanted it, and that's how it is.'

He gave a pained laugh. 'I don't know how you could still make me believe you. God, I want to believe you. You look as innocent as that night when I seduced you. But you can drop the pretence now. I need you back with me, with the kids. I want you. I can even forgive your proclivities.'

She frowned. 'Proclivities? Darien…' She had no clue what he was talking about.

'How I discovered your tastes these days? Yes, against my better judgment I went to see your friend Alex. Remember that sun-haired loco who looks like a demigod at first sight? That car-crazy maniac that I mistook for a man when I first met her? That imbecile who I fear will break your neck one day in the way she drives beyond 110 rpm? The same. She told me where I can find you.' There was a sneer in his tone. ''Informed me that she was giving you time to think about your relationship with her while you're in this cottage with Diam.'

Serena swallowed a silent groan.

'If you can see your face now, my lovely. There is no need to blame yourself. This is my fault as much as yours. It is I who made you like this. Alex didn't want to give me this address, believe me,' Darien added. 'She was quite reluctant. But I think she kind of hated Diam, too. Maybe she thought, better the guy who got you first than that platinum-haired devil. Envied the position you gave that man when she couldn't even get—'

'Stop it, Darien! I don't understand one word of this. I don't see why Alex should tell you my whereabouts. She knows about it for business reasons. We share the same publishing company. But on the other hand, I don't mind you knowing either. As you said if there was something wrong with the kids...'

His brows lifted. 'You don't mind my knowing? Why? Because you're very sure your lover will protect you against me?'

What was he talking about? She didn't mind because she knew that Darien would never come after her.

he plays it hard

he plays it tough

but that's enough

the love is over

'How many times do I have to tell you? I'm alone here. I don't have a lover.'

'Right,' he sneered. 'And the fact that Diam was leaving your house, kissing you on the street and you saying goodbye to him so sweetly, is just sheer coincidence. And so, I suppose, is the way you just happened to meet at that stupid restaurant a few days ago, and the curious circumstance that he hasn't been at his office since. His secretary gladly informed me that the man is not available for any appointment because Diam rang in claiming to be down with some kind of bug. Do you take me for a fool?'

How did he…

She said desperately, 'I've never taken you for a fool, Darien. You know that. Diam was at the house that night. He brought me home, he didn't come inside. It was just a kiss,' she uttered.

'Just a kiss?' he exploded before she could explain that it was to show Darien that she didn't care if he and Raye were going steady again. After all, she knew that her ex-husband was watching. It was tit for tat.

'No other reason. I think you more than kissed Raye a hundred of times. And I believe it meant more than that… with you being so in love with her. And I did talk to him at that restaurant, which is posh—thank you, not stupid, but only for a few minutes. I've no idea where he's been since, or what he's doing. You have no reason to think otherwise.'

She was starting to feel furious. Darien had no right over her. None whatsoever anymore. They were finished a long time ago. Why was he acting this way?

he broke her heart

and that is rough

but in the end

she'll soon recover

romance is over

She extended her right hand and pointed to the stairs that lead to the bedrooms. 'Go on, search the place if you want. But how dare you accuse me? Who gives you the right to operate a double standard?'

'If you are talking about Raye—'

'Who else could I be talking about? She's the love of your life, remember? Your one true love. Your—,'

'No.' His steely blue eyes narrowed down at her. 'That's what you're thinking all the time? Was this romantic interlude with Diam your idea of revenge?'

'I don't need revenge,' she said, her tone that of a defeated contender. 'I don't care what you do. Not since the day you set me free.' That was a lie. 'We can live the way we want. Please leave now, Darien.'

'I have no intention of leaving you here. If I leave, you're coming with me,' he snarled. 'I can't let you make a mess of your life.'

This time, it was she who gave a bitter laugh. The mess started when she let herself fall in love with a man who was in love with someone else. A somebody who loved him back.

'I'm not suicidal, Darien. Go back to Raye.'

'We'll leave Raye out of this if you don't mind.' The level voice held a steely note. 'We're discussing your relationship with Diam. Don't cloud the issue.'

'I have no relationship with him!' Her voice rose angrily. 'And he's not here. We're, like, shouting for the past ten minutes. It's loud enough to wake the dead… even Diam who's supposedly upstairs and sleeping because of a virus. If he was here, don't you think it's strange that he's not facing you right now, kicking you out?'

The argument seemed to anger Darien more rather than appease him and make him believe her.

'I like to find out for myself.'

'Knock yourself out.'

Darien's frame brushed her shoulder as he went past her and up the stairs.

Serena's legs were shaking. She collapsed on the sofa.

She heard him moving around, then his footsteps on the uncarpeted staircase.

She didn't look up.

He said quietly, 'I accept that you're alone here, Serena. Why, then, did you tell Alex that you were coming away with Diam?'

She covered her eyes before answering, wanting to crush Alex's slim neck. 'I didn't tell her anything. She must have asked the company for my address. Alex is just teasing you. Aren't you used to her by now?' She gave a shaky laugh. Humor was the last thing on her mind right now.

'I'll never get used to that… anyway. I ought to thank her for bringing me here.'

'From now on, take my advice and don't take notice of what Alex tells you. She's one of those romantic people who believe in happy ever afters.' She was looking at him now, her face showing a peacefulness that she was far from feeling. 'Despite that nonchalant attitude that Alex shows to the world.'

'What happy ever after does she believe this time?' Darien pushed.

'Oh, come on, isn't it obvious? She still thinks we should be together. She even created a picture book for us. She thought, you see, that we are going to have a happy ending.'

'And so we are, my dear wife,' he said, his tone bleak.

Serena's eyes became glassy with unshed tears. He could be cruel.

'I'm through with happy endings, Darien. Or maybe, my happy ever after is not with you,' she bravely said, hating the tremor in her voice.

He kneeled before her. 'I won't accept that. I can't accept that.'

'You'll have to.' Her eyes were fierce as they met his. Her tears were in danger of falling anytime. 'When I got pregnant with Reenie, I agreed to marry you out of pressure from my mother. I knew that you didn't love me one bit, but I was so lacking in pride I just went along with the flow. I even had the courage to feel so happy when we had Rien even if I get the feeling that you hated me more each day…'

'Oh, Serena—'

'No, let me finish. When I agreed to our farce of a relationship initially, it was because I was so in love with you, I wouldn't recognize hatred if it kicked me in the teeth. I thought I could make you love me, too. But it doesn't mean I'm prepared to tie myself legally—permanently or otherwise to a man who couldn't even value me.' She was weeping silently now. 'I don't need your charity, Darien. I'll make out somehow. You keep pushing my relationship with Diam—perhaps I'll ask him to take me to...'

this girl is crackin' up

this girl has broken down

this girl is crackin' up

this girl has broke down

He warned lovingly, 'You go anywhere near him, sweetheart, and I'll make your life a daily drama.'

'Damn you, Darien!' she cried, putting her face in her hands. 'Will you just get out of here?'

But Darien embraced her form instead. 'How can you think that I hated you all those years? I may have been a bastard, but I honestly cared for you, Serena. Didn't my kisses betray me? All those years we were together, you should be thankful I only exacted two kids from you. I can hardly keep my hands off you, lady. If you didn't change to be what you thought was the perfect woman for me, who knows how our relationship could have progressed?'

'But Raye—'

'Forget about her. I have. She's just a bad dream.'

'You love her.'

'No. I love you. I fell in love with you that first night I met you I couldn't help myself and needed to have you. And these days without you, I can't think straight, I can't work, I can't sleep, and it's all because of you, Serena.' The dark blue eyes examined her. 'You have to marry me again. If not, I'm still taking some payment for what I suffered the past three weeks.' He tried to kiss her lips, her throat when he didn't succeed.

She said huskily, 'Don't, Darien...'

'I can believe you mean that,' he said. 'But don't do this to me, Serena. Don't do this to us. I want you, and I'm going to have you. You don't know how thankful I am that I'm your one and only lover. I'll do everything in my power to let it remain that way.'

He kissed her savagely then, forcing her lips apart with his. She couldn't have resisted even if she wanted to. She surrendered, moaning, sweetly and helplessly reacting to his warm kisses.

Then his mouth was tender on hers. His kisses became gentle.

She remembered this Darien. Painfully passionate. Could he really love her? Or was he just mistaking old-fashioned lust for love? Should she care? She didn't notice when exactly her arms clung round his neck to move closer to him. She could feel the drumming of his heart in the solid wall of his chest that always made her feel secure when with him.

I don't care if he loves me or not… I'll make him love me.

He held her face in both hands.

'You belong with me, Serena, and I won't let you go. I'll be a better man for you. Give me another chance?'

He was trembling too. His touch seemed to burn her.

He unzipped her dress and took it off her, letting it on the carpeted floor. He looked at the door.

'Is it locked?'

She shook her head, unsure.

He stood up, walked to the door and locked it, his meaning very clear.

Darien came back, swiftly and with panther-like grace, to her side.

He picked her up in his arms and carried her upstairs.

'Which room do you use?' he asked, unmindful of her almost naked state. He was kissing her temple and jawline softly and sensuously, brushing her earlobes tenderly with his lips.

One arm clinging to his neck, she indicated the door to her right. There were three bedrooms in the cottage. She tried to dismiss the little voice inside her which was reminding her where all this was inevitably leading. Again. He would hurt her again. What would be left of her then?

He sensed her withdrawal. Darien put her on the bed. 'Look at me, sweetheart.'

She did. And saw the look in his eyes.

Darien said gently, 'I love you, Serena. Am I right to believe that you could still love me? Even though I'd hurt you very much?'

She lowered her eyes again. 'You don't love me. You can't. There's Raye…'

'I told you, she doesn't mean a thing to me anymore. But I only realized it after you made me understand that I could really lose you. Yes, Raye and I were lovers—but it's over. And she'd never made me feel the way you do. She could never. After all, I was your first. Everything you know, you learned from me. I must say, you're an apt pupil. And you have some signature moves.' She knew he was teasing her, but it didn't keep the blush from creeping to her cheeks.

He continued, 'Raye… she was… A mistake. And I paid dearly for it. I nearly lost you, didn't I? We decided to remain friends.'

'Friends?' Serena pushed away his caressing hand and hit his chest hard. He feigned being hurt by the jab. She gave him a look that spelled danger for him. 'I called at your house and she was staying there.'

'Yes, she stayed there for two days and a night,' he emphasized, 'only,' when he saw the indignant look on her face, 'but not with me. 'She told me some story about her place smelling of paint and needing a place to stay. I suggested a hotel but she said she's not going to be comfortable there. It was her idea to stay at my place.' He looked at her seriously.

'And you liked the idea a lot,' she said crossly.

'Heck, no!'

'Yes, you did! I wasn't born yesterday, Darien. I know she had a motive for wanting to stay at your place.'

'Perhaps she was planning a romantic goodbye, but I was not interested. You can ask my mother if you like. She marked the calendar that night I moved into my old room in our ancestral home.' He kissed her cheeks. 'If you want to verify it, you can.'

'I think I'll still be jealous of her even if she's only your friend now. Can you take that? Or will it be reason enough for you to resent me again in the future?'

'If that's the only thing worrying you, she's not my friend anymore from this moment.'

'No need to go that far, Darien,' she answered, ashamed. 'I'm sorry. We're starting a relationship. Trust is an important part of any deal.'

'I don't want to think of our relationship as just any deal.' He smiled at her. 'But I need you to trust me in this one. Do you believe that since I realized how important you are to me, how I love you, I've wanted no one else?'

Her lips parted helplessly. 'But you–hated me.'

'I wanted to. For some time I thought I did. When I was compelled to marry you, I didn't hate you. I was determined to make a success of our marriage—maybe for the wrong reasons—but I wanted for it to be successful regardless. I didn't intend to love you. But I fell in love with you without knowing it. It's not hard to fall in love with the mother of your kids, you know. Especially when she's as maternal as you. The type whose second question the moment you entered the door was regarding her children? But I didn't want to fall in love with you. I was so stubborn. But I was lost no matter how hard I tried to fight it. And I did try.'

'Yes,' her voice shook. 'I've been so unhappy…'

Darien drew her back into his arms. 'I'm sorry, sweetheart. I've been so miserable too. Particularly when you kept parading Diam in front of me. I was terrified that you were going to marry him.' His face darkened. 'I thought that this was your love nest.' He kissed her hard. 'I wasn't sure what I would do if I found him here.'

Serena said, 'I told him that I couldn't marry him.'

He kissed the fingers of her left hand. 'Do you want me to buy you a new ring?'

She shook her head and said shyly, 'I still have the rings you gave me. Maybe you think that's too stupid of me, huh?'

'Definitely not. It just shows how right I am about you. I really don't deserve you. Are you sure?' He gave her a searching look. 'You will really marry me again?'

'Oh, yes!' Her face lit up, all concealment fled, love for him glowing in her blue eyes.

'And this time I demand a honeymoon,' he said arrogantly.

She swallowed. 'Oh, Darien…'

'Are you happy, my love?'

'Very,' she answered breathlessly.

'I promise to make you happier,' he vowed and started to show her what he meant.

AN:The song lyrics were borrowed from the Corrs.