Raven Rival

D'Eavesdropper

Damien DIDN'T FIND anything shameful in the manner by which he stayed and listened to the women's conversation.

Girls, he wanted to scoff. Give them a topic and they would go on and on about it. To be honest, he found their comments irritating, even if most of them were complimentary. Superficial but flattering nonetheless. Apparently, they didn't have the slightest notion that he was nearby.

It must have slipped Miss Miller's mind that he was lunching at the said place. Or she must have dismissed the matter altogether because he did not confirm it with her to make a reservation, as he usually did. Mari Miller was rarely absent-minded. Something must be bothering the woman today. Otherwise, Damien believed that she would never have spoken that way about her boss.

At first, he really felt a little ill at ease to be hearing such things about himself. A good thing his business lunch was already concluded. He'd never have heard the end of it from Andrew otherwise. He'd have paid a fortune to see the look of mortification on Mari Miller's face while her friends, specifically the one called Tina, teased her.

"One look at him and I was hooked. While you, my dear, you've been with him for ages. How long has it been? Two? Three years? It simply astounds me why you haven't fallen for him yourself," Tina declared in her exaggerated English tone.

"I really wouldn't dare," Mari replied.

"Why not?"

Damien did not recognize the voices in between but he had a feeling it was Polly who asked.

"You wouldn't want me to lose my job, would you? Besides, after a few months of working for him, I became well-aware that Mr. Constantine does not mix business and pleasure. He is a very good boss-"

"Yada—yada, you should listen to Mari go on about how good Damien is," Polly inserted.

"-provided you know how to time his moods. About him being a romantic, I suggest you try your own luck, Tina. He doesn't see me in that regard and well, as for me—"

"I'm not interested about your lovelife, Mari, not if you're still—"

"Please, girls, don't let's discuss Mari's shortcomings," Lita remarked.

He didn't stay long after that. He'd already paid before drinking his coffee. He glanced at his watch and discovered that it was ten to one. Back in his office, he could not forget Mari's cool tones that shred his character to pieces.

So. His little secretary believed that he had no romantic bone in his body, eh? No, he did not possess what most would call a little Blackberry. Not figuratively anyway. His affairs are not legion. As much as possible, he did not do affairs. His relationships as he deem to categorize them are few and decent. His partner knew where they stand, and for how long. Most of all, he gave his secretaries the respect of not having to deal with his women.

He did not know that it would give Ms Miller the wrong impression. She almost made it sound to her friends like he would not even know how to make love to a girl. How high-handed she'd sounded with that sweet, partly husky voice of hers.

And he wanted to prove her wrong. He had a feeling that he would enjoy it. Very much. He just didn't know why he bothered.

Damien found himself observing Mari when she came into his office to collect some files from the steel cabinet. Her perfect profile and flawless face nearly convinced him that no words against him had been uttered this afternoon.

Her eyes were still the same when they looked at her to ask if he needed anything else before she left for the day. They were a clear, dark blue. Honest and guilt-free.

"I want to leave early, if I may?" she said.

He simply nodded in response.

Damien could have sworn that his antique mahogany desk could arouse her interest more than he could. And that's just the way he liked it, right? So why was her seeming indifference stirring up an emotion akin to anger?

"Good night, Mr. Constantine," Mari bade a little after six.

"Good night," he dismissed.

He missed Greece, more specifically, the island where he grew up. Millennia held many memories for him, both good and bad. And now he had a chance to inherit the island, along with it the ancestral house where he was born. But his grandfather's will came with a condition, and a codicil if he knew the old man. He should be married before the end of the month. Before the end of this month. And it was only a few weeks away.

If he failed to comply, his inheritance would go to a second cousin. He had nothing against it, but Damien knew that the will was airtight. The island and the house will never be his again even if his cousin made a gift of it to him. Heaven knows, he was willing to pay an exorbitant amount if only to acquire the said property. His cousin didn't care for it. Diam preferred the city lights and the perks that it offered. Also, the man was more English than Greek, and wealthy enough in his own right. Diam had no roots in Millennia, so Damien could understand his lack of sentimentality towards the place.

Damien thought he hated the old man when the latter was still alive. Now he wasn't so sure. He simply wished that his grandfather did not include matrimony as a condition of his inheritance. Millennia was his by birthright.

There must be something he could do to gain it without sacrificing his freedom forever.

Suddenly, Mari Miller's taunting voice returned to his consciousness. He stood up and faced the tall glass panes that lined his office. Before him stared the setting sun. The view was spectacular but a particular face appealed to him better.

Yes. There's a solution. He did not want to be married forever. Marriage is a trap that he could do without.

Mari Miller seemed too sure of herself. His secretary definitely sounded like it when she was short of calling him names. It would be a challenge to have her as his wife. Not that he needed her to fall in love with him to teach her a lesson. Love is something he didn't do either.

He would offer Miss Miller marriage. He would find a way around that hermetically-sealed will. Then, he and Mari would separate amicably after a year or less. Four months would be enough if he was lucky, six months at the most. It would be a very modern marriage, pre-nup and all. He would make sure that she's treated like no less than a Grecian goddess, during and after their marriage.

Mari would agree. To Damien, she was as romantic as the hard snow on the ground on December. He would assure her that it would be a marriage in name only. On paper, if name was too much for her sensibilities. She's a practical and level-headed girl. Miss Miller would agree without any qualm.

All he needed to do was ask her tomorrow.