Chapter 4: Elena
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Serena stood abaze beside Damien's desk, she was holding the photograph yet trembling slightly between her fingers.
Elena!
The name echoed deep down her head long after Damien spoke it.
The woman picture looked just so much. Exactly like her and it was unsettling, The resemblance wasn't to compare twice ranging to the dark hair or similar eyes. It was far far deeper than just resemblance of any attributes of the photograph. The shape of her smile. The tilt of her head. Even the quiet confidence captured in the photograph felt strangely familiar.
Just a few days after the death of her father, she felt grieving and shock other than fear.
Fear.
It was far more than she could explain, a cold, crawling fear, far more than what she could explain..
She slowly lowered the photograph onto the desk without taking her eyes off Damien.
"Who was she?"she demanded to know once again, this time in a more aggressive tone.
Damien try to maintain his silent.
Oh my goodness, you silence again?, wow.
These same silence keep following every important question which she needs an answered.
Normally she would have took the silence as an important response from Damien. Two years of giving Damien her devoted and unconditional love and affection had cost her to accept quiteness of information and unanswered questions.,she said ,”It can't continue anymore”.
Not anymore.
Not after the betrayal tonight.
Not after the betrayal.
Not after her father's death.
Not after finding a woman who looked exactly like her hidden inside his private study.
"Would you stop looking at me just like that," Serena said quietly.
His jaw tightened.
"How?"
"Like you're eager and willing to tell me the truth of everything I have been asking you ever since."when you don't even care one bit about my hurt.
Something flashed across his face.
Short.
Dangerous flashed of aanger.
But gone before she could identify it.
The room seems to bevome smaller.
The distance between them became so close as too.
Damien make a step forward.
Not enough to trigger a touch between them.
But enough to make her more aware of him.
Always aware of him.
His body spray was a rich fragrance that drifted towards her.
It was the same fragrance she recognized as being both reassuring and heart-wrenching, for twenty years.
After three years, he whispered to her, "Elena had passed away.
The curiosity was still there and Serena kept gazing at him with a full gaze in her eyes, still asking questions.
"And?"
A pause.
Then:
“She had been working for me.”
The solution didn't sound complete, there was something missing.
Because it was.
Serena put her arms around herself.
“And you think that's it?”
"No, But” ,
His openness was shocking; after all, he had been so disloyal and for the first time since the betrayal, he was somewhat honest.
"No?"
"No."
For a second movement was erupted, both on a stand still.
The study windows were softly rattled by the rain drops.
The grandfather clock ticked softly down the hall, mooring to each word.
Serena felt she still had a response awaiting her.
Still hoping.
She needs him to do something for her that she will not hate him for after he betrayed her and her father suddenly died.
The fact of it irked her right away.
"You loved her."
She did not need to think twice before uttering the words from her mouth.
Damien froze.
Not visibly.
Not dramatically.
But Serena saw it,as well as she could felt it.
The slightest hesitation from the part of Damiens.
The smallest shift.
But she didn't have to say a lot of words to understand that was all that was needed.
When she had her hand on the answer, a straining pain twisted right in her chest.
Jealousy.
The realization shocked her, of her realising that on the whole two years of her devoted sacrifices for Damien,he had been cheating on her.
How can she be jealous?
She's only just seen him in bed with Vanessa.
They suddenly were having trouble in their marriage.
But she is listening to another woman's story of suffering, anger and likely death in some way.
It may be because this woman wasn't an affair.
This woman mattered so well but although she seems to be no more ,but memories seem not to be erased but still fresh each day right on his desk.
Serena dreaded to see it.
Damien got rid of his face quicker.
“This is a topic for now, not that we want to talk about it.”
It was also confirmed in his reply.
She sent out a forcibly laugh.
"Of course."
She took a atep away from him.
Because she couldn't bear looking at his face.
Not when she was still feeling her emotions, she still loved him.
Not when he gave her all the reasons to stop loving him.
She turned towards the big window that looked out into the dark gardens.
The rain was becoming so heavier now.
Thunder rumbled could be heard somewhere in the distance.
Behind her, she sense Damien moving.
Then suddenly he stop.
Neither of them could spoke for several seconds.
Finally Serena cut down the silence.
Have you ever loved me?
The question slipped out in her voice and her tears fell from her broken eyes.
More vulnerable.
More honest.
The room went dead at once ,words could be heard.
The rain also wasn't loud anyway.
She gradually turned around.
Damien had been watching her.
Really watching her.
Not with denial.
Not with coldness.
Something else, something different!
An experience that she wouldn't have been able to comprehend.
He scanned down her face, as if looking for something.
As if he had been studying something.
She was thrilled by the depth of the look, making her heart race.
It isn't a surprise to her that the man she knows as Damien Ashford had always and had seldom looked at anyone that way.
Especially not her.
That increased its danger by so much.
Why is it that you're asking that now?" he asked.
Serena swallowed.
Answer was shameful and sad.
Because despite everything, she still love him and yet wanted to know.
She was hoping that he would agree.
Desperately hoping for it more than she probably should.
"I just am."
There was a lengthy pause.
Then Damien moved towards her.
One step.
Then another.
Until only a few feet could separate them.
Serena's heart begins to thump in her chest.
She couldn't help but be captivated by his good looks.
She hated herself for not caring how tired he seemed, either.
Under his eyes were shadows he'd never seen before.
There were minuscule gaps in the armor, even in strength shown.
He wasn't wearing the "untouchable billionaire" hat, at least not this time.
He appeared as if he were carrying a heavier load than he is.
He spoke softly, "You deserve the truth.
Her heart beat at the possibility if he should say it or not.
Finally.
Finally.
However, before he could speak, his cell phone rang.
The sound suddenly broke the silence.
Damien looked at his cell phone screen.
At the moment, everything suddenly changed.
His face turned pale at once.
Serena was easily identifiable.
"What is it?" Serena asked.
So Damien couldn't help to send an answer.
Rather, he took up the call.
Listened.
Said nothing.
Then the silence lasted for less than 30 seconds.
He then hung up.
He looked strangely placid and relaxed in his face.
They seemed to be very calm; then something terrible happened.
"Damien."Serena gave a shout to call him back to his sense.
This time his eyes found the eye of her.
But Serena's tummy fell.
She has no idea that look, she knows and understands.
That was the expression she had noticed previously when the federal agents had arrived.
Exactly as he was when he heard about her father's plane.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong,she could felt it.
What was the reason for his death?" she asked.
He remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he spoke.
And the words took off the little air from her lungs.
“Somebody stole something from your father's vault tonight.”
Serena was in the throes of half a death.
"What?" She scream.
Damien stepped closer.
It wasn't until one thing that whoever did took.
Panic trickled through her chest, wondering what is this.
"What thing?"
His gave her a look that words was hard to utter.
2 wills, original copy of Richard Vale's will.
The room was hell.
As Serena knows what that really meant to her much better than all the wealth to be inherited.
There was more to it than murdering her father's murderer.
A thief was about to take what was left behind.
And suddenly there was only one question that could mattered at that very moment
Who would be the best person to be dead, Richard Vale?
The answer flashed to her immediatetly.
Vanessa.
And Serena was right in her feeling..
She didn't just get rid of Damien, her sister had betrayed her as well.
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