Chapter 4
1720 Words
~Damien~
“Laurent Research Institute was the queen of the night” I spoke in defeat, my voice low and gravely.
“Not again!” Vanderbilt, my father, raged.
I really didn’t want to have this conversation.
He continued “Look, Mr. Philanthropist, you have to put off being Father Christmas and focus on the best interest of Carter Group. You can strive for the Nobel prize when I’m dead”
“Mr. Carter!!” I growled. That’s how I refer to my father when he gets in this mood. Sometimes he could act like a complete jerk.
“I am not soft for taking an interest in the lives of others- especially the less privileged” I let my tone drop a bit.
“Yea right!” he replied. The sarcasm in his words was murderous.
Silence. I hoped it would help us change the topic.
“Dad, good news is we found a way to thwart any plans they might have for the next year.”
“Tell me!” his spontaneous excitement always came as a shock.
“Well, let’s say there might be a likelihood of an allegation of altering a biochemical test result under immunology”
“How big of a deal is that in the science field?” he asked with concern.
“Oh, it’s a really big deal. Dad. We’re talking license withdrawal, lawsuit, it’s an evil genius of a plan” I bragged coolly.
“Oh?” his eyes were wide open at this point. “Brillant!” he cackled.
I fondly remembered the conversation with Francesca, my personal assistant, at the gala.
“Well done, Frances. You did a great job with following up on Ken Stewart. He seems to be one of her upcoming biochemists in the field of research. We can’t have her working with too many geniuses. They are already making waves with theories that could change the scene of modern medicine”
Francesca smiled “Anything for you, boss!”
She is such a loyal dog. She literally follows me everywhere. It surprises me how unwavering her loyalty to me can be sometimes. She would probably do almost anything for me.
A disarming memory of the award being collected by Janelle sent shock waves that taunted me all over again.
“We shouldn’t lose next year. It would put a strain on the reputation of my group” I raged somewhat silently, my jaw clenched as I imploded
.
“Yes Damien” her voice quivered.
I know I would have to apologize for that tone that must have crawled up her spine. But right now, I had to prepare to break this sour news to my father.
“Let’s make your plan airtight and really I don’t expect that little witch to easily be investigated for that crime” Vanderbilt’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts, my jaw tightening as I refocused.
“And what would that be, dad?”
He grinned. I didn’t like that. My father only does that when he’s about to make me do something that could pass for a truth-or-dare stunt.
“Marry her” he said with a straight face that didn’t look like he was making a request.
“Francesca?” I asked innocently “Dad, I’d like to take things a little more slowly....”
“Not her.” He raised his tone. “You know that thing you have with that woman isn’t real. You should make it stop already” He uttered, his words as bracing as a slap in my face.
I instinctively made a fist. “Francesca and I…”
“Don’t wanna hear it. I’m referring to Janelle”
“Dad, you can be serious right now. Janelle Laurent, really?”
He gave a long, hard, cold look. “You can keep your Francesca but you are to marry Janelle. That woman is good for our prestige to be redeemed. We can’t afford to lose a third time next year, can we?”
If I hadn’t been a dutiful son, this talk would have definitely made me disappear to some other part of the world, running off with a fortune from Carter group. Still, I wasn’t taking this easily. Not Janelle Laurent.
“I am not bending on one knee to that know-it-all.”
“You don’t have to. It’s already been decided. For some reason, her father likes you a lot. It wasn’t a chess competition for Lucian and I to agree on something for the first time. Makes me proud of you, son.”
I wasn’t prepared for this. I moved away from my father’s side of our mansion to mine.
As I took a shower, I promised myself that I would handle this the carefree way I do other things out of duty so it doesn’t hurt so bad. And maybe, I might have fun tormenting the life out of Janelle.
Crap! I have to inform Francesca about this! I texted her to come over. I had one of my drivers pick her up.
“Damien, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know how to tell you this…” I hesitated. “Uh, my dad has arranged for my marriage to Janelle Carter…”
Her face told the whole story. She looked like she was about to enter an epileptic fit.
“No! Damien, you are not gonna marry her. Do you understand what this would do to us?!”
“I am not in support of this either” I whispered, my head down in shame like I was being scolded.
“Then do something! Anything!! It can’t happen” she persisted “Or don’t you love me anymore?”
Oh man. She brought the love card. I scratched my head lightly.
I didn’t like this dilemma. I was caught in duty and forbidden romance. I had to do something.
I met with Janelle in an effort to thwart the arrangement. I proposed an alternative. Substituting the marriage with a business contract that would satisfy the shareholders on both sides and protect the group and their institute.
But the forces were much stronger. The wedding was set for the next week. Turned out that it was more about obtaining the secret weapon to win the award for my father and getting a life partner for Janelle’s father.
“I do” I grudgingly said, looking at Janelle across me.
I put my palms upon each other, right on back of the left palm, in front of me. She seemed to living in a stronger nightmare at this moment than I was. At least, something to laugh at.
I took a quick peek at Francesca behind Janelle. The hate was oozing off her frown. I was actually bewildered when she volunteered to be the maid of honor. But I couldn’t argue with that.
The guests thundered with claps as we both made our vows.
Lucian walked over to us. He seemed to attempt to cheer his daughter but she was just not interested. It only made me amused. She pushed away her face at every gentle expression made with her father’s hands.
I almost let out a hysterical laugh when he said “This is the part where you kiss your husband”
She looked like she was about to explode. She sneered “He will never be my husband” I noticed the way she dragged the word ‘husband’.
I coughed lightly to get their attention even when I was enjoying the tiff. Trying to steal the show, I said “Mr Laurent, uh I don’t mind… uh just holding your daughter’s hands instead of kissing her.”
“That’s a son-in-law I have in you.” he praised.
I blushed, held her hands and spontaneously kissed her right cheek. She stood frozen as pictures were taken. Her humiliation gave me pure joy.
Vanderbilt walked toward us. We clinked our glasses as he congratulated us. As he welcomed Janelle, he didn’t forget to be a jerk at it. He talked about a grandchild. I froze.
Janelle probably reached her peak when she burst out “I thought you and my father were not anything close to being business partners- in fact, you both literally despise each other- so what is all this about? Why do you suddenly see the need for an alliance? Why Janelle Laurent?”
My father just replied in a way he usually did to sweep the matter under the carpet. Ooh! Janelle must hurt but she seemed to have a good control of her emotions. It was almost intimidating.
“I never imagined my wedding would look like this,” she muttered in my Bentley.
“Neither did I” I replied. I looked at her before pulling my phone out of my pocket. “But maybe that’s the point- nothing about us was ever ordinary” I added “So stop sulking already”
She must have probably boiled to death by now as she looked at me and retorted “I don’t love you”
I was definitely ready for this “Oh please… Who mentioned anything about love? You sound very petty. Better stop ruining the peaceful silence in this space or I would change my mind about trying to be a little nicer to you in my mansion.”
“Oh… well well… bring it on” she dared.
I laughed, intrigued.
“Now that the deal is done, come and take your place in my bedroom…” I gestured on the call.
She must be blown away now.
“Uhm please use your door. And don’t expect me to open the door for you. I don’t do chivalry.” I said when we reached my mansion. With a devious smile, I added “I don’t love you too.”
“Don’t worry,” she snapped, reaching for the handle. “I wasn’t expecting you to.”
She forcefully opened the door and walked up the stairs. I was having so much fun watching it all.
When we heard a soft knock on my bedroom door, I knew that my missile was about to hit its target.
Like a child who got the chance for payback, I smiled at the door, knowing exactly who would walk right in.
- Writer
