A Billionaire's Redemption

CHAPTER 7 THE WEDDING II

“Wow” was all Lila could exclaim, mentally.

Standing before her was the most elegant creature she had ever seen. Her skin was perfect—or rather, It glowed in a different kind of way, screaming Milk! Honey! Glass! It looked much more moisturized than what it showed on Television.

Her golden hair danced effortlessly around her shoulders, and her piercing blue eyes seemed to mesmerize anyone who took a look at them. She moved with an effortless grace, her designer dress clinging to her curves in all the right places.

Lila was looking at one of the biggest fashion models for free, she didn’t need a ticket this time to steal a glance from her, from afar. She had always fantasized about her wearing one of her fits. Just a picture of one of her fits in the body of this Goddess was enough to set her fashion business up to the moon.

“Congratulations!” She said with a sly smile on her face.

“Thank you,” Lila replied, grinning from ear to ear. She took a glance at Damien, hoping for him to say something, but he was silent. His cold, intimidating eyes bore into Dianne as though he could burn her with his stare. Was he really in a relationship with this Goddess and he left her all for what? People’s wives? Pathetic!

“How does it feel to be Mrs. Kingston? I couldn't help but do a little digging—why not, right? You don’t quite fit in with our social circle. Do you have some connection to the White House? Or perhaps a lineage tied to the British monarchy? Seriously, what could our charming Damien possibly see in you?”

Lila’s smile immediately faded off, true; she was her Idol, but she wasn’t ready to take any sarcastic s**t from her.

“Honestly, Lila, I’m curious. What’s your secret?” Dianne continued, her tone dripping with condescension. “How did you manage to snag someone like Damien? It must be a great story, considering how far apart our worlds are.”

Lila let out a sly smile, “Maybe he values something deeper than status or connections,” she replied, her voice steadier than she felt. “Not everyone needs a pedigree to matter.”

Dianne raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “How sweet. But in our world, darling, appearances often speak louder than words. Just something to keep in mind as you navigate this new life.”

“Why are you here?” Damien finally snapped out of his trance, his voice low and threatening. “Get the f**k out of my premises.”

“Baby, don’t tell me you haven’t missed me,” Dianne purred, a sly smile creeping across her face.

Damien turned abruptly, locking eyes with Hakim, who had been shadowing him all night. Without a word, Hakim moved toward Dianne, his intentions clear.

Dianne recoiled slightly, a flash of surprise crossing her face. “Wait, what are you doing?” she protested, trying to pull away as Hakim seized her arm.

But Hakim held firm, his grip unyielding. “You need to leave,” he said, his voice steady.

“Let go of me! You can’t just—” Dianne began, her tone turning frantic as she struggled against his hold.

Hakim released her, but only to push her gently toward the exit. “You heard the master. It’s time for you to go.”

She angrily followed Hakim, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.

Dianne’s presence seemed to have infuriated Damien, he probably still loved her “Follow me” he instructed Lila.

Lila felt scrutinizing gazes around her, she felt stripped. She was standing in what served as the pulpit with Damien.

“I appreciate everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to be here for my wife and me today,” he said. “Please, make yourselves comfortable and enjoy the party. I’ll be heading inside first to wrap up the rites.”

“I believe we all know the exits, please be kind enough to use them when you are done” he concluded. Holding Lila firmly by the hand as they made their way to the exit.

When they were outside the walls of the ballroom Lila tried shaking off Damien’s grip, but it was furtile “What rites are you talking about”

“Shut the f**k up and play along”

Damien didn’t loosen his grip until they were in front of his room, after which he pushed it open and banged it shut on Lila's face, locking it from inside.

“Damien!” she called, her voice tinged with anger “Where the f**k is my room?” but she didn’t get a reply.

######

Just as Lila was beginning to stir from a restless sleep, she felt a presence close to her. Her eyes flew open immediately, and she felt her soul almost leaving her body. A maid stood silently beside her like a ghost, her face as impassive as ever.

“Mr. Kingston requests your presence in his room,” the maid said.

Lila blinked and nodded. She pushed herself up from the couch, and followed the maid. She had slept in the sitting room couch all through the night, because all the staff were obviously too busy to show her to her room and that Crazy hell Damien hadn’t come out since he locked himself in his room.

Entering into Damien's room, she was dazed by what she saw. She gulped hard, trying to maintain her composure.

“Damn! He is s*x on toes.”She thought.

She wished she could trace the fine ink that ran curvy from his sweaty chest to his abs down to his sexy Tommy to his waist. She felt drunk from staring at his torso and damn the way his shorts clung to him, was both mesmerizing and distracting.

She gulped again, trying to catch her breath “Had he always been this breathtaking?” She wondered, her mind struggling to focus.

Damien grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge in his room, he gulped it in an instant. He was breathing heavily as though he had just done 100 pushups, it was obvious he just finished his morning workout. “Can you stop staring like a moron?” he said, waking Lila up from her daydream.

He was accustomed to receiving this kind of attention from women, which he found annoying. However, he had thought Lila would be different. From the way she spoke to him on the first day they met, he hadn’t expected her to let her guard down so easily.

Damien turned his attention back to Lila, his expression Icy.

Lila hesitated, her gaze shifting nervously between Damien's body and his gaze. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

“Why am I here?” Lila finally asked, her voice trembling. “What’s so urgent that you had to call me at this hour?”

Damien’s gaze hardened slightly. “In this house, you don’t speak unless you’re asked a question” he said, as he slowly moved towards a double-seater couch.

Lila’s eyes flashed with frustration. “Mr. Kingston, I’m not your staff. I’m your wife, and I deserve some respect. I refuse to be dragged out of my sleep at this early hour just to hear this nonsense. If you want a wife who only speaks when prompted, perhaps you should reconsider your choices and marry someone who fits that mold, probably one of your maids.”

Damien’s face flushed with anger, his eyes became deadly icy. His jaw clenched as he struggled to maintain control. No lady had ever had the guts to speak back at him, not even Dianne and here she was challenging him.

“What have I told you about speaking back at me?” He had dead seriousness in his tone, it was obvious he wasn’t enjoying her attitude anymore. “Do you wish to spend the rest of your wretched life in prison?”

“N-no” she muttered

“Seems you do” He stared at her for seconds, daring her to utter a word, but she knew better.

“Your room is the last door on the right, down the hallway,” Damien said, his voice cold. “Never enter my room unless you’re called. My study is off-limits.

Damien’s expression remained cold. “Yes. Get out.”

“Oh Damien,” she said, her hand resting on the knob, “I see why you are finding it difficult to run your own company and you opted for s*x instead…”

Damien’s eyes darkened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Lila could feel his anger vibrating in the room, like a storm about to break, but she didn’t flinch. “It’s not all about….” Before she could finish she noticed a tight grip on her wrist.