Chapter 34

Chapter 34

POV: “Damon”

The tapping of a pencil on a desk was irksome to most people, but to me, it was soothing. I stared

down at my drawing of the floor plan, thinking deeply about the design. I glanced at the old drawings I

had as references.

Floors made of peppermint and slides made of candy. It was near impossible to turn a child’s dream

house into a real, functional floor plan, but I would make it work. She was more than worth it.

Adelaide’s tastes had changed from when she was seven after all.

A bay window here, a winding staircase there, a tower in the back for stargazing. These I could work

with. I imagined seeing her face taking it all in for the first time.

I smiled as I worked. The plans were almost finished. Years of work culminated in the piece that sat

before me.

My greatest masterpiece. And it was all for her.

Right as I put my pencil to paper once more, my phone buzzed, and the vibrating rattled my set of

tools.

I sighed, annoyed as I picked it up, answering the call.

“Steyn.” I said, coldly.

“Damon

It was a whisper-just barely audible-but I could hear the fear in the voice. A voice I recognized.

“Corinna?”

“Could you come over?” she asked, breathless through the phone. “I think someone is trying to break

in.”

I frowned. “You live in a secure apartment complex, Corinna. Your father ensures that. Nobody can

break in.”

“I know,” Corinna sighed, “But it’s just… after my stalker… Please, Damon. I tried to call Ashton, but he

isn’t answering. I need your help. Please.”

I caught on immediately. I’d learned everything about Corinna, her voice said it all.

Despite her performance, I knew she was only trying to manipulate me. For some reason, she wanted

me over at her place.

She was too obvious. She always thought she was a better actress than she was.

This was about the pictures, the ones of me and Adelaide on the front cover of every magazine. We’d

overshadowed her wedding, and she was willing to do anything to get back at us for it.

I smirked, leaning back in my chair.

How predictable. She was always so easy to manipulate, and she didn’t even realize it.

“Fine,” I said, coolly. “I’ll be over in a few minutes.”

“Oh, thank you so much, Damon. This means so much to me,” she said, acting like she was relieved.

“I’ll see you soon.”

I hung up, glancing down at my hand. The ring Adelaide had slid onto my finger was still there-still as

warm and heavy as

ever.

It was proof of our bond-our marriage. All we had left to do was take care of Ashton and Corinna.

wed,

I glanced down at the floorplans I had almost finished. Written at the top was ‘AD-Dream”

Once this was all over, our happy ending could begin.

“Damon!” Corinna cried as soon as she opened the door, throwing herself into my arms. I rolled my

eyes at her theatrics but put on a sympathetic face.

I had to make sure she thought I was there sincerely. Luckily, she was easy to manipulate.

“Thank goodness you’re here,” she said and pulled back, her eyes shining as she smiled up at me. She

was wearing shorts and a baggy T-shirt and as she pressed her chest into mine. I felt her eyelashes

fluttering.

“Let’s go inside,” I said, firmly, gently pushing her by the shoulders into the apartment. I didn’t want

anyone to catch sight of either of us but especially not together and embracing.

“I’m sorry for calling you over like this.” Corinna sat down on the couch, stretching out her bare legs.

“But I didn’t know who else to go to.”

“It’s fine.” I said, sitting on the loveseat. Her mouth twisted a bit that I didn’t take the seat next to her,

but she went right back to smiling innocently,

“Adelaide won’t be mad at me, will she?” Corinna frowned, eyes wide in worry.

But I knew it was all fake. Everything she was doing was for show.

“She wasn’t home.”

“Really?” Corinna said, raising her eyebrows. “Then where is she?”

“Something came up, apparently,” I said, pretending to be irritated as I crossed my arms. A perfect

picture of a disgruntled husband who didn’t know where his wife had vanished to.

“I heard you two eloped,” Corinna sighed. “It’s such a shame you couldn’t have a proper wedding. I

know our families. would’ve been happier that way.”

“I don’t care,” I snorted, looking away as I leaned back into the seat casually.

“Oh?” She brushed a lock of hair behind her car, her lips curling into a smirk as she got up. She stalked

her way over to me, circling the chair like a shark after its prey. “But you two seemed so happy. Isn’t

your dream with Adelaide everything you wanted it to be?”

“That’s none of your business,” I snapped, glaring at the wall.

“You’re right,” Corinna said easily as she leaned on the back of the chair, her arms going around my

neck as she pressed her lips to my ear. “I just want to help you. Like you helped me.”

It felt disgusting to have her hands on me, but I clenched my jaw tight and held still, pretending like I

was interested in what she offered. It wasn’t nearly as easy as it used to be. She was nothing

compared to Adelaide.

“I didn’t want to get married,” I lied through my teeth, glaring at a spot on the wall. “I just did it to get the

money.”

“You just wanted the inheritance?” Corinna repeated, her fingers trailing down my chest as she circled

back around the chair, finally coming to sit on my lap. “But I thought you loved Adelaide?“

“Love?” I snorted. “Addie forced me into it. She wouldn’t sleep with me unless we had a real wedding.

And as you know, I have to get her pregnant to get the inheritance.”

The sharp pangs of guilt in my chest were nothing. I felt like an *sshole even thinking these things, let

alone saying them, but it had to be done. I had to get as much information from Corinna as I could to

undermine her.

For Adelaide.

“Aw, baby,” Corinna cooed, leaning forward to pull my head into her chest like she was comforting me. I

felt nothing but revulsion. “Adelaide doesn’t deserve someone like you. So loyal and handsome.”

1 pulled back from her touch, turning away. “So what? You’re marrying Ashton tomorrow, aren’t you?” I

shot at her.

“Jealous, baby?” Corinna smirked, batting her eyelashes. “That’s okay. Ashton and I are all business.

You’re the one I’ve always liked. You’re the one I want. You’ve always been there for me. Whenever I

called. You saved me from that bad man. Can I repay the favor?”

“I’m married,” I told her, leaning back with a frown.

She smirked. glancing down at my finger where my ring lay. I stiffened, as she reached down to tug it

off my finger, glancing at the gold band with poorly hidden resentment.

She smirked and dropped it onto the coffee table, the ring bouncing and then spinning on the surface

until it settled.

“Now you’re not,” she said with an evil grin. I hoped the disgust wasn’t showing on my face.

She reached for me, entangling her fingers around the back of my neck and into my hair. I stiffened

firmly, pretending to be conflicted as I glanced at my ring and then at Corinna.

“I always loved you, Damon,” Corinna batted her eyelashes, looking vulnerable as she crept closer.

“You loved me too. At least when we were dating, didn’t you?”

“That was a contract,” I protested.

“Then why did you come running?” Corinna challenged with a firm glint in her eye. “When I called you

here tonight, you didn’t even try to tell Adelaide, did you? It’s because you’ve loved me all along, not

her. And you still do, don’t you?”

I looked into her expectant eyes, keeping my face neutral.

No.

I have never loved you.

I wanted to spit the words into her lying, backstabbing face. I wanted to wipe that smug look off her

face and return every bit of the pain she had caused Addie over the years.

But I didn’t.

Because now wasn’t the time. I couldn’t jeopardize things now. We had come too far to throw it all

away now.

Soon it’d all be over and Adelaide, and 1 could leave them all behind.

“Yes,” I lied.

Her face lit up in victory.