In Love With My Billionaire Husband

Chapter 5

Serena Mclanes' P 0.V

My mouth immediately goes dry as my fathers glare strengthens.

"Get.In’' He growls out once again.

Nodding my head, I quickly slip into the house and make my way to the living room, my fathers fast paced steps echoing behind me.

"What was that little stunt you pulled there?"

My father asks me as soon as I twist myself around to see him.

"Stunt?" Is all I ask, bewildered.

Surely he didn't think that was all an act.

"Yes! To think I could have at least trusted you enough to not embarrass me.

It's certainly good to know that you are incapable of handling something as simple as that"

By now my father is nearly screaming into my face, his words gaining volume, which makes me take a hesitant step back.

I know my father won't harm me.

It's all merely verbal what he throws at me.

"I swear I didn't do it on purpo-,;' I try to plead but it's like asking for a miracle to not be cut off when talking to my Dad.

"No excuses.I've had it up to here with your nuisance"

At that, I visibly flinch.

He's never been so angry before.

Does all this mean that much to him? Noticing my slightly scared look, my father takes a step back to calm himself.

He takes in a deep breath and rakes a hand through his red hair.

"Tomorrow; he says pausing as he takes another breath, "The Stryker's are coming over for lunch.I don't want to see any of this nonsense and I want you to be polite and for heavens sake don't faint again.’'Dad says.

Tomorrow? They're coming again.

I don't think I can handle so much in a span of forty eight hours.

Nonetheless I nod my head and wait for him to finish as I know there is more to come.

"You will be sleeping in your sisters room tonight: "Why?"I ask in confusion.

"I don't need any more hassle of you running away or anything of the sorts."He clarifies.

Hearing that makes my stomach drop as my mind flashes to Sarah and our brief conversation before we left for the Stryker's house.

She wouldn't dare do such a thing, after all she is my sister.

"Now go.’ He dismisses, pulling me out of my thoughts.

It doesn't take me long to scurry out of his vision, albeit I nearly trip in my heels as I make my way up the stairs.

The ringing of the doorbell makes me freeze in place.

Sarah looks at me with a raised eyebrow and I sigh in defeat as I lift myself up off of the barstool in the kitchen.

"Serena, could you get the door please."

My mother asks me from the living room.

Prodding my head in through the entryway, I catch a glimpse of her fluffing the cushions and sitting various decorations straight into place.

The doorbell rings once more and I quickly make my way towards it.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and give myself a very fast and brief pep talk.

Exhaling, I open the door and come face to face with the Stryker's.

All three of them.

"Oh it's so lovely to see you again.Thank goodness you're feeling better’' Katelyn coos as she pulls me into a hug.

"Thankfully."Is all I mumble back, hugging her.

Glancing up, those same blue eyes greet me; Distanced and tranquilizing as always.

I smile timidly at Damien only to get a blank stare in return.

"Please come in.’ I say to all of them as we finish greeting one another.Before any of them can actually step into the house, my father appears right next to me and places an arm around my shoulders.

"I sincerely apologize for what happened with Serena yesterday.It is an embarrassment on the whole family's behalf."

He says, fake smiling as he looks at me and then the rest of our company.

I flush bright red in the face.

Why can't people just let me be in my own mortification without adding even more to it? "Think nothing of it"

Benedict says, smiling encouragingly at me.

I smile meekly in reply and have to try my hardest to maintain that same fake buoyancy.

Father and I both step aside to let them in and as they do so, Damien catches my eye.

Gazing at him, a nagging feeling erupts within my stomach and I know something is going to happen.

The lunch goes by swiftly and luckily enough not many questions are directed at me.

Benedict and Katelyn are probably worried I'll faint on them once again or something.

Damien as always doesn't speak much and only does so when someone asks him something.

As usual his answers are curt and precise.

Not an all around friendly person.

As lunch is over and done with, I stand up to collect the plates as Benedict and Dad head over to the lounge.

Probably so Dad can coerce him into some other new prototype of something or other he's come up with to help the business.

And to think I'll be doing the very same thing soon enough.

Katelyn steps forward and grabs my plate and the other dishes from my hand.

"You just rest sweetheart"

She says as she smiles kindly, following my mother out of the room.

Sarah too stands up and smiles encouragingly at me.

‘Don't leave me: I try to telepathically convey to her but nonetheless she leaves.

Damien and I both sit in the dining room in silence for a few seconds until I finally stand up.

It's too awkward for me.

"Wait"

Comes a voice, cutting through the silence.

"Sit"

He commands.

Almost mechanically, I sit back down and look at him in alarm.

Damien sits there, perfectly poised while looking at me.

"Why did you agree?"

He asks simply.

Unfortunately for me, I know exactly what he's talking about.

"Il could ask you the same question."

I say, dodging his own question.

Worry fills me and I try to think of a way out of this conversation.

Maybe I could actually pretend to faint this time.

Though that would give my father a chance to berate me once more.

"Why?"

He asks again, his narrowing infinitesimally.

"Because I wanted to.

My father knows what's best for me’ I say, lying straight through my teeth.

My father may think that but I know this whole situation goes far beyond that.

I don't know how I know but I just do.

"You're lying."

He says outright.

My mouth drops open as I scrounge around for words.

"I-I'm not.I finish lamely.

He raises a perfect eyebrow and still looks at me with those emotionless eyes.Goading me to say something. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Falling into his trap, I look away, averting my eyes to the floor.

Something I always do when I get intimidated.

Damien stands up from his seat and walks closer to me, leaning next to the table right where I'm seated.

Leaning down, his cold fingers press against my chin as he pushes my face upwards.

"Look at me.’ He demands.

Gulping, I look him dead in the eyes.

"What do you want me to say?"

I ask as he removes his hand from my face.

"The truth.I won't tell anyone’' Why does it feel like he's talking to me as if I'm a little girl? For some reason, I want to tell him everything.

Of how I've been forced into this and am still struggling to come to terms with everything.

I try to begin but stop as Damien suddenly stands up.

He motions for me to follow and I do so, as he leads us through the kitchen and into the back garden.

We pass the shocked faces of mother, Katelyn and Sarah.

However Damien pays them no heed.

Trudging to the end of the garden, he abruptly turns to face me.

Motioning for me to continue, I take in a deep breath.

"I don't know what to say.No I don't want to be engaged or married or whatever, it feels weird just saying it,’ I pause to see if he's listening and luckily he is, "My father is making me do this.

He wants it for the betterment of the business, he thinks of it as a business transaction.

Nothing more, nothing less and unfortunately for me, I'm the glue holding this all together: I finish off with a huff, trying my hardest not to let the tears spill out.

It feels good to rant.

However, now I'm scared.

What if I've said to much? What if Damien goes and repeats all I've said to not only my parents but his as well? I could have just landed myself in a world of hurt.

"What about you?"

I ask instead.

Damien looks at me, eyes still not showing anything he feels.

"My father thinks it's for the best."

He says simply.

For some reason, I feel there's more to it than that.

And it's not just because he repeated the same thing I said to him but in a well, more blunter version.

Damien doesn't strike me as a man who will just listen to anyone or anything.

Even if that anyone is his father.

"I will sort things out."

Damien says stoically.

That immediately catches my attention and I hurriedly shake my head.

'You can't do that.

I'll get into so much trouble"

I say as I take a step towards him.

"You won't.I'll make sure of it"

He says.

"Damien you can't call off the wedding or engagement or whatever the hell this is."

I try to plead with him.

Why can't he understand? "I won't be calling off the engagement."

Damien says.

"Why do you care?"

I ask, not in contempt but just in general curiosity.

However that doesn't seem to bode well with him and his already emotionless eyes harden.

"I don't."He says roughly, as if something has clicked into place.

Without saying another word, he pushes past me and walks back down the garden to the house.

What just happened?