Chapter 18

Minerva and Darwin knew that they were an hour and a half late already.
         Yet, Darwin acts like it was just nothing—fixing his tie and brushing his hair with his left hand as his other hand held hers.
         “Hope your stepmom won't be shouting when she sees you very late.”
         She was given a breathy laugh by him.
         “She won’t.” He eyed her for a second, “As long as you wrap your arm around mine.”   
         The two smiled at each other, a secret love language and signal that only the two of them knew.  Minerva’s cave was still a bit aching due to her and Darwin lasting for an hour without him pulling out.
         She tried to walk as normal as she could.
         Nevertheless, she smiled—because she had enjoyed that rough dance, as well as him.
         They are now walking from the parking area and into the very inside of Chateau Bellerose. The outside was neat and breezy, full of vibrant flowers and series lights in various colors.
         But the inside…it was magnificent and rich in luxury. The ceiling has nude paintings that seemed to be made by an Italian artist. The luscious floor was made of red marble. There’s an interior man-made little waterfall and a river by the side that snaked from the main two-door entrance to the other door—the one that has the most people.
         Ocherous lights from the chandelier illuminate the place. A three-tier fountain before the ballroom door was dazzling in its rainbow colors that seem to come from an artificial bulb light, masked as glowing lotus flowers.
         This place is no doubt for the elite, for the rich, and for those people whose bank accounts have several commas.
         So Minerva still grinned, despite the fact that she can’t even afford a Chevy and fashion designer clothes on her own.
         These apparel she was wearing were a last-minute shopping she did with Darwin. Her eyes almost popped out of her face when he gave her the receipt. Darwin had spent 10,000$ on her clothes alone, excluding the Swarovski diamond earrings she was wearing now and the Louis Vuitton handbag she was carrying on her left arm.
         “Well, well, well. My son’s Minerva here is looking classy, but still with a dash of modern elegance. Bravo, dear!”
         Damon Gray, Darwin’s father who looks like in his late thirties despite him being mid-forties, beamed at her. Then to his only son.
         “You two are more than an hour late…” Jocelyn just plainly stated upon reaching the two.
         She was vibrant in a bloody red sparkling dress. A ruby princess necklace ornaments her long, slender neck. Her lips are crimson in color, courtesy of her lavish lipstick. And her hair…this was the first time Minerva had seen her hair down. Her luscious copper-colored hair swayed with grace as she halted just a few meters before Darwin and Minerva.
         “Care to be my escort for tonight, darling,” Jocelyn’s seductive voice was directed candidly towards Minerva’s man.
         Damon rolled his eyes in the corner of Minerva’s sight.
         Darwin’s “sure” was simple, humdrum, and without life.
         When they took a few steps away from Minerva, Damon also offered her a tour at Chateau Bellerose. She couldn’t say no and wouldn’t refuse, especially when Darwin’s father seems the only one to warmly welcome her in this place. And the fact that Darwin’s beauty was derived from his father.
         She secretly bit her lip and Darwin saw her, making him narrow his eyes towards her.
       Minerva just gave him a tight nod then averted her attention to Damon.
         “How are you, dearest?” Damon asked as he handed Minerva a glass of passion fruit juice.
         “Fine, sir.” Why do Darwin’s family loved to use endearments while Darwin only recently called her ‘babe’ and ‘sweetheart’?
         “Silly, girl!” Damon burst into a cackle, “Just call me Damon. You’re gonna be my daughter-in-law anyway.”
         He winked at the word ‘daughter-in-law’ which made her a little blushed.
         ‘Gosh, am I really going to be Mrs. Gray?’ Minerva pondered as she stroked her belly.
         “You look a lot like Darwin’s mother, I guess that’s why he chose you—and fell for you.”
         Her brows hoisted. Minerva’s throat suddenly became dry as she uttered, “Really?”
         Damon nodded as he finished his glass of scotch. She watched the fizz come out from the cold beer Damon opened and poured himself a glass of one.
         Damon Gray sat at the table near the bar, a vase of pink tulips beautifying the center of the table. “Didn’t Darwin tell you that?”
         She took a bite from a potato croquette, “No, si—I mean Damon.”
         He smiled, sweet and like Darwin. But his face is more kind. If Darwin is the scorching, smoking type of man, his father is the sweet type of spicy candy a woman would be craving for.
         They are hot in their own ways, but both have magnificent and Adonis-like bodies.
         “Well, now you know.” He grabbed a piece of that potato croquette from her plate. “You’re so timid and taciturn, just like how I first met my late wife.”
         Minerva Miriam Miller felt like she had jumped into a pool of fluffy cotton candies due to Damon’s words. His eyes…there was a hint of elation as well as sorrow and…and longing.
         “She died when she saved Darwin when we were skydiving in Dubai. I sued the company for that.”
         Minerva remained speechless, silent.
         “And now, I own that company. I am now their new owner.”
         “Ohh…” This man is a kind of person that one should never mess with—especially for a handsome man who has billions and an intimidating aura.
         “Good for you,” she said, earning a look from Damon. 
“What?” Minerva asked.
         He chortled. “That was also Darwin said, ‘Good for you, dad. You didn’t only punish them but you also made your dominion wider.’ ”
         Damon is pretty good at mimicking his son’s voice. While Darwin’s voice was thicker, his was a bit lighter but still resonated with dominance and authority.
         “What do you want to eat?” Minerva blinked at the sudden shift of the topic.
         “I just want some protein with a balance of carbs and veggies.”
         “Perfect!” he exclaimed. “My personal chef just prepared the most sumptuous meal for my beautiful daughter-in-law.”
         Damon speaks as if Minerva’s already a Gray. She can’t hide her sweet grin, which makes him caress her cheek with his thumb.
         “You’re lucky, Minerva…” His and her eyes met, like a connection had been established in a single night. He’s like the father that Minerva never had—used to have.
         A tear fell from her eyes as Damon continued while scooping her face. “And I’m lucky to have you as a daughter-in-law. When Darwin first showed me your picture, I bawled the entire night that day. You look like Deanna very much...”
         He wiped her tears with a brush of his fingers. Minerva doesn’t care how many eyes are on them. She badly wanted to hug him, he felt so much like a father—like her late father.
         “And I’m happy. Truly happy. Every time I see you, it just feels as if Deanna never left this world. That she is just beside me, beside Darwin. I always hold my tears when your face beamed at me. Especially earlier when you smiled at me, yours and Deanna’s sweet smile are absolutely the same.”
         The two of them are now crying, weeping quietly. Letting their tears just stream with their emotions until it fell to the ground.
         “So thank you, Minerva,” Damon gave her a black expensive handkerchief, savouring its rich texture. “Thank you for being the light upon me and Darwin’s lives. You truly are an angel.”
         They are still looking at each other even if they’d distanced themselves from one another to avoid the questioning and suspecting faces of other visitors.
         Damon’s food arrived, as did Minerva’s. He gave his thanks to the personal chef upon placing their food on the table.
         Minerva was about to scoop a spoon of buttered vegetables when Damon smiled at her—genuinely and fatherly.
         She smiled back, widening her grin even more as she muttered to him. “Thank you too, Damon.”
         “What are you thanking you for?” The thick male voice startled her, nearly dropping her spoon to the floor if not for her tight grip.
         Minerva watches as Darwin’s blank face greets her as he sits beside her, glancing back and forth to Damon’s face and to hers.