Chapter 29

Damon’s POV




My stem has finally been hydrated with Cyrene’s waters.

            It feels so good. But as soon as I saw my son just a few steps away from me—from us—goodness vanished from me like a popping of bubbles in thin air.

            I watch Cyrene just casually leaving us, surely leaving us to have this anticipated father-to-son talk. Honestly, I do not judge Darwin with his emotions. But with Minerva’s condition…I will definitely step up, even if it means hurting Darwin’s ego.

            “You’re finished.”

            I nodded, smiled even. “We already are.” He laughed, like the voice of thunder before lightning.

            “If Minerva sent you here to persuade me—”

            “My fat, chunky ass sent myself here, Darwin.” I was sarcastic; it’s my way of keeping my punches within myself. Seriously, if ever I’ll have a change of career, I’ll probably give boxing a try.

            He was walking, eyes casually and assertively keeping his gaze away from me. I grinned—like a wolf before mauling a doe.

            “Jealousy is normal…” he lifted his head to me. “It means that you truly love and care for that someone that you will surely bury anyone who comes near her, or between you.”

            Darwin just laughed, brushing his feet to the floor repeatedly. Is he practicing how to march? As far as I know, Darwin was once recruited to be in the military if only it wasn’t for my big NO. Deanna and Derrick leaving me is enough. I cannot lose another Gray again.

            “Tell me then…” He held my gaze. I didn’t even so much blink. “Are they lovers?”

            “No.” That was frankly straight from me, the great and the one and only Damon Gray.

            “It seems that you are lying.”

            “How could I lie to my own son?” I countered.

            “I’ve lied to you many times. Did the universe say that a son cannot lie to his father?” He smirked at me. Such a brute. “Everybody lies dad. And that includes you.”

            He’s smart and loquacious. I wonder why he didn’t become a politician. “You have a sharp tongue, son.”

            “And yours is dull?” Damn, Darwin is pretty much a savage debater.

            “Get it straight, Darwin.” I watched him stroll towards me, sitting beside me. I looked at his face and it was bombarded with beads of his own sweat. It’s raining cats and dogs outside. How the hell could he perspire this much?

            “Minerva loves you. Don’t you even think that she’s also  jealous of you and Gyzell?”

            “So you’re now defending her, huh?”

            I hoisted my hands onto the air. “Darwin, Darwin…” His expression shifted from a fierce lion to a lovesick cat that seems to haven’t seen its owner for a couple of days.

            “Just answer my question, father. Are they lovers?”

            I eyed on him, like a sniper that’s just holding its shot. “If they were lovers, you wouldn’t see them talking in broad daylight. They will be penetrating each other in one of those unoccupied rooms while playing loud music so that no one could hear their coital reverie. Sometimes son, you have to use your brain before letting your heart control you.”

            I seemed to convince Darwin. I can see he was thinking deeply on my words, pondering on my advice as if I was the heir of Aristotle. I should’ve just run as the city’s mayor. I never knew that I have such a sharp tongue and sheer words of persuasion.

            But even if I watched him stand up, even if I heard his car drive away, I never heard a single utterance of gratitude from his lips.

            And from that moment, I knew. I’ve convinced him very much. 

To the point that he’ll leave his father with the woman he just recently fucked.

***

Minerva’s POV




As far as I’ve heard, Gyzell and Jocelyn called him Raymond.

            He’s fairly handsome, not bad for a President of the Gray Co. But the way he looked at me…does he even know that I am his CEO’s fiancée?

            “You must be the hot preggy damsel that everyone called Minerva, hmm?”

            “I am not a damsel,” I countered.

            “Well, you are for me.” Gosh, his wink makes me sick. Is he that desperate to look for a girlfriend or bed warmer? He could’ve take Gyzell, I’m pretty sure she’s very fond of boys like Raymond—sexy, flirty, and most of all, has a lot of money.

            “Ehem…” Someone behind me made his presence known to us.

            “Lushan…” I pronounced his name like some sort of a helpless young girl begging to be saved from a muscular brute.

            “Minerva…” His voice fits well on how he pronounces my name, it was as if his voice existed just for the sake of pronouncing my glorious one hell of a name.

            “Oh hi, mate! I’ve never seen you before.” I watched Lushan clenched and unclenched his fists upon hearing those words from Raymond. I looked at Lushan, then to Raymond. I presume the new language of men’s fist-fighting has upgraded to a competitive, lengthy staring of each other’s eyes. Interesting.

            “I’ll be going to my room now…” I watched both of them suddenly turning their heads on me.

            “I’ll escort you.” Lushan’s voice was firm, and commanding. He acts more as if he’s my fiancé.

            “I’m the one whom she’d talked to first. I believe that will be my responsibility, Lushan.” The playboy’s face vanished in an instant on Raymond, and it was replaced by a more intimidating and boastful kind.

            I never knew that I was some sort of a ball, being an interest to both opposing opponents. My cheeks turn red. If only Darwin was here—the fiercer, Alpha kind of man—this would never have happened.

            “It’s okay, boys. I’ll escort myself.” I was about to trip as it was too late to fathom that the floor was wet when the two men were already holding both of my arms.

            “Thanks, that was close,” I muttered.

            Lushan threw me a slightly furious but worried kind of look. “That’s the reason why I should escort you.”

            “Then I guess you two can just escort me then.” My words interrupted their on-going silent debate.

            “Fine.” Those words seemed to burn Raymond’s tongue. A man like him would never want to share something to others that he believes was his first.

            We were close to the stairs to my room when the huge door behind the tall, indoor green plants suddenly burst open.

            And it was him. The man I never knew would return—immediately.

***

Gyzell’s POV




The witch is enchanting those two, poor men again.

            What is it with her? Why does she act as some sort of a magnet to any man who sees her? Why can’t she just learn to share men with other women like me instead of devouring and keeping them by herself?

            Anyway, my aunt and I had already formed a plan. It was risky, and most of all radiating falseness. But, I am a woman who will do anything just to let any man drool for my presence.

            I put my right hand to my belly, acting as if there was life inside it. Well, it indeed has life in all people’s belly. But the one I’m talking about is another life—another newer, unborn life.

            I was nearing downstairs when someone burst open the grand doors of Chateau Bellerose. I halted in the middle and straightened my back. I have to act naturally.

            The two men beside Minerva are startled. Minerva was probably nailed into the floor upon his arrival. She was even gaping.

            “Darwin dear!” I absolutely made my voice rang into anyone’s ears, even if it annoys my little brother who’s desperately shoving his ass just to be inside Minerva.

            I reached downstairs and immediately closed the distance between me and Darwin.

            I kissed him, softly but with emotions. I don’t care if he protests or if my brother will be cutting my head off or if Minerva will be sprinting towards me and choke me to the ground. The important thing is, I’ve kissed Darwin. And my mission was a success. The kiss was a success.

            His eyes widened upon that action of mine. He was about to open his mouth when I interrupted him with my too-sweet voice along with the words of nightmare to him.

            “I’m pregnant, Darwin.” I paused and took a deep breath. I made the words sink into his mind and heart before resuming. “And you are the father.”