Fated To Love You Forever

“Yes, of course. I look forward to working with you.” Damien spoke into the receiver, smiling as he concluded a deal with Antonio Garcia from Antonio Enterprises.

For years he had aimed at making this tough man one of his partners, and after he had delivered the rough draft of his ideas for an ongoing project to the board, they had been so successful that some other companies and tycoons had begun to reach out to him, including Antonio.

As he replaced the receiver, Damien had a wide grin on his face, his first genuine smile in weeks.

Landing this deal would distract him very well, as it would mean that he was to be busy checking through and it would also make him think of something else other than the past that had come back to haunt him.

Checking through his schedule for today and seeing that there wasn’t any urgent business to take care of, he decided he would take the rest of the day off to rest and celebrate.

After all this deal, called for some kind of celebration and he was in for one.

He began to put away the files that lay scattered on his desk in the drawer, whistling all the while when the door suddenly swung open, and taken aback his face lifting up, he looked up to see a somewhat furious looking Kathrine storming to his table.

His secretary Nina, was scurrying behind and trying to stop her.

“S-sir, I tried to tell her I had to inform you first, but s-she…”

He nodded, raising his hand as a sign of dismissal, and waving the young lady off.

When she was gone, shutting the door behind her, he looked back up at Kathrine in confusion.

What was happening? He began to ask himself, parting his lips to say something, but before he could utter a word, Katherine flung a copy of a magazine down at his table, and folded her arms in anger.

Looking closely, Damien saw that the magazine was from an entertainment blog, and right on the front page was himself, and a tearful Madison kneeling at his feet.

Of course, he should have known about this, and since Katherine was a faithful reader of blogs of this kind actually, she would most likely come across it.

More so, even if she wasn’t, news traveled fast and somehow she would get to hear about this.

He was a hundred percent sure that the pictures were already plastered all over social media. It was good publicity for the plans he had for the Connors, but bad for the questions he was expected to answer from Katherine.

“What the hell is this? Please explain to me because right now I don’t get what’s happening.” He heard her say, blabbering, and from the look she had on, it was obvious that she was pissed and seething too.

For a moment he deliberated on what to do, and what lie he had to tell her.

On one hand, he didn’t feel like he owed her an explanation, but on the other hand, ignoring her would make her suspect even more and if if that happened, he knew she wouldn’t stop digging for answers until she found what she was looking for, and he couldn’t have that either.

“What? You’re not going to say anything now?” She asked again, her voice dangerously low, but he just kept quiet, his mind spinning.

When he still didn’t say anything, she scoffed, and then began to say in an outburst, “I knew it! I knew you’ve been hiding something from me. Right from the event, and how strange you’ve been acting, I suspected you were hiding something, and I knew it had something to do with her. With this bitch, splattered all over the media with you, so don’t you even try to lie to me. Don’t lie because I would definitely find the answers, and when I do, it would be bloody for the both of us.”

Was this a threat? Damien asked himself, raking his hands through his hair and trying to decide how best to handle the situation.

He knew she wouldn’t leave until he came up with a reasonable explanation, and her last statement had irked him badly.

A sigh escaping his lips, he began, “Look, you’re making it a big deal. I saw her working at the club, my club actually and it was so strange, I had to send her out. Why on earth would I let her work there after everything with the dress and-”

“That’s not all of it, Damien.” She cut in rudely, rolling her eyes at the same time, “I might be a lot of things but I definitely am not stupid. You know her…I’m certain of it. And you’ve been acting all suspicious for a while too. That picture…the one you were looking at the other day at the house…”

Damien tried to hide his shock as he stared up at her, dreading her next words.

“You acted so strange that day, putting the picture back into your drawer immediately and it piqued my curiosity. I had to go back to the picture, and guess what I saw. That same freaking woman, the waitress with you and Alvarez. The three of you had smiles on your face and you were staring at her adoringly like you were in love or something, so you can’t tell me it’s just a coincidence. She’s someone from your past and we both know it.”

Damien shut his eyes tightly.

He wanted to shout at her, and get angry with her for snooping through his things.

The one thing he valued was his privacy, and she knew it, but now if he fired up at her it would only make things worse, especially since she had him by the neck already.

Thankfully she didn’t make mention of the event at his mother’s house, when he had been asked about Madison’s well-being, and Damien hoped within himself that she must have forgotten about it.

Exasperated, he glared down at the magazine on his desk, sucking in a sharp breath, and then he blurted out without even thinking, “I didn’t want to talk about it at first because I absolutely hate remembering this but, we used to be friends years ago. The lady, her name is Madison. She used to be friends with Alvarez and I.” He finally said, finishing the words at a go and looking up at her.

“Your friend? I don’t understand how that could possibly be-”

He shook his head, and raising his hands he added, “Let me finish, okay?”

She didn’t say a thing further, her mouth in a thin line and he watched as she reluctantly took a seat, her arms folded in front of her, listening as he continued.

“Back when we lived in Kettlesworth, Birmingham, her father…he humiliated me. Not just me, but my family all encompassing. My mother, my sister and I, he hated the three of us badly due to reasons best known to him. He threw us out on the streets, even when he was well aware that we had nothing. I completely despise every member of that family, you see and that’s why

I’m treating Madison badly now seeing her resurface after all these years. You might not believe it, and I don’t even have the strength to begin narrating everything that happened back then, but in summary I personally went through hell those years.”

Kathrine folded her arms, her chest still heaving, as she asked again, “So nothing went on between the both of you?”

Damien tightened his grip on the edge of his desk, his jaw gritting. Why did he suddenly feel so bare… so flushed? Why was it increasingly difficult to answer the question?

He wanted to say yes. He wanted to tell Katherine that at one time, in his life he had loved Madison so much and treated her with care and affection.

She had been the bane of his existence… The one thing he couldn’t live without.

He wanted to tell Katherine about the blissful moments he had spent with her, and how she seemed to be the only thing sparking up his dark soul back then.

He wanted to tell Katherine tales of how he had sneaked into the Connors mansion, climbing through the fence, with Alvarez and calling on Madison.

He wanted to say all these and more, but his lips wouldn’t move… they wouldn’t cooperate.

After some time he finally blurted, shaking his head and walking around the desk to face Kathrine, “No!” He paused and then continued, “That’s not even remotely true. I hate her…I hate all of them, for all the things they did to me, everything they put me through. It was because of her father that I had to leave for New York, and work my ass off to be who I am today. That man humiliated me, and he treated me like a nobody, and if I ever have the chance to, I would destroy them. I would shred them to the skin, and feed their body to vultures. Especially the two men, in that household who made my life a living hell. Mr Connor and his first son!”

By the time he was done talking, his chest was heaving slightly, and his expression was dark, his eyes rimmed at the sides.

Kathrine’s expression softened after his speech though, and she moved closer to him, “Wow. They really hurt you… oh my goodness but that’s terrible.”

He nodded, pulling her closer to him and placing her head roughly on his chest.

“I’m sorry if all this upset you, I didn’t mean to. Talking about it always puts me in a bad mood, that’s why I was hesitant to talk about it at first. But it’s all over in the past now, and my feelings haven’t changed because I intend to make them pay for everything. You don’t have to worry about that lady anymore, okay?” He rasped, meaning most of the words he had just said, and she nodded, burying her head in his chest and caressing his back as she melded into his embrace.

As he tightened his hold on her, the memory of Madison crying and begging at his feet last night flashed through his mind.

He shut his eyes tightly, gritting his teeth trying to push the brief image away, but it only became more vivid.

More so, this time rather than the pure hatred he had felt last night, when he saw her, now it was only an atom of guilt that tugged at his heart as the sounds of her cries floated through his ears.

Why was he feeling this way? He asked himself again, remembering how weak and tired she had looked, and now he was feeling sorry for her.

Even though it was to late, he was suddenly having the urge to pick her up and protect her and…

“Fuck. No, no, no!” He blurted out loud absentmindedly, startling Katherine who was already asking what the matter was, but he just silenced her, saying that he was hallucinating and nothing more.

He shouldn’t be thinking about her.

They were over, and what happened last night was something he should bask in and not the other way round.

He hated this feeling so much!

Why the fuck did he always soften at one point, or the other when it came to her? She meant absolutely nothing to him anymore, she was nothing… He kept on consoling himself with that fact even when it sounded like a lie even to his own ears.

Hissing softly and blinking back the tears that threatened to flow down his cheek, Damien embraced Katherine longer than he had meant to, hoping that at the end of it, the thoughts of the other woman in his mind would vanish already.

He just hoped…

…….

Madison’s bones ached as she walked out of the motel this morning, and headed to the bakery.

She was thankful that at least she didn’t need to board a taxi, as the bakery was only a few blocks away.

Also, she needed the little exercise and energy she could derive from walking down the block, as it would aid her today.

Her eyes were swollen as a result of sleep deprivation since last night, and she had barely ate anything this morning, choosing to be solemn. She tried to shake off the fatigue she was feeling as she crossed the road, making a turn that would lead her to the bakery almost instantly.

The incident of last night had been running through her head all night, and although she tried hard not to think about it, it kept bringing tears to her eyes each time the images replayed itself in her head.

She was tired of the repetitive occurrences of bad luck that seemed to follow her wherever she went, but the one thing she was glad of was that she still had a job no matter how measly it was.

She had lost the one at the bar, and even though this pay at the bakery meant that would take a little longer now to pay off her debt for the dress, and scrape up her money for her next motel rent, Madison deduced within herself that it would have to do, at least for now.

Still in her thoughts, Madison soon reached the bakery, and looking up suddenly she froze in her steps, her eyes narrowing in confusion at the crowd that gathered in front of the small shop.

What the hell was going on? Madison wondered, her mind already beginning to race, and looking left and right she wondered if she was making a mistake, and maybe that really wasn’t the shop, but a different one.

As she walked forward though she was put to shame, because she spotted the small signboard that clearly said ‘Chu’s Bakery’ glaring back at her, and she nearly staggered at the realization that the crowd in front of the shop, was the paparazzi.

On catching sight of her, they immediately swarmed her, clicking cameras in her face and throwing questions at her left and right, while she struggled to walk intently on getting to the bakery.

After much difficulty, she finally managed to escape them, shutting the door of the bakery behind her, and her hands shook violently as a barrage of questions assaulted her senses.

The incident last night was sure to reach the media, and she had expected something like this happening but she didn’t think they would arrive so soon.

She knew that what happened last night must have struck up their interest in her again, and seeing that she was the same person having the issues with self acclaimed billionaire Damien Daniels, then a scandal was sure to loom, but it was just to early.

How had they even located her? How did they know she worked here?

Madison felt frustration well up in her as she rubbed her forehead, struggling to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out from her eyes.

Why couldn’t they just leave her alone? Why was she being attacked left and right? What the hell did they want? She pondered quietly to herself, wishing she could just end this once and for all but she didn’t know how too.

Taking steady breaths, she looked up, strengthening her shoulders and putting her purse aside, she picked up her apron that was hanging by the sides, and proceeded to get back to work.

As for the paparazzi they would eventually get tired and leave, and she wouldn’t let them ruin her day.

Quickly, she tied her hair into a high bun and putting on her gloves, she started to walk into the kitchen, only to come to another abrupt halt, when she saw Mrs Chu standing at the counter, a worried look on her face.

She immediately stood when she heard Madison walk in, and faced her squarely all the while, Madison could only shake terribly as dread filled her immediately.

“Good morning, Mrs Chu.” Madison greeted forcing a warm smile on her face, that appeared quite genuine actually and that she was grateful for.

“Did you come in through the front door?” Mrs Chu asked, her tone sharp, and swallowing a huge lump of saliva that seemed to have been stuck down her throat, Madison nodded uttering out an almost inaudible yes.

“Good. So I assume you must have seen the spectacle out there? The paparazzi in so many large groups…and from what I heard they’re here because of you. You seem to have been all over the news lately.”

Madison wished she could deny it, but she couldn’t.

All she could do was nod as she stared down at her feet, and began, “You are absolutely right Ma’am, and I’m really sorry, it won’t happen ag…”

The old lady stopped her by raising her hand, cutting her of rudely as she began yet again, “Look, I’ve had enough experience to know that anything that involves a scandal and the media is never good news. I’ve had this bakery for years and I’ve been loving it. I am okay with the way things are going, and even though it’s small, it caters to my every need. The last thing I need now to spoil or tarnish my business name in any way, is this kind of attention, and I’m sorry to say this but I’ll have to lay you off. You have to leave.”

“W-what?” Madison let out a strangled cry, her chest squeezing as tears began to drop from her eyes, “P-please…I.. I’m sorry I don’t know what else to do. You can’t just let me off like that and I promise to-”

Mrs Chu shook her head vehemently, dipping her hand into the front of her apron and taking a wad of cash which she tossed at Madison, “I’ve worked way too hard to let this scare my customers away, so please take that for all the trouble you’ve spent here and leave. You’re fired.”

“Mrs Chu, please…” Madison began, but the old lady was adamant and standing straight, she swiveled around and began to go about her duties as if no one was there.

“Please ma’am…” Madison continued to beg, knowing that she just couldn’t accept this but what happened next, shook her down bad to the core.

Mrs Chu rinsed her hand, and walking towards Madison, and saying nothing she started to peel the apron of her back, and placing her purse back in her hands, the old woman extended her hands pointing at the door, and sending her out of the small building through the back door.

“But ma…” Madison began again, casting one last glance into the bakery as she stepped out, breaking down in a mess of tears as the door was shut in her face.

She slumped to the floor in disbelief, another heavy stream of tears tearing down her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands.

How had she lost two of her jobs in less than three days? Why was it that every single time things started to look good for her, something happened to change it…to take it all away.

At this point she began to wonder if she was cursed, or she started to believe it rather because this past few days had been so tough on her.

Why…why was all this happening to her?

All she wanted was to make a decent life for herself, have three square meals to eat, and a roof over her head, nothing less.

Was it too much to ask? Couldn’t she dream about it for once? Now she had no means to pay for the dress, no job to work her ass off, and take her mind of the worries in her head, and most importantly the motel manager would waste no time in kicking her out as soon as her rent expired.

With tear-filled eyes and a hollow heart, Madison marveled at how she was back to square one in less than a week.