Chapter 2

"Ella, what's wrong?" Damian asked, noticing her sullen expression.

"I'm just shocked that you already have a girlfriend, Damian. I guess I wasn't prepared for you to be in a relationship," she admitted, carefully concealing the true reason behind her reluctance to let him go.

"I'm sorry if it came as a surprise, Ella. We can discuss it later. I'm exhausted and need some rest before attending the church service," Damian explained.

Ella raised an eyebrow, feeling slightly annoyed by Damian's dismissive tone. Her question was simple; she only wanted to know when he had become engaged. "I was just curious about when you met her," she mumbled.

"It was a few months ago," he replied.

"Just a few months, and you're already planning to marry her? Why?" she asked, disbelief evident in her voice. However, she quickly realized that she had no right to question his choices. When she glanced at Damian, she sensed his disappointment with her behavior. "I'm sorry for overreacting," she apologized to him.

"It's fine, Ella. I'll see you later," Damian said, not giving her a chance to apologize properly. Ella wondered if he was genuinely tired. She took a deep breath, feeling her world crumbling after his announcement. Nevertheless, she convinced herself that whoever his fiancée was, their relationship would be temporary. She believed that she and Damian were destined for each other, soulmates meant to be together. She had spent years gathering the courage to confess her feelings, only for him to announce his engagement to someone else. Ella snorted in frustration before heading upstairs.

Later in the evening, around nine o'clock, Ella took a quick shower and got ready to attend the evening mass. She wanted to ensure she looked presentable, especially when Damian's girlfriend would be there. She had plenty of formal dresses to choose from, but she settled on a knee-length, long-sleeve dress that hugged her figure, feeling that it made her look perfect. Pairing it with black high-heeled shoes, she left her long hair loose. Before leaving her bedroom, she applied light makeup, opting for vibrant red lipstick, and a touch of blush on her cheeks, and curled her eyelashes, recalling that Damian had admired her long, curly lashes back in middle school. Hoping his preference hadn't changed, she descended the stairs, drawing all eyes towards her, as expected.

"Gorgeous as always," Jack muttered, admiring her appearance.

"Thank you," Ella humbly replied, but when she glanced at Damian, she couldn't decipher his expression.

"Isn't she pretty, Damian? I bet you'll have your hands full keeping suitors away from her soon," Jack remarked, chuckling.

Damian nodded, captivated by Ella's charm. He wasn't one to deny his fascination with her beauty, but he reminded himself that Ella was off-limits. She was his foster sister, and his father wouldn't approve of him having any intentions toward her. Though he had initially planned to stay within his father's estate, Ella's presence constantly tempted his self-control.

"Damian, don't you think she's grown even prettier?" Jack inquired once again.

"Yes, Daddy," Damian replied.

"Promise me, son. Please don't abandon her when I'm gone. Always keep an eye on her and protect her from any harm, okay?" Jack whispered to his son, concern etched on his face.

Damian furrowed his brows, listening to his father's words, but now wasn't the time to argue. It was almost ten o'clock, and the service was about to begin. Besides, he had to meet with Monique, his fiancée who had also visited her family. Ella and his father were unaware that the woman he was about to marry was the only daughter of Martin Dixon, the mayor of Victorias City.

As they arrived at the church, the mass was about to commence. They found seats at the back since it was the only vacant area. Suddenly, Damian checked his phone and excused himself after reading Monique's message.

"The mass is about to start," Ella tried to stop Damian from leaving, but he seemed determined.

"I'll be back as soon as possible," he assured her.

True to his words, Damian returned in less than five minutes, but he wasn't alone anymore. Ella's brows furrowed as soon as she recognized the woman accompanying him. She glanced at Jack, seeking confirmation, but Damian's father simply shrugged. As they approached, Ella wished she could disappear.

"Merry Christmas, sir," Monique Martin greeted Jack upon their arrival.

"Merry Christmas, dear," Jack replied with a smile.

Monique smiled back and turned her attention to Ella. "You must be Ella Sullivan. Damian has told me a lot about you," she said, engaging in small talk. "Merry Christmas, Ella."

"Merry Christmas to you too," Ella replied, avoiding mentioning Monique's name. In truth, she had no idea how to address her. Judging by their similar ages, Ella felt like they considered her a mere child.

Ella had no right to feel jealous, but she couldn't control her heart's reaction. Suppressing the urge to push Monique away from Damian took immense effort. When she noticed Damian holding his fiancée's hand tightly, she felt a wave of nausea and discomfort. Her stomach churned, unable to bear witness to Damian's affection for another woman.

During the mass, Ella struggled to focus. Her attention constantly drifted toward Damian and his fiancée. Jack kindly invited Monique to join them for Christmas Eve, and she gladly accepted. It was settled. Earlier, Ella had sat beside Damian on their way to the church, but on the journey back home, she found herself relegated to the back seat.

"Are you okay, Ella? You've barely said a word since we left the church," Damian asked, concerned.

"Don't worry about me, Damian. I'm fine," she replied. "Although my feet are hurting, and I just want to get home as soon as possible."

"Next time, avoid wearing high-heeled shoes if your feet can't handle them," Damian advised, with Monique chuckling in agreement.

Monique's amusement at Ella's discomfort offended her, fueling her resentment. In that moment, she longed to lash out at the woman, but she restrained herself. When Damian's car entered the gated estate that belonged to Jack McBride, she breathed a sigh of relief.

As expected, Rebecca had already set the table before their arrival. Monique's eyes widened at the feast prepared by Rebecca. Ella caught a glimpse of sadness in the woman's expression, speculating that she might be on a strict diet and unable to partake in the meal.

However, that assumption proved wrong. When it was time to eat, Monique enjoyed the food, and Damian appeared proud of his future wife. Ella found their lovey-dovey behavior irritating, as they acted like a newlywed couple, and Jack didn't seem to mind at all. To her, it was repulsive.

"I never knew you could be so sweet to a woman, Damian," she remarked, attempting to insult him. However, Damian took it differently, responding with a smile as he looked at Monique.

"But of course! I'll do everything to make my woman happy," Damian proudly declared, winking at his fiancée.

Ella bit her lip, struggling to hold back tears. Crying in front of them would only make her look foolish, and they would undoubtedly make fun of her. She had eagerly anticipated Damian's homecoming, but it had turned into a nightmare when he introduced Monique as the woman he would marry.

"Just ignore them, Ella. Lovebirds are usually like that," Jack said, trying to console her.

"You misunderstand, Pop. I wasn't bothered by their public display of affection," she lied, attempting to salvage her pride. She redirected her resentment towards the food that Rebecca had served, eating until she was uncomfortably full. Later, everyone left the dining table, except for Ella, who remained seated, overwhelmed by her emotions.

"Ella, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling down?" Damian returned to the table, finding her alone.

"Feeling down? Certainly not!" Ella sighed and looked at him. "I'm just heartbroken, Damian. Now go, focus on Monique. She might feel lonely being alone on the balcony."

"Tell me who broke your heart, Ella. Who is he?" Damian's concern was evident in his gaze.

"It's none of your business, Damian," she replied, standing up to leave, ignoring his glare.

"Ella, we're not finished talking yet! Who is the man who broke your heart?"