Chapter 3

Damon's POV

Twenty years ago, I was a scared little teenager, often threatened by my father, David Contreras. Some of his punishments was to make me walk to school, knowing just how much the people in the city hated his governance. I was often humiliated and thrown specks of dirt; before I got to school, a beggar looked neater than I was.

His reason was I needed to be strong and willful. 

One day I was walking back home, and people selling by the street threw tomatoes at me. Tears were falling from my eyes like a cascade. I know just how bad of a governor my Father was, but I wasn't him. Why was I getting stomped at for his sins?

My books fell on the ground, and I bent to pick them up. I couldn't wipe the tears from my eyes so the tomatoes puree wouldn't enter my eyes. Suddenly I felt a shield over my head. The tomatoes were splashing on the ground. It made me wonder what had happened. When I looked up, I saw a girl holding an umbrella over my head. She looked a bit younger. Eyes as bright as the ocean, she had an angelic smile.

Long lustrous brunette hair that was dancing to the wind. She bent on her knees and held my chin. 

"Sometimes people are mean for no reason because they feel inferior to you. So they punish you for making themselves think they deserve whatever you throw at them."

She dabbed the tears from my eyes with her tiny fingers. Then held my hand as she walked by my side. The traders still threw tomatoes at me, one smashed on her uniform, but she looked at me with a broad smile. Though I was thirteen, it was the first time I had laughed so loud since I was seven.

I later found out her name was Elysia. We weren't attending the same school. I tried to look for her, but my father was impeached, and we had to move. I never forgot her; when I saw her again twelve years later, I swore to make her mine and I did fifteen years ago.

***

I could hear her giggles, as she walked out of the club's restroom, hand in hand with some stranger. They walked to the dance floor and he caressed her body and kissed her like he owned her. 

Five years of marriage and I've never get to see her smile. Never kissed her that way, or get to grab her ass like he was doing. I gritted my teeth and savaged my lower lips. This was a woman I chased for fifteen years until I finally had her sold to me by her father like a worthless goods. I gave her everything and yet she was rude to me. I don't recall the last time we greeted each other though we lived under the same roof.

I only found out about her affair this morning. Someone had sent it as a package to my office. I needed to put an end to it before it makes the news.

"Beep beep." My phone suddenly rang and it was Lucius-my personal assistant calling. 

"Lucius"

"Sir, your father have been calling, I think he found out about your wife's lover." 

A rush of anger rushed through my veins, my gripped tightened on my phone as I jerked from the chair. 

"Sir, this is not the place." 

Warren was right, it wasn't the place to cause a scandal, I should be glad no one recognized us here.

I quickly sent a text to Lucius-

"I need to know more of the San Diego trip Elysia talked about few weeks back, but first call Tullips's and have them terminate the contract."

***

When I got home, I waited for her to return, but it's past 3 am and she was yet to be back. In our five years of marriage, I only took notice of her activity during the first year, but after that I stopped. I did all I could so Elysia could recall me, or somehow try to be happy together, but she hated it, she hated me. I shouldn't have forcefully married her, but what was I supposed to do, another man had her wrapped around his fingers and wouldn't let her go, I had to do something, and that resulted to the hate she had for me.

***

At dawn I could hear the kids running to the west wing. I was dressed and ready to leave for the company, but I took out time to really check if she was back.

 I saw her, the way she heaved her hand away from Becca, I might have hurt her, but what did the kid do? My phone beeped and I quickly glance at the message that appeared on the screen, it was from Lucius.

"Your wife partnership with Tullips's in San Diego might be more than just business to her, I think she is planning of running away. She bought an apartment under the name Jake Trevor. I search for him and he seem to be same guy you met at the club. I think they are planning to live together in San Diego."

For five years of marriage I respected her. Ignored her hate for the kids, but now I can see she wanted nothing to do with me and this family I've struggled so hard to protect and I won't let her go easily. She've hurt my pride, and broken my trust. I've made this home as peaceful as I can think for her, but now, I will make it her worst nightmare. 

I stride to my room and made the servant get me a bowl of popcorn. I sat to watch my kids favorite anime. My brain whirring around thinking of what I should do. Forgiveness wasn't an option for me. In few minutes, she barged in demanding to know the reason I cancelled her contract at San Diego making me rub her affair in her face. 

Just like that, in a split second, those overnight wings she generated were cut off by my words. Four years of freedom, and she had to stab me in the back.

***

I dragged her to the car, immediately Warren sent me the hotel location. I never imagined the sweet little girl whose smile would cause sunrise would make herself a whore. 

She looked filthy to me. 

When we got to the room, my gaze drifted to her.

"Ring the doorbell, or don't and be the cause of your family's massacre. And your precious little sister will be my new wife." 

This had been an empty threat since we married but today, I meant every word.

The young man walked out and kissed her, my eyes couldn't bear such sight. The tears rolling down her cheeks and her lips mumbling made me wonder-

'Did she loved him?'

I grabbed her arm and nudged her in. I couldn't bear to stand the sight of her. 

"So this is where you make me the biggest fool on earth? So this is where you make yourself a whore." My nails pierced her chin and red blisters instantly appeared on her skin. 

Suddenly I felt Warren lips touched my ear-

"He is one of Hector Luevano's men." 

"What?" My brows furrowed. She wasn't just cheating on me, was she making alliance with the enemy?

 "Did you hate me that much to sleep with my enemy?" I yelled at her and shoved her to the ground and grabbed the gun from Warren and pulled the trigger at the man.

"I loved you Elysia, but you had to do this. Now you are nothing but the mother of my children." 

"You know no love Damon, your love is toxic as your nature. You don't deserve my love." The hate were visible in her voice, piercing deep down into my soul. I veered to look at her, my eyes instantly gathered tears as I recalled the reason I had married her. She used to be the only one that could make me smile. 

"I will earn your love."