ASSESSING THE SITUATION

"He played with both you and your sister, Ellie," Damian summons my attention again. 'Any parent would want to punish such a disrespectful man. No parent would have that right. I would understand him if he were punishing the fool."


Okay. I know, but still, I want to differ a little. I don't even think Father cared. What means Nelly used to separate me from that moron, right? "Well, not when the father himself agreed with the other sister to seduce her sister's boyfriend so that they would break up. He knew what was at risk, Damian, and I am not justifying either Leo nor Nelly."

That shocked the hell out of him. "What? I didn't follow."

He just can't believe it. Who would, right? Such a despicable act can only be carried out by heartless human beings, and my father is a saint to society. Tsk!


"My father asked my half-sister, Nelly, to seduce Leo so that he could break up with me. And they succeeded. The only mistake was that they took things too far, or things just blew out of plan. I saw the anger in my father when intimacy was mentioned, and he said that that wasn't part of the deal. That was when it hit me that he had entered a pack with Nelly to break us up, and like a dickhead that Leo was, he fell right deep into their trap." I explain, adding more shock to him.

A moment of silence. He needs to digest all that information. That is the only part I had not told him.


"I didn't know Mr. Riccaford would go to the extent of hurting you that much just for that marriage agreement," he softly says, then looks at me, as if apologizing. 'I am so sorry if that betrothal caused you so much pain."

Well, I didn't expect that kind of tone. It sounds as if he rations in my pain. And then he faintly adds...

"I am really sorry!"

"It is okay, Damian. Nothing is your fault. It is just my father, and that ghost betrothed that I curse every single day of my life. Well, come to think of it, my pain is from everyone around me except only you and Grace." I mumble amidst bewilderment.

I was expecting his remorse to soften, but it doesn't. It seems like he is the one feeling the pain of what is happening to me and all that has happened in my life.

"I am not perfect too, Ellie," he says, kissing my hand gently before locking our eyes again. 'You know that I have hurt in many ways. Allow me to say sorry. For all that hurt and betrayal. You didn't deserve any of that. Sorry, okay?"

He is being too sweet and emotional at the same time. I would have known he was such a sweet dramatist when I met him. He looks so vulnerable, as if he were the one who went through that pain.

"You weren't part of any of that shit, Damian, so no need to apologize. But thank you all the same, and please don't apologize again," I say, caressing his jaws. He is such a sweet combo of cold and soft at the same time.

He emits a half-grin that does not last long as he speaks again: "You at least have one thing to thank your betrothed for, don't you think?"

I guess? I mean, everything started with that absurd marriage agreement. I did everything to rampage against my entanglement with my betrothed. Thanks to that jerk for pushing me to my right. Nonetheless, I still detest him. I still wish to never see his ugly face.

"I guess so. But still, I..."

'That much is enough," he says, cutting me off by placing a finger to seal my lips. And I obey. He drops his hand and looks at me deeply. "No parent would certify what Leo did, Ellie. Your father has a heart, despite his flaws. You are his daughter, and in his own way, he loves you deeply. You are his only child. He ought to be so mad at Leo for hurting you. I am sure his intents were far from crashing your pride and dignity."

Change of topic, I guess? Then again, how I wish that were true. To know that my father at least cares for me. That betrayal hurt like hell.

"You think so?" I ask.

I won't refute that the intuition of my father avenging for me stirs my heart a great deal. My obscene words towards him that morning I left the castle are still so fresh in my mind. I would want to know that I was wrong about his intentions, even just a bit.

"I do. I don't think your father would have wished for things to get to that extent. And at least, his unjustifiable actions made you see who truly that bastard was. It was your sister he screwed, Ellie. How sure are you that it was only Nelly who screwed?"

Well, I never looked at it from that angle, but it rings with some pragmatic perception. Who knows how many holes he has dipped that disgusting dick of his in. I mean, he was so okay fucking my stepsister, knowing very well who she was. What about other bitches who have no relation with me at all? Pthooo! It's funny how that doesn't hurt anymore. But it kind of makes me feel dirty to think that he was sleeping with me and some other bitches at the same time. Shameless son of a bitch! The jerk merits the roller coaster-rough ride that life is giving him. Even worse. May the devil lick his sore ass!

I nod slightly. "You have a point. But it's over. That chapter has long been closed, and I do not want to reopen it. I am kind of grateful for what they did."

"Really? You are?" His eyebrows form beautiful curves above the eyes.

"Mmh. Think of it this way. If I wasn't betrothed to that ghost fiance, my father wouldn't have resulted in all that shit. I wouldn't have had any spur to flout him. I would have probably married that jerk a long time ago, and I would be wasting my life miserably beside him because I would have married the wrong guy. However, because of that ludicrous marriage agreement, they did what they did, and the succulent part of all that is that they pushed me to you—to my missing rib. My all," I steal a small kiss from him, and he gleams.