CHAPTER 1: SHATTERED ILLUSION

MARIE The lighting in this rather expensive restaurant was more of a nuisance than a luxury tonight; it kept tugging at the headache I felt coming on. I looked distractedly at the couple seated close to me. They seemed so engrossed in each other to have a care in the world. I sighed, focusing my attention on Damien as he came into view. Don't get me wrong. I have also been married for the last two years. It wasn't rainbows and sunshine, but there wouldn't be anything in the next few minutes. "Marie, you look stunning tonight," Damian said as he settled into his seat, his gaze sweeping over with an appreciation that felt genuine and infuriating. "But you also look a bit…sour." Damien is the typical bad boy, muscled, tall, and dark; he looks straight out of a romance novel. But he was my reality and also a fraud. "You can cut the crap now, Damien," I said my voice was as flat as the restaurant's meticulously polished floor. I could be talking to any stranger. That was who my soon-to-be ex-husband was to me now. His brow furrowed. "What do you mean, Marie? Are you unwell?" Resisting the urge to roll my eyes at his concern, I straightened. "I am completely fine. Just here to serve you this." I promptly dropped the divorce papers before him. "Oh my God. The flu must have gotten worse while I was away." I do roll my eyes at Damien's pathetic way of joking. "Are you for real Marie?" "Couldn't be more real." I snapped. "Don't be silly, Marie. On what grounds are you filing for a divorce?" He searched my gaze tenderly. I snort at that. There was nothing tender in the monster sitting across from me. "Have you any honest bone in your body? If there is, I would be needing one right now." I fixed him a pointed look. Enough with the bullshitting. The look of utter dumbfoundedness on his gorgeous face was a sight. "What has gotten into you?" "You have been using me as a pawn in this vendetta against my father, haven't you, Damien?" I asked, my voice steady despite the storm inside. The look of surprise on his face just sealed the deal for me. It's not like I was counting on him to tell me that what I stumbled upon last week was all a lie. "It's not what it looks like." For all his flaws, Damien always told the truth when asked. One I sadly do not want to hear. "Tell me then. You cornered me, Damien; I was your only manipulating tool and bridge to my father." "Stop making this what it's not, Marie." He sat intently on the table. Frantically, I wondered if I should put a name to the way he was staring at me in desperation. "I'm making this easy for you, Damien. I'm not being a fool anymore." "Nobody said you were. Christ, this is getting out of control. Ridiculous." He chants "Ridiculous would be marrying me to get at my father, Damien. Was it all a lie, then? I have nothing to do with whatever went down between you both, yet you used me." I tried to conceal the hurt in my voice, but it was useless. I had been a hopeless emotional wreck this past week. The waiter chooses that moment to intrude. "Is everything to your liking here?" The young lady asked nicely, oblivious to the situation between us. "Just not now," Damien grounded out. My sixth sense told me it was a code for something, but I wasn't analyzing anything. She placed the glasses of water on the table and hurried off without another word. "It wasn't a lie. At least most of it." Damien ran a hand through his hair. "I admit I was using you at the beginning, dammit. But you're nothing like your father, and that changed everything. I didn't expect to fall for you." "That is a way to put it, Damien," I said coldly. And what if I was like my father? What were you planning on doing to me?." I couldn't help but ask. I know Damien loathes my father, but that's as far as I knew until I stumbled on part of the reason why. His face hardened. "You don't want me to answer that." "Why? You'd have torn me apart? Newsflash, you already did. I should have known you were too good to be true. Just sign the papers, Damien." "I will do no such thing, Marie. You're just upset right now." He growled. "Then you prefer I should run to my father with this discovery of mine? How do you think he'll react?" His eyes turned to slits at my threat. "Maybe it's about time, but I'm not granting you a divorce. I love you too much to grant you such a wish." This insufferable man. I nearly groaned. "You deceived—" "But I also love you. Surely, you must see that." "No, I don't. Suppose I have to force your hand. Then I would." I made to stand, feeling the groaning in my head rush forward, and nearly stumbled. Damien was up immediately. "Marie, you don't want to do this to us." I glared at patronizing his tone. "We have nothing more together. Damien, have a nice life." But my freedom was snatched away by the iron vice of his hands. This move garnered attention from onlookers, but I didn't care. "How do I prove that you've gotten it wrong, Marie? You're my life now. There's no me without you anymore; not even your father, in all his rotten ways, can dent that." "Then, that's too bad." A month ago, I would have been keenly absorbing his every word, hell, even a week ago. But now, they only make my skin crawl. Honestly, I could do with some air soon. "Is everything alright? You're drawing attention." Our waiter asked. "We are fine!" Damian blazed with fury at the interruption. He grabbed my shoulders to pin my attention. "I don't want us to fight Marie; allow me to solve this." "You'll be hearing from my lawyer, Damien," I said with finality. I saw a muscle cramp in his jaw, the heartbroken gasp, and the glare that made him shake my shoulders in despair, making me go weightless. The spinning in my head was just too much now. The world was slowly turning bleak. "What have you done, sir!" The friendly waiter wailed. And that was the last thing I heard before everything faded to nothingness.