CHAPTER 1

“I can't wait to get there.” Diana texted to her fiance Damien. Today was their anniversary and she was eager to get home and see him. This was their first anniversary with a ring on her finger. She couldn't wait so she called him again in the taxi. She got his voicemail again. “Maybe he's preparing a surprise for me, I shouldn't pressure him.” She smiled to herself, putting her phone back in her bag. Once at their apartment she stopped in the hallway looking at a pair of white pumps next to Damien's loafers. She knew those fancy shoes anywhere. She'd seen them days earlier in a box hidden in their walk in closet. Diana had assumed it'd been a present for her. But why was it out here? She walked into the house going up the stairs. The study door was slightly ajar, light pouring out into the corridor. She could hear his deep laughter. “You're the only one I love.” Damien said. Diana stopped by the door. Her heart thumping against her chest. “After tonight it's all over.” “Really?” A female voice. Diana recognised it. “Everything she has will be ours?” “Every single penny. She owns nothing.” “I love you.” Diana dared to look into the room and she unfortunately caught the sight of Damien's lips on Lucy's. Her best friend stood there wrapped in her fiance's arms. She couldn't believe it. Lucy met her eyes and almost screamed. “Oh my—” Damien stood upright, his arms still around Lucy. “Diana, what are you doing—” “What’s the meaning of this?” Diana demanded. “Can you calm down for a moment?” “Calm down? Have you lost your mind?” “Actually, I'm quite sane Diana.” He crossed his arms over his chest walking towards her. Diana swallowed, trying to remain calm. She glared at Lucy. “You piece of filth. Is this what you garnered my trust for? To stab me in the back? To steal my fiance from me?” Lucy looked away from her adjusting her hair over her shoulder. Diana moved to meet Lucy but Damien stood in her way. “Whatever you want to talk about is with me, not her.” Diana shoved him as hard as she could. But he grunted, grabbing her and shoving her back into the side of the door. “You've always been so stubborn, you know that?” Diana held unto the side of the door, her back throbbing slightly. “You said you loved that about me.” She spoke her voice low then she spat at him. “Liar.” “I lied about a lot more than your stubbornness. But you made things easy, I'll say.” Damien grinned, his eyes having a strange glint. One she'd never seen before. “You were so naive. Believing every single thing I fed your pitiful self. That I liked. I loved that about you.” Diana's eyes burned. “Why would you do that to me? After everything I did for you.” “And what do you think you did? You greedy little bitch.” “How could you say such a thing? I helped you with every single time. I invested in your business. I supported you when things didn't go well, even when you were sick and dying. I was here!” “Damn, you're giving me a headache.” He put a hand to his forehead. “ So? Want me to grovel to you and tell you the sweet words you want to hear?” “I don't even know you anymore.” She whispers, tears streaming down her face. “To be fair, you never did.” He shrugged. “Did you ever love me? Did I do something wrong for you to do this to me? To cheat on me with her?” “Geez, could you wrap this up already?” Lucy groaned from behind Damien. “Her sob story is getting despicable.” Damien chuckled with a wicked smile. “ She's hurting give her some credit.” “Yeah right,” Lucy rolled her eyes. “And you, Lucy?” Diana looked up at her. “What did I ever do to you? I treated you like family—” “Family? You're crazy. We were never family.” She laughed, mockingly. “Is that what you thought this was? You really are naive.” “Then why?” “What else?” She gestures all around her. “Look at all this. You think it's easy to get all this luxury with the crappy jobs Damien and I do? Why struggle, when we could easily fast track that with you?” Diana paused to breathe, the words Lucy had just said echoing in her brain. Gold diggers. Both of them. They were only here for her money. One which she'd managed to make for herself. Lucy joined Damien where he stood planting a gentle but demanding kiss on his lips. He responded by wrapping his arms around her, kissing her back. Diana's chest ached, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. The sight of the two made her stomach turn. “Get away from him.” She hadn't realised when she lunged at Lucy pushing her off of Damien. Lucy fell back to the floor clutching her wrist. “You're nothing compared to me. You always will be.” “What did I say about touching her?” Damien shoved her back out the door. “You're protecting her over me? Is that all my love was worth?” She smacked his chest multiple times. Damien shoved her off each time. “I don't owe you anything Diana. I won't be despicable enough to beg for you when you have nothing I need anymore.” “I loved you with everything I had in me Damien. How could you do this? This isn't fair.” She screamed at him, tears blurring her vision. Before Damien could reply Lucy charged at her. Diana stumbled back from the push losing her balance as she went tumbling down the staircase. She rolled to a stop near the hallway where those white pumps glared at her. White hadn't even been her favourite colour. But if he had gotten it for her she wouldn't have bothered. She loved him. As the darkness grabbed at her she heard Damien's voice for the last time. “It's okay, she's gone now.”