Chapter 6

Damian glanced down at the business card Faye had slipped into his hands. He didn't refuse it, his lips curving into a faint smile. "Well, thank you, Ms. Cantrell." With that, he was about to walk away when Faye continued, "Can we exchange numbers? Maybe connect on WhatsApp? It'd be easier to chat that way." Damian stopped and turned his head slightly. His eyes gleamed with quiet amusement. He said, "If I'm not mistaken, aren't you about to be engaged to Virgil? Why are you in such a hurry to connect with me?" Faye's face flushed crimson in an instant. Her fingers clenched tightly around her purse as she struggled to find her words. Her mouth opened, but for a moment, nothing came out. After a long pause, she finally blurted out, "Don't be ungrateful. I'm trying to help by introducing you to better women. If you're dead set on Zelda, that country bumpkin, no one's stopping you." Damian let out a light chuckle, not bothering to call out her poorly veiled lie. "Thanks for the offer, but I don't need your help." With that, Damian turned and walked away, leaving Faye fuming in frustration. She glared at his retreating figure, the resentment clear on her face. Damian had captivated her from the moment she first laid eyes on him. He wasn't just incredibly handsome, but there was an air of elegance and nobility about him that made him irresistibly alluring. After leaving the Cantrell residence, Damian headed back home. On his way, his phone rang—it was Astrid Townsend, his grandmother. "Damian, why did you head to Phoypolis all of a sudden? Did you have another fight with your father?" Her voice was gentle but laced with concern. Damian lowered his gaze slightly, not wanting to worry her. Hence, he said, "No, it's nothing. I just came here for some business related to the company." But Astrid knew better. She was well aware of how things stood between Damian and his father, Eden Munoz. Damian's parents divorced when he was still young. His mother, Vera Bowen, had been living abroad for years. Meanwhile, Eden was constantly busy with work and rarely around. When Damian was about seven or eight, Eden brought home a new woman, Camelia Clayton. She already had a daughter, Dawn Welch, who was about four at the time. Camelia soon became Damian's stepmother, and Dawn his stepsister. Since then, Damian and his father rarely spoke. The lack of communication between father and son had led to countless arguments over even the smallest things. Astrid sighed heavily. Over the years, her health had been steadily declining. Despite consulting numerous specialists, there was no improvement. Her only concern now was Damian. "Damian, you're not getting any younger. It's time to find a woman to keep you company," Astrid said softly. She was worried that if she didn't make it, Damian would be left alone without someone by his side. "Yes, I understand," Damian replied. Despite Astird's urging, Damian's expression showed no hint of impatience. His tone softened even more as he continued, "I met a woman here in Phoypolis. I think she's wonderful, and we're together now. You don't need to worry." "Really?" Astrid's voice held a note of excitement. Damian had always been aloof. At 26, he hadn't had any woman in his life. "Yes, I really like her," Damian confirmed calmly. "Good, good. If you like her, that's all that matters." She coughed a few times before continuing, "In that case, I'll come to Phoypolis to see you in three days. Bring the woman along so I can meet her and see what my granddaughter-in-law looks like." Hearing Astrid's coughs, Damian frowned slightly. "Grandma, your health isn't the best right now. Maybe you should stay home. I'll bring her to visit once the business in Phoypolis is settled." "It's fine. You'll be busy in Phoypolis for a while, and I can't wait that long. Don't worry, I'll have your father take me to the airport." Astrid insisted on coming. Damian's eyes showed a hint of helplessness, but he didn't press the matter further. "Alright. Call me when you arrive, and I'll come to pick you up." After hanging up the phone, Damian recalled his first meeting with Zelda. At that time, Zelda had consumed quite a bit of alcohol and was visibly intoxicated, yet her eyes remained unusually clear and bright. Perhaps it was those eyes that made him agree to her outrageous request. … The next day, Zelda was forced by Edric to get ready early in the morning and take a bag of gifts to apologize to Osbert. However, when they arrived at the Ferguson residence, they were stopped and told that Osbert wasn't home. Edric handed a few hundred-dollar bills to the butler, Leonard Hancock. Then, he asked politely, "Could you please tell us where Mr. Ferguson is? We have something important to discuss with him." When Leonard remained silent, Edric continued with a smile, "I'm Edric Cantrell, and this is my daughter, Zelda Cantrell. My daughter has a marriage arrangement with Mr. Ferguson and is here to visit today." Hearing that, Leonard's gaze became slightly disdainful as he looked at Zelda. He likely assumed that any woman set to marry Osbert was probably doing so for financial reasons. "Mr. Ferguson was at Belle Vie last night and has a lunch appointment at the Crescent Hotel today. You might find him there." After Leonard finished speaking, he closed the door. Belle Vie was Phoypolis's largest nightclub, and Osbert had stayed out all night. It was widely understood what kind of activities he had engaged in there. Edric didn't care about these details. Upon hearing that Osbert would be at the Crescent Hotel for lunch, he immediately dragged Zelda along. On the way, Edric glanced at Zelda through the rearview mirror and warned in a low voice, "When we meet Mr. Ferguson, don't cause any trouble. Just stay quiet and stick by my side. "If this marriage goes through, your grandfather's medical expenses will be covered. Do you understand?" Zelda found his warning quite ironic. She calmly lifted her eyes and asked, "Didn't you hear? Leonard mentioned Mr. Ferguson was at Belle Vie last night. You must know what kind of place that is." Edric frowned and said, "You're a young woman. Why do you know about such places? Besides, it's quite normal for men to go to such places." Zelda found his response laughable. She tightened her grip and remained silent. When they arrived at the Crescent Hotel, it was still early and Osbert had not yet arrived. They waited until after 11:00 am before seeing Osbert approach, smiling and crowding over a certain figure. Edric immediately moved forward with Zelda. "Mr. Ferguson, what a coincidence to find you here." Osbert's cheerful expression faded slightly upon hearing Edric's voice. However, mindful of the guests present, he said nothing more and only asked in a subdued tone, "Is there something you need from me?" Edric nudged Zelda toward Osbert. "Nothing much. Zelda realized her mistake last night and came here today specifically to apologize." Osbert raised his chin and snorted, but his gaze softened when he saw Zelda's delicate, beautiful face. Men were often visual creatures. After some makeup, Zelda looked like a finely crafted porcelain doll. Anyone would be captivated by her presence. "Ah, so you're Mr. Ferguson's guests. It just so happens that it's not too crowded today. Why don't you come and join us for lunch?" the man surrounded by people suddenly spoke up. Zelda turned her head to look at him and felt a sense of familiarity. She lowered her head and thought for a moment. Memories surged in her mind, and she suddenly widened her eyes. This man was the same one who had been sitting next to Damian at the bar.