Coming back to Damien’s mansion had been a huge mistake. Serenity's guts felt like they were torn out of her body and left on the floor for her to die slowly. Damien didn't love her. She’d returned on foolish dreams.
She sunk on the bed after he left, and could still smell him on the sheets. Now she'd have to leave again, though inside she hurt.
Weakness wasn't a word she'd have ever thought about herself, but now she could only see how her mother stayed in a loveless marriage. Her condo wasn't far enough from Damien.
The doorbell rang downstairs.
Damien's family must be here. She stood and decided to be her mother for this afternoon. She could pretend at a fancy party. It had been her entire childhood anyhow. She finished her morning routine in the bathroom, dressed and went downstairs to greet their guests. Once her feet touched the steps to go down, her cheeks curved into a smile.
She could do this, even if she couldn't think or couldn't breathe. She should have known Damien would never love her, but after this, she'd board a plane and disappear.
Everything would be fine. She heard Damien greet people to her right. Tears formed in her eyes but she refused to let them shed. Instead she held it together and walked into the foyer where she saw his mother, Fiona Dupree, and his brother, the rock star.
Damien turned, placed his hand on her lower back and said, "I was just coming up to get you, Serenity."
The tingles in her spine from his touch didn't matter. She placed her hand on his arm. "I heard the doorbell." She then waited for formal introductions and smiled at their guests. "Introduce me? I don’t want to mix up your brother’s names and our wedding was a whirlwind."
Damien waved her toward both of them, "My mom and Axel." They all began to walk into the living area when the doorbell rang again. Damien released her. "I'll get it."
She walked forward with his mother and saw the staff had already set up small snacks and was ready with drinks. Axel didn't say much, but Serenity tried to break the ice. "It's nice to see you again, Ms. Dupree."
She shook her head and smiled. "Please call me Fiona. I spent all afternoon with your mother, Marie, and we're good friends now, so I'm happy you're back and that you're my newest daughter. I always wanted more women in my family."
So they knew she’d left, but then again Damien was with his brother when she’d demanded her freedom. She felt her cheeks flush but then a voice behind them called out, "I wasn't enough?"
His sister sounded young, like when he and his brothers tried to get their mother to choose her favorite son. Damien again placed his hand on her lower back. "Serenity, this is Catherine and you know Galen."
"Nice to see you again and hello." The bubbly young blonde had bright eyes and a brilliant smile. Serenity instantly smiled and the young girl leaned forward and hugged her. Galen shook her hand and passed to go join Axel on the couch.
Catherine took her hands in hers and stared into her gaze. "Serenity, I'm studying business and I would love to follow you around your spa to write a report on your business as it's not Morgan Enterprise run."
Either his sister's energy was a force of nature or Serenity was getting old. She hoped it was just Catherine's nature. Serenity nodded her head. "Sure. I have to start the hiring process for my financial planner, as Kiwi is leaving me, so feel free to come tomorrow while I get the paperwork and ad copy ready."
Damien's head lowered and he crossed his arms. "You're advertising for Kiwi's replacement?"
She wasn't running Morgan Enterprises where people sent applications to the CEO every day of the week for financial jobs. Serenity shrugged. "Damien, it's the only way I know how."
Damien shared a look with Galen and then told her, "I'll send you applicants today. I want to ensure you hire someone competent."
"I guess." She held her tongue that her spa was her business. He’d have better contacts and without Kiwi as her go-to analyst and friend, Calm Serenity was in a crisis. If her mind could focus on problem-solving instead of loving Damien who didn't love her back then she'd be better off. Right now though, she had no time to be prideful. She said, "Thanks Damien."
The bell rang again. Damien stepped back. "That must be the last of us." She faced his mother for a moment, but Damien returned to her side. She held out her hand and shook both people's hands as Damien said, "Serenity, this is Mitch Morgan III and his sweetheart of a wife Tess."
The brunette was also stunning. Serenity lowered her head. Tess said, "Serenity, you were beautiful as a bride the other day."
Right. The wedding felt so long ago, but honestly it had only been two days. Her life was one big confused mess and she needed to figure out how to solve her own problems. She stepped away from his family. "Thanks. Part of me feels the wedding happened to someone else, still. It was a whirlwind. I'm going to the kitchen to ensure we all have tea for after lunch."
"I'll go with you." Tess slid into place next to her.
Guess she'd not get to be alone with her thoughts right now. She smiled and remembered her years of being polite. "That would be lovely, Tess."
They walked into the kitchen in silence but Serenity found the cook and directed them about the tea.
Once that was done, Tess joined her and pointed her toward a small nook in the hall meant for reading. "Your face is pale and you seem low. I wondered if you're having the same issues I had with Mitch when we first married."
Doubtful, but she’d be hospitable. She lifted her chin. "What was that, Tess?"
Tess blocked the open area so no one else could hear her. "Mitch and his brothers don't believe that love exists. Their mother to this day says she loved Mitch Senior though he was awful to her and kidnapped their only daughter."
"That's horrible." Serenity stared at her. Perhaps Tess did know what she was going through. If this was a family issue, a small part of Serenity's heart blossomed like a plant in spring. She opened her ears and listened.
Tess leaned forward, tucking a brunette lock behind her ear. "Mitch blamed his mother's emotional state for their family problems and vowed never to fall in love."
Was that the same for Damien? If there was a way to break through to him that love wasn't scary, she'd take her shot. She had nothing left to lose and so much to gain. She stood closer to Tess. "Damien hasn't said that exactly, but close enough. What did you do to change Mitch’s mind?"
Tess shook her head and her cheeks blushed. "I left him. It was a mistake, but we worked it out. He's a good man and nothing like his father. He just needed time."
Leaving was what she’d done yesterday. If she left again, she doubted it would work a second time. Serenity saw no other option. If time was what he needed, she wasn't sure she could handle rejection later, after she’d invested her heart. She closed her eyes. "I don't think that's the answer with Damien. He seemed absolutely certain."
"Isn't that part of their charm?" Tess said.
True. Damien's arrogance made him different and it was hot on him, even if it drove her slightly crazy. Tess seemed so wise. Heaven knows her own sister wouldn't help. Serenity kept her voice low. "If you had to relive thinking he'd never love you, what would you do differently?"
Tess lowered her hands to her sides. "Tell him every single day why I love him. Leaving him almost killed me, when I could have just shown him that I wasn't his mother and he wasn't his father."
The staff walked past them carrying steaming silver platters.
Serenity hugged her stomach. Perhaps she needed to try. She took a deep breath and decided to think about it as she waved toward the hall. "Seems lunch is ready. Tess, thank you for telling me. You've given me a lot to think about."
The two women walked back into the living room where Damien immediately joined her. He must have suspected that what he’d said had scared her. "Serenity, are you okay?"
"I'm okay, Damien. I love you enough to stick it out." She turned toward his family. "Lunch is in the dining area. Please join us."
His family passed them as Damien just stared at her. Once his mother, the last one, left the room, he blinked and took her wrist in his hand to keep her close. "What?"
Bravery wasn't her usual, but she'd try. She stood on her tiptoes, kissed his cheek and said, "I came back home because I am knee-deep in love with you and I hoped we could live happily-ever-after. Lunch is being set up in the formal dining room. Come on, let’s eat."
She took her arm away from him, but he called out to her. "Serenity..."
"Yes?" She pivoted toward him.
He stood taller and he braced his legs like she might run him over. "I'll need a minute to digest this."
"Take your time." She walked into the dining room, away from him.
Her heart prayed she'd made the right choice, but either way it felt good to tell him how she felt. Holding onto her secret hurt. This time if it didn't work out, it wasn't because she hadn’t given it her best shot. She loved Damien. He had the right to know.