The Billionaire's Retribution

Chapter 13: Lie

Upon observing Marcel's serene presence on the sofa, a cascade of concern furrowed Davina's brow. The extraordinary calm that enveloped Marcel ignited Davina's already brimming suspicion and fear. Glimpses of Marcel's thoughts danced behind Davina's eyes, especially after witnessing the public acceptance of Damian's proposal. 

Today, wearing an ethereal white dress intended to veil the still-fresh scars, Davina resolved to alter her appearance. Shedding the delicate attire, Davina donned a loose-fitting sweater and trousers, meticulously innovatively arranging her locks. 

Determined to shield herself from the formidable force of Marcel's presence in her abode, Davina busied herself with concocting honey-infused water to alleviate the hangover-after effects. The avoidance of Marcel became her sole objective.

After an enduring silence, Marcel finally broke the tension with his questioning gaze. "Have you betrayed me by accepting the proposal from that oddball?" he inquired, piercing the air. 

Remaining steadfast and focused on her brewing concoction, Davina responded without tearing her attention away. "Don’t need to worry. I harbor no pettiness that would lead me down the path of betrayal, especially not for an individual like Damian. My actions were purely theatrical, motivated by the presence of many witnesses," she replied, her words flowing like the honey water she imbued with detail.

Yet, beneath the fabricated façade, Davina knew that she spoke falsehoods. While Damian's elaborate scheme remained shrouded in mystery to her, Davina possessed no desire to feign connivance when accepting his hand in marriage. Perplexingly, Damian was the true mastermind behind this ruse.

Marcel's disbelief lingered, preventing him from fully embracing the integrity of her words. Through years of familiarity with Marcel, Davina deftly treads upon the terrain of his thoughts. She had diligently committed Marcel's every nuance to memory, an unspoken language between them. 

"Damian and I are strangers, our lives perpetually lacking any intersection. What use would there be in marrying a man I know nothing about?" 

Untruths cascaded from Davina's lips, concealing the simple truth that she had known Damian since her sixteenth year.

"Do you have any concept of the warning I issued forbidding you from engaging with any man aside from my presence? You surely must recognize the monumental restraint I demonstrated in resisting the temptation to extricate you from that insufferable party," Marcel began, his voice increasingly irate.

"As I mentioned earlier, it was a masquerade. Did you not perceive the incensed reaction from Camille? Damian orchestrated this purely to taunt his ex-wife. Trust me, my involvement with Damian and Camille's drama remains nonexistent," Davina explained, her focus unwavering as she tended to her dwindling glass.

A fleeting silence descended upon them as Marcel contemplated the words Davina had meticulously chosen. Eventually, he exhaled, releasing the grip of anger. "I trust you," he capitulated.

"You must trust in me," Davina affirmed, seeking solace in the dwindling honey water as it enveloped her nerves.

Witnessing Marcel's exhale of relief, Davina allowed a smile to play at the corners of her lips. The uncertainty of her future ebbed from her consciousness. Today, saving herself has become her paramount aim.

"My mother's condition, how fares she?" Davina's voice intermingled with sadness.

Despite his indifference, Marcel replied, "There is no change in your mother's health."

"When can I be reunited with my mother?" Davina's plea reverberated, teetering on the precipice of desperation.

Marcel, feigning introspection, muttered at length. "Upon our matrimony, the reunion between you and your mother shall finally materialize."

"What?!" Davina stood, struck with disbelief at Marcel's decree.

Delving into self-accusation, Davina berated herself for falling prey to Marcel's deception. More than two years prior, Marcel had entered her life masquerading as a knight astride a white steed, vowing to tend to her comatose mother. 

The notion of her mother languishing in perpetual dormancy defied Davina's comprehension. Time and again, the doctor solemnly declared that all hope had dwindled. Davina had occasionally ventured to her mother's side in the formative stages of her affair with Marcel. 

Seeking vulnerability, Marcel seized upon this opportunity. For over a year, he had forbidden Davina from visiting her mother. Marcel's final violation, unbeknownst to Davina, involved relocating her mother's medical care to an undisclosed hospital. All the while, Marcel dangled the sword of marriage over her head.

If Davina revealed her affection for Damian today, Marcel would unleash his fury and, conceivably, extinguish their lives. Davina now pondered how to extricate herself from this ambiguous entanglement with Damian and Marcel.

Moving closer to Davina, Marcel pressed his lips tenderly against her forehead, his fingers caressing her cheek with utmost gentleness. Speaking with an air of authority, he warned, "Never dare entertain the notion of leaving me until your last breath has transpired."

With neither expulsion nor admonishment, Marcel exited the penthouse apartment, liberating the release of Davina's breath.

"Damian, what kind of drama are you playing with me? How am I supposed to discuss this with Damian?" These thoughts raced through Davina's mind, unsure of the right action. 

The clock on Damian's wrist showed that the party had officially ended as it struck midnight. Damian, Atlantis, and Nick piled into the same car to head home. The exhaustion from the day's activities kept them in a drowsy silence. Atlantis rested his head, trying to find solace in relaxation. 

"Nick, can you drop me off at the penthouse apartment?" Damian spoke up.

Atlantis glanced at Damian from the corner of his eye. "Are you going to see someone?"

"Yes, I need to see Davina," Damian replied honestly, his worry for Davina escalating due to the events of the proposal and his enmity with Marcel.

"Perhaps Davina left because your proposal took her aback. Pushing her to see you tonight might be too much," Nick said.

"Even I was surprised by your proposal today, let alone Davina." Sleepiness began to weigh on Atlantis.

"I witnessed Camille faint when you proposed to Davina. Is everything alright?" Nick asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Yes, I saw that too. Her reaction was quite satisfactory," Damian said, content with the first step of his revenge.

"Tonight, Damian will go home with you. You can meet with Davina another day. It's impolite to disturb people late at night," Atlantis ordered in a tone that Damian couldn't quite comprehend.

"Yes, it seems that Davina needs some time to process today's events," Damian replied, hoping that Davina would be alright.

After the party, Damian believed he would have an opportunity to meet with Davina and discuss things. However, he soon realized that he was mistaken. The first week of his CEO position brought a whirlwind of responsibilities and learning, with Atlantis as his mentor.

Damian attempted to contact Davina numerous times, but she only replied with a brief text, assuring him she was okay. After that message, all his calls and subsequent messages went unanswered. The last news Damian received about Davina through the law firm's receptionist was that she was on a business trip.

Finally, Damien found a moment of respite after a long day of meetings. He heaved a weary sigh, slumping his shoulders as exhaustion weighed heavily upon him.

"This is strange. The situation is too calm. Why isn't Marcel showing any reaction?" Damian pondered, expecting Marcel to retaliate now that Damian had proposed to his fiancée. Yet, Marcel remained composed and professional at work, showing no resentment. 

"Did Davina say something to Marcel?"

Unable to keep his silence any longer, Damian sent a message to Davina, requesting to meet over the weekend.

The weekend arrived, and Camille went to her best friend's penthouse apartment. With her busy schedule, the weekends were the only time they could meet. Impatience getting the better of her, Camille repeatedly pressed the doorbell.

As soon as Davina opened the door, Camille wasted no time slapping her. Davina instinctively held her reddened cheek in shock from the force of the slap.

"Do you even consider me a best friend? You're utterly disgraceful. Tell me, since when have you been having an affair with Damian? Don't you have any self-respect? Accepting the proposal of someone as nerdy as him?" Camille's anger trembled in her voice, her words lashing out with sharpness and fury.

"Considering you've purposely come to my house this early in the morning, it seems clear that you haven't heard anything from Marcel. Is everything alright between you two?" Davina attempted to maintain her composure.

"What bullshit are you talking about?" Camille snapped back.

When Camille's hand rose, poised to strike again, Davina expertly parried her and delivered a slap of her own. A sly grin appeared on Davina's face as she observed the surprised expression on Camille's face from the impact.

"I have remained silent all this time, not because I'm afraid to confront you. Remember, the world doesn't revolve around someone like you. If you dare to slap me again, I will make sure to return it to you tenfold."