Heart of Pains

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Damien's POV

"S-sir, you have a lunch meeting with your dad today," my personal assistant, Aubrey informed me nervously.

She was tall and thin with wavy brown hair and big stylish eyeglasses and her body was adorned in a sophisticated black dress. She was carrying some papers which she placed on my desk before me.

I nodded quickly, acknowledging her message.

"Okay, thank you, Aubrey. That'll be all," I said dismissively.

Aubrey quickly returned to her desk and I sighed tiredly, scrubbing my hand down my face.

Managing my dad's company was never easy, but I had learned to live with the many responsibilities that came with it. But still, I had to work really hard to convince my dad that I was fit to take over his company.

However, my dad always found fault in my life. He tried to mold me and my brothers to fit into his legacy and his idea of what a man should be. As the first son, I attempted to uphold his legacy and follow his rules, but I always reverted to being myself. Over time, as I grew into a young man, I learned to live my life while still obeying most of his rules.

I reviewed and signed all the paperwork that Aubrey had given me, and a few hours later, I was through with them. I then took a moment to reflect on more ideas that could benefit the company. However, I couldn't think of any, so I checked the time and my eyes widened.

It was almost time for my lunch break.

Grabbing my car keys, I made my way out but looked at Aubrey, who was biting her lip flirtatiously and batting her eyelashes.

"Aubrey, send the remaining reports through my mail," I instructed, ignoring her subtle signals.

She snapped out of it and quickly nodded.

"Yes, sir, I'll do that right away," she replied and got busy.

Turning away from her, I walked out of the building, got into my car, and drove off. A few minutes later, I arrived at one of the most famous Italian restaurants in New York City. My dad was already likely there since it was his favorite restaurant.

And I was proven right when I saw a flash of his blond hair as I walked through the doors. I quickly walked over to him.

"It's okay, son. I just got here myself," he replied before his eyes returned to the menu and browsing through the many delicious options for a few minutes before coming back to me. 

"Are you going to eat something?"

"No, I'm just going to get a cappuccino for now. I'm not hungry," I replied.

My father pursed his lips at me in disappointment for not wanting to eat before shrugging. I was a grown man, so he couldn't force me to eat if I didn't want to. His eyes then went to the drinks menu, giving it a considerate look before it met mine.

"Alright, I think I'll have a coffee, too," he said, waving the waiter over. "We want a cappuccino and a black coffee with no sugar." The waiter wrote it on his notepad and left to fetch our drinks.

As soon as he was out of sight, my dad turned his attention to me, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"So... How's work going, son?" he inquired.

"Everything's going well, although I'm still trying to seal the deal with Shadow," I replied.

My father smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. I smiled back. I craved any kind of praise from him. However, his smile disappeared a minute later, replaced with a serious expression.

"Good. Although I called you here for something different."

"Well, I'm all ears, Dad," I replied, curious.

"All right, I'm just going to come out with it. Son, it's time for you to get married," he announced.

My jaw dropped in shock as I was taken aback. Was he joking? But before I could respond, the waiter arrived with our coffee, so we waited until he left to continue our conversation. I took a sip of my cappuccino before swallowing it and giving him a pleading look.

"Dad, I do want to get married, but not now. I've been so focused on the company that I haven't had time to date. It's not an excuse, but I promise to start looking for a girl to settle down with. Just give me some time," I said, trying to buy some time. My father shook his head, his eyes fixed on me.

"You don't need to look for a wife, son. You've been betrothed to a young woman before you were born," he replied matter-of-factly. I froze, my expression becoming utterly confused.

"Oh, gee, did you plan my future before I was born? That's nice of you people," I remarked sarcastically. My dad nodded, obviously ignoring my sarcastic tone.

"Yes, son. You're getting married to my best friend Jade's daughter, Hannah, for the sake of our company. But if you refuse, you'll be stripped of your position, and the company will belong to the Spike family. So, Damien Robert Sebastian, choose wisely. You have tonight to think it over, so please, sleep on it," he pleaded.

He stood up, leaving me in shock, confusion, and anger. I knew he would pick up the takeout he ordered, but I was too preoccupied with my thoughts to care. I didn't know what to feel anymore. As I sat there, I realized he had already paid the bill on his way out, so I got up and left the restaurant.

Driving home, I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me. When I arrived, I quickly showered before heading down to the gym to exercise. As I worked out, my dad's words echoed in my head, and I finally decided: I'd go through with the marriage for the company's sake since I couldn't bear to stand by and watch my dad's legacy disappear. Besides, it saved me the trouble of looking for a wife, considering I rarely went out and never fell in love. I preferred casual flings with no strings attached, as love required too much of me. By the time dawn broke, I had made up my mind.

I dialed my dad's number, and he answered on the first ring. It was like he was waiting for the call.

"Hello, Dad," I said.

"Hey, son, how was your night?" he asked.

"My night was great, thanks to you. How's mom?" I replied.

"Your mother's fine, but let's cut to the chase," he said before clearing his throat. "What's your decision?" A beat or two passed before I finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"I'll do it," I replied.

"Ah, perfect, son. Hannah already agreed, but she's in Australia. She'll come back a day before the wedding in two weeks," he said.

"All right, Dad, bye," I replied.

"Bye, son." I ended the call before looking up at the ceiling, a look of exasperation crossing my features. So she's just doing it for the company.... What have I gotten myself into?

Hi Lovelies, how have you been? Chapter three is out! What do you think is going to happen next? Share your thoughts!