Heart of Pains

Chapter seven

Hannah's POV

A very familiar voice interrupted the conversation.

"Kylie, my lovely wife already apologized for bumping into you and ruining your dress. Shouldn't that be enough for you?" It was Damien, who stepped forward, his presence radiating confidence.

"But she damaged my dress," Kylie insisted childishly, trying to gain attention.

I rolled my eyes, not impressed with her immature behavior. We were at a party for God's sake, and she was complaining about something that could easily be fixed.

"Kylie. There's no need to prolong this matter. Let's move on." She was about to retort when her father intervened. He grabbed his daughter's arm, trying to pull her back. He gave us both an apologetic look for having to deal with his bratty daughter.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian, I apologize for Kylie's awful behavior. I can assure you that this won't happen again," he said.

"I expect you to keep your word, Minister. I won't tolerate any disrespect towards my wife."

Damien's voice was cold when he spoke.

"Yes, of course, Mr. Sebastian," Kylie's father replied, bowing slightly before turning to his daughter. "Now, let's go, Kylie."

They walked away quickly, Kylie's dad preventing her from looking back at me hatefully. I sighed in contentment. I was relieved that the confrontation had been resolved.

Damien wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me toward the pool. That was in the opposite direction they were going. I was grateful for that.

"Thanks, Damien," I said appreciatively.

"No need to thank me; it's my duty to defend you as your husband," he replied casually.

I nodded before hearing someone call my name. I turned around to see who it was, and I was not surprised to see Owen appearing out of nowhere. He ran up to me and enveloped me in one of his famous tight hugs. I reciprocated the gesture as my racing heart calmed.

"Hey! Keep your hands off, my wife," Damien growled, tension evident in his voice.

Owen, of course, was unfazed by Damien's aggressive tone. He gave my new husband an easygoing smirk. His arms didn't leave my body, making Damien even angrier.

"Sorry, but I missed my cupcake, and I deserve a hug," he said with that same teasing smirk.

"Owen, I missed you too," I replied, trying to ease the tension.

I smiled at Owen fondly.

"I've missed you too, Owen," I replied, trying to ease the tension. "My husband isn't a fan of hugging, so how about a kiss? I hope that's okay."

Damien appeared even tenser at the statement, clenching and unclenching his jaw. I worried that his anger might lead to a physical altercation, but to my surprise, Owen seemed unconcerned.

Instead, he burst out laughing.

"Hannah, I'm not kissing you. I have a girlfriend now and I wouldn't want to cheat on her. Don't worry, I'll introduce you to each other sometime, but not now. I must run. Love you, cupcake!" he exclaimed before rushing off.

This left me stunned and processing his unexpected revelation.

"Are you angry that your boy toy found someone else?" Damien asked with his jaw still clenched. I didn't respond so he kept talking,"Because you know no guy would settle for you apart from me who was forced into this marriage. No one wants a gold digger, slut, and most importantly, a girl who led her dad to his death," he taunted, striking a painful nerve within me.

I locked eyes with him, revealing my emotions for the first time, but quickly masked them. Damien stared back, intensifying the silence. I remained silent and walked away, seeking some time alone, but he followed me persistently.

"Where do you think you're going, Hannah? Cat got your tongue, huh?" he sneered, attempting to provoke a response. Still, I stayed silent, refusing to give him the satisfaction.

"Say something, damn it!" he exclaimed, his frustration mounting. Then, another voice echoed through the room.

"Here's the trash I gave birth to," my mother said, her presence casting a shadow beside me. I could identify Damien's cologne and felt a shiver run down my spine.

"Trash, aren't you going to talk? Cat got your tongue? Ugh! You're a disappointment, a failure who has brought my family nothing but unhappiness," she continued, aiming her hurtful words at me.

But I just stood there, silently enduring her verbal assault with a cold face. Inwardly, I prayed that I wouldn't break down before them, striving to maintain my composure.

"Mom," Kelvin's voice rose with authority, defending me against my mother's relentless attacks. "Stop making her feel like a mistake." The tension in the room grew palpable as my mother's eyes narrowed in anger.

"I know I gave birth to her and regret it. She is not just a mistake but a bad omen," she hissed, her words laced with bitterness. I tried to distance myself, but her verbal assault continued.

"Stop staring at me and tell the world that you're a murderer who led my husband to his death, you bitch!"

I stood there, determined to mask my pain, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a response. As I turned to walk away, her hand whipped across my face, delivering a stinging slap. The physical pain matched the emotional torment inflicted by her words. But Damien's voice boomed through the room before I could react, demanding an explanation.

"You hurt her with your words, and now you slap her? What kind of mother does that?" Damien's voice reverberated with indignation, exposing the cruelty of her actions. The room fell silent, everyone captivated by the confrontation.

The air became heavy as Damien clenched and unclenched his jaw, his gaze locked on Monica. His anger was palpable, causing my mother to tense up, fear flashing across her eyes. At that moment, I found solace in Damien's unwavering defense. But Monica couldn't resist coming to her defense.

"Excuse me, but I'm your mother-in-law, so show me some respect, young man. She's a bitch, and pray that she doesn't lead you to your death," she interjected, her voice dripping with disdain.

However, an unexpected ally emerged as my grandmother stepped forward, breaking the tension.

"Shut up, Monica! Don't you have any self-respect? I don't understand why you treat your daughter this way. She sacrificed everything for you to live," she admonished, her voice filled with disappointment and strength.

When she was done scolding Monica, I finally found my voice.

"Mom, Monica's right. I didn't do anything except lead her husband to his death," I asserted, attempting to defuse the heated atmosphere.

Before my grandmother could respond, I cut her off.

"Mom, I'm okay. I think I need some time alone," I declared, my voice unwavering. With that, I turned and walked out.

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