Married To The Devil

Chapter Thirteen

Okay, so here it is!

I am really sorry for the very delayed update. Actually, those of you that read TPA must know where I disappeared off to and why. For the first part, it was the state exams (which were a real pain), registering and preparing for college in due time and other personal issues. For the second part, it's the lack of internet connection, believe it or not, and again I am using my cousin's laptop to publish this, this time too. I won't be able to update after this chapter until further notice so I made this chapter extra long than usual to make it up to you guys.

However, I want to thank you all for reading and voting and commenting. It means a lot, like really really a lot. I mean, 22k+ reads, wow!!!! I have never really expected to reach this number of reads when I started writing this. So yeah, thank you so much; silent readers included of course.

Anyway - enough with the rambling xD - I hope you enjoy this chapter. It is an important one, I assure you.

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D e v i l' s F r i e n d

Although it had been two days since we got back to California, I had not once attempted to visit my mother. The mere thought of facing her gave me the urge to throw up. It was one of those moments where you knew where a confrontation would take you and you didn't want to really go there, because it would be anything but beautiful, anything but harmless. But eventually, you had to, because that was the only way you could stop the nagging in the back of your mind and you knew that you could get through the pain no matter how gruesome it got.

I knew I was going to face my Mom one day.

But that day was definitely not today.

Today was my birthday. And ever since that last incident in London with Damon before we left, I was avoiding him like the plague. Once we got here, in California, I asked the maid, Helary, to prepare a seperate room for me, away from Damon, since I was not very familiar with the big house. It was shocking and non-shocking all the same when he didn't object, but actually such a relief.

As I stare out the bedroom window at the fountain I recently noticed in the center of the back garden, I hoped with every fiber in me that Damon would just forget about my birthday. But from what I've seen, from him knowing my full name without even asking me, to knowing the whole ordeal with Austin, I doubt that he'd let something as simple as my birthday date slip away from his attention.

Just as if thinking of the devil was a way of summoning him, my bedroom door was thrown open and Damon appeared, leaning against its frame. "You done avoiding me, yet, babe?" He asked, folding his arms at his chest and inspecting me from head to toe with narrowed eyes.

It was weird how he decided to acknowledge me on the day I most wanted him not to.

I only pursed my lips and walked away from the window to the vanity table to grab my comb. Settling on the bed, I ignored his question and pretended to busy myself with combing my hair. The answer to his question was obviously a yes, but I didn't exactly know how to deliver that to him so I stayed silent.

Damon let out a sardonic, low chuckle and walked further into the room. "The exit is in the other direction." I told him, refusing to meet his heavy gaze.

"Very funny, Clarabelle," he responded in an acidic tone, seeming to be offended with the fact that I just wanted him to be out of here. "In the past couple of days you've avoided me," he literally emphasized that, "I assure you that I hadn't lost every sense of direction I had. I am perfectly normal, with or without you." He was evidently trying to convey a point and yes, it was more than obvious what he meant. Even if I ignored him or not, that wouldn't make a difference, and Damon will always be . . . Damon! Although 'normal' wasn't the particular term I'd use to describe him.