Femme Fatale: The King's Deadly Temptress

Chapter 178: What's Her Name?

Pearl Gardens

Katherine was on the phone with Alianna over the past hour talking about anything that had to do with weddings until they ended up talking about the latest happenings of her life in Italy. Since Ali was so comfortable with Katherine, she didn't mind sharing even the personal stuff about her mother, her and Caleb's current complicated relationship, and her growing friendship with Matthew.

Katherine was glad that she had someone to talk to who was also part of Damien's life. She would still sometimes catch up with Emma but because of the latter's busy schedule recently, they haven't had the chance to see each other for a few weeks now. Talking to Ali was such a breath of fresh air because Damien's cousin was full of sunshine and it was contagious!

"Oh, by the way, have you opened the package I sent you?" Alianna asked while she was drying the nail polish on her hands.

"What package?" Katherine was on the sofa in the living room while Bear was on the floor just by her side. The TV was on very low volume she and Ali were watching the same reality tv show while gossiping at the same time.

"You know, the stuff I told you I'd send you before? You said I should send all of them so I did I received a notification from the courier saying that it was delivered. I thought you would already have seen the package by now"

Katherine raised a brow as she scanned the living room for the said package. "Send what? I don't know what you're talking about. I don't see any packages here" Her eyes caught sight of a medium-sized box that was placed on a small table by the stairs that she hadn't noticed earlier. 

"Are you that forgetful? The underwear and lingerie that I told you about" Ali was just reminding the other when she heard a gasp over the phone. "You found it?"

"Oh my god, I didn't think you were really going to send these. The box seems heavy! Just how many did you send over?" Katherine picked up the box and brought it over to the coffee table. She retrieved a small knife from the kitchen and carefully opened the package, seeing several neatly packed pieces of delicate wear in the box.

"I don't know about twenty?" Alianna chuckled. "Do you like them? Eh Who am I kidding of course you love them and I'm sure Damien will too. Consider this as my engagement present You're welcome."

Katherine shook her head and laughed heartily. "I haven't even thanked you yet!"

"Well, aren't you going to?"

"Of course... Thank you, Ali I'll make sure to put them into good use." Katherine was actually happy with the present. Who would have thought that this day would come where she would get excited over sexy lingerie?

"I'm sure you will, Kath" Alianna replied, her voice was so playful.

Hearing the sound of a car engine outside, Katherine knew that Damien had arrived. "Damien's here. I gotta go, Ali Talk soon."

"Oooh are you going to try a lingerie tonight? Get it, girl!" Ali teased.

Katherine rolled her eyes and hurriedly bid goodbye before ending the phone call. She opened the main door and watched as Damien parked his Aston Martin in the garage. 

He climbed out of the car and strolled towards Katherine, his face was unreadable and he formed a small smile just as he arrived in front of her. "Why are you still up this late?" He kissed her cheek.

She started helping him out of his coat as they entered the house while she told him what she did that night. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbow and noticed the package on the table as they sat on the white sofa.

The two of them shared a laugh when Katherine told him about the package. Then the room fell silent and she noticed the strange air around him. She got up and got him a glass of water before sitting back down next to him.

Reaching out for his hand, she gave it a light squeeze and asked, "What's going on? You look like you're upset about something Do you want to talk about it?"

The worried look on her face made him hesitant to speak. He didn't want to upset her but he knew he had to at least tell her somehow. "Honestly, I don't want to talk about it"

"I see"

"But I have to It's about something that happened in the past," he added.

Damien was quiet for a while and Katherine waited for him to speak until she said, "Damien, if you're not ready to say it it's okay, you don't have to."

Truth be told, he was nervous. But there was no way that he was going to keep this from her and risk having it heard from someone else.

"I think I need to tell you It's just I haven't talked about it for years and I was hoping to just forget it even happened. But you deserve to know it from me Will you listen?"

Katherine saw the troubled look on his face. She wasn't sure if she was seeing him in pain or in frustration. It was hard to tell but she knew that he needed to release it or it will eat him up inside.

Placing a hand on his back, she lightly stroked him and nodded, "Of course I'm here. Whenever you're ready."

It took Damien a couple of minutes to compose himself before he finally started, "Several years ago when I had just started building the business I was I I was going to get married to someone" He swallowed.

Katherine felt like water had been dunk over her head and streamed down her back with what she just heard. Damien could see the change in her expression and it scared him. Her expression was stoic and she was speechless.

The thought of Damien being with someone was something she did not want to imagine but actually knowing he was supposed to get married to someone else it instantly caused her heart to ache.

"You you were engaged to someone"

He nodded.

"What's her name?" she blurted without thinking and hurriedly took it back. "Wait no don't tell me. I don't think I wanna know"

He studied her face and noticed that she had stopped stroking his back. She had actually pulled back and kept her hands to herself, wringing them together anxiously.

"Who was she? What happened?" she questioned.

After letting out a sigh, he continued, "I knew her back when I was in the university. I was still with Lexi then so nothing really happened between us. When Lexi and I were over, I went away for a few months and that woman also stayed in the same place where I did"

Damien and Margaret hit it off eventually and when they came back to the city, they became official. It was also around that time when he left Park Mansion and found his own place. Everything seemed perfect when he felt that he had found his freedom. 

He started his business and Margaret was there every step of the way. He was so fond of her that he may have even loved her. Feeling that he had the chance to finally chase his own dreams, Damien was hopeful and passionate.

At this time, Katherine remained quiet, allowing him to tell his story while his eyes remained wistful. 

"We were friends first and later we started dating." He ran his hand through his hair a couple of times, disheveling it as he did. "I thought I already had everything under control in my life until"

The room went silent as he forced himself to fish out his phone. Earlier, he had searched a certain photo that was stored in his email many years ago. Opening the picture that he was looking for, his hands slightly trembled as he hesitantly passed his phone to Katherine.

"She gave me this." Damien's heart slammed in his chest, he almost felt sick as he showed her a photo of an ultrasound. "She got pregnant and I was going to be a father."