Femme Fatale: The King's Deadly Temptress

Chapter 198: I'm proud of you

On the sofa, Katherine was next to Damien who had his arm around her, his hand gently stroking her arm. She laid her head on his shoulder as they sat quietly, enjoying their lunch break.

"So who came up with this summer fling party idea?" she asked and heard him wince, making her laugh. "Were you a frat boy?"

It was Damien's turn to laugh, shaking his head as he looked up to the ceiling trying to recall his younger years. "Honestly I don't remember Ohwait, I think I do. It started because our families were constantly having parties then and they would always bring us with them. So the boys me, William, Caleb, Jeffrey, and a few others would have our own clique on the side. I just turned eighteen and one of them said we could throw our own "annual" party. The rest just pretty much followed"

"Mhmm and how come you were always the one planning and organizing? Were you always a wild teenager?" she raised a brow and saw a smile on Damien's face.

"My family had always been huge about social events. They would either be showing up wherever the parties are or most of the time hosting one. A couple of years later when I asked if someone else could do it, they told me that if I was the one hosting, many ladies would surely show up."

Katherine looked up at him, her brows knitted and her mouth hung open. "Look at you Mr. Damien "lady magnet" Park."

He threw his head back laughing and shaking his head. "Anyway I guess I just got used to it being the one behind the gathering."

"So you've always been throwing this party since? How did that work while you were with your exes?" If it were up to Katherine, she would definitely not let him go to this party, considering the purpose of why they were throwing it in the first place. But since they had a plan in hand, this was the only reason why she allowed him to go. "I trust you, but I don't trust the women around you. I'm not taking chances."

A huge grin formed on his face and he leaned towards her, giving her a quick kiss. "You're adorable." He looked away again and recalled how it was in the past. "This started before Lexi. And despite the special circumstance with her"

"And by special you mean?"

He sighed, "I meant even though the relationship was forced by the families, I didn't see other people. And that woman from Hara Family, we didn't really last that long. It was only for a few months and it was over before this Summer Party tradition happened in the same year we broke up."

There was just this tiny bit of information that Katherine wanted to know. She didn't want to hear in case it were true like the rumors about him said but she wanted to know the truth from him. "So you're saying you"

Damien turned to look at her, studied her eyes and saw right through what she actually wanted to know. He narrowed his eyes at her. "If you're wondering if I was a two-timing bastard No, I wasn't. I dated, yes. But I never cheated while I was seeing someone."

She regretted asking because she thought she saw anger flash in his eyes. If he was, he masked it rather quickly. "I'm sorry I was just wondering. I don't really care about your past. I was just curious, that's all. When I was new here, I came across several articles about you regarding your dating life and I guess, I just I was curious."

He saw the apologetic look on her face and he looked away, leaning his back on the sofa. "Whatever you read on those articles they aren't all true, you know? Those bored, worthless journalists just wanted fame. They twisted stories about me and the people they see me with."

Katherine's heart throbbed. She shouldn't have asked but was glad that he told her about it anyway. "I believe you." She placed a hand on his chest and slid it up to cup his jaw, drawing him close for a kiss.

Swiftly, Damien lifted both of her legs and placed them over his lap, his hand planted on her thigh and dangerously sliding up and under her skirt. She moaned when he deepened the kiss.

"We still have a few minutes left," he whispered into her mouth.

She pulled back and pressed her hands on his chest before he could lower her on the sofa. She giggled when he groaned on her neck and felt his erection press on the back of her thigh.

"Why"

"As much as I want to. You haven't fully recovered yet and you have a meeting soon. I need you with as much energy as you can have. And having a quickie wouldn't help you at all, President Park."

Damien stared down at her, his brows furrowed while Katherine wore a playful smile. "You are infuriatingly responsible. Do you know that?"

Ever since Katherine became his secretary, his work life had been so much better. She was so organized, smart, and efficient at her job that it put his previous secretaries to shame. She had only been working for him for a few months but it was as though they were perfectly made for each other. She was the best partner that he could ever ask for.

"Mhmm that's why you love me." She beamed at him and he shook his head.

"I couldn't even argue with you on that."

Katherine swung her legs off him and turned to grab something in her purse. When she faced him again, she held a white envelope tightly and gave it to him with both of her hands. 

Damien stared at the envelope before he dragged his gaze to her face and saw her smile at him. He already knew what was inside the envelope and he was reluctant to receive her resignation letter. 

Back in France, he told her that he would only agree if he could finance her studies. She didn't say 'yes' then but she did ask him to wave the contract bond instead. Now that she was turning in her notice, his thoughts went back to his condition.

"Come on. We already talked about this" she said, caressing his face and brushing his hair away from his forehead.

Sighing, Damien was already experiencing "sepanx" (separation anxiety). "How would I ever function without you here?"

"It's not like we won't see each other anymore. We live together! Besides, there are still two weeks to hire and train another secretary as my replacement."

"No." His answer was firm. "There won't be any replacement. When you leave, I won't be hiring another office secretary."

"But, how"

"Markus can take over. I'll increase his wage. We already talked about it before so I know he is on board with it."

Katherine sighed. And the two of them looked at each other without saying anything until he probed, "Have you decided which school you're going to enroll in?"

"I'm still looking I'll meet Emma for lunch tomorrow and ask her about it. Maybe she can help me decide."

"You know I could"

"No, Damien. I am already agreeing to your condition of paying for the course. I can't have you pulling your connections for me to get into institutions as well. I will, however, try my best to get into one of the best ones."

He huffed and pulled on a smile for her, pressing a kiss on her temple and hugging her. "I'm proud of you. I'll support you in every way that I can."

Hugging Damien back tightly, she nodded and pressed herself into him. "I'll make you even prouder."