She would marry someone else one day.
But that day was not today.
Today, she was still his.
Today, the scandal was just beginning.
Today, the first crack appeared.
And neither of them knew how deep it would go.
---
The one hundred forty-seventh week, the scandal broke.
Not a rumor.
Not an accusation.
Proof.
Photographs.
Evidence.
Of Christabel with another man.
And Damien's world shattered.
---
The photograph arrived in a plain envelope.
No return address. No note. Just the image.
Christabel. At a café. With a man.
Not Damien.
Someone else.
He was handsome. Dark hair. Kind eyes.
They were laughing.
Her hand was on his arm.
Damien stared at the photograph.
His hands were shaking.
His heart was pounding.
Christabel walked into the room.
"What is it?"
He didn't answer.
She walked to him.
Looked at the photograph.
Her face went pale.
"Damien—"
"Who is he?"
"A friend."
"A friend?"
"An old friend."
"An old friend?"
She was quiet for a moment.
"His name is Marcus."
---
Damien stood.
Walked to the window.
Stared out at the city.
"Marcus."
"Not the therapist. A different Marcus. I've known him since college."
"You've never mentioned him."
"You've never asked."
"When was this taken?"
"A few weeks ago. Before Ghana. I ran into him. We had coffee."
"You had coffee."
"We had coffee."
"You didn't tell me."
"I didn't think it mattered."
He turned to face her.
"Everything matters to me ok,so u dont keep secrets from me.
---
She walked to him.
Stood in front of him.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For not telling you."
"You're sorry for not telling me?"
"I'm sorry for making you feel like I was hiding something."
"Were you?"
"No."
"Then why does it feel like you were?"
She was quiet for a moment.
"Because you're looking for a reason to be angry."
"I'm not angry."
"You're hurt."
Damien looked at her and poured himself whiskey.
He pulled her into his arms.
"I love you."
"I know."
"I love you in ways I didn't know I was capable of,i kill an entire country to make you happy"
She touched his face.
"I know. Because I love you the same way."
"Then tell me the truth."
"I am telling you the truth."
"The whole truth?"
She was quiet for a moment.
"Yes."
---
But she wasn't.
Not yet.
The truth was still hiding.
The truth was still waiting.
The truth was going to destroy them.
---
That night, Christabel put Lena to bed.
Not Damien. Her.
Lena was full of questions.
"Mama, why is Papa sad?"
"Because someone is trying to hurt our family."
"Who?"
"Someone who doesn't understand love."
Lena thought about that.
"Are they going to win?"
Christabel smiled.
"No, baby. They're not."
---
Damien appeared in the doorway.
He walked to her.
Took her hand.
"Marcus."
"What about him?"
"I want to meet him."
"Why?"
"Because I need to see for myself."
She was quiet for a moment.
"Okay."
First Line of Chapter 192 (Teaser):
"The one hundred forty-eighth week, Damien met Marcus. Not at the penthouse. At a neutral location. With Cole watching. With Christabel between them. And the tension was unbearable."