Damien refused his grandfather's calls several times after the dinner incident where Don attempted to set him up with Penelope Wellington. Then his phone rang again, but this time it was the housekeeper Lee. Damien answered, and Lee told him Don had a heart attack yesterday and was taken to the hospital. Damien left everything and rushed over.
In the hospital, Damien found Don confined to the bed, his complexion pallid and lifeless. The old man was tethered to an IV line and an array of vital-signs monitoring equipment. The clinical setting intensified Damien's fear that he was close to losing his last living relative.
He asked the housekeeper what happened.
Housekeeper Lee: "He was angry because you refused the engagement. He didn't eat since the dinner with the Wellingtons. He said he lost face that night."
Damien: "That's all he cares about, isn't it? His face and the company?"
Housekeeper Lee: "That's not true. I've been with him long before you were born. He is a difficult man, but he does want the best for his family. His only wish is to see you marry Miss Penelope."
Damien: "Why does it have to be her? Can't I marry someone else? Why is he so obsessed with the Wellingtons?"
Housekeeper Lee: "When you were little, Don had issues with his company. The only person willing to help was Samuel Wellington. This is his way of repaying the Wellington family. Don told Samuel at that time that he and his family can ask for any favour in the future, and he will make it happen. Then Thomas came and asked for a marriage. You don't understand, but your grandfather... His health is not what it used to be, and before dying, he wants to repay this favour."
Damien listened with a worried expression. To fulfil his grandfather's last wish, he would have to sacrifice himself. How ironic is life.
Don woke up a few hours later. The doctor explained to Damien that he should look after him and make sure he wasn't under any stress or anger. Damien understood what that meant. On the day of his grandfather's hospital discharge, Damien moved to the Sterling manor with him. Don was a little more quiet than his usual self, a sign the heart attack must have scared him.
For a few days, Damien was going from the company to the Sterling manor, spending time with the old man and trying his best to get along with him.
The Unwilling Groom
Damien was at the company when his phone started ringing. It was his grandfather, inviting him to the old house for dinner, saying they had guests—and this time he mentioned it was the Wellingtons.
As soon as Damien arrived, he found Thomas Wellington, his wife, and Penelope sitting in the living room, chatting cheerfully. He greeted them, and they had dinner. Again, a barrage of questions was aimed at Damien, followed by his grandfather's announcement of a marriage alliance between the two families. Damien didn't look taken aback by any of it; he gave up. He was left with no choice. It seemed the final decision in work or personal matters was never truly his. To go through with the engagement or lose his grandfather? At this point, he would agree to anything.
His grandfather then invited Penelope to spend the night at the old mansion so she and Damien could chat more and get to know each other better before the marriage. She happily accepted.
After dinner, her parents left, and Damien, now visibly annoyed by this situation, hurried upstairs to his bedroom. Penelope excused herself from Grandpa Don's company and followed him.
When Damien finished showering, he got out of the bathroom to find Penelope sitting on his bed.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
Penelope smiled seductively and approached him. She took the hem of the towel wrapped around his waist, looked up at him, and said, "Of course I'm here to get to know you better. Didn't you hear what Grandpa Don told us to do?" She then traced her finger over his injured arm, where a scar was forming. He flinched and pushed her hand away.
"Let me be clear with you, even if we end up getting married in the future, I will never touch you."
Penelope felt rage but tried to cover it with a smile: "That's too bad, because I really want to be touched by you."
Damien: "Let's get one thing clear here and now, there will never be anything between us."
Penelope sneered at him. "You are so foolish. People like us don't get married out of love. It's all business, and touching me—whether you want to or not—is a part of our business."
Damien: "Get out."
Penelope started leaving, but when she came to the door, she turned around and sent him an air kiss before closing the door.
Damien punched the wall. The entire night he was unable to sleep. He had so many worries pressing him, and now this marriage alliance that nobody even bothered to ask his opinion on. It was all too much.
He thought of Sarah. He hadn't seen her for days and she never called. He remembered her cold hands on his warm cheeks, the way her fingers traced the lines on his face... At that time, he just wanted to kiss her deeply, passionately and call her his. Like I fell into the oblivion... The thought scared him. What is wrong with me? He whispered. Why does this woman make me feel this way? Why can't I stop thinking about her. I don't want her to think I'm taking advantage of her... Does she think that after our interaction at the hospital?
In the morning, he was about to leave the house when his grandfather Don yelled, "Damien!" He turned around to find Don sitting in the chair by the window.
"What were you thinking, Grandpa?" he asked.
"This marriage alliance is better than the previous collaboration," Don said. "It's a merger of two of the most powerful families."
"Am I your tool for reaching a higher level of wealth, or am I your grandson?" Damien challenged.
"This is my last wish, Damien. Before I die, I want to see you marry Penelope and give me a great-grandchild. Be a little more considerate of others and take good care of Penelope. She is your future wife, after all."
Damien: "Where is she?"
Don: "She's in the garden talking on the phone."
Damien: "Send her back to the Wellingtons."
Don: "She's staying here. That's my final."
Damien: "Fine. I'll be busy with work these days anyway."
He turned around and left, slamming the front door behind him.
The Morning After
Marco sat in the car waiting for Damien. "Boss, where to?"
Damien: "Aren't you investigating the Walkers? Where's Johnny?"
Marco: "He's got a day off."
"Take me to the Hospital," Damien replied. "How's the investigated going?"
"I'm on it, boss. The full report should be done by suppertime."
Damien simply said, "Hmm," then took some files from the backseat and began to study them.
When they arrived at the hospital, he found Sarah sitting by the window in her room. He said nothing, just stood by the door frame. Then Chloe showed up behind him. "Mr. Sterling, how long do you plan on standing there? Let's get inside."
When she said that, Sarah also turned around. Her eyes found Damien's, and she gave him a bright smile. "Damien, you're here!" she happily exclaimed.
Damien smiled. "I came to visit you, I hope you don't mind."
Then Chloe interjected, "Why would she mind? She's happy to see you. We both are."
Damien didn't like Chloe one bit, but he said nothing. He kept quiet to avoid worrying Sarah.
He took his coat off and placed it on the bed, then approached Sarah. He took her by the hand and asked, "Are you feeling better today?"
She said, "A little bit, but I didn't sleep well these days." She then placed her free hand over his and worriedly asked, "Are you okay? You seem tired this morning."
Damien: "Why didn't you sleep well? What's troubling you?"
Sarah: "I... I don't know, I just feel sad these days."
Damien: "Sad?"
Sarah then smiled... "You look tired?" That was more of a question than a statement.
Damien kissed her hand and said, "I'm fine."
Chloe was observing the exchange. Why do these two look like a couple? She thought. Then her phone rang, and she excused herself and left saying, "Work, gotta run."
Sarah looked at him, questioning how sincere that answer really was.
Damien noticed her questioning look and said, "I couldn't sleep well because I have some internal conflicts to resolve."
Sarah nodded like she understood what he was battling. She then said: "Does your arm still hurt?"
Damien replied, "I can no longer feel the pain in my arm." Now I only feel pain in my heart, he thought.
"That's good," she said. "But you should take good care of yourself from now on and get more sleep, otherwise you'll be in a worse condition than me." She waved her hand to show herself to him and laughed. This was the first time he'd heard her laughing. She looked so beautiful and radiant this morning, and that smile of hers infected him like a plague. He smiled back at her, and for a moment he forgot all the worries that were eating him inside.
"Did you have breakfast?" he asked.
"Not yet. But the nurse will bring some food soon."
"What would you like to eat? I'll get it for you."
"I don't know what I like," Sarah replied. "I can't remember… But I don't think I'm a picky eater."
Damien looked at her and said "Oh?" like he was questioning that statement she just made.
Sarah nodded while smiling.
Damien then took the phone out of his pocket and called Marco. He instructed him to bring food from the restaurant he liked to Sarah's room, which he did ten minutes later. Damien ate with her in the room, and they chatted away like two old friends meeting again years later, a strange but sweet feeling passing between them.