Damien Wu

The man reached the elevator just as Trinity entered it. As soon as the doors closed, Trinity fired her questions. “Who are you? What’s your motive? I’m sure there are many girls waiting to fling themselves onto you. Why me? What am I required to do now?” Her tone was cold and flat.

“This isn’t a good place to talk. All your questions will be answered in the car.” He said while holding her gaze through their reflection on the windows of the elevator’s doors.

Trinity broke the eye contact and did not reply. When the doors opened, she obediently followed him to a black van with tinted windows. /This feels hella shady. Unless there’s some celebrity inside./

He opened the door to the backseat for her and gestured for her to enter.

/… Whatever./ Trinity stepped into the van.

The door closed shut. “What’s with your get-up?” A deep and raspy voice broke the dead silence in the van. Trinity jumped and turned around sharply. A man with wavy black hair was seated behind her. An ugly and intimidating scar covered more than half of his face, causing it to look a little grotesque.

“You!” She immediately recognised him. “What’re you doing here?” She looked at his nicely pressed grey suit. “Why’re you dressed like that?”

“That’s my question.” He replied with a frown. “Were you not told to pack last night?”

“... I’m really lost.” She shook her head. The man in black suit finally entered the driver’s seat.

“You! What exactly is going on?”

“Instead of calling everyone, you, you, you, can’t you use names?” The man in grey suit said in annoyance.

The man in front made eye contact with the man at the back. The one behind nodded and the van started up.

“Why did you take so long to come down?” The man behind her continued questioning.

“I see you still have the bad habit of controlling the conversation however you want, Damien.” She emphasized his name as if to mock him.

Damien smiled, however it only made him look more frightening. “You aren’t answering my questions either.”

“I’ll answer you after you answer mine.” She squinted her eyes in defiance.

“... Did you do something to put her in a bad mood?” Damien asked the man driving. “Stop the car and leave. You’re fired.”

The man pulled over as instructed, however he turned back to look pleadingly at Trinity. “Miss. Please.”

“Wha-?” She looked between the two men and finally understood the power dynamics.

“Look, I’m upset because of EVERYTHING that’s going on. I had a bad day work and was feeling unwell only to receive more shocking news that turned my world upside down. Packing was the least of my priorities and I woke up late today! Before I could get ready, he was already there to pick me up like I’m some prisoner! But he’s so polite and soft-looking that he’s the only one who’s making it any better for me since yesterday! YOU’RE the one souring my mood further!” Trinity answered all his questions in one go.

“Who are you anyway? Why do you have him wrapped around your finger like this? Do you have dirt on him or something?” She squinted at Damien.

“... I see.” Damien said in a quiet voice. “Continue driving, Phil.”

Phil nodded then directed the car back onto the road.

Trinity moved to the seat beside the one she had been sitting on so that she could keep her eye on Damien.

Damien chuckled lightly. “What’re you being so wary of me for? Don’t you know me?” His eyes were mocking.

She squinted her eyes further. “I thought I did.”

“Hmph.” He grinned with satisfaction. Just as she thought that he would not be explaining the situation, he spoke again. “I’m the one who paid for your hand in marriage.” He closely studied her face with a sharp gaze. “Horrified?”

Trinity’s jaw dropped. “Wha- How? Did you strike the lottery or something?”

Damien laughed out loud. Even Phil pursed his lips to hold back laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Trinity asked gloomily.

“I’m Damien Wu. THE Damien Wu.” He clarified.

Trinity’s jaw dropped lower. “Damien Wu? Damien Wu MingYu? HE bought me? YOU?”

“... What DID your parents tell you?”

“... It was chaotic. I didn’t think to ask.” She dismissively brushed it off then continued to mumble. “Like it’d matter who I was sold off to.”

“What?” Damien frowned.

“What were you doing pretending to be some homeless beggar on the streets?”

“... I didn’t actually say or confirm that I was one, did I?”

Trinity’s eyes widened in realisation. “Atrocious…” She whispered.

He nodded in agreement. “Preposterous of you, isn’t it?”

“Please, you looked exactly like one. No one thought otherwise.”

He shrugged. “What I intended.”

Trinity took a sharp breath in. /This guy’s really impossible!/

"Anyway, why did you do this? What're you planning?"

"Would you believe me if I said that I fell in love with you?"

She stared at his smiling eyes that held no warmth. "Hell no."

"Clever girl. I knew I chose the right one."

Trinity raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate. However, he really stayed silent this time. "So…? Am I some chosen sacrifice or something?"

"You've seen dramas about rich parents wanting their heir to get married to inherit the business. This is one of those. Count yourself lucky." He briefly explained while closing his eyes.

“Really? You’re kidding me, right?”

“Why? Is it so hard to believe?”

“Is it not?”

“It’s not. Where else would those script writers get their ideas from?”

“Their fantasies? Stories?” Trinity frowned in confusion. She could tell that he really meant it. She looked at the rearview mirror and saw that Phil had a straight expression on.

“Will... I be put through the same tribulations then?”

“Was that supposed to be funny?” He opened his eyes slightly to look at her.

“Maybe.”

“... Maybe.”

“... You don’t intend to explain properly, do you?” She grumbled.

Damien stopped replying.

/Why did he pretend to be a beggar? Why me? What’s his family like? What’s going to happen from now on? Does he expect me to act on my feet? Is this some sort of test? What happens if I fail?/ The more she thought, the more questions there were. It did nothing but fill her with anxiety.

She quietly studied the two men in the car again. /Now I see how the rumour came about. So many dreams would be crushed if the truth becomes public./

Trinity raised the towel to her head and finally resumed drying her hair. She looked down at her loose shirt, baggy faded jeans, and slippers. /He isn't planning on presenting me to anyone dressed like this, is he? Or is he actually a sadist who hunts for girls to humiliate?/

Her imagination continued to run wild. By the time the van stopped in front of a secluded mansion, Trinity glued her bum to the seat and refused to follow the men.

"What're you doing now? Weren't you so obedient earlier?"

"Tell me what you plan to do with me first. I want to be mentally prepared at the very least." She demanded firmly but with wide fearful eyes.

Phil pursed his lips in an effort to hide a smile. Damien frowned deeply. "You're living here with me from now on. My parents will only be arriving at dinnertime. I intended to use this time to fill you in, not the car ride."

A long pause dragged on before Trinity spoke again. "Oh."

She took one step forward but stopped again. "Really?" She looked at him suspiciously.

"Tch." He clicked his tongue then dragged her out of the van by her wrist. He moved too fast for her to dodge his grasp. She stumbled out of the van and barely regained her balance before she got pulled towards the main door of the mansion.

Trinity gulped. All of a sudden, it felt like the door towered over her. She felt out of place in the grandeur of this place. A light cough drew her attention to her left. Damien raised an eyebrow then looked down at her slippers. She instinctively took it off. Before she could question her sudden submission, Damien opened the door and dragged her in.