Chapter seven

Three days of acting and pretending to care about her almost-husband had finally come to an end and Gwen felt like herself for the first time in days. 

Damian had woken up, but he'd gone mad. Never to be sane again.

This was a better punishment for him than she planned, she thought. 

While she cried like a wife who'd just lost her husband in front of Damian's family, she laughed and smiled when she was all alone. 

Her girls had gone back to their lives. Sally leaving had put her heart to ease the most. All through the days Sally was around, Gwen had kept a close eye on her. If there was one thing she trusted, it was her intuition, and Sally had gotten on the wrong side of it.

Gwen flung her bag to the ground when she entered her home. She hadn't stepped foot in the house for almost three months. She looked around it, loving how her housekeeper knew not to move anything. Everything was the same and kept neatly. The portrait of her entire family stood proudly and boldly on the wall adjacent to the door. There were about ten portraits hanging on the wall of her sitting room. The Pictures of her rapist brother were the plentiest, his face littered the wall, and only one picture belonged to her. The rest was of her parents, separate and together. 

Her mother had insisted this be the decoration of her living room, and after their untimely demise, she'd kept it like that. Not changing a thing. She loved to stare them in the eyes of their portraits, telling them that she'd won. That she'd laughed last. 

"No place like home, they say. Right mom?"

She faced the portrait where her mother stood alone, smiling. In it, Martha Welch wore a wine colored gown that ran all the way to her ankle, a suede colored heel, and the Diamond set her husband, Berlin Welch, had just gotten her. Gwen could still remember that day. Her mother was a very beautiful and elegant woman. The true definition of poise and grace. Barbara Vice had nothing on her. Gwen used to think she was also a no nonsense woman… until the incident.

She smiled at the portrait. "Martha. I almost got married a few days ago. You wouldn't have liked him. Unlike dad, he was a wuss. The kind you hate the most." She walked to the table where her housekeeper had set a tray of brandy and cup, pouring some into her glass, she took a sip before she continued conversing with the inanimate painting. "I'm two hundred percent sure you wouldn't have approved of him." She gulped the remaining contents of her glass. She poured more of the brandy into her cup as she continued to speak.

"Daddy. Or like you prefer, Sir. You taught me so much," she raised her glass to his portrait as if to say cheers. "I can't really say I'm grateful to have been born as your child, but I guess it beats being poor. And it's not so bad now that you're all gone."

Her smile fell. "Twinee. I can't say I miss you even a little. But I guess you had taught me a thing or two too," she sighed, "hope you're having mad fun wherever you are, cause I am. And you know what they say about twins, we feel each other's pain… or whatever."

With one final look around the room, she sauntered to her bedroom, alcohol induced joy in her heart.

Gwen slept that night in peaceful bliss. Her problems were behind her now, and she would love nothing else than for things to go back the way they were. She'd missed her normal routine.

Wake up, gym and office where she spends her entire day proving her parents wrong for choosing their son over her. 

She'd just gotten into her days work when Garry came in.

"Garry, you know I don't like to be disturbed when I'm working." Her head was bent down, refusing to give Garry a second from her day. 

She had with her a concise file stating that her offer had been finely received by the company she'd been wanting to buy for the last four months. They obviously had ridiculous conditions penned in there too, but Gwen was a smart woman and she'd handled a lot of these. It was while she was in the process of thinking of ways to negotiate with them so their ridiculous offer did not stand in the way of her new company that Garry walked in.

"I'm sorry, Gwen, but Barbara Vice is here to see you."

Gwen stopped her work and raised her head. 

"Let her in at once."

When Barbara walked in, her beauty a fore runner for her presence, Gwen stood up, left her seat behind her desk and hugged her.

She didn't want to admit it, but she'd missed seeing this woman's face. Barbara she considered a friend, a person she liked.

"How are you, darling?"

"I've been better." Gwen offered her a seat.

"How's he?" She said, her voice coming out almost choked, like talking about Damian hurt too much.

"He's been better . I see you're always working. Always busy."

Barbara took her hand. "Gwen, I know it hurts, but you can't stop living because of what happened. You're working to the bone just so you can numb the pain, and I understand, but life must go on. You're a young beautiful girl, you'll meet someone else. But not while you're cooped up here. I know it hurts…" Barbara sniffled, her tears falling loosely as she spoke.

"Barbara…"

"Let me finish."

Gwen let her. She felt bad seeing Barbara hurt and in pain. But life was such. Sometimes our actions go ahead to affect people who shouldn't have been affected in the first place.

Life was such a funny thing. She'd wanted to hurt Damian, without realizing she would like his mother. Now every time she saw the woman in pain, she felt somewhat guilty. Sometimes she even found herself wishing that Barbara had birthed her. She couldn't deny it. The woman was amazing. 

"He loved you. And I know he really wouldn't want to see you waste your life away. Don't say anything. Just promise you'll think about it. Please."

Gwen nodded.

Barbara reached into her bag and brought out a small white handkerchief embroidered with green flowers. "I'm such a cry baby sometimes." She chuckled very briefly. 

She wiped her eyes.

Gwen mirrored her. 

"I came here to tell you something."

"Okay.."

"We're having a party."

"A party?" Gwen was bewildered.

She had not expected the Vice to celebrate anything for a long time.

"Yes. Daxton, our second son. He has been in London for two years now for business."

"I know. Vice Empire expanded to London a few years ago."

"I forgot that you're all in the business together. Anyway, he's coming back, and he's done amazing things in the two years he's been away, so Sigurd is thinking we celebrate his achievement and return. And I agree. We need something to smile about again after all that has happened."

"I understand."

"I'll like it if you could make it. Not as Gwenevere Welch of Welch enterprises, but as Gwen." Barbara smiled with her eyes. 

Gwen smiled back. This woman always found a way to touch her where it mattered, and make her feel things she didn't want to.

"I would be honored. Thank you, Barbara."

"Oh honey, it's my pleasure."

"I have a small request though."

"I'm listening."

"He doesn't know. Daxton, he doesn't know about Damian, and we would appreciate it if for one more night, he remains oblivious to everything that happened."

Of course he didn't. Sigurd would never allow anything to distract his younger son's work in growing his legacy. Especially not at worthless Damian's expense. 

Gwen smiled in her mind.

But outwardly, she looked angry and concerned. 

"Why!"

"Sweetie… I don't know what to tell you." Barbara started to explain, but failed to find the words she needed to clarify the misunderstanding. She knew what Gwen was thinking. Or so she thought.

In truth, it wasn't a misunderstanding, and Barbara knew it. This was a truth she hated to admit. Sigurd was capable of love and the absence of care at the same time. And why wouldn't he. Damian, as useless as he was to the growth of 'Vice Empire', was his first born son. His flesh and blood. The major reason why he hadn't kicked him to the curb. He loved his children, he just loved one more because he was the son after his heart, the son in whom he was pleased. The son who left his family and his home to another country for the betterment of the company. And because of this, he refused to allow Damian's unfortunate demise be the reason why Daxton came back without concluding the work he had started. 

Sigurd explained exactly this to Barbara when she tried to tell Daxton everything that had happened. And though Barbara had, to an extent, a hold on her husband, when he put his foot down—and this happens mostly when the company was involved—her hands were tied.

"You don't have to say anything Barbara. I understand. You're afraid it would hurt Daxton if he found out. And since he wasn't here with you, you were afraid of what he might do." Gwen offered an unlikely explanation to make Barbara feel comfortable.

"I've heard tales of the two brothers. They can't be separated. And their love is beyond the context of the word." 

That's what Damian had said. Except their father had forced Daxton away on business and separated them, and distance, like the son of a bitch it was in every relationship whether platonic or sexual, had done what only it could do. Break the two brothers to the point that they weren't on speaking terms.

The fondness, Gwen believed, was ever present. Even though they weren't speaking to each other, Damian couldn't stop talking about Daxton, and she had a hunch that whoever Daxton was sleeping with, he couldn't stop talking about Damian to her too… 

Barbara's eyes shook in appreciation. 

"You're one smart girl." She voiced.

Gwen nodded in understanding.

Barbara stood up, ready to take her leave. "The dress code is black and a touch of gold if you care for it. And don't be late." She started to walk towards the door.

"I almost forgot. I need you to bring a date." Barbara stopped at the door.

Gwen began to shake her head. "No. I can't. Not on such short notice." 

"It's in two days. That's long enough for a beautiful girl like you to get a man wrapped around your fingers."

"Barbara, I have work to do."

"I'm leaving. I'm leaving. But I used to do it. When I was your age. I had men fawning over me. By my left, by my right, everywhere I turned there was a man who desperately wanted to marry me. Even though I was married." She winked.

"Bye Barbara. I'll see you in two days..." 

Barbara nodded. Gwen closed her door, smiling, she said. "...alone."