CHAPTER THREE

Thorns and Roses 3

"How dare you?", Joan spat as she slams her clenched fist on the table, rising to her feet instantly.

"Who do you think you are?", she questioned again.

Damien closed his eyes as he tried to accommodate his rising anger.

"Where are you going?", Mrs Dave asked, confused as Joan picked up her bag and her other belongings, and was about to head out.

"Surely I'm not doing this Mom, of all persons in the world, Damien? why him?" She sobbed as she pointed at him with tears in her eyes.

Confusion enveloped everyone in the room as they exchanged glances, trying to understand the unfolding scenario.

"Joan what's wrong, you had accepted it and now you want to walk out again?", Mrs Dave asked again concern laced in her voice.

"Ask h…" Joan was about to speak, but Damien didn't let her finish, "with that, you all have witnessed this great occasion, I appreciate your presence", he paused.

"And I will say, wow!, I'm so impressed", he smiled as he continues, "here in this document, it states that the Daves have to pay millions of dollars to the Taim's before the end of the week, or give up their daughter to marry Mr.Damien,me…, you do not have a choice here as even if I sell you and Triple the amount, it still won't be enough to compensate, so let's get over with this and stop wasting my time", he stated, pointing at the area he read as he slowly lifted his head.

"No!, This is blackmail", Joan yelled again.

"It's fine, just pay up, we don't want you anyways", Mrs. Ivan cuts in, her tone stern as she rolls her eyes.

Joan's heart breaks into a million pieces as her brain processes the sharp words from her supposed mother in-law.

If Damien didn't accept her, and now his mother too, how would life look living in thier midst for the rest of her days.

"Joan my dear, it's ok if you do not want to sign it, I'll handle it my princess, Mr. Dave, Joan's father assured as he patted her on her back, his head bowed.

"No Dad, surely I would have signed it a long time ago, if only it was not with this man, get another groom, his brother if he has one, anybody, not just him, he is evil", Her voice trembled as she pleaded.

"Now I wouldn't tolerate that Miss Joan", Damien replies again after a short pause, his voice intimidating as his eyebrows contracted.

"Why shouldn't I say that, aren't you evil, how bad you treated me, now you act as if it's something I should just shrug off, if you haven't been in the shoe I was in you'll never understand, of course you cannot understand, how would you? 

Taking just a second to breathe adjust her sob, she continued

"how could you, you are rich and influential and everyone wants to mingle with you, you made me suffer so much Damien, now you expect me to just…, I hate you", she yelled slamming her fist on the table once again.

"What did I do to you?", his forehead creased, his eyes slightly squinted in a puzzled expression.

This time the confusion stretched further to even Joan.

But after a pause, she continued.

"Oh my goodness! Despicable, this is shameful, you liar, how could you?", she yelled in anger, her lips pressed together in a firm thin line as her eyes widened.

"You want to tell me that you forgot about the way you had made my stay in school miserable? The way you bullied me down to me falling sick, the way you locked me up in the lab?, The way you made fun of me and always got the whole school laughing at me? The way you made them send me out of school's prom because you didn't like me around? She swallowed hard but not stopping, more tears welled in her eyes as she continued.

"The way you mocked my clothes, my looks, the posts and meme you would make about me?, surely you would forget, you weren't the one who had to hide when people passed by, you weren't the one who had to sit at the back of the class alone so that no one could see her, you weren't the one who no one ever asked how she felt or how she was coping, instead you found pleasure in making my life hell, why?…"

Her voice cracked as she spoke and her words turned shaky.

"Now you sit there expecting me to forget all this?", slowly Tears began to well up in her eyes, Mrs. Dave ran up to her, holding her tightly in a comforting embrace.

"Enough of this nonsense, Damien, Let's leave already", Mrs Ivan thundered, her face laced with disgust. 

Joan tried to speak but the words were choked back by sobs as she wept on her mother's shoulders.

The hurtful memories she had buried flooded back all at once.

All the emotions she held back for years hurting once again as she broke down, tears flooding her cheeks, as if washing away the pain and anger.

"I'm sorry Joan" Damien apologized.

His expression was unreadable, and his face pale, he froze for a moment not knowing what else to say or do and for a minute you would think k he meant his apology, but his next statement contrasted deeply. 

"If you are still hurting after years from this maybe you need to toughen up a bit, it's just childish memories", he tilted his head as he chuckled.

Everyone in the room exclaimed in shock, not expecting this reaction from him.

His words slapped Joan hard but Damien isn't done yet.

"It's not my problem, get over it" he sneered as he shrugged in an informal gesture.

He rose from his seat, signaling his men to follow as he took huge strides towards the exit.

Joan grabs the document, and she signs it this time. 

"Here", her voice stopped Damien on his track.

Joan had signed the document.

The room was as silent as a graveyard as everyone stared in shock.

"Finally you notice how amazing I am", Damien looked up with a smirk, his handsome face glowing under the bright white lights of the courthouse, after a short pause, he finally took the document, signing his section after reading it.

The deed was done.

They were married.

The lawyer did the last signings and arranged the documents.

"Let's go", Damien ordered Joan who was still wiping tears that kept streaming down her cheeks, her eyes were puffy and red.

"Already?" She stared at him mouth agape, confusion enveloped her, but Damien doesn't reply.

He exited the room, his men following closely, while Mrs Ivan seized the opportunity to confront Joan.

"Daughter-in-law…, that's what you want right?, with all your drama you still ended signed it, after making us seem like we forced you, proud gold digger, this is shameful and pathetic, I do not accept you, so if you know what's good for you end this now or I'll make your life miserable", she thundered with scorn, exiting swiftly as Mr and Mrs Dave approached.

she gives them a fake smile as she catwalks towards the exit, her bodyguard joining her.

Joan concealed her emotions with a fake smile as she hugged her parents, his mind racing with thoughts about this new journey, what does life hold for her?

This is just the beginning.