Marrying the secret divine healer turned Billionaire

Chapter Nine

It was past midnight when Damien quietly slipped through the front door of the house. He stopped short when he saw Evelyn sitting on the couch, her legs tucked under her and a book in her lap.

Their gazes met and she smiled.

“You’re late,” she said gently, setting the book aside as she stood.

“I know,” Damien replied. He dropped his bag near the door and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry about that.”

“Are you tired?” She asked with concern written all over her face.

“Completely,” he admitted with a faint smile. “It’s been a long day.”

He left the rest of the details.

Evelyn hesitated, biting her lip. There was so much she wanted to say, but the fatigue etched across his face made her pause. “You should get some rest.”

He nodded. “Thanks for waiting up, Evelyn. Goodnight.”

With that, he climbed the stairs to his room, his body swaying under the fatigue. Evelyn stood at the base of the stairs, watching him disappear into his room. She had been waiting for hours, rehearsing what she wanted to say but it was bad timing.

She was going to apologize for how she looked down on his career choice. Hearing her friends say it made her feel like some sort of bitch because that’s the same way she reacted even though she had good intentions.

The next morning, Damien decided to visit his mother. It had been a while since he’d been home, and he figured it was time to check in. His mother keeps bothering him to come see them.

He got there, and he stepped inside, he called out, “Mom? You here?”

“In the kitchen!” her cheerful voice replied.

He made his way to the kitchen but stopped short when he spotted Clara sitting at the dining table like she belonged there, her perfectly manicured hands cradling a cup of tea. She was surprised but it quickly morphed into smug satisfaction.

“Damien,” she said, setting the cup down. “Finally! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you? You are like a celebrity these days.”

His brows furrowed. “What are you doing here?”

She leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs with practiced elegance. “I’m here to give you another chance. I figured you’d appreciate a makeup date after… the last one didn’t go so well.”

Damien let out a short, humorless laugh. “A makeup date? Clara, I’m not interested in you or whatever ridiculous idea you’ve come up with this time.”

Clara’s jaw tightened, but she quickly masked her irritation with a saccharine smile. “Come on, Damien. Don’t be like that. I’m offering you a second chance here. That’s hard to come by. I have realized that maybe I was too harsh to write you off so I am acknowledging my mistakes and offering the second chance.”

He ignored her entirely and turned to his mother, who was watching the exchange with a knowing smile. “Mom, I was wondering if you’d like to officially meet Evelyn.”

Margaret’s face lit up with surprise. “Evelyn? Your wife? Of course, I’d love to meet her!”

Clara’s mouth dropped open. “Wife?” she hissed. “You’re married? Who’s the poor, unlucky woman who agreed to marry you?”

Damien didn’t even spare her a glance. “I’ll bring her by soon,” he said to his mother, who nodded enthusiastically.

Clara’s face reddened as Damien turned and strode toward the door. “Damien! I am talking to you, you can’t just walk away from me.”

He opened the door without looking back. “I just did.”

Later that evening, Damien sat on the edge of his bed, his phone in hand. He scrolled through his contacts before finally calling Evelyn. She was still at work but he thought it wouldn’t hurt to call.

She picked up on the second ring. “Hello?”

“Hey,” he said, “I haven’t heard from you today. How is work going? And are you coming back early today?”

“It is fine,” she replied, “Why?”

“I was wondering if you’d be willing to meet my mom and sister officially. They’ve been asking about you,” he said.

Evelyn paused, clearly caught off guard by the request. “You want me to meet them?”

“Only if you’re comfortable with it,” he added quickly.

To his surprise, she chuckled. “I’d like that, Damien. I will be coming back early so we could have dinner.”

Evelyn found herself standing in Damien’s modest living room, feeling slightly out of place but still determined to make a good impression. Damien’s mother, Margaret greeted her warmly, pulling her into a hug that instantly eased her nerves.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” Margaret said, stepping back to take a good look at her. “You’re nothing like I expected.”

“Mom,” Damien said with a warning tone,

Margaret laughed, waving him off. “I just mean you’re nothing like that obnoxious Clara. Thank goodness for that.”

Evelyn smiled, appreciating the compliment. “I’m glad to meet you too, Mrs. Cross. Damien’s spoken a lot about you.”

“Only good things, I hope,” Margaret teased before turning to the young woman hovering by the kitchen door. “This is Sophie, Damien’s sister.”

Sophie stepped forward with a shy smile, extending her hand. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”

Evelyn shook her hand warmly. “It’s nice to meet you too, Sophie.”

Thankfully, the evening went by without a hitch. Evelyn found herself genuinely enjoying the company of Damien’s family. They were warm, down-to-earth, and refreshingly honest. Margaret shared embarrassing stories about Damien’s childhood, while Sophie eagerly asked Evelyn about her life and career.

At one point, Margaret leaned over and whispered, “You’re good for him, you know. I can see it already.”

Evelyn felt her cheeks warm at the unexpected praise. “Thank you,” she said softly. She didn’t have the mind to tell the woman that the marriage wasn’t real.

When they were done, Evelyn stood to help clear the table.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Margaret protested.

“I insist,” Evelyn said with a smile, carrying a stack of plates to the kitchen.

Damien followed her, leaning against the counter as she began rinsing the dishes. “You didn’t have to offer,” he said, “I didn’t even realize you knew how to wash dishes.”

“You would be surprised at the kind of things I learn when staying with my grandparents, besides I wanted to,” she replied, glancing at him over her shoulder. “Your family is lovely, Damien. I like them.”

“I’m glad,” he said. “They like you too.”