In the evening, Sarah brought Damien into her garden to see all the flowers she had planted. Her small hand led his significantly larger one down the path, explaining the flower names and their lifespans. "You see this pink rose? Mrs. Blue said it looks like me," she started laughing. "I don't think so, but I do like this one best." She whispered in his ear, putting a finger on her lips afterward and adding, "We can't let the other flowers hear that."
He smiled brightly. She looked like a little girl among these flowers. The sun was setting, and the rays of light fell on her face, highlighting her beautiful long lashes and deep brown eyes, with hints of green and yellow flashing. The corners of her eyes were smiling sweetly his way while she continued talking, giving him her silly expressions. He felt like he was in heaven; an angel danced in front of him in her white dress, with those soft rosy cheeks.
She then looked up and said, "Mrs. Blue said we should pick some flowers and put them in a vase in the living room, but I refused." Her brows knitted together with one of her hands mid-air. "I don't think it's right to do that."
Damien, curious, asked, "Why not?"
She turned to him and confusedly asked, "Do you really not know why?" Damien just stared at her with his lip turned upwards, entertained.
She then started explaining, "You see, flowers are living things. They breathe, grow, and smile. But if we cut one, the whole plant will bleed, and the one we picked for our vase will soon wither away and die. They can't be separated, because separation is painful and eventually it will lead to their death."
Damien now looked at her with different eyes—more gentle and understanding. She was afraid of being separated from him... He thought, Oh, sweetheart.
She was truly endearing when she was worked up explaining the reasoning behind her logic, he thought. He saw a flicker of sadness behind her eyes, and his heart felt a pang of something he couldn't explain.
Damien: "Isabella, you're beautiful just like a flower, but you're stronger than all those flowers combined."
Sarah just looked at him, her heart a mess.
Damien continued, "I will never let you feel the pain of separation because I will never leave you, okay?"
Sarah nodded, her eyes filled with tears. "You promise?"
Damien took a box out of his pocket and told her, "Open it." She opened it with trembling hands and saw a beautiful necklace with a pink diamond, her mouth falling open.
Damien said, "This necklace is called 'Destined,' and when I saw it today, the first thing that popped into my head was your face, Isabella. This is my promise to you." He took it out of the box and told her, "Turn around." He then lifted her hair and placed the necklace around her neck while leaving a kiss on her skin. Isabella trembled at the feel of his lips on her neck.
He then spoke close to her ear, "You're not allowed to take this necklace off," he lingered for a moment and continued, "but if you ever decide to take it off, then I'll know you have stopped loving me, and that will break my heart." Sarah was speechless. He knew she loved him, she felt embarrassed for a moment. When did he find out? Her head was spinning with questions....
Damien: "Turn around," he said with a loving yet commanding voice. She turned around. "Did you hear what I said?"
Sarah nodded.
Damien: "Did you hear what I just said?"
Sarah: "Ye...sss..."
Damien: "Good girl."
Sarah glanced at his dark eyes, then her eyes fell to his lips. Damien noticed the way she observed him, he swallowed hard, and pulled her into his arms, lifted her chin, and passionately kissed her lips until they were swollen. Isabella let out a soft sigh. He noticed how her body yielded completely to his commanding, possessive touch, and her legs went momentarily weak. His own desire spiked fiercely. He quickly scooped her up and carried her inside, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Sarah: "Damien..."
Damien was like an animal released from a cage; he was ready to devour her, and she was ready to let him take her whole. But then, in the middle of this intense moment, his phone rang. He growled in annoyance, but then took it and answered it.
It was Penelope's voice, again, ruining his night. "Did you forget? According to Grandpa Don, tonight is our date night. I'm waiting for you; all the details are in the message I sent you." And she hung up.
He thought, Seriously? Why can't these people just leave me alone? He shut his eyes, Sarah laying underneath him, his fingers tangled in her long brown hair, her eyes wide, full of desire for him, questioning. He kissed her slowly then lifted himself up, buttoning his shirt and saying, "Not tonight, sweetheart." His voice carried a hint of disappointment and pain. "You should go eat something."
He then scooped her up and, while kissing her tender lips, carried her to the kitchen, dropping her onto a chair. He crouched down and said, "Behave, okay? I'll come back to see you tomorrow." And he left just like that, leaving Isabella confused and sad.
She reached her hand and touched the pink diamond necklace around her neck. Then Mrs. Blue entered and saw her dazed, deep in thought. "My dear, are you alright?"
Sarah came to her senses when she heard Mrs. Blue. "I am, I was just thinking..."
Mrs. Blue continued, "Let me guess, you were thinking about Damien?" She just looked down to the floor and nodded.
Mrs. Blue: She sat on the chair facing Sarah. "You know, Damien lost his parents in an accident when he was only five years old. He never met his grandfather before that because his father wouldn't speak to Don. His father married Damien's mother instead of following the old man's plan and marrying a heiress of a big family. And Damien's mother, she was from a middle-class family. Both parents died when she was just a teen, but she fought her way up, graduated as best in class, and got a job at Sterling Design where she met Damien's father."
She then gestured at the necklace around Isabella's neck and said, "This was her last design." She smiled sadly and with tears in her eyes said, "She made this necklace for her son. She said when he finds the woman he loves, he should place this necklace around her neck and never let her go."
Sarah's eyes welled up with tears. Mrs. Blue continued, "And he gave it to you, my dear. He thinks you are the destined one for him."
Tears fell from her eyes, and Mrs. Blue patted her on the back, saying, "Shall we eat now?"
Sarah didn't know about the importance of this necklace, she didn't know the full story, but now that she knew, she felt unworthy of his love for some reason. She had doubted him just a moment ago when she heard a female voice on the other side of the phone. She felt really bad about it...