Sarah looked at him, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I… I don't know," she replied softly. "I don't remember my grandmother. I don't even know my mother's name. I grew up in the orphanage."
Don's aged hand trembled as he reached out, almost instinctively, towards Sarah. He stopped himself, realizing the impropriety of the gesture. "You don't have any family?" he asked, his voice laced with a deep sadness.
"No, my adoptive father passed away and my adoptive mother and sister are in prison." Sarah said, her voice barely a whisper. "I… I don't know my biological parents."
Don nodded slowly, his gaze still fixed on her face, searching for any trace of Rose, any echo of their shared history. He saw it in her eyes, in the gentle curve of her lips, in the quiet strength that radiated from her. It was uncanny.
He shifted in his chair awkwardly, his mind already calculating, strategizing. He needed to know the extent of her relationship with Damien. "How… how close are you to my grandson?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.
Sarah's cheeks flushed slightly. "Damien… he's been very kind to me," she said, her voice warm. "He's… he's my saviour."
Don's jaw tightened. "Saviour"... The word echoed in his mind, confirming his suspicions. This was more than just a passing fancy. Damien cared for this woman, deeply. But it didn't matter, he told himself. He had a plan.
Don: "How did you two meet?"
Sarah: "He saved my life in a car accident."
Don suddenly realized, the accident his grandson was in was the same accident this girl was in. They've known each other since. Damien was looking after this girl all this time. He felt dizzy and reached for a glass of water and drank the whole thing. Then he said "It doesn't matter," he said, his voice regaining its usual firmness. "There's something you need to know, Sarah. Something… important."
He paused, gathering his thoughts. "There's a marriage arrangement," he continued, his gaze unwavering. "Between the Sterling family and the Wellingtons. Damien… Damien will marry Penelope Wellington in two months, they have already gotten engaged and in two days our families will hold a press conference to announce Damien's and Penelope's love publicly."
Sarah's heart plummeted. The news hit her like a physical blow, a sharp pain in her chest. She had suspected something like this, had sensed the distance, the unspoken obligations that weighed on Damien. His reluctance in holding her, kissing her... But hearing it confirmed, hearing it from his grandfather, made it real, made it final. She thought "I am such a fool..."
Don watched her reaction carefully, his eyes searching for any sign of weakness, any hint of desperation. He was prepared to offer her a way out, a way to save herself from the inevitable heartbreak.
"I don't know the extent of your relationship with my grandson, and I don't want to know. I just want you to leave Damien," he said, his voice low and firm.
Sarah looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and resolve. "You want me to leave him?" she repeated, her voice barely audible.
"Yes," Don said. "I'm prepared to… compensate you for your time. A generous sum. Enough to start a new life, far away from here."
Sarah: "I think you misunderstood our relationship, we are not..." Don stopped her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a check book. He uncapped his pen, ready to write her a check, a way to buy her silence, her absence.