Chapter 25

"This will be your room for tonight." Damon walked her to her room. "Then, we would have to share the same bedroom after the ceremony tomorrow."

Her heart almost jumped out of her chest upon hearing his words. Although she knew she would have to marry him eventually, she did not expect it would be that soon.

She thought she would have more time to adjust to this arrangement. But she guessed she was wrong about her assumption.

"Do we have to? I am more than ok to stay here." Jules peeked inside the room, which was, in her estimation, more spacious than her living room and kitchen combined.

The thought of being confined in the same room with him gave her the chills. It was not something she looked forward to in this arrangement.

In truth, she dreaded it. She could already tell it would be a very awkward position for both of them. Therefore, she could not see the reason for doing it.

"You know I can't have anybody questioning why my wife, the mother of my child, is sleeping in another room." Damon looked down on her as if that was a no-brainer.

She guessed that was a fair and logical answer. She still wondered if there was another way around this setup.

"Don't worry. I already have a plan. So, if you will indulge me." He asked her to follow him in the hallway.

Having no choice, she walked behind him until they stopped in front of another room. Then, she watched him enter the room, but he waited for her to follow her inside.

"What am I doing here?" She asked, obviously seeing that it was his room.

The design had the typical bachelor's room style with a monochromatic dark motif and minimalized furniture, fixtures, and decorations.

She doubted she would see anything personal to show this was his room. Her eyes could not even see any sign of a photo of him or his family.

"So, we can talk in private." He said, extending his hand to indicate that she should sit on a chair beside the window. "I am sure you still have a few questions about this arrangement."

She supposed this was the opportunity she was waiting for to discuss some basic rules about their living arrangement and ground rules for dealing with their child.

She guessed she had no choice but to co-parent with Damon while she and her son stayed in his house. But still, she wanted to clarify to him that when it came to her son, she knew what was best.

"Yeah, I do." She responded, settling on the seat to get started. "First, about this entire arrangement, who else knew about this."

She knew it was better if she had the entire picture. So she could act accordingly. She never liked lying, but she guessed for her son, she had no choice.

"Only Phil knows the truth. So, we should act like a real couple in front of the staff, my family, and the rest of the world." He told her as he moved across the room, removing his coat and letting it drop on the backrest of another empty chair before he sat down.

"Damn!" She thought inside her head. She had not thought of how elaborate the lie would be.

But in her defense, she was desperate, and thinking of the consequence of her actions was the least of her priorities.

She wanted her son to live. Therefore, the outcome of her decisions did not matter at the time. But now, she had to pay the price, meaning she had to fulfill her bargain.

"Ok. I get that." She understood that she had to pretend in front of everyone. "Does it mean we pretend to love each other too?"

Truthfully, she could not imagine herself acting sweet and lovey-dovey with this man. And that also went with him. Could he pretend to like her?

She knew that what happened to them was not an accident. She sometimes suspected that Damon planned their unfortunate encounter.

And to get rid of her, he took advantage of the situation and used that opportunity to ruin her life. He did not threaten her or anything.

But.

Of course, after sleeping with him, how could she face Dale at the altar and swear her undying love to him? She could not do that to the man she loved.

"Yes, but only when people are looking." He responded affirmatively. "In regards to our sleeping arrangement. As you can see, I have a big room and a King-size bed."

The man she would soon call her husband pointed to the other side of the room. And she could see that it was an enormous bed.

"You can sleep beside me and throw pillows between us. Or you can opt for the couch." He suggested, offering the other option.

"I guess I will take the couch." She slightly moved her body on the soft cushion and determined it would not be so bad to sleep on it.

But even if the couch had been uncomfortable, she would still probably choose it. And instead of sleeping with this man on his bed. She doubted she would have slept a wink with him beside her.

"I seriously recommend the bed. It is more comfortable. And if you must know, I don't snore. Also, I don't move too much." Damon recommended, making her glance at him.

There must be something in her reaction that he saw, which made him smirk suddenly. Then, he shook his head at her.

"And no, I have no plan of sleeping with you." He added, appearing like he was enjoying her discomfort.

Suddenly, she wondered if there was a sign on her forehead that told him she was thinking about that. Although the idea had crossed her mind several times, she had never entertained the thought.

"But, of course, I have needs. And you must have yours. If you are willing to share more than a bed with me, I am open to suggestions." He said as if they were talking about the weather.

"I am not sleeping with you." She angrily shouted. But she quickly put her hand across her lips to shut her mouth, thinking someone might hear them.

But the audacity of this man to suggest that she would like to share his bed was unthinkable and laughable. But she guessed, what could she expect from a man like him?

"That is your choice." He said as he looked directly into her eyes.

She had to look away, feeling like his gaze bored deep inside her, digging deeper into her mind and reading her thoughts.

"And don't worry, I will never force myself on you. But if you do change your..."

But she did not let him finish. "I will never change my mind. One mistake is enough. I will never do that again."

But as soon as the words came out, she regretted it. But she told herself that the only mistake was sleeping with a despicable man.

But Oliver would always be a blessing. The only treasure she needed in her life.