10 To belong || 2

Almost... reaching for her...to wrap her in his embrace, so close....

English music started to play, Making Andrea jump back. Damon stood there dumbfounded. What was he about to do? he never touched a woman. He only hugged his friends when they needed comfort after they had hard times in their life. Nothing more!!! "That's mine. I apologize." Andrea broke the silence, wiping her tears away. "....No worries." Damon mumbled. "What do they want now??" She rolled her eyes, seeing that the caller was no one but Ann. Her so-called mother. After fighting the urge to block her number, she replied. Saying absolutely nothing. "...Where are you, young lady?! do you realize you have been away from home for a whole day?!"

That...clearly sounded like Ann was worried.

"Oh? That's new, you barely asked about me when I was alone in America." Andrea cold and dry reply made Ann's heart ache. Why JUST NOW did she realize she was that horrible for a mother? Like she'd openly admit that, anyway! "Wh-what do you mean?! I always called the serva-"

"So, you like talking to the servants more than talking to your daughter? How interesting."

Cut.

That cut deep.

'...She may be forgiving but...She has a sharp tongue indeed.' Damon searched Andrea's face as she talked, she had that disappointed cold as ice face. 'Seems like her parents betrayal hurt her more than Cameron's.' Damon walked back and sat on the sofa in his office. While Andrea, was dealing with Ann's nonsense.

"Andrea...How could you say such a thing.." Ann at that point wasn't trying to pretend being a perfect mother, she really felt hurt and felt she has been neglecting her only daughter for so long..

"..." Andrea noticed the trembling in her mother's voice, she bit her lower lip in frustration. Dammit. Why is this hurting me?! "It's...too late for regret now, Ann." Andrea smiled half-heartedly. That was such a cynical smile that hid so much pain.

"Ann?! Andrea..let me remind you! I AM your mother! like it or not, It's something you could never change!" Ann shouted into the phone, She had to claim her. To possess, To be a true mother. She had to control her daughter and keep her on a leash!

Andrea muted her voice from the call, letting Ann shout freely. She looked at Damon and wore a professional smile. "I'll be out, Thank you for having me Mr. Gracia. And I apologize that you had to deal with my dumb childish cries." She bowed respectfully and left.

"Wait..." Damon couldn't finish his sentence, she was already gone from his sight. "You weren't...dumb or childish at all..not the I mind it.." He let out a deep sigh, leaning back into the Sofa.

'Andrea, one day. i'll make it natural for you to share your worries with me. Just one day.' Damon promised himself, he knew he couldn't stop her. He was sure she was having her own fight now. Who was he to ask her what's wrong, anyway?

...

Unmuted.

"YOU SHOULD COME BACK HOME THIS INSTANCE! I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ARE, COME BACK HOME. OR ELSE...!" Ann screamed into the phone, Making the servants around her wonder what's wrong with their Madam.

Rushing to the elevator, Clacking her heels, Her face Expressionless as people looked at her confident look. Once she was alone in the elevator, her face twisted into deep hatred and anger.

'I can't take this anymore. Dammit!!!" Andrea gripped her hair in frustration. She was emotionally hurt and mentally done. She was pissed off.

"...Or else what?" Andrea whispered in the phone, slightly shivering in annoyance.

"Excuse me?! What did you just say to me, Andrea!???"

"OR ELSE WHAT?! HAPPY!? OR SHOULD I SAY IT LOUDER?!" Andrea screamed into the phone, she thanked god for being alone in the elevator. "WHAT WILL YOU DO?! HUH? GO ON, THREATEN ME! LET ME HEAR IT!"

"..HOW COULD YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?! ANDREA, YOU DARE TALK TO YOUR MOTHER LIKE THAT?!" Ann fought back, oh, how was this getting on both of their nerves.

'Hah?'

'How DARE I?!'

"Mother? What mother?" Andrea painfully said into the phone, her voice trembling. Her whole body tired, her voice more than exhausted. "What...of course I am your mother you un-mannered child...!"

"The mother who left me in America like I was some dog? Checking on me after months of never calling like she forgot about my existence?" Andrea snickered into the phone, looking up at the ceiling "Or the mother who pushed me to Cameron, without even asking for my opinion?" She continued on. She knew what she was doing was getting through Ann in every way possible.

"A-andrea, that's enough..."

"Or Oh, wait!! wait wait.. the mother who blamed me for ruining her reputation when all I did was literally being born IN THIS DAMNED WORLD OUT OF SOME FUCKED UP RELATIONSHIP!" Andrea's patience snapped, she raised to her feet. "I said stop...stop! I don't want to hear it...!" Ann pleaded, no. No! Andrea should just shut her mouth and listen -!

"My words since yesterday still stand, You're not qualified to call yourself a mother. Nor is Evan. You shouldn't have called me if you didn't want to hear that. And I'm not coming back home. Goodbye." Andrea finally declined the call. Once she did so, The elevator doors opened and she went outside pretty fast.

2pm..on the street.

Click,clack..

'Walk..'

click, clack,click..

'Stop thinking.'

click clack click clack click clack

'Ignore her, forget him. Get her out of your head....'

Click clack click clack click...!

'Escape the past...just run away from all of this..!'

Andrea ran in her heels, as if she's trying to escape someone, she tried to escape her past, she wanted to forget, she wanted it so bad..

People looked at her as if she's a maniac, why was she running? and in heels? where to, even?

She eventually tripped and fell and scratched her knees. facing the ground in her brand new clothes, she felt so helpless.

"I'm tired.."

Breathe.

"I feel so suffocated..." Andrea murmured, digging her nails in her palm. To keep herself collected in the faces of others. She kept breathing heavily.

"Oh my god look! isn't that Mr.Collins?!"

"Isn't that...what was that actress's name again? Rosie? yeah, that's her!!"

"They look so perfect together!"

Andrea's eyes widened hearing people's gossips, Cameron and Rosie?

She stood up quickly squishing herself through the crowd, "Excuse me..!" She said, pushing people away gently so she can get a better sight. And oh god, she wished she didn't.

Rosie had her arms wrapped around Cameron sweetly, giggling and smiling together as they entered a restaurant. The way Cameron looked at Rosie made it so clear...

'He only sees her...' That was another invisible slap to her face to wake up to reality. 'But what does she have that makes her Worthy of Cameron's love...? What DO I lack?!' Tears threatened to fall. Always having an easily angered nature, not a weak one. Only Cameron was the only person who brought her walls down and the weak side of her.

Or perhaps not...After all,Damon did too. but she'd never believe that. Hearing other's compliments and fangirling made her want to throw a tantrum so bad. She even saw reports taking pictures of them!

'That... should've been my place,it was supposed to be me by his side..Why,why?!'

'I want to teach Rosie a lesson...!' Andrea took a step forward, jealousy blinding her. But..

"Isn't that Cameron's ex-fiancé?"

"Did she come today to ruin their lunch?! she's horrible!"

"I don't get it, how could someone be so cruel? didn't she get tired of her schemes?"

In a blink of an eye, all the attention was drawn to her. Her ruined reputation being spoken. She didn't want that. She gradually took some steps back, although paparazzi was taking photos of her but she didn't seem annoyed in the slightest. She quietly left, ignorant of what's yet to happen.

"Why..?" Andrea kept thinking, being alone, the tears finally escaped her eyes. "Is it because she has green eyes? blonde? Soft? am I too fierce..? Oh, that.. that's probably why...were my actions the reason..? did I do something wrong when we were engaged?.." A million thoughts in her head, rivers falling down. She wandered around in the morning light.

Beep beep!!

"Ms. Lian?" Damon's clear voice came through her ears, she immediately wipes her tears and looked at the man who was looking at her through his car's window. "Mr. Gracia, Hello." She wore a cold smile that had no emotions, making Damon frown slightly. He can't ask her about it. Atleast not when Lawrence is with them. "Did you have lunch yet? if not, how about we have lunch together and discuss the project's plan while we're at it?" Damon suggested, although that was only an excuse to make her eat with him. Andrea's puffy eyes averted his gaze in an uninterested look, but he was right. Although she wasn't hungry at all,they needed to discuss the plan, besides, she didn't eat anything expect the hangover soup that morning. And it would be impolite if she turned him down as a business partner to say the least. "..Sure, thank you."

Andrea climbed into his car and Lawrence drove again.

Damon took a look at Andrea's face, her beautiful face was pale and numb just like the first time he met her. All he was thinking about at that moment is the reason of her empty feeling face. "Lawrence, play some music." Damon's order was clear. Making Lawrence a little puzzled, he was aware that his boss loved music but he mostly enjoyed classic music. He rarely requested listening to music, too. But he did as told and played ("River flows in you") which was one of Damon's favorite acoustical songs.

Andrea kept looking at the street as buildings passed by. Her arms around herself like she was trying to protect herself. Her eyes dull and her aura pretty depressing. When she heard the pleasant sound of the violin mixed with the piano the tangles in her heart slowly began to become undone. Damon, on the other hand, noticed her actions. Her every detail. But he didn't bother to ask, he wanted to keep proper distance and make sure to not make her uncomfortable. Although he was feeling his heart being squeezed as her weak and frail body came to his view. His cloudy eyes roamed around to the other side. Hoping that perhaps, the uneasiness in his heart would gradually go away if he ignored her presence, unfortunately for him that didn't work and he helplessly took silent glances at her from time to time until they reached their destination.

Unexpectedly, Before Lawrence could go out and open the door for his boss, Damon went out first and opened the door for Andrea, extending his hand towards her like a gentleman. Lawrence on the other hand,In his 9 years of working with the heir, or rather the current chairman of Bloss entertainment..had never been considerate to any woman before. He had always been faithful to his work. People even said that he was married to his work and would never think of having someone by his side.

Andrea took a long dazed look at Damon's hand, this scene....was so familiar to her, she remembered when Cameron would act like the noble guy he is and escort her. The memory made her feel all uncomfortable and suffocated once again, still though. She took Damon's hand. Which made Damon feel way relived. "Let's go." He said with a cool face, like he was trying to be calm and calculated around her. Funny enough because Andrea didn't even notice how loud his heart was beating.

The A-list Model and Dominant CEO pair made their way to the entrance, leaving a confused assistant behind.

—4 Seasons restaurant.

Andrea and Damon sat on a table that was on the 10th floor and away from everyone's eyes. It had an amazing view of the city, an amazing location that would make anyone immediately fall in love with the scene. That wasn't the case for Andrea, who was too fazed to take a look around her and admire the spacious decorative place. "Ms. Lian." Damon's voice made her look at him after a few seconds. Wearing a fake smile, she replied: "Yes? I apologize for my inconsiderate actions. What would you like to discuss about the project, Mr. Gracia?" Andrea talked properly. She didn't lack manners, after all she was from a prestigious family too. Damon gazed at Andrea with a cold and fierce look. Andrea didn't understand what she did wrong for him to give her such a glare but she didn't bother to question it, nor was she scared of it.

'I swear, she would've been an amazing actress. how can she conceal her feelings in a blink of an eye so easily?' Damon thought, it made him mad just thinking about what may be going in her head. The countless screams, fights, conflicted words or absurd scenarios.. Damon heaved out a long sigh, his expression gradually softening to one of concern. It made Andrea a little confused but she chose to ignore it. Damon had other plans though. "I don't get it." he broke the awkward silence.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said I don't get it, why do you hide your feelings and wear a mask 24/7? don't you feel sick?"

Damon couldn't help but speak his mind. He was fond of her, nevertheless, he was sure she kept everything inside herself like a locked safe. Andrea wasn't...angry because he was speaking to her in such way, she was rather...muddled. "You don't get why I wear a mask 24/7 and I don't get why you're even asking." Andrea's answer was clear yet there was a hint of sarcasm there. She didn't intend to be cynical in her statement, it was just her way of talking. Damon locked eyes with her with an expressionless face, so did she. No reaction. He had expected such answer to be frank. "I'm just curious as to why, to be honest and also to drop the formalities, Andrea, I never met a woman like you."

Andrea tilted her head slightly to the side, raising her brow in uncertainty. "A woman like me? How am I different?"

"Well, women tend to cry when they feel like it, always telling what's on their mind, to put it simply, a blabber box. An extremely emotional one at that."

"Oh, sorry to disappoint you then but I wait for night to come so I can hug my pillow and cry myself to sleep." Andrea shrugged, she was pretty translucent and she had no intention of hiding that.

'Too honest...' Damon thought, he felt defeated. "Why don't you talk to anyone then?"

"Who would tolerate a woman who can't get over her Ex fiance that left her over a year ago yet she still clings to the memories? No one, don't you think?" Andrea remarked, Damon kept his eyes locked with hers but his expression turned uncertain. "—Besides I don't even have that much to say. Mr. Gracia...No, Damon, since we dropped formalities..." Andrea took a deep breath, for once she finally looked out admiring the view, resting her chin in her palm as she talked with a feeling-less and a distanced face. Whoever by her side would think she's close yet out of reach. She continued: "We live in a cruel world, everyone is looking for their benefits. Nobody cares wether you laugh, love or cry. They could pretend to care. And when you're useless, they abandon you like you're an annoying thorn in a rose, which is their 'Life'... I'm not saying I'm innocent of such accusations, I too, wanted someone for my own benefit. You get what I mean, No?"

Damon understood her point of view but he felt like there was a piece that was missing in the puzzle of her words.

"Cameron Collins? But he didn't help you with anything. Rather, he took everything from you."

"Who said benefits are considered only fame or money?"

Damon's eyelids slightly went downwards

"I wanted him for my selfish feelings, I wanted the huge, spacious and empty gap to be filled with him." Andrea's face became cynical with each word she said. "I was stupid, I should've known better. But an Angel is an Angel, a Demon is a Demon. And a human...is a dumb mix of both. I've let my selfishness take the best of me. So I'm paying the price..."

"When did Cameron pay his price then?"..