Wanted by the Billionaire and the prince

Caught by Julian

“For the appetizer, I’ll have Brussels and Bacon. Brushetta and Saffron risotto with forest mushrooms for my main dish.” I finally ordered after twenty minutes of scrolling through the menu and playing videos to see if anything new would interest me.

“I will have the 1820 Juglar Cuvee and get my date, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti,” Damien ordered, his eyes on me the entire time, sending sweet waves of pleasure down my body. I loved the way he seemed to place all his attention on me. It was satisfying. It made me feel so wanted and cared for.

“Very well, Sir.” The waitress, Lydia, replied. She had shown great professionalism by waiting for us to order while bantering, although I could sense her growing discomfort.

“I can’t wait for you to try the wine with your appetizer,” Damien said. “It’s spectacular.”

“I trust your judgment.” I smiled.

“I will be back with a complimentary caviar,” Lydia interjected before she scurried away, and I relaxed back into my chair. I was still nervous, but I was determined not to lose myself because of it.

“So, what is the worst thing that happened to you in college?” Damien asked, which took me by surprise.

“You are taking this date to heart,” I replied.

“I want to know you, Sam. And I want you to know me. What’s wrong with that?”

I exhaled. “Of course, you don’t expect me to open up to you on a first date?”

“A man can only try.” He shrugged.

“I never wanted to be a lawyer. I always wanted to be a teacher. But my parents insisted that I go to law school. When I went, I felt all alone, as if the whole world had suddenly turned its back on me. It hurt so much.”

My heart was on fire thinking back at it.

I’m engulfed by an avalanche of emotions, on the brink of breaking and overwhelming me. Every aspect now echoes my ex from college; even the air I breathe serves as a reminder. It’s a constant recall of the one who let me go.

“You need to stop zoning out, Samantha,” Damien said, pulling me out of my painful thoughts.

“Sorry. It’s just the memory is painful.”

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

I stared at him, unseeing, as tears filled my eyes. I immediately wiped it off. “I’ve never really processed how disappointed I am at my parents for making me study something I had no interest in and for cutting me off when I refused to push through with it after college. My dad was the guilty one, but my mum just watched him. On the one hand, I want to understand them. Sometimes I do. But on the other hand, I get so mad when I think about all the drama I had to go through. I mean, was any of it necessary? My brother was already a well-known pilot. Couldn’t they just let me do me? I guess having one good kid isn’t enough to get you where you want to be. I hated studying law so much. I was surprised I came out one of the top 10 in my class. I guess I didn’t want to disappoint them just like they did to me, and I’m scared of failure, too. I…” I took a deep, shaky breath. “Sorry, I’m ranting.”

“It’s fine. It’s fine.” Damien said with a soft smile. “You can rant all you want, and I will listen.”

“I’m done. I don’t want to ruin the mood again.”

“Do you believe that all great men die by their weaknesses,” Damien asked.

“Is that question supposed to make me feel better?” I sighed.

He exhaled and leaned back on the chair. He was a beautiful man, even in his distressed state.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable,” I said, smiling wryly.

“No. It’s not your fault. I asked you a personal question which triggered you.” His full lips were curved straight as though he was thinking very hard. “I just wanted to get to know you better on this date.”

I knew he was tired of me already.

Why am I so dramatic?

I was possibly the first woman to come to this beautiful restaurant and let her past clog her mind.

The Air conditioner kept blowing me from behind the wall, chilling me. The seat was supposed to give comfort, with the soft Sofa and cool paints, all blue. There were flowers on the table. Everything was neat, classy, and comforting, but I was anything but comforted. I wanted to rip my heart out of my chest so that I could stop feeling so much pain, a feeling that beclouds me anytime I think back at College.

I wanted to rip my heart out of my chest so that I could stop feeling so much pain that thinking about Micheal brought me. It hurt so bad it was never-ending. It’s been more than a year now since he left me, yet I was still as hurt as I was about it as I am now.

“What is going on in that head of yours?” Damien asked, breaking the silence.

“Maybe we never truly get over hurtful relationships.” I blurted out, turning to the side so that she couldn’t see my tears.

The rebellious Samantha, who had promised never to cry, has become a mess. This was not me.

I guess I haven’t really processed so many feelings.

“Happy endings are for books.” I sniffed, wiping my cheeks. I took in a deep breath and faked a smile before turning back to him. “In real life, you just suffer.”

“I want to beat up that man who has made you suffer like this. What exactly did he do to you?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said, clearing my throat.

“That’s unfair. You’ve piqued my interest already,”

“Sorry, I was being too dramatic,”

“You were not. You are hurt, and you are allowed to express it.”

“So, do you bring other girls here and ask them this same question just to break off their walls and reveal their vulnerable side?”

Damien chuckled, raising his hand in surrender. “Okay, you’ve caught me. That’s my scope.” I narrowed my eyes at him, and he snickered. “I’m joking. I’ve never brought anyone here for a date. You are the first, Sam.”

“Well, I doubt that,” I said, even though I was blushing. “I’m sure you tell that to all the women you bring here.”

Damien started to look around as though searching for something or someone, “Where are they?”

I chuckled.

Just then, the waiter came to the table with my wine, which made me smile, a smile that died almost immediately as I heard a familiar voice call my name.

Julian!