Chardonnay scowled at Hera who had just left the boardroom. Her interview with the board went relatively well. Hera had been only working there for such a short period of time and yet the board accepted her application for associate, that too while rejecting Chardonnay's. She had had enough of being cast on the bottom of the ladder seemingly stuck as Adam's personal assistant despite her extensive efforts for a promotion. Hence the girl's sourness because it was like Hera didn't even have to try.

As Hera walked down the hall in a hurry to complete the pending contracts that were due by this afternoon, Chardonnay stopped her.

"I found a little something in Adam's email's yesterday," she said and lured Hera into an empty office that was undergoing refurbishments.

Chardonnay produced a little blue folder with a stack of papers watermarked with Adam's name. "It's of real interesting information Hera. I didn't know that duke married you for this. It's really a joke. Imagine if this gets out for the world. You'd be the punchline to say the least."

Evidently, Hera was confused. "Can you get to your point please? I have no idea what you're going on about. I need to get back to work." Hera was not in mood for confrontation right now, although her heart skipped a beat at Chardonnay finding out the initial agreement between her and Daman. Now, however, things were different.

Chardonnay took her time to take a seat on the desk and cross her long legs getting comfortable. She gave Hera a malicious smile. "So, who is Youssef Ozer? Your so-called father?" Chardonnay said and smiled.

Hera took a frustrated breath at the girl's antics and crossed her arms. "Yes, he is my dad."

Chardonnay's facial expression was enough to make Hera feel as if her skin was laced with ants crawling all over her.

"So let me get this straight," she began eager to get the most out of Hera. "Your husband, that duke of that island, married you to get your dad's warehouses and ports? And then, proceeded to lie to you about your dad not being your dad. Lord, you're even dumber than I thought."

How did one react to that statement? Hera was speechless. Was she to believe what Chardonnay was saying? Or was she being played because of the evident envy projected?

Hera opened her mouth to counter as best as she could however Chardonnay held out the blue folder to her where Hera wasted no time in grabbing it and shuffling through the papers.

Warehouses and ports agreements followed by contracts and clearly stipulated in the terms was what she had feared - Daman had used her too. Thereafter an even bigger shocker when she found an old copy of the adoption documents that were signed by Youssef.

All Hera could do was look at Chardonnay who had a huge smirk and then back at the papers. She didn't understand this. What was going on? How was this even remotely possible? She so desperately wanted them to be a prank, to be fake, but there was no faking the legitimates of the stamps, symbols and relative signatures.

It was as if Hera couldn't even breath. She could literally feel her heartbeat thump each second due to the shock. She couldn't even register the betrayal since she was so stunned.

Daman was perfect. He was everything she had ever prayed for. These few months being married in secret were absolute bliss and paradise. Hera didn't even realise the tears that escaped as she came to terms with the facts.

Daman had betrayed her.

* * *

A million and one emotions circled through Hera's mind as the day went on. How did she react to this? Confront him and then what? She was so angry with Daman, but more so than anger, she was disappointed and the sadness that loomed over her made her want to run far away again, however she was way past running form her problems.

Then as if matters could only get more tumultuous the penthouse was eerie and quiet with only Daman's study light on. Hera dropped her bags on the kitchen counter and switched on the lights before walking to the study to find a very forlorn looking duke.

Hera swallowed the bile that threatened to come up because she had not expected to find Daman leaned on his desk with tears streaming down his face.

Tentatively, still standing by the door afraid to get too close to the man that betrayed she made a light knock waiting for his attention. Daman looked up immediately wiping his face clear, scared to let his emotions show.

Hera didn't care for an explanation from him, all she did was raise the blue folder Chardonnay had graciously given her and place it on his desk.

Taking out the first document and reading what he had transcribed to Adam, Daman closed his eyes in an emotion Hera could not decipher as he placed it back on the desk and turned towards her.

However, before he spoke, Hera held out another sheet of paper. Mustering up all the courage she could possibly have in such a time of despair, she spoke confidently.

"The mighty duke of Doulah, who promised me that he wouldn't take me for a ride, fucked me over the hardest."

Suddenly the air in the room got ice cold and Daman felt as if he had officially reached rock bottom. This wasn't supposed to happen so soon least of all right now! He was going to come clean and tell Hera everything, but he just needed some more time for the rollercoaster that was to follow. However, honestly speaking, there was never going to be a perfect time to tell the woman he loved that he initially sought her out to gain her wealth.

Instead, Daman let out the shakiest breath in his entire life and ran his fingers through his hair for what felt like the millionth time. He felt his legs giving up and he needed to sit but there was no time. He had to leave.

"I..." he began softly but what was he supposed to say? That he was sorry? Undoubtedly that wouldn't do much here.

Daman felt the vibration of his phone in his pockets knowing that it was Ikbal mailing him his plane ticket to get to Doulah as soon as possible.

"My grandmother has just passed and the island is in a frenzy." Daman was having a tremendously difficult time deciphering that his world in every sense has just blown to pieces. First his grandma, his life as a duke now just got an entire load more demanding and now he just lost the woman he loves.

"I need to leave, Hera, but I promise... just give me few days and I will fix everything."