Chapter 431 I Am Married
Damian need not say a word. His stare was enough to put Burnham in place.
“Damian, she’s already gotten over it. It’s true that she was sad after you got married, but she still hopes both of you can stay as friends. We all know how close both of you were. It really doesn’t matter what happened between the two of you. You guys can still remain as friends.”
Damian did not reply but read the documents in his hand. He completely ignored Burnham and the latter had no idea what Damian was thinking at all.
“Come on, man. You know how difficult her life was in the past few years, so just go easy on her. You should just meet up with her and talk things out. You can’t avoid her forever, right? I don’t see why you should give her the cold treatment unless you still have feelings for her.”
Damian finally put down the document and looked at Burnham.
“I really don’t understand, Damian. If you still like Stella, why did you marry Wrenna?”
“Burnham Stewart, don’t put words in my mouth.”
“Fine, I’m sorry. We’re meeting up at the same place tonight. I’ll take it as you still like her if you don’t join us. If that’s the case, you should just get a divorce sooner.”
With that said, Burnham left.
Burnham wiped his sweaty palms and heaved a sigh of relief right after he got out.
Those people really owe me a big one for making me do this.
I swear I’ll never do this again.
Burnham went to the club early that evening. This was where this group of friends usually met. They even had a private lounge to themselves.
When he arrived, Colton was already there.
“What is it this time?” he asked Colton, “Don’t you give me this look. I’ve already had enough in the morning. You guys should stop making me talk to Damian about things like that.”
It was not difficult to tell Colton Jennings apart from his peers. He had a chiseled jaw and well-defined features, and he could easily pass for a multiracial person if people had not heard him speak.
“I didn’t ask you to do it.”
“Yeah, I know, but still. I can’t just sit and watch our friend suffer alone.”
Colton snorted at him.
“Stella is not our friend. She’s your…”
“Are you serious? She’s not your friend? Don’t tell me you think it’s her fault too. I would go abroad as well if I were her.”
Colton smirked with his brows raised and said no more.
Burnham felt like he was being ridiculed, so he just scoffed and turned away.
It did not take long before Damian and Stella arrived.
“Oh, you guys came together?” Burnham teased.
When he saw Damian’s stern face, he instantly stopped and talked to Stella instead.
“Hi, Stella. It’s been a long time. You’re just as pretty as ever. I think it’s good you went overseas though. Look at you now. The world is your oyster and you’re all equipped with what it takes to be successful. It’s way better than just depending on a man.”
Stella got into a huge fight with Damian when she decided to go abroad and they broke up because of that.
Burnham was all for Stella on this issue. To him, a man should not be so selfish as to demand his partner to stay with him wherever he was. Given Stella’s talent, it would be a total waste to not study abroad. He could not wrap his head around why Damian insisted on her staying, so much so that he even broke up with her.
Now that Stella became successful, she looked so much more confident compared to Wrenna, who was too timid.
Burnham preferred Stella over Wrenna. He thought Stella was a better choice for Damian because Wrenna’s whole life revolved around Damian and only him. Nevertheless, Damian had already married Wrenna regardless of how she felt.
Burnham was sure that Damian’s marriage would be the biggest regret for both Damian and Stella.
“Thanks, Burnham. You’re not bad yourself either. You’re a doctor now,” Stella said, smiling at him.
Burnham smiled back and gestured at her to go over to sit down beside him.
“I know right. I’m a successful doctor now, but you know what. Someone totally has no regard for me. They think I’m just a nobody, but hell, I come from a family of doctors. Just wait till they have to beg me to treat them,” Burnham complained, stealing a look at Colton and Damian, but the two did not seem perturbed at all.
They sat next to each other and started talking about a totally different topic.
“I agree with what you said. People seem to favor the new policy, so I think that’s good.”
“Yeah, I think that was a smart move from him.”
Stella sneaked a peep at Damian and got mesmerized.
He looked different from when they parted ways. He was not a young boy anymore. Those years they spent apart had added a hint of elegance and maturity to his bearing.
He had become a luminary in his sphere and she had heard of all his feats. To Stella, he had become a more enigmatic and attractive man.
Stella never once regretted her choice of leaving him, but now that she saw him again, a small voice in her heart told her that she just lost the most important thing in her life.
She wondered if she could ever get it back.
“Congrats on your marriage.”
Stella decided to break the ice.
“Thanks,” Damian replied tritely.
Stella did not know how else to continue the conversation given his cold attitude.
“Ms. Jackson is a lucky woman. I remember she used to follow us around when we were younger, saying she wants to marry you. I was so jealous back then. She didn’t like me either. She even tried making things difficult for me a few times. Now that I think of it, we’re all so childish back then.”
“Wren did that to you? She looks so innocent though, but regardless, everybody knows she likes Damian. It’s only natural that she doesn’t like you.”
“Oh, really? What did Wren do to you?” Colton was shrewd.
Stella evaded his question with a smile. “It’s no big deal. It’s all in the past. She was still a kid.”
Despite how Stella was hoping to dismiss Colton’s question, Damian refused to let her sweep things under the carpet. He shook off the ashes on his cigarette and spoke, “Tell me what my wife did to you, Ms. Lane. It’s better to just bring things to the light so I can go home and ask my wife to apologize to you if there’s a need.”
Stella was caught in a tight spot. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Damian… do you have to do this to me?”
He gave her a composed smile. “I’m just asking you a question, Ms. Lane, or did Wren not do anything to you, to begin with? From what I know, she is a forthright and sincere person although she came from an affluent family. It’s just not her style to do anything underhanded. I’m sure you remember wrongly.”
“Fine. I’m sorry I made things up. She’s perfect. I shouldn’t have tarnished her good name.”
Stella started crying. “I know Wrenna is always perfect in your eyes. I’m always the bad person. She’s the one who snatched you away from me. She’s the one who has everything now, and I’m the only one that’s suffering. Can’t you at least be nice to me? Do you have to torture me like this?”
“Damian, you went overboard.”
Burnham was quick to defend Stella. “There’s no reason why she should make up something that happened years ago. Wren can be rude sometimes. How do you know if…”
“Burnham Steward. Watch what you’re saying. She’s my wife,” Damian cut him short.
“So you really think I lied to smear her reputation?”
Stella looked up at Damian with tears running down her eyes.
“You can ask Ms. Jackson yourself and see if I was lying.”
Damian stood up and got ready to leave.
“You know full well if you’re lying. I’m leaving. Our relationship has already ended nine years ago. I’m a married man now. I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to meet another woman outside.”
Having said that, Damian picked up his coat and left without turning back.
Colton also got up and went out with him, leaving Burnham and Stella behind.
“Hey! You guys can’t do this!” Burnham shouted.
Colton looked back coldly at him. “You’d better know who you’re siding with and who are your real friends.”
Burnham did not know if he should leave.
Stella was balling her eyes out crying like a baby.
Burnham wondered what he did to be caught in a situation like this. He never had to choose between friends and women.
This was way trickier than the most complicated sickness he had ever face.
“Um… Stella… Don’t cry. Damian’s already married, so you should just give up. You’re smart and pretty. I’m sure you’ll meet someone better. First loves are not meant to last. Just be grateful he is part of your memory, okay? Things won’t always go our way, so we have to learn to accept them.”
Burnham’s words fell on deaf ears.
Stella was still crying and he had no other choice but to stay back.
When she finally collected herself, her eyes were already puffy and red.
She shot Burnham a rigid smile. “I’m sorry I put you in a difficult position. I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the best of me.”
“It’s okay. I understand.”
“Thanks. Let’s go.”
When Burnham dropped her off at her home, he decided to just add on to what he said earlier on.
“Stella, it’s time you get over Damian. You’ll find someone else in the future.”
Stella forced a smile at him and went into her apartment.
Behind her, Burnham shook his head in resignation and drove off.
Back at her apartment, Stella sat alone in her empty house and poured herself a glass of red wine as she pondered about her life.
She had always wanted a life like this in the past, but now that she got it, she felt like she had attained all the success at the price of something she loved the most.
