Chapter 82 - Disparity

Now that Dane was ready to shed more truths, there was one major problem. Ever since the public caught wind of the CEO of silver linings being engaged in a whirlwind of a marriage with the senator's daughter, his ranking in the polls dipped to the bottom. He had the lowest popularity out of all the candidates.

More than ever, he needed the public's favor in winning the elections. The headlines went 'CEO steals wife of Oil Company's Son Giovanni Blair', 'Senator Visalyaputra's daughter elopes with CEO of silver linings', and even more absurd headlines painting him as this marauder.

"What are you looking at?" his lynx's voice prompted him to turn back and glance at her yawning.

"Propaganda."

Dane sat at the edge of the bed as she lay off to the side, gradually waking and crawling over to snake her arms around his waist. She kissed the side of his cheek which eased the wrinkles on his forehead to crease from existence. He turned around and leaned to give her a kiss on the lips. Watching her beautiful naked form press up against him, something sparked inside of him.

She peeked over his shoulder and frowned, "We're hated by the enitrety of New Jersey. How great...Are you worried about your reputation?"

"Reputation isn't something I want but it's something I need. I need to gain favor into your...the senator's council."

"Why?"

For a moment, Dane almost forgot himself. He was so dissolved into happiness that he never considered shedding the truths to his own lynx.

There was a slight vibration of hesitation in his voice as he turned away. "To shed truths."

This wasn't a lie. He told her the truth.

"What truths?"

He remained silent.

"We are husband and wife. If there are any worries or concern you may have, then I'll readily lend an ear. Dane, let me face your demons with you as you have with mine."

It was as if his lynx knew there were still dark secrets he was hiding and that this was one of them.

"No."

Dane thought she would understand. He still wasn't ready to go there. The beast loved his lynx and his form of love was to be the knight as he would do his best to give her the world. Instead, she unlinked her arms around his waist and climbed over to the other side of the bed. They both sat there in silence, each in their own thoughts.

She was the one that spoke first and twisted his heart to shame.

"The moment we vowed our love, I thought we passed the point of secrets. I know this might have something to do with your revenge but I want to hear it from you. Dane. Why are you always pushing me away? Please, for the love of god, let me in."

"This has nothing to do with you."

The white sheets were thrown over Dane's head.

"Okay, fine you're right. It has nothing to do with me at all."

He heard the bathroom door slam behind her as the white sheets slipped down from his face.

Surely, she couldn't be angry at him. Dane disregarded her unloving tone of voice and went to dress himself.

***

Prisana was definitely angry. The whole ride back and up until they reached their home, she hadn't spoken a word to him. When they arrived, she walked into the house and shut the door behind her to their room.

Cleo watched the whole ordeal unfold before him and had to whisper to Dane, "What in god's name did you do to invoke that?"

He shook his head and sighed.

"Tell me something Cleo, when a man has secrets to hide for the better good of his own wife's sake, is that such a bad thing?"

His secretary yet currently butler who had on his apron, mulled over this as he rubbed his chin.

"Hmm, it depends. Are you..."

"It's not me. This is about a man I know."

"This man you know...Is he hiding the truth from her because it would protect her or because it would protect himself?"

Protect himself?

Cleo's words struck him like a dynamic chord that proved just how cowardly he was when compared to his lynx. He was claiming it was because he didn't want her involved but the frightening truth to the answer lay dormant in his heart.

"Forget it. Could you tell me the state of affairs inside the office?"

He sighed and gradually walked over to pick up his notebook.

"Yes. Since you've been gone for a few days, I have made sure to attend meetings and record them in your place. Two new appointments have been made. There will be an additional..."

Dane grunted and listened to him speak on for minutes on end until Cleo's eyes widened. Cleo pointed a finger in the air, as if remembering something.

"Ah!" he spat. "Also, Leo said he'd meet you at the Iron Horse tonight."

The devil was already calling but the beast didn't want to answer his hellish demands.

"Tell him the sight of him sickens me and that I don't have any more soul to give him."

"Leo actually said, if you said something like that then for me to tell you that it has something to do with the Golden Deer. "

His ears immediately perked up. Why was it that the devil always knew when and what buttons of his to push so that Dane would come crawling for more? It was all too calculating under Leo's part, as if he already had some prior notion where this was all leading to. He frowned immensely, silently cursing the devil in all kinds of ways possible.

"Tell the devil that I'll be there."

"Understood."

Footsteps descending down the stairs, caught his attention. Dane's heart already lurched to hear his lynx lovingly call out to him. Instead, he turned to find a very persistent lynx nearly brushing past him and to the door.

"Where are you going?" he incredulously asked.

"I'm visiting Nana. We've made some plans today and I won't be back until late."

"Prisana, I'm—"

"Sorry? What do you need to be sorry for? You didn't do anything wrong. After all, you were only stating the facts. That whatever you are involved in, has nothing to do with me."

She was rubbing his hurtful words into his face yet again. Dane loved his lynx but at this moment, she was frustrating him to no end. By now, Cleo had migrated into another room, somewhere upstairs as the pair were having a standoff by the entrance of the door.

"Stay," he pleaded, watching as her fingers hesitated on the knob.

"If I stay, will you answer all of my questions? Will you stop pushing me away and spill the beautiful truths?"

He couldn't make up his mind. He couldn't do what she wanted because this was his most conflicting truth.

The lynx left his grasp and turned on the doorknob.