Clarissa's POV

It was the day before the wedding. I tried everything to make him change his mind. Everything. I thought after he saw the tattoo, he would realize that my feelings for him weren’t just a silly crush. Now I knew that I was wrong. There was nothing that I could do to stop Damon from marrying Anya. He was determined to destroy his life so that I would give up on us.

If he wanted me to do it, why did he have to take things so far? Marrying Anya was the worst thing that he could possibly do to me to force me to stop. How could he? Why wouldn’t he fight for me? Why did he want to marry someone he didn’t love just to keep me away?

I knew he wanted me and was scared of others judging me, but how could he use that as an excuse to separate us? It was not a good enough reason. If he wanted to, he could find a way to make this work. If he really wanted me, he would have tried much harder than this.

I was tired of being nice to him. This time I had to be completely honest. I had to let him know just how much he was hurting me. I had to give him a piece of my mind.

I walked out of my room and down the stairs, where the decorations were screaming at me to leave this place. I couldn’t stand all of the pictures with them. In every single one of those pictures, Damon looked unhappy. Yet, he wanted me to believe this was the best decision for both of us.

“Look who’s finally out of her room,” Griffin teased me. I tried my best to fake a smile as I hit his shoulder.

“Shut up,” I mumbled.

He laughed. “Come on, sis, let’s see a smile on your face for a change. Not that fake one, a real one. I miss seeing it.”

“Don’t bother trying,” Atticus said as he joined us. “She doesn’t know how to smile anymore. I wish she could tell us what’s truly bothering her.”

I tried not to show any emotions. I knew he was trying to find more information on Damon and me. I loved Atticus, but I didn’t trust him enough to tell him my real feelings. I knew he would be pissed if he found out the truth. He already looked angry that night he saw Damon and me in the room alone.

“Will you stop picking on her?” Autumn asked Atticus as she came to my rescue yet again.

“What makes you think that I’m picking on her?” he asked her. “Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?”

I looked around the room for Damon without making it obvious. Anya had been around more than I wanted to see her. If this marriage happened, I would have to see her much more than this. I didn’t think I would be able to survive seeing her face everywhere I went.

“What are we talking about?” she asked as she entered the room. “Why is everyone just standing here and not helping?”

Griffin sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know how I will stand being around her for every family occasion,” he whispered in a low growl.

At least I wasn’t the only one to think this way. I was sure that every person in this room felt the same way. They were all putting up with Anya because of Damon and Dante. If it wasn’t for them, she would have been out of our home in a flash.

“Where’s my husband?” Anya asked as she looked around for him.

I bit my lip angrily; they weren’t even married yet, why was she calling him her husband?

“Damon hasn’t been home since this morning,” Atticus answered her. “I think he’s in a bad mood.”

“Of course, he isn’t,” she disagreed. “He’s happy. Very happy. Who wouldn’t be happy when their marriage is a few hours away?”

We all got silent at her question.

Anya walked over to me then, with a threatening look, as she whispered, “I know what you’ve been up to. That house is off-limits. Stay away from it.”

My eyes widened at her threat. She knew. Autumn and I didn’t get a chance to look at the house. Anya had us busy the past day. Actually, she had Autumn and the others very busy. I refused to take part in any of this. Everyone else was only taking part because they cared about Damon.

Why would she choose today to threaten me about the house? The day before her marriage. It’s almost like she wanted me to mention it to the others. I watched her like a hawk as she walked out of the room, forcing the others to help her.

“What did she say to you?” Autumn asked me.

I didn’t want to drag Autumn into this anymore. If I told her, she would stop me from investigating independently. This was probably my last chance to stop this wedding. If I found the proof I needed, it would be enough to postpone the wedding, at least until Anya told us the truth.

“It’s nothing,” I lied. “She’s just trying to rub it in that she’s marrying Damon, that’s all.”

“I think she knows Damon likes you,” Autumn told me. “Just like she knew Atticus wanted me and not her. She knew it even before I did. She uses that to her advantage. Don’t let her get to you.”

“It doesn’t change anything,” I whispered. “Damon is still going to marry her.”

Autumn squeezed my hand. “I thought he would have stopped the wedding when he saw that tattoo. I’m sorry that it didn’t work.”

“It’s okay.” I sighed. “At least I know that I tried my best. Unlike him.”

She hugged me, and it was at that moment that Damon walked into the room and saw us. I pressed my lips tightly together and fought against the tears as I glared at him.

He turned back around and walked straight out of the room.

“I have to go,” I told Autumn.

This was my chance to talk to him before he disappeared again for the rest of the day. I wouldn’t have another opportunity. He was already walking out of the house and into the garage when I spotted him. I ran after him, making sure that no one was following us. When he jumped into his jeep, I jumped into the passenger’s side.

His eyes widened when he saw me.

“What are you doing here, Clarissa?” he asked as he looked around us.