A/N Hey-hey! Chapter 8 is AT LAST written. Hope you'll like it.

Hugs to:

unlockurdestiny

SailorDeathMoon wanna get a glimpse of his thoughts?)

moonroseangel

Chichiforever

Kaky-Ventrue, obrigado! (Thank God for Google translator!)

Lina 2121, you're my inspiration, you know that?

James Birdsong

xSapphirexRosesxFanx Yay!

SerentiyMoonGodness

mangamania

Moonprincess998

LoveInTheBattleField

Disclaimer: DON'T OWN Sailor Moon! Surprise!

Chapter 8

'Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! I can't believe this is happening at last! I am getting the damn divorce. True. I still can not understand his reasoning and there sure must be some - this is Darien for heaven's sake - but God I am just too happy about it to even care.'

Mina calmed herself studying the house all over again but with much different emotions this time. It didn't feel like being trapped any more. This time the woman knew that several hours later she would leave this place for good. And she would be free.

For a second Mina tried to imagine what was Serena's first impression, and how come she managed to like this place and what's more important make others fall in love with her. So… effortlessly.

Well, actually, Mina knew the answer the moment she met Serena. It was obvious and simple. They were alike only in their looks. That's where the similarities ended. Serena was a pure soul. She may had faced hypocrites in her life but she never lived among them. And Mina did. She was one herself. She was brought up in that atmosphere. One could never make it in this world otherwise. You had to smile to and chat with people you disliked with only one purpose - to get what you want. You had to marry people you don't love and behave like this was okay, perfectly normal. You could have to pretend that you love and cherish a person that you needed in a scheme of yours or ignore one you could possibly like, but who was useless and worthless to you.

It was so cruel. It was so normal.

Mina remembered herself being a child. It was her first day at school and she was terrified. Everything seemed so… new. And horrifying.

«Fresh beginnings, little one. That day will be just the first one of many more to come, but it will define your future, pumpkin. There's only one chance to make The perfect first impression, use it wisely!» her father said chucking and making her laugh too.

She came back home even more enthusiastic, and was desperate to tell daddy about the friends she had made. However once he heard about Lita, everything changed.

«You can't be friends with this girl. I forbid you. Do you understand me, Mina?!»

The girl was depressed. She repeatedly was begging her father to change his mind. She promised to be a good girl. But to no avail. He refused to explain, ignored little girl as if she no longer existed until Mina agreed to stay away, but it still was painful, especially concerning the fact that her mother had died and Mina had no one by her side. Eventually her governess took pity (or just thought it would be better for her to understand rules from the very beginning in order to avoid such situations in the future) and told the little girl her father's reasoning.

Lita was an orphan. And a poor one too. That meant that the acquaintance would not be beneficial for the DeVeene family in any way. Mina didn't understand the difference it was making, but she was trying to avoid the girl anyways just to please her father and make him love her, his little princess, again.

However, strangely enough, the girls kept bumping into each other over and over again. And eventually Mina gave up to the strange feeling in her heart. Their friendship was probably the first secret Mina kept from her father. And she didn't regret it once. They grew up together, side by side, backing each other, supporting, never letting go. Lita had become the only rock in Mina's life, the only one she trusted without a second thought.

Eventually, Mr DeVeene accepted their friendship. Coincidentally, it happened the day he found out about Lita's engagement to one of the wealthiest bachelors in the country. Mina chuckled. In the end father made it look like he had always been supportive of this friendship, moreover, he managed to build it up to telling Mina how wonderful it would be if she married her best friends's best friend. Talking about Darien, of course.

«Where's Serena?» his deep voice didn't touch a single string of her soul. Why? This was beyond her. But thanks to that she was capable of thinking straight. And the guts told her that there was no way Mina could play the fool, but she decided to keep her armor of a typical blonde.

«You know her name? Did she tell you herself?»

«Not exactly.»

«You seduced her? Of course she couldn't resist... »

«No.»

«Why? You look disappointed… that means you do want her?» Darien didn't seem to be at least half as amused as Mina. Instead, he was interested in a much more vital details.

«Was she a part of your crazy plan from the very beginning?»

«No, I didn't know she even existed. It is just a, you know, concatenation of circumstances…» Seeing her husband's face, Mina suddenly felt so very much protective of her sister, she almost growled. «Don't you dare hurt her, Darien Shields! I'll skin you alive.»

Taking the documents from Andrew, he smirked, most definitely about her typical wanna-be-tiger speech, but remained silent, giving his soon to be ex-wife even more food for thought: Darien never left any words without a remark. And yet here he was, million miles away, thinking about… whatever he was thinking. But she could bet that this nonsense included her sister. And she was dying to know what that thoughts were centered on. And he kept silence! He knew Mina needed just a glimpse of his thoughts, so he made his best in hiding them.

'That son of a...'

"Tell me where she is and you'll get the divorce."

"I can't. Serena said she didn't want to see you. Ever again."

Serena's horrified face still worried Mina. Just Darien's name made the woman look in a different direction from Mina and avoid her eyes as long as possible. Mina couldn't quite tell was it shame or fear. Actually, the emotions on her sister's face were changing every second, as if a wave of different memories covered the blonde. It could mean million different things, but eventually Serena looked in Mina's eyes and told her that she was happy she would never see the man again.

However Darien's facial expression made Mina question her decision to keep the man away. All of sudden he looked so... Vulnerable and hurt, as if he lost someone very close and special. She had never seen Darien like that. He had always seemed so collected, self-esteemed, powerful and strong, flawless as a machine... And emotionless. However, here he was. Almost crying. And struggling to hide his feelings.

He took a pen and signed the papers, then moved them to the other side of the table, Mina didn't hesitate a second. Almost automatically, she reached for his pen and with a swish she was a single woman.

But surprisingly, it didn't make a difference. She felt exactly as a minute ago.

The woman looked at her ex-husband, studying his face and sorrowful eyes. It was wrong. He didn't deserve it.

"... But again, you could always bump into each other...somewhere, right? Like... A party? Or a cafe?" Darien looked at her in utter disbelief, ready to hear her mocking laugh, but he was met with a genuine smile instead. "I could arrange that, but I should know that this is worth the possible difficulties. You should tell me everything and persuade to take the risk."

"I think, I might be falling in love."

"That's a sure shot to get me on your side. But I still need to know details."

"You do understand I have a file on her and know all about her, including the address? I could easily reach her without your help, Mina. Thank you very much."

An hour later Mina was leaving the former home with completely different thoughts than she had imagined. If someone had told her Darien had feelings she would laugh in this person's face, however now... It all changed.

Mina was no longer tied to the man and that gave her opportunity to judge differently, honestly. For a second there the woman feared for her life: after all Darien had never showed his softer side to anyone, she was the only person and he could want to get rid of her. He might... After he gets Serena. Maybe she made a mistake, after all. Maybe she shouldn't have promised him to bring them together and skip the joy of matchmaking. Even for her family...

'Naaaah, I couldn't do that... That face of Darien's was too priceless!'

However, now Mina did understand Serena's strange behavior earlier that day. She sure thought Darien was expressing his feelings to his wife and she must had been ashamed of this. After all, according to Darien, she hadn't seemed to mind. And Darien would never, could never exaggerate. He was always accurate, to the dot. Maniac.

'Serena must be feeling awful! Poor thing...'

Nevertheless, she had seen Darien's emotions, though he had taken control of them pretty fast. Too fast for her liking. But she enjoyed the moments. Now, to be perfectly sure of her decision, Mina needed the other side of the story. She needed to know whether or not Serena felt the same.

Mina reached for her car keys but was stopped by Andrew. He looked confused and a little lost when he took in her appearance.

"So there are two of you. For real?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

Mina missed Andrew a lot. He was among those people she would have left behind if her plan worked. He was Darien's best friend and the chief of security. Andrew was too loyal, and eventually he could have betrayed her. Big time. It was strange, to see and talk to the man she had said good bye to and had made sure to never meet again. Well, it was not his fault he was loyal. She respected that.

"Mina, I am sorry I was such an awful friend to you. I never realized the mistake. And I want to apologize to Serena too... But, hey, who could have imagined there were two of you?!"

"Actually, Drew... There are a bunch of people who have had a pretty good idea about it. You know what? Come with me? I am heading to hotel to meet up with girls and Serena's brother and...mmm... A friend. And you'll know the truth. You can even tell Darien the whole story. He has a right to know too. Especially if he and Serena end up together."

"You'll see to that, won't you?" suddenly, Drew smiled at Mina sheepishly and glanced at her Alfa Romeo MiTo. "Could we take a bigger car? You know, it's just too small for me. Your car will follow us..."

"Driven by a guy who is not so fortunate to be half as tall as you are?"

"Yes! I mean, no! Mina!"

"Just kidding! Go get someone."

True to Andrew's words, her MiTo followed the Land Cruiser. Then Mina got carried away telling Andrew her brilliant plan, so neither Mina nor Andrew noticed the car's disappearance. Meanwhile, the woman also remembered Darien's strange words about making him marry her against his will and then, right after the marriage she desired to get the annulment and after much hesitation asked Andrew about it.

"He got a message, the author claimed that he had something on Darien's father. It was connected with the accident on a factory, a worker died. Darien didn't check the information and did as was told, he proposed to you. And only now we have evidence that it was not Edward's fault. So Darien was free to do as he pleased."

"You mean, someone blackmailed him? For real? What for, for heaven's sake?!"

"You haven't known about it?"

"No! I didn't have a clue! Of course, I didn't understand his desire to marry me and live...like that. I even thought he needed me as a...cover-up, so that women wouldn't bother him. But blackmailing?! What the hell is that?! Who would want our marriage instead of money? This is plain sick!"

Mina's brain was working extra-hard in an attempt to figure out the mystery. She had a feeling it was connected with her and the woman was replaying in her head all the events before her doomed marriage.

"Oh my God! No way! This can't be true!"