Damian's POVGrandfather sat on the living room sofa, his posture as poised as ever, even in something as unassuming as his home attire. His glasses perched delicately on the bridge of his nose, the lenses catching the light as he methodically flipped through the newspaper, his movements precise and unhurried. He looked like a seasoned professor, someone who had spent his entire life absorbing knowledge and wielding it like a weapon. But I knew better. I knew that behind that air of effortless composure lay a mind as sharp as a blade, always calculating, always watching.Emily, ever the gentle soul, was the first to step forward. She approached him with a kind of delicate warmth that only she could muster, her voice soft but clear as she inquired about his health. Her concern was genuine, I could hear it in her tone, see it in the slight furrow of her brow. But I also knew the truth. Grandfather’s supposed “discomfort” was nothing more than a well-crafted excuse, a subtle maneuver des
Damian's POVThe conference room was filled with the subtle hum of murmured conversations, the tension so thick it practically pulsed through the air. Rows of shareholders sat around the polished mahogany table, their expressions varying between forced neutrality and thinly veiled calculation. I had known this moment was coming. Grandfather had known as well. Yet, neither of us had spoken about it beforehand because the outcome was inevitable.Charles had been playing his little game for weeks, whispering in the ears of those who had always harbored quiet ambitions of shifting the power structure. His strategy was clever, I would give him that. Instead of a direct assault, he had chipped away at the foundation, sowing doubts, buying loyalty with carefully placed promises, all while maintaining an air of feigned professionalism.Grandfather sat at the head of the table, his presence alone enough to command silence when he finally spoke. "I understand that concerns have been raised rega
Emily's POVMaya’s glare burned into me like a brand, her perfectly sculpted face twisted in restrained fury. Louis, standing beside her, was no better. His sharp, assessing gaze flitted between me and Damian as if trying to decipher why we were here at all, as if our presence alone was an offense. Lyla, ever the poised diplomat, sat gracefully, her fingers delicately wrapped around the rim of a porcelain teacup. But even she could not fully conceal the glimmer of curiosity, of calculation, lurking beneath her otherwise impassive expression.The tension in the room was unbearable, like a taut string waiting to snap. Damian’s grandfather, however, was thoroughly enjoying himself. He leaned back in his chair, surveying the silent warfare unfolding before him, his wrinkled hands resting atop his cane. His eyes twinkled with amusement, as if this entire affair was nothing more than an entertaining game to him.I shifted uncomfortably, my fingers twisting together in my lap. Damian, ever a
Emily's POVThe garden was breathtaking, a sprawling landscape of perfectly maintained flora, untouched by the tension that poisoned the air inside the mansion. The scent of blooming jasmine and fresh earth mixed with the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. Sunlight filtered through the towering oaks, casting golden patterns on the stone pathway where Damian and I strolled.His voice was calm as he pointed out various plants, his fingers trailing over their leaves with an almost reverent touch. "This one," he said, gesturing toward a delicate purple flower, "is foxglove. Beautiful, but incredibly poisonous. A single dose can stop a heart in seconds."I arched a brow at him. "Is that supposed to be a metaphor?"He smirked. "Merely a fact. Though, I suppose beauty and danger often go hand in hand."I let my fingers brush against a cluster of herbs, their fragrance rising in the warm air. “This place is wonderful,” I murmured, taking in the sheer abundance of the garden. “Some of these
Damian's POVThe moment was perfect. The golden glow of the sunset bathed the garden in soft hues, the scent of blooming roses mingling with the crisp evening air. Emily stood before me, her eyes holding that rare, unguarded softness I had come to crave. I had returned with the dessert, intending to hand it to her, but suddenly, all I could think about was closing the distance between us.She tilted her head slightly, a silent question in her gaze. I stepped closer, my fingers grazing her wrist as I reached for her, the air between us thick with unspoken words. Just as I was about to kiss her, just as her lips parted ever so slightly, the distant sound of an approaching car shattered the moment.I stiffened, my expression darkening as I caught sight of the sleek, black luxury sedan rolling slowly up the driveway. Charles.A wave of irritation crashed over me. Of course, he would arrive at the most inconvenient time possible.Emily, sensing the shift in my mood, followed my gaze. “Your
Damian's POVThe rest of the meal passed in excruciating slowness. Every second felt stretched, every bite of food from those around me an irritation. When the plates were finally cleared and everyone began to rise from their seats, I stood without a word, walking toward the study without waiting for an invitation.Charles arrived a moment later, closing the door behind him with deliberate slowness. The sound of it latching echoed through the room, the final barrier between us and the rest of the world.I remained standing.Charles moved to sit behind his desk, the grand mahogany structure acting as a throne from which he ruled this house. He studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable.Then he spoke.“Damian, I let Lyla move in because I wanted to make up for the past.”I laughed, the sound sharp and humorless. “Is that what you call it?”His eyes darkened slightly, but he remained composed.“When I broke up with her, I didn’t know she was pregnant with Maya,” he continue
Emily's POVThe tension in the dining room was unbearable, the weight of unspoken grievances pressing against my chest like a suffocating fog. I sat stiffly in my seat, forcing myself to focus on the silverware in front of me, the polished surface of my fork gleaming under the chandelier’s glow. Damian had been called away to speak with his father, leaving me alone to endure the suffocating company of people who barely concealed their contempt for me.I was accustomed to it.Still, I had hoped for at least a moment of peace.That hope was shattered the moment Louis turned his gaze toward me.“Emily,” he said, his voice smooth, yet dripping with venom.I barely acknowledged him. I didn’t want to.But he didn’t care.He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his piercing eyes locked onto mine. “Tell me, what exactly are you trying to accomplish by being with Damian?”I inhaled sharply but refused to respond. I would not give him the satisfaction.Louis, however, took my silenc
Emily's POVCharlotte tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Who’s to say they don’t have an ulterior motive?”Maya’s face stiffened.Lyla’s fingers twitched slightly against the tablecloth.And Charles, despite his carefully maintained composure, looked rattled.It was Louis who spoke first.“That’s enough.”But Charlotte merely raised an eyebrow, unaffected by his demand.Then Charles finally spoke, his voice cold, sharp. “Maya has sacrificed so much for this family.”Charlotte scoffed, her lips curling into something cruel and unamused.“So, you’d rather stand up for Maya than for your own daughter?”The tension in the dining room thickened like a suffocating fog, pressing in from all sides. Charles’s face was rigid with barely contained frustration, his eyes sharp as they locked onto Charlotte. The weight of unspoken resentment hung in the air, heavy and unrelenting.“This isn’t about Maya,” Charles finally snapped, his voice stern, unwavering. “It’s about you.”Charlotte arched an
Emily's POVI couldn’t help it. The smirk spread across my face before I could stop it, satisfaction blooming in my chest like a firework. There, on her wedding night, Maya stood trembling in her glittering red dress, her mask ripped away, her secrets echoing in the cool evening air. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to dance. But I kept my expression composed, the way a queen might regard a jester who had overstayed her welcome.Damian’s arm tightened around me, and now he was looking at Maya with open contempt. “This is your last warning,” he said, his voice a low growl. “If you continue scheming, I will destroy you. Not just with rumors or whispers. I will bring the truth out in the open, and there will be nowhere left for you to hide.”Maya flinched. For the first time, she had no comeback, no clever insult, no crocodile tears. She stood rooted in place, teeth clenched, eyes darting from him to me and back again, her fury barely contained beneath her skin.I stepped forward slightly, no
Emily's POVThe sound that followed was unmistakable. Maya’s voice—clear, venomous—hissed from the tiny speaker.“The day you lost your baby… You still remember it, don’t you?”My breath caught again, but this time it was not from pain. It was from the raw clarity of hearing her confession echoed back to her. Damian stood tall beside me, his phone raised slightly between us all, his face unreadable.“You want to know the truth, Emily? That day… the day everything fell apart for you… I went to Louis’s house. It was Lucy who let me in. And after she left, I changed into your clothes. And while you were asleep… I drugged you.”There was a soft gasp from Maya, but the recording continued, unwavering.“I needed you to look crazy, Emily. And it worked, didn’t it? Poor, unstable, hysterical Emily. And your baby? Well, that was just an unfortunate consequence.”Maya's face blanched as her own giggle crackled from the speaker.“I was the one who released it.”Then my voice joined in, calm, eve
Emily's POVThe tent flap flew open with a suddenness that cut through the tension like a blade, and Maya’s smugness evaporated instantly. I watched as her whole body transformed, as though she were an actress snapping into a different role with revolting ease. She dropped her smirk like a discarded mask and lunged for my hand with trembling fingers, her eyes wide and glistening with freshly manufactured tears.“Emily,” she whimpered, her voice catching, as though she were the one who had just been threatened. “Please… I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just trying to talk—”It was horrifying to watch. She looked like a chameleon caught mid-shift, her oversized, glassy eyes darting between expressions, her mouth twisted into a trembling grimace of sorrow. She was grotesque, a pitiful little thing putting on a pageant of guilt. My skin crawled. I stumbled back, yanking my hand from her claws, my voice sharp and full of loathing.“Let me go,” I spat, shaking off the last trace of her tou
Emily's POVI remained still. My heart pounded in my chest, but I did not move.That drove her completely mad.Maya’s expression tightened, frustration flashing behind her eyes. This was her moment of triumph, her moment to watch me crumble, to see me break beneath the weight of her cruelty, and I refused to give her that victory.She drew a breath, her lips curling into something sharper, something colder. “Do you remember that video?” she whispered, her voice like silk wrapping around a dagger. “The one that destroyed you? The one that made Louis finally leave you? The one that showed the whole world what you refused to believe?”I clenched my fingers at my sides.A slow, satisfied smirk stretched across her lips. “I was the one who released it.”The world tilted for a split second.Pain lanced through me, sharp, deep, sudden. My breath hitched ever so slightly, but I forced myself to breathe, to push past the suffocating weight pressing down on my chest.For so long, I had wondered
Maya, however, chuckled lightly, the sound as artificial as the diamonds glistening in her ears. "Oh, Emily herself is already annoying enough," she mused, her eyes gleaming. "I did hear something rather interesting, though. Apparently, Damian has been searching for someone, his childhood first love." She tilted her head, her gaze locking onto mine. "Maybe he just thinks Emily looks like her."Her words were not spoken in hushed tones. They were meant to be heard, meant to draw a reaction, meant to make me falter.I did not.Instead, I reached for my fork, cutting through the delicate piece of fish on my plate, tasting the citrus glaze with an appreciative nod. "The ingredients are lovely," I said simply, directing my words to Damian and his grandfather, who sat nearby. Damian smiled, nodding in agreement, and his grandfather gave a pleased chuckle.Maya’s smile tightened.The rest of the night continued in a blur of laughter, music, and speeches. I played my role well. I smiled when
Emily's POVI still came to the wedding despite my reservations.When Damian’s father personally delivered the invitation, I hesitated for a long time. I could have refused and left all the pain in the past, could have spared myself from the whispers, the lingering stares, the carefully measured pity disguised as politeness. But in the end, I chose to face it. I wanted to prove to everyone that I had moved on.With my hand resting on Damian’s arm, I stepped into the wedding reception with composed steps, my expression indifferent, my spine straight. The murmurs started almost instantly, hushed voices passing from one guest to another like a ripple in still water. I could feel the weight of their gazes, lingering too long before darting away when I met their eyes. Most of them were familiar faces, I had once raised my glass to toast their happiness at their own weddings, just as they had once watched me walk down the aisle toward Louis, believing it was forever. And now, they saw me he
Maya's POVStepping out of the bridal suite once more, I felt reborn. The deep wine-red gown cascaded over my frame, sculpted to perfection, seductive yet elegant, as though it had been woven from the very essence of power itself. The rubies glistening at my neck and wrists caught the light with every movement, perfectly matching the fire in my veins. It was not just a dress. It was a statement. It declared to the world that I was untouchable, that I had won.The moment I stepped outside the main doors, heads turned. My father, Charles, was the first to approach, his expression one of pure admiration. His arms opened, and I stepped into his embrace, inhaling the scent of expensive cologne and success."You are breathtaking," he murmured, pulling back to admire me. "Everything about this night is perfection, and all of it is for you, my beautiful daughter."I beamed, tilting my chin up as if soaking in the admiration. "Thank you, Father. This wedding, this reception, it is beyond anyth
Maya's POVThe reception was a masterpiece.Exactly as I’d imagined it—a golden haze blanketing the estate as the sun dipped low in the sky, casting everything in that soft, glowing light you can’t fake. Rows of champagne flutes sparkled like diamonds, the scent of roses wafting through the warm air, mingling with hints of truffle, seared lamb, and other delicacies I had hand-selected from a Michelin-starred tasting.People were talking about it already. I could hear it in the way they murmured as they arrived, the way their eyes widened at the floral arch, the way their compliments grew more effusive with each course. This wasn’t just a reception—it was the event. The kind of thing high society would whisper about for years.Louis and I stood at the entrance like royalty, arms elegantly linked as guests floated toward us with their congratulations and over-the-top gifts. I wanted every single one of them on display—glinting under the chandeliers in the grand salon like trophies. Proo
Emily's POVLouis wasted no time. He pulled her into his arms, pressing a lingering kiss against her temple before resting his forehead against hers. “Finally,” he murmured, his breath warm against her skin. “It’s over. We’re married.”Maya smiled, resting her hands on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath the crisp fabric of his tuxedo. “Yes,” she whispered. “And it was perfect.”His lips curled into a soft grin as he kissed her once more. “I can’t believe we actually made it through the day.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “Now we can start our new life together. Just us and the baby.”At the mention of their child, Maya’s fingers tightened against his jacket. Their baby. The ultimate symbol of her victory. She had everything. Louis, their marriage, their child.She let out a pleased hum, tilting her head to look at herself in the full-length mirror. Louis wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, and she sighed in contentment. She wasn’t showing yet, thank Go