Chapter 5: Dangerous Temptations

"Put on the red dress," Damian ordered without looking up from his phone. His tone was clipped, leaving no room for argument.

I crossed my arms. "I’m wearing the black one."

His gaze flicked to me, sharp and unyielding. "You’ll wear what I told you to wear. This isn’t a request, Naomi."

My lips pressed into a thin line, but I held his glare. "If you're so desperate to control everything, maybe you should have married a robot instead."

A flicker of something dark flashed in his eyes. "Careful, Naomi. I can make your life a lot more difficult than it already is."

"Is that a threat or just your charming personality?" I shot back, my voice steady despite the knot tightening in my stomach.

He exhaled sharply, tucking his phone into his pocket. "Fine. Wear a black dress. But you'd better be on my arm the entire night. I don't need another scandal."

"Trust me, I’d rather be anywhere but with you," I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," I said sweetly, flashing a saccharine smile.

We rode to the charity gala in tense silence. The luxury car smelled of leather and Damian’s intoxicating cologne. I kept my gaze fixed on the glittering city lights outside the window, ignoring the heavy weight of his presence beside me.

The gala venue was breathtaking—crystal chandeliers casting a warm glow over elegantly dressed guests. Damian’s grip on my arm was possessive as we entered, his smile a polished mask for the cameras.

"Smile," he muttered through clenched teeth.

I forced my lips into a strained curve, feeling like a prop in his perfectly curated image.

Whispers rippled through the crowd as we made our way to the center of the room. I caught snippets of conversation—words like "unexpected match" and "poor substitute" cutting through the elegant music. My chest tightened, but I lifted my chin, refusing to let their judgment break me.

A familiar voice stopped me cold.

"Naomi."

I turned, my heart plummeting. Evan Reid stood before me, looking devastatingly handsome in a tailored suit. His smile was wolfish, his eyes gleaming with calculated charm.

"Lovely to see you again," he said smoothly, ignoring Damian’s glare.

"Evan," I managed, my voice strained.

Damian's grip on my arm tightened. "What the hell are you doing here, Reid?"

"Supporting a good cause, of course," Evan said, his tone dripping with mock innocence. "Isn't that what we're all here for?"

"Stay away from my wife," Damian warned, his voice low and dangerous.

Evan's gaze flickered to me, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Your wife doesn't seem to need a bodyguard. But then again, appearances can be deceiving, can't they?"

Before Damian could respond, Evan leaned closer to me, his voice a whisper meant only for my ears. "We need to talk. Alone."

Panic flared in my chest. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Oh, I think there is," he said softly. "Meet me on the terrace in ten minutes. Unless you enjoy being Damian's puppet."

I swallowed hard, my mind racing.

Damian pulled me closer, his eyes narrowing. "What did he say to you?"

"Nothing important," I lied, forcing a casual shrug.

His jaw clenched. "Stay away from him, Naomi. I'm warning you."

I nodded, but my heart was in turmoil.

The terrace was quiet, the cool night air a welcome contrast to the stifling atmosphere inside. I found Evan leaning against the railing, a smug smile on his face.

"You came," he said, sounding pleased.

"Make it quick," I snapped. "What do you want?"

He straightened, his expression turning serious. "Damian is a sinking ship, Naomi. His enemies are circling, and it’s only a matter of time before he goes down."

I crossed my arms. "Why should I care?"

"Because when he falls, he'll take you down with him."

I laughed bitterly. "That's assuming I'm even on his ship to begin with."

Evan stepped closer, his voice low and persuasive. "Help me, Naomi. Give me the information I need to destroy him, and I'll set you free. No more arranged marriage, no more living under his thumb."

I stared at him, my heart pounding. The offer was tempting, dangerously so. But despite everything, I couldn't bring myself to betray Damian.

"You're wasting your time," I said coldly. "I'm not a traitor."

He sighed, shaking his head. "You're loyal to a man who will never see you as anything more than a substitute. Think about that."

Before I could respond, the terrace door swung open.

Damian stood there, his expression thunderous.

"What the hell is going on here?" he demanded.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Evan beat me to it.

"Just a friendly chat," he said smoothly. "Right, Naomi?"

Damian's eyes burned into mine. "Is that true?"

I hesitated, knowing that any answer would only fuel his suspicions.

Evan smirked. "I'll let you two lovebirds sort this out. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

As he walked away, Damian's gaze never left me.

"You're hiding something from me, Naomi," he said quietly. "And I swear I'll find out."

Back inside the gala, the tension between us was palpable. Damian kept a possessive hand on my back, his eyes scanning the room for threats. I was too rattled to care.

"Come dance with me," he ordered.

I blinked. "What?"

"Now."

He didn't wait for a response, pulling me onto the dance floor as a slow song began to play.

I stumbled, but he caught me, his grip firm.

"You don’t get to humiliate me in front of Reid," he growled.

"I didn’t—"

"Save it," he cut me off. "I know what I saw."

"You're paranoid," I shot back. "Evan cornered me. I didn’t ask for any of this."

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled me closer, his movements surprisingly fluid as he led me across the floor. The heat between us was undeniable, despite the anger simmering just beneath the surface.

My breath caught as his hand slid to the small of my back. For a moment, I forgot where we were, lost in the intensity of his gaze.

"Naomi," he murmured, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it.

"What?" I whispered.

He opened his mouth to speak, but a commotion near the entrance drew our attention. Gasps rippled through the crowd as a security guard rushed toward Damian.

"Sir, we have a situation," the guard said urgently.

Damian’s expression darkened. "What is it?"

"It’s your office," the guard said grimly. "There's been a break-in."

My heart dropped.

Damian's eyes flicked to me, suspicion flaring once again.

"What do you know about this?" he demanded.

"Nothing," I insisted, panic rising in my chest.

His gaze was ice-cold. "We’ll see about that."

Without another word, he grabbed my hand, dragging me toward the exit. The air crackled with unresolved tension as the crowd whispered behind us.

As we approached the waiting car, Damian's phone buzzed. He answered it with a sharp, "What?"

I watched as his expression shifted from anger to disbelief.

"When?" he barked.

The voice on the other end was muffled, but whatever they said made Damian's knuckles turn white.

He ended the call abruptly, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Damian, what's going on?" I asked, my voice shaking.

He turned to me, his words laced with cold accusation.

"We've been betrayed."