"Naomi," the lawyer's voice crackled through the phone. "There's only one way to sever Damian's ties to Charlotte completely."I paused my heart racing, my mind swirling with what he might say next. A part of me had been dreading this moment, the moment where I would be asked to make a choice that would shatter everything I knew."Expose Charlotte's biggest secret," the lawyer continued, his tone low and serious. "If you do this, you'll free Damian. But be warned—this could destroy her. And it could put you in grave danger."My stomach churned. I could already feel the weight of the decision pressing down on me, heavy and suffocating. Charlotte's secret. What could it be? What could possibly be so devastating that it would make Damian's ties to her disappear forever?I swallowed, trying to steady my breath. "What secret? What are you talking about?"There was a pause, a long one before he spoke again. "She's been hiding something. Something that, if revealed, could ruin her reputation
"Naomi, wait."I stopped, turning slowly at the sound of Olivia’s voice. She was still in the hallway, holding a file in her hands. My heart skipped a beat as I watched her approach, the urgency in her steps mirroring my own sense of dread. Every part of me screamed that this wasn’t good."Is it true?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Olivia glanced at the file she held, then back to me, her expression tight. "I don’t know yet. But we need to find out."I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on my chest. For days, I’d been trying to ignore the growing possibility that Damian had another child—one he didn’t know about, one who could shatter everything between us.She handed me the file. My hands trembled as I flipped it open. The picture inside was of a young girl, no older than seven. A familiar feeling coursed through me as I stared at her—the deep brown eyes, the curve of her cheek, the way she carried herself in a way that reminded me so much of Da
I could feel the weight of the envelope in my hands, heavier than I ever expected an ordinary piece of paper to be. Damian’s fingers brushed mine, his grip warm and reassuring. He hadn’t said a word, but I knew he was just as anxious as I was. This wasn’t just any envelope. This was the confirmation we’d been waiting for, the moment that would change everything.“Do you think…” I started, but the words didn’t feel right. How could I even ask if Bella was really his? The possibility seemed too surreal.He squeezed my hand gently, his presence a silent promise that no matter what the test said, we would face it together. His jaw clenched in that familiar way, his brow furrowing slightly as if he were preparing for some inevitable blow.“Let’s open it,” he said quietly, his voice steady but with a hint of tension that didn’t escape me.I took a deep breath and tore open the envelope, pulling out the single sheet of paper inside. My hands trembled as I unfolded it, the words glaring at me
"You're nothing to me," Damian’s voice rang out in the otherwise quiet room. His eyes locked onto Charlotte’s, fierce and unyielding. He took a step forward, his presence overwhelming. "You never had a claim over me."I stood in the doorway, unsure of how to react. Damian's fury seemed to rip through the air, and I couldn’t help but feel a wave of guilt crash over me. But as I looked at Charlotte, trembling in her seat, I knew the truth had come, and there was no escaping it.Charlotte stood frozen, her gaze flickering between Damian and the envelope in her hands. She had come to the office this morning, trying to maintain some semblance of control. But now, her composure was slipping, and the walls she had built around herself were crumbling faster than I ever thought possible."What do you mean?" Charlotte's voice quivered, but there was still a hint of defiance in her tone. She wasn’t ready to give up, not yet.Damian clenched his fists at his sides, and I felt the tension in the a
The warmth of the Italian sun kissed my skin, a stark contrast to the icy reality I’d left behind. We were in a small villa on the outskirts of Rome, far from the chaos, far from the people who had played their cruel games with our lives. For once, I didn’t have to be anyone’s pawn. I didn’t have to worry about betrayals, threats, or schemes that twisted our lives like a tangled web. All I had to do was breathe, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to.I sat by the window of the bedroom, the sheer curtains blowing gently with the breeze as I gazed out at the terracotta rooftops that stretched across the city. The streets below buzzed with life, but up here, all was calm and serene. It almost felt too perfect.Damian stepped into the room, his presence as commanding as ever, though today, there was something softer in his eyes. He walked over to where I was sitting, leaning against the window frame."Naomi," he said, his voice low, like he was about to sha
“Get down!” Damian’s voice cracks through the air like thunder, harsh and commanding. I barely register his words before he pushes me behind him, his broad frame shielding me from the danger that’s just erupted around us. The sharp crack of gunfire shatters the night, and the glass beside us shatters, sending shards flying through the air. My heart pounds against my chest, and for a split second, I forget to breathe.I can feel the rapid beat of his heart as he presses me into his side, his arm around me, holding me close, like I’m the most precious thing in the world. But everything else around us is chaos. Guards rush in from every angle, their guns drawn, shouting commands into their earpieces. The sound of footsteps, the clang of metal on stone—it’s a blur.“Stay down!” Damian orders, his voice low and urgent, like a command, not a plea. He crouches beside me, keeping me protected, his body a wall between me and the danger.The room is filled with tension, and I can hear my pulse
“Damian, no,” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath, “this is insane. We can’t fight them like this.”He stood in front of me, fists clenched, his eyes narrowed in determination. “We have to, Naomi. I won’t let them destroy everything we’ve fought for.”I shook my head, desperate to reach him, to pull him from the edge of whatever dark plan he was hatching. “We can’t play their game, Damian. It’s too dangerous. They’ll stop at nothing.”“They already have.” His voice was ice, his gaze piercing through me as though I were the enemy, but I knew the pain behind it. “Charlotte’s family won’t stop until they’ve buried me—and us—into the ground. I’m not going to let them get away with it.”I stepped closer, my heart pounding against my chest. “If we fight, we fight together. There’s no us if we’re divided, Damian.”His eyes softened, just for a moment. It was the first time in days that I saw the man who had married me—the man who had once tried to protect me. The cold, ruthless billi
The clanging of the metal door echoed like a death sentence as I was pushed into the cold, sterile cell. My breath caught in my throat, the weight of my situation crashing down on me all at once. "Naomi Hayes," the officer had said, her voice devoid of any empathy as she slapped the cuffs on me. "You're under arrest for the attempted murder of Damian Cross."I wanted to scream, to lash out at the absurdity of it all, but I could only stand there, shaking. My hands trembled, my heart beating wildly in my chest.Damian. My mind raced to him. He couldn’t be far. He wouldn’t let them do this to me."Naomi," a soft voice called out from the door. I turned to see Olivia, her eyes wide with worry, her lips parted in shock. She was the last person I expected to see here, but I was grateful for her presence."Olivia..." I croaked, my voice barely a whisper. "They’re trying to lock me away for something I didn’t do.""I know," she said, stepping into the cell and wrapping her arms around me, pu
"Damian, we can’t let them win!" I gasped, my heart racing in my chest as I clutched his arm, feeling the heat of the battle that surrounded us. The walls of the underground compound trembled from the force of explosions echoing from above, a sure sign that Julian's men were pushing harder than ever to bring us to our knees.Damian’s jaw was set, his eyes hard as stone. His grip tightened on my hand, a silent promise that we would fight until our last breath. "I’m not letting you go. Not now, not ever. We’ll fight, Naomi. Together."I swallowed the lump in my throat. His determination was fierce, but so was the looming threat. We had come so far, only for Julian to come knocking on our door once more, intent on destroying everything. But this time, it was different. This time, we weren’t backing down.The compound was a fortress, and Julian’s men were relentless, trying to tear through every layer of protection Damian had put in place. We had our people, but even they were struggling
The pain is unbearable. But as I clutch Damian's hand, the world feels like it's shrinking to just the two of us. He’s there, by my side, just like he promised. His face is etched with concern, but his eyes... those eyes are full of resolve.“I won’t let anything happen to you, Naomi,” he murmurs, his voice steady despite the chaos around us. “This is the start of everything—our new life.”I close my eyes for a moment, trying to focus on his words rather than the pain coursing through me. My mind races. The baby. We were supposed to be safe here, in the hospital. It should have been a moment of joy, not this.But then I hear it—footsteps pounding down the hallway. The unmistakable sound of shouting. I blink in confusion, unable to comprehend what’s happening.“What’s going on?” I gasp, trying to sit up.Damian’s grip tightens on my hand, and I can see the tension in his jaw. “Stay down, Naomi. Stay calm. I’ll protect you.”Before I can respond, the door to my hospital room bursts open
"Damian!" I gasped, clutching my stomach. My heart pounded as the pain surged through me, sharper than anything I had ever felt before. My hands trembled as I gripped the side of the car, my breath coming in rapid bursts."Stay with me, Naomi. You’re going to be okay." Damian's voice was calm, despite the panic in his eyes. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, speeding toward the hospital.I winced again, the pain intensifying, and I heard Damian’s breath catch. "We’re almost there. Just breathe, love. Just breathe." His words were a whisper, but they were like a lifeline to me. The world outside the car blurred into nothingness as the world inside felt too much to bear.I had never thought this would be how I would bring our child into the world—rushed to a hospital in the middle of the night, my body betraying me with the sharp pains of labor far too soon. I had so many questions, so many fears, but none of them mattered at this moment. The only thing that mattered was Damian, and
"Naomi, wait. Please." Damian's voice was a low, pleading whisper as I moved to the edge of the living room, my eyes refusing to meet his. He reached for my arm, his hand warm, but I flinched at the touch."You have no idea how hard it is for me, Damian." My voice cracked, and I bit down on my lip, struggling to hold back the tears. The weight of everything—the betrayal, the lies, the lies about us—felt like a heavy cloak I couldn’t shake off. "Every time I look at you, I see the man who… who’s responsible for so much pain. I’m not sure I can forgive you."Damian’s eyes darkened, and for a split second, the cold, arrogant billionaire I had married seemed to resurface. But then it faded, replaced by a man I barely recognized—a man vulnerable and broken, just as much as I was."Naomi…" He moved closer, his fingers grazing my arm, sending a shiver through me. "I don’t expect you to forgive me right away. But I need you to know that I’m not that man anymore. I was lost. But now, I see eve
I couldn’t look at him. Not after everything that had happened. Damian was standing there, trying to be strong, but I could see the cracks in his facade. His empire had crumbled. His pride had been shattered. And, worst of all, I was the one he had risked everything for.“You don’t need to do this,” I whispered, my voice hoarse, barely audible above the sounds of the distant chaos outside. The walls of our once-pristine home were now nothing more than a shell of what they had been, their marble floors cracked, their golden chandeliers missing, their walls bare of the opulent art that had once adorned them.Damian’s footsteps echoed in the silent room, the sound of his approach almost too heavy for me to bear. He knelt in front of me, his dark eyes intense, focused. “I will rebuild it all, Naomi. For you. For us.”I recoiled from his touch, not because I didn’t want him, but because I knew the cost of this fight. The cost of what it would mean for him to continue down this path. “I’m b
"Damian, you don’t have to do this," I whisper, the ropes tight around my wrists, cutting into my skin as I struggle against them. Fear has taken root in my chest, but I won't show it. Not in front of Julian. His smirk only grows at my attempts to defy my circumstances, at my resistance."Naomi, you don’t get it, do you?" Damian’s voice is hoarse, his hands trembling slightly as they rest at his sides, helpless. He looks at me with wide eyes, a man on the edge of losing everything. His entire empire has been ripped from under him, and now here we are, his greatest test—me. "He’ll take everything, Naomi. Everything I’ve worked for. And worse, he’ll take you. I can’t let that happen."Julian, standing in the corner with his arms crossed, doesn’t even flinch. "You can’t have it both ways, Damian. You want her? Fine. But it’ll cost you everything. Your precious empire. Your fortune. Your reputation. Everything you’ve ever known."I meet Damian’s eyes. There’s so much I want to say. So muc
"Naomi, wait!" Damian's voice was urgent as I stepped away, my mind reeling from everything that had happened. The bomb—thank God—was defused just in time. But the damage... the emotional damage? That was already done.I turned, my heart heavy, my thoughts scattered. The weight of the situation had crushed me. Julian’s manipulations, his games, had already taken their toll. His words were like poison, and I had swallowed every drop. My loyalty to Damian, the love I thought we shared, had been shattered."Naomi, please," Damian continued, his voice raw with something I couldn't quite place. Desperation? Fear? Or maybe even... love?He stepped forward, reaching for my hand, but I pulled away, shaking my head. "Damian, I... I don't know anymore."The look in his eyes—painful, vulnerable—tore at my heart. He was broken, just like me. We were both walking through this battlefield of love and betrayal, and it felt like we were losing."I can't believe Julian did this to us," I whispered, my
"You think you can fight me, Naomi? You think Damian can protect you from me?" Julian's voice was cold, filled with venom. He stood across from me in the dimly lit room, his dark eyes burning with hatred.I stood tall, refusing to show any weakness. My heart raced, but my resolve was clear. "You’ll never have him. He’s mine," I said, my voice steady, even though a storm churned inside me. The man in front of me was dangerous, but I had something he could never take—Damian's love, his trust, his heart.Julian's lips curled into a twisted smile. "If I can’t have you, no one will. And that includes Damian." His words hit me like a slap, but I didn’t flinch. I couldn’t. Not when everything was on the line.Damian stood beside me, his presence a solid wall of strength. His jaw was tight, his fists clenched. The war with Julian had escalated to new heights. This wasn't just about business anymore; it was about everything we’d built—our future, our love, and our survival. And Julian was dete
"Naomi, you lied to me?" Damian's voice cuts through the air like a blade, his eyes dark with betrayal. The words sting more than I could have imagined. I’ve been trying to hold it all together for so long, but this—this is a moment I never thought I’d face.I swallow hard, trying to steady myself as I feel the weight of his accusation settle between us. I hadn’t meant to lie, but in this twisted world of deceit and danger, I’d hidden truths to protect him. To protect us."Damian," I begin, my voice shaky. "I never wanted to hurt you. I—""Then why, Naomi? Why would you keep something like this from me?" His grip tightens around my wrist, and I wince at the pain, but I can’t bring myself to pull away."Because I thought—" I stop myself, realizing how foolish my reasoning sounds now. "I thought if you knew, it would destroy us both. I was trying to protect you."His gaze softens, just slightly, but the hurt is still there. "From what? From the truth? Naomi, we can’t survive without hon