“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Olivia murmured, flipping through the thick stack of papers with trembling hands. Her gaze flickered from the documents to me, a mix of disbelief and concern clouding her face. “This can’t be real.”I stared at the papers in her hands, my heart pounding. The room was silent except for the soft rustle of the pages. My fingers gripped the edge of the table, but I couldn’t pull my eyes away from the papers that told a story I never expected to hear. Not about Damian. Not about us.Olivia leaned forward, her eyes scanning the final page. “Naomi, look at this,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.I moved closer, ignoring the racing pulse in my neck. My gaze moved over the documents—legal papers, birth certificates, and something that made my chest tighten. A family tree. A name I didn’t recognize. It looked like it had been taken straight from some ancient archive, but it was there, unmistakable.Damian Cross, the billionaire I had married, the man wh
“You’re sure this is true?” I asked, my voice trembling as I stood beside Damian in his private office, staring down at the stack of documents. The truth was unfolding in front of me, but I couldn’t bring myself to believe it. Could this be real?Damian, his expression unreadable, took a slow breath and nodded. “It’s true. My grandfather, Richard Harrington, is from one of the oldest and most powerful families in Europe—the Montagues. They’ve been trying to get me to take back the name, to reclaim what’s rightfully mine. My legacy.”I swallowed hard. My world had always been a whirlwind of wealth and power, but this… this was something entirely different. The Montagues. A name that held more weight than anything I could’ve imagined. And it was Damian’s.“They want me to be the man they’ve always hoped I’d be. The heir to their empire. But I’ve rejected it. I won’t be anyone’s puppet, Naomi,” Damian said, his voice growing steadier with every word.I stood there, trying to process the
"Naomi," Damian's voice is steady, but I can hear the underlying tension. He stands in front of me, tall, his jaw clenched with determination. His eyes—once cold and unforgiving—are now filled with something else. Something that I've only dared to dream of. A deep, unspoken desire to protect.I stand in front of the mirror, adjusting the delicate lace on my wedding dress. It feels heavy. The weight of the moment isn't just in the fabric, but in the storm that’s about to hit us. Our wedding. Our vows. I never expected this to be my life."I won’t run," Damian says, as if reading my mind. "I’ve been running from the truth, from Richard, from Charlotte, from everything that has brought me to this point." His hand reaches out, taking mine gently. "But no more. I’m not backing down. This is our moment. No one will stop us."His grip tightens slightly, and I feel the warmth of his touch seep into me, anchoring me to the reality of what’s about to happen. Despite the chaos, despite the dange
"Naomi! Get down!" Damian's voice sliced through the chaos, pulling me to the floor as a shot rang out. My heart pounded in my chest as I collided with the cold marble, the echo of the gunshot still vibrating through the walls. It all happened so fast—one moment we were standing at the altar, about to declare our vows and the next, the world had exploded into a violent blur.I could feel Damian's body pressed against mine, his arms protective, and instinctual, as he shielded me from whatever was happening. The smell of his cologne, that ever-present scent that had once felt suffocating, now comforted me as I tried to make sense of the devastation unfolding around us."Stay down," Damian growled, his grip tightening around me.My pulse raced as I peeked over his shoulder, trying to understand the source of the violence. The church was in chaos—people screaming, running, some scrambling for cover, others frozen in shock. I could barely make out the figure who had fallen in the center of
"I can't believe she's really gone." My voice was barely a whisper as I stood beside Damian, watching the aftermath of Charlotte’s death unfold. The chaos from the wedding reception still lingered in the air, yet everything felt suffocatingly silent now that the whirlwind of events had calmed.Damian’s hand tightened around mine. His dark eyes, usually cold and unyielding, were softer now—darker with sorrow, but not yet broken. "It wasn't supposed to end this way," he murmured, almost to himself, as if speaking to the ghosts of the past.Charlotte, the woman who had wreaked havoc in our lives, was gone—shot before our eyes, her secrets buried with her. She had been ruthless, and manipulative, but in the end, it was her own betrayal that cost her everything. I couldn't deny the relief that washed over me in her absence, but there was something else—something I couldn’t quite place.“Damian, what do we do now?” I asked, my voice trembling as I looked at the wreckage around us.Damian’s
The morning sun filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the bed. I opened my eyes slowly, my body still heavy from the comfort of sleep. For the first time in a long while, I felt at peace. Damian was beside me, his arm draped lazily over my waist. The steady rise and fall of his chest matched the rhythm of my own heartbeat.I turned toward him, a smile tugging at my lips. His face was peaceful, the usual tension that marked his features absent for now. It was as if, for this brief moment, we were just two people, sharing a quiet morning, free from the weight of our chaotic lives.His eyes fluttered open as I moved slightly, and he caught my gaze. A lazy grin spread across his face, and he pulled me closer, his lips brushing against my forehead.“You look beautiful, Naomi,” he whispered, his voice thick with sleep.“Thank you,” I murmured, my fingers tracing the lines of his jaw. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt more at peace.”Damian’s fingers tangled in my hair a
The sound of the video clicking on echoed in the otherwise silent room. Damian’s fingers hovered over the play button for a moment, and I could feel the tension building between us. My breath caught in my throat, unsure of what was about to unfold. I glanced at him, his jaw clenched, his dark eyes filled with a mixture of anger and disbelief. Whatever was coming, I knew it would shatter the fragile peace we’d fought so hard to build.He pressed play.The screen flickered to life, and a man appeared in front of us. He looked... just like Damian. Same sharp features. Same dark eyes. Same jawline that had been the cause of my sleepless nights, both in awe and terror. The only difference was that this man’s face was slightly softer and younger, and there was an undeniable anger simmering in his eyes."Damian Cross," the man said, his voice low, cold, and filled with disdain. "You don’t know me, but I know everything about you. I know who you are, and I know what you’ve done. I am Julian H
“I’ll meet him. Alone.”Damian’s voice was a cold command as he turned away from the surveillance screen. His jaw clenched, his eyes hard. I could tell by the way he said it that he wasn’t asking, and he certainly didn’t want my opinion. His decision had been made long before the words left his mouth.“Damian, this is madness,” I said, my voice trembling with the weight of everything at stake. “We don’t know who this Julian is. He could be a threat—he’s the one who’s been feeding Evan all those insider secrets. This could be a trap.”Damian glanced over his shoulder, his gaze briefly softening. “I know. But I need to face him. If this is what it takes to stop the lies, then I’ll do it. No one controls me—not Evan, not Julian. Not even you.”I bit my lip, frustration rising in my chest. “But you’re not invincible,” I said softly. “You’re not alone anymore.”He didn’t reply immediately, just turned back toward the door. I stood frozen for a moment, unable to move, my heart racing in my
"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