Chapter 33Unraveling SchemesDamien(Flashback_Six months ago) The day had started well enough, I'd just come out of the shower, the cold stillness of the house another Stark remainder of Elena's absence. Forget it, I snapped at myself in self reproach. She was gone and that was it. End of story.I'd just worn my trousers when my cell phone beeped suddenly, snapping me to the present. My eyes narrowed when I saw Clara's name flashing on the screen. Clara never called me if it wasn't important, what was so important she couldn't wait for me to get to the office first? I wondered, glancing at the clock. “There's an emergency, Sir,” Clara's voice was on edge and her words instantly made my nerves tense. “What happened?” I demanded, I put the phone on speaker and sped up my dressing. “The stocks we launched just last week are plummeting, and…” Clara hesitated, “There's something you need to deal with right here.” I felt a ball of ice freeze up my insides. “I’ll be there in twe
Chapter 34The Place Where Paths DivergedDamienJane's proposal weighed on my mind all through the day, even when I was driving back home. The chance of going to manage her company wasn't a chance many would get. Harrington Enterprises had since become a renowned and well placed company in the business world. Jane had steered away from publicity so not much was known about her, she was hardly even seen. Her proposal would mean a fresh start for next but I couldn't shake off the feeling that accepting her proposal felt like I was surrendering. What would Father say? I wondered, an image of Father's stoic face appeared in my head. He'd call me a coward I thought, sighing slowly.I was absent minded when I got home, mechanically taking off my clothes and taking a shower before I changed into something more comfortable.I'd just plopped down on a couch in the living room when my cell phone rang, breaking the silence. “Hello?” I spoke slowly, my voice flat. “Hello sir,” a voice spo
Chapter 35Nervous EnergyElena (Present_Time) This wasn’t happening I thought, nearly staggering. It couldn’t be. Only that, it was. “You're joking right?” I whispered, still shocked at Damien's words. “Quite the contrary, I'm not,” Damien smiled but the smile didn't reach his eyes. “Me?” I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper. The weight of the situation seemed to dawn on me afresh. “I… I thought—”“Enough, Elena,” Damien interrupted me. He glanced at his watch, “No one knows the proposal better than you. It's time,” Damien rose to his feet. My heart lurched in my chest and I squeezed my hands together as nervousness wreaked havoc in my system. ,“Calm down Elena,” Damien paused in front of me and his calm steady eyes met mine, searching. Could I even calm down? Could I? My pulse quickened and a ball of panic loosened in my belly. I was going to present the proposal before the whole board, a few external supervisors, and their opinions could make or break the
Chapter 36The CEO's PetElena The next day at work felt different from the moment I set foot in the company, the stares from the other employees felt different. They saw me back then, but I felt like they were really seeing me now. I'd been given a new office, on Damien's orders. Till now I couldn't believe he'd made me his personal assistant for the Houston project. Easy now, Elena, I warned myself. I had to stay alert at all times, working in such close proximity with Damien was never going to be an easy thing. All this was because he still believed I'd lost my memory, one wrong move and everything would be gone.I unpacked my bag, taking out the unfinished revised proposal I'd worked on all night. Damien hadn't selected who the new members of the team would be so for now I was doing all the work. I'd painstakingly gone through every single text, every single figure in the proposal looking for any loopholes. I assumed Damien would make me present the revised part to the boa
Chapter 37 He's A SavageElena My mind was a whirlpool of emotions by the time I arrived at Mike Lipton’s office. His office was an old high-rise building just off the road leading towards Chinatown. The elevator was out of order so I was forced to use the stairs. By the time I arrived at the office on the sixth floor I was breathing hard and I could feel my shirt sticking to my back. What kind of investor couldn't invest in a functioning elevator? I grumbled under my breath. I recognized his assistant who rose to her feet as I approached. “I'd like to see Mr. Mike please,” I went straight to the point. “Well,” she hesitated, unsure if she was going to speak. “Is Mr. Mike not in?” I asked, glancing at my watch, and frustration filled me. “He is, it's—” “I have an appointment with him,” I frowned, wondering why she'd kept on prattling. “Okay,
Chapter 38 A Different Shade Of Him Elena My heart was in my throat when the door slammed open with a force that rattled the walls. “Do you want to die?” Damien's roar shook the walls as he strode in, his expression changed drastically when he spotted us through the open bathroom door. Before I could blink he'd crossed the room and jerked Mike away from me. “Get your hands off—” Mike struggled to get rid of Damien's grip but his words were cut short as Damien punched him in the face. “Damn you,” Damien's moves were nothing like an inexperienced fighter, his every move was aimed at the vitals. Mike didn't stand a chance, within moments he was beaten to a pulp. But Damien didn't stop. “Damien stop,” I yelled, trying to hold his hands but it was as if he'd been possessed, his blows were unceasing. Mike had stopped struggling, his entire face was bloody. He looked like he might breathe his last at any moment. “Damien,” I yelled, my face wet with tears. It was then th
Chapter 39Conflicted HeartsElena“Wait, you mean he actually did that?” Jenna's voice was filled with disbelief at my words. “He cut off ties with the guy? That's huge,” Jenna's surprise mirrored mine. “I know,” I said, my mind still at a standstill since I'd seen the news all over TV. “Are you okay, Elena?” Jenna asked, lowering her voice. “Like are you really okay? How do you feel?” “I…” I hesitated, instantly pressing down some memories that threatened to rear their ugly head. “I'm better,” I finally said, sinking into the couch. Jenna's silence didn't feel believable, “I was really worried, Elena,” she whispered. “And what's going on between you and your boss?” Jenna asked. “He's doing an awful lot for you, it's crazy.” “Dami— I mean, he's like that,” I said. An image of Damien beating the shit out of Mike appeared in my head. “Is something going on between you two?” Jenna asked carefully. “I—” the words I'd been about to say lodged in my throat and I paused. Memories
Chapter 40Unraveling TiesElena“Okay, that's enough Elena,” Jenna seemed to have reached the limit of her patience. I'd just told her that I wasn't going to be coming home for the meantime. “I can't just sit here and do nothing, Elena,” she argued, “let me come see you.” “Jenna,” I sighed even as her concern touched me. “Don't worry, I'm—” “Stop it,” Jenna snapped, cutting me off. “I can't stay here, telling Lily you're okay when I haven't laid my eyes on you. I have to see you,” Jenna said, basically not giving me any other choice. “I…” I sighed, slowly nodding my head. “Alright Jenna, I'll text you the address now.” Jenna sure must've sped to get here or my mind was playing tricks on me. Jenna took less than an hour to get here. “Elena,” her eyes scanned me over the moment I opened the door and I saw the relief that flooded her features. I felt slightly guilty for making her so worried. “You look better,” she forced a smile, staring at me closely. “But you still look like
Chapter: 64: Family ElenaI just got off a call with Jenna and Lily when I realized I had nothing appropriate to wear.I turned to face Damien who was now standing by the kitchen counter. “What am I supposed to wear? I can’t go out in my work clothes,” I said just as the door bell rang. “They are here,” he said, as though he was expecting someone. “Who is here?” I questioned.“Your clothes,” he responded while I gave him a confused look. “I ordered something for you to wear,” he added, heading to the door to receive the package.“You don’t even know the size I wear.”“I’m not blind Elena, plus my hands have been around your body more than once,” he said, a grin placed on his face.“I think that makes me qualified enough to tell what size of clothes you wear,” he added, handing the package to me.“Go try it on and let me know if you like it,” he said, placing a kiss on my forehead. I couldn’t help but ask. “Why, why are you doing all this?” “Buying you clothes?”“Damien, you know
Chapter: 63: Where You Belong ElenaRing,Ring.Alarm noises filled the air waking me up from sleep. I don’t have an alarm, so why was I being woken up by one?I fluttered my eyes open as a pang of headache hit me. “Ahh,” I winced. Panic bubbled in my chest as I took in my surroundings. “What the hell.”I sat up quickly, my head spinning in the process. Think, Elena. Think.Bits and pieces of the night before made their way through my mind which only meant I was at Damien’s house. But why was I naked? “Did he? Did we,” confusion set in. I hadn’t gone all the way yet with Damien, and quite frankly I wasn’t ready too.The door creaked open, and I held my breath.A tall shirtless Damien stepped in. “You’re finally awake,” his voice came in smooth and calm, a stark contrast to how I felt on the inside. “What did you do to me?” “Where are my clothes?” I questioned annoyance etched on my face.“Whoa, whoa slow down Elena,” he said gesturing with his hands for me to calm down. “One
Chapter: 62: A Dangerous GameElenaThe alcohol was yet to kick in so I was still aware of my surroundings and could still speak normally. We kept walking in the cool night air without Damien saying a word. It was unsettling how he could be so silent while my mind was spinning with thoughts.“Are we going somewhere?” I asked, breaking the silence.He didn’t answer.I huffed. “What about the business you wanted to talk about?”Still nothing.I frowned, my steps starting to falter. “How long are we going to be walking for? I’m tired.”I exhaled sharply. “Won’t you at least say something?” I kept bombarding him with questions.“Why—,” left my mouth before he cut me off.“You talk a lot for someone who claims to be tired,” he finally spoke, amusement flicking in his eyes.“Well— my leg hurts not my mouth,” I shot back. His lips curved into a smirk. “So are you asking that I carry you?”I hesitated for a moment. ‘He wasn’t serious, was he?’ I thought, peeking at him from the corner of m
Chapter: 61:Unplanned Encounters Elena With a click of the door. Nothing, nothing happens “I locked the door when I came in,” Damien whispers in my ear. Relief at the sound of his words washed over me but it was short lived as Ethan’s voice came through. “Elena I know you’re in there, lunch break is going to be over soon.” We usually ate together during lunch breaks so it’s not surprising that he came looking for me. “Damien,” I whispered giving him a look that needed no explanation. “I’m coming Ethan,” I said awkwardly but loud enough to be heard outside the door. We both arranged our clothes, well mostly mine. Damien helped me, his fingers brushing against my skin wiping away the bodily fluids—the lingering traces of our intimacy. We were now both good as new for the most part. “I’ll see you later,” Damien said to only my hearing as I opened the door. It was hard to miss the surprised look on Ethan’s face. Damien paid him no mind walking past him
Chapter: 60: longing for? Elena It’s been a few days since my make out session with Damien, I had tried avoiding him but that only made him want to get closer, and one way or the other we ended up being around each other. Whether it was in his office or mine, there was always a reason to be in the same space. Meetings, reports, last-minute approval, anything that required our interaction seemed to stretch longer than necessary. But that wasn’t all, I had found myself after work being driven home by him. I was now expecting to see his car waiting for me at the end of the day. The car rides were nothing close to a silent ride. We had talked so much, probably longer than we ever did throughout our marriage. He never asked if I needed a ride, he simply assumed I would take it. And what was worse? I let him. He felt different now. There was no denying the shift between us. I sighed, lost in thought as I turned the corner in the office hallway, barely paying attention to wh
Chapter 59: Uninvited Encounters Elena My mornings at Harrington Enterprises were with usual routine, except for the anxiety that always came with knowing I’d have to face Damien. Still, I had chosen to suppress it, to mask it beneath professionalism and composure. Today, however, something felt…off. A strange sense of unease crawled up my spine as I got dressed for work, but I didn’t want to focus on it. I arrived at the company building, walking through the familiar glass doors, my heels clicking softly against the tiled floors. But the moment I stepped into the elevator, my chest tightened. Sophia. She stood there, looking effortlessly beautiful in a fitted white dress, her long chestnut hair cascading over her shoulders. My eyes met her blue ones, and she smiled, the kind of smile that held more meaning than it should. “Good morning, Elena,” she greeted, stepping further inside as if this was her space. I smiled back giving her a curt nod. “Sophia.” The elev
Chapter 58Undeniable TruthElena The ride home was dead silent, I didn't notice the death grip I had on the steering wheel. Damien's last words to me at the briefing kept echoing in my head, as did images of his cold detached expression when he'd walked past me. “You disappoint me.” His words pierced into me even then and I felt the knots in my belly tighten. I shouldn't think about this I thought, shaking my head but the thoughts lingered, like a weight I couldn't shake off. I felt a wave of exhaustion flood me when I finally got home, it was late already but the house lights were still on, meaning Jenna was up. I felt a pang of guilt at the thought of her having to pick Lily up from school and tuck her in after work. “Elena?” Jenna called out the moment I walked in, her voice faintly cheery. “It's me,” I said, forcing a smile. “Hey.” Jenna was busy at her laptop, her hands dancing above the keyboard as she clicked away. “What's wrong?” Jenna's sharp gaze saw
Chapter 57Overt PloyElena What was Sophie doing here? The question remained with me when I walked back to my office, unanswered questions filling my mind. I couldn't help the faint jealousy that sprang up when I'd spotted Sophia walking out of Damien's office, were they back together? I wondered, or had they always been together? Perhaps the only good thing that'd happened was Damien promising to take care of Connor, I didn't know how but I'd found myself believing him. Perhaps Connor's actions wouldn't pose much of a threat, if Damien was that confident, he probably had a reason for his confidence. I'd just turned the corner when I nearly bumped into a trolley carrying a thick pile of files and some stationeries. “Watch where you're going!” I snapped, my annoyance temporarily spilling over for a moment and I moved aside to let the trolley move past. I was stunned to see another trolley following the first, it was also loaded with some things. Someone was moving? I wondered,
Chapter 56New safetyA gunshot? Luther's blood ran cold and he shivered uncontrollably on the spot, his eyes wide with fear. He must've been daydreaming he thought, but the stinging pain in his eardrums reminded him it wasn't a dream. A scream pierced the air abruptly and despite the closed door, Luther heard it loud and clear. Oh God no! Luther's eyes widened with full-blown shock and his back was drenched in cold sweat. He didn't hesitate to lock the door immediately, his hands were badly shaking and he leaned on the wall beside the door, taking in large gulps of air. His phone suddenly buzzed, startling him and Luther picked up the call without delay. “Hello,” Luther whispered, half scared that someone might listen to him, even now his mind raced with thoughts. “That could've been you just now, Mr. Luther,” the lady's voice spoke over the line, her tone was light and breezy.“Yo—you—” Luther stuttered, words failing him. “You knew—” he trailed off, his tone incredulous. Indee