Chapter Nineteen: UnravelsDamian's POVThe first morning rays peeked through the curtains as Damian sat amidst the dull glow of his private office. He hadn't slept, not even for a second. The happenings of the past night replayed in his mind like a broken record. The look on Lena's face, her tears, her accusations… they haunted him.He fisted his hands as he stared blankly at the half-empty glass of whiskey on the desk. It did nothing to drown his guilt or ease the storm that had been raging inside him."I will fix this," he muttered, mostly to himself. "I have to."A knock at the door broke through his thoughts. His right-hand man, Marco, stepped inside."We caught one of them," Marco said, keeping his voice low and cautious. "He's in the basement."Damian rose at once, his face hardening. "Good. I want answers." newPath Press---Scene 1: The InterrogationThe basement air was damp and cold, a stark contrast to the heated rage inside Damian. Tied to a chair, with his head hanging
Chapter Twenty : Conversation Lena's POVThe sun streams through my window, painting warm streaks of gold across the pale walls. Home. After days in the sterile confines of the hospital, I am finally back within the comfort of my own space-though it doesn't feel as comforting as it should. The events of the last few days replay over and over in my head-the attack, the pain, the overwhelming fear. But through it all, there was Damian. He was always there, a lurking shadow who refused to let go, by my side, so I was never lonely.Even now, standing by the door to my bedroom, I could have sworn he is close enough that I might feel the weight of his protection-the halo of a shield that I never asked for, yet somehow need. My body heals, but my heart is heavier than it has ever been. The questions that gnaw at me aren't answered, and my trust in Damian is very much compromised. Still, his devotion cannot be denied, and it is just that contradiction which spins my head around.Damian has b
Chapter Twenty-One: Confrontation Lena's POV The morning light seeps through the curtains. The gentle warmth is such a stark contrast to the cold knot twisting in my stomach. I hardly slept tonight. Every time I closed my eyes, Bianca's words rang inside my head like a knell of death. Her threats, Damian's hesitation, and it all feels like a jagged blade slicing through whatever fragile trust I had managed to build. I push the blanket aside and swing my legs off the bed, planting my feet on the cold floor. My body aches, but it's nothing compared to the storm raging inside me. The only way forward is through. I have to confront Damian. No more running from the truth. I open my door and step into the hall with trembling hands. The fresh coffee scent fills the air, together with the faint sound of Damian's movements in the kitchen. My heart pounds as I walk towards him, each step heavy with dread and determination. When I finally make it to the kitchen, he's standing by the sto
Chapter Twenty-Two: The Quiet Before the StormLena's POVThe silence between Damian and me had stretched out for what felt like an eternity. I had tried to focus on the mundane, the daily routine that seemed to be the only thing grounding me in this house of chaos. I went through the motions—serving him, staying in the background, pretending like everything was okay when it so clearly wasn’t. But the tension in the air, the unspoken words between us, grew heavier with each passing minute.It wasn’t just Bianca’s presence lingering in the background anymore; it was the weight of my own emotions. The truth of what Damian had said to me, the promise he made to me—it all collided in my mind. But a part of me didn’t know how to feel about it anymore. Was I really willing to allow myself to believe that Damian was finally choosing me over her? Could I even trust him again after everything that had happened?I was still struggling to find my place in his life. I could no longer ignore the c
Chapter Twenty Three : Bianca's TensionLena's POVI could feel my heart pounding in my chest, each beat echoing in my ears as Bianca's cold eyes bored into me. The fragile hope I had allowed myself to feel, those moments with Damian where the world felt softer, kinder, crumbled beneath the weight of her presence.Damian didn't say anything for a moment. His jaw clenched, his hands fisted at his sides, and I could tell he was holding himself back. But Bianca looked like she was enjoying the tension in the room."Bianca, what are you doing?" Damian's voice was low-a warning laced with irritation. "What are you doing here? I thought you are smart enough to understand the situation that you don't just badge into my house anytime you feel like again"She didn't bat an eyelash. Instead, she stepped further into the room, her heels clicking sharply against the tiled floor. "I could ask you the same thing," she said, her tone icy. "You promised me, Damian. Promised me that she-" she jabbed
Chapter Twenty-Four: Alex's Secret ArrivalThe night air was still, the slightest trace of jasmine carried inside on the breeze from the garden. I sat hunched over the kitchen table with my hands clasped, tightly wrapped around the coolness of my now teacup cold cup of tea, I wasn't drinking-it just held it for the Lukewarm presence it did and anchored me. The house was quiet-a dense silence that made every groan of the floorboards, every whisper of the wind, seem amplified. Damian hadn't returned yet, and the tension in my chest had eased just a little, though my thoughts were anything but calm.I stared out the window, the moonlight painting silvery patterns across the grass outside. Damian's face flashed in my mind-his eyes, cold and calculating, yet so unexpectedly gentle at times. The memory of his rare kindness confused me. Was I starting to depend on it? Starting to depend on him?It was a thought that grated on me deeply, but nothing compared with the ache every time I thought
Chapter Twenty-Five: Shifting LoyaltiesThe night after Alex's visit was a blur of restless pacing and whispered prayers. I couldn't shake the look in his eyes or the weight of his words. I'll come back for you. They echoed in my mind like a siren's call, pulling me into a sea of confusion and guilt.But there was no room for guilt in this house. Damian would sense it, just like he sensed every other crack in my armor. And when he did, there would be consequences.The morning sun brought no relief, only a growing sense of dread. I moved through my chores with mechanical precision, careful not to draw any attention to myself. Damian had left early, as he often did, but his presence lingered in the house like a storm cloud.By the time he came back in the afternoon, I was in the kitchen, scrubbing the counters like they would clean the chaos inside my head."Lena," his voice called from the hallway, sharp and commanding.I froze, the sponge falling from my hand. "Yes?" I called out, try
Chapter Twenty - Six : Bianca's DiscoveryEarly morning sun pierced the tall windows of Damian's estate, casting golden rays of light across the floors, now polished to a high shine. I was in the study, dusting the shelves — a chore I had taken to out of habit rather than obligation. Damian had left early that morning, and the house was unusually still, though I knew it wouldn't last.It wasn't until I heard the sharp click of heels on the marble floor that I tensed. Bianca. She had a way of filling any space with an oppressive air, her presence commanding attention whether you wanted it or not."Lena," her voice cut through the quiet like a blade. I turned slowly, already bracing myself for whatever venom she had prepared for me today."Yes, Bianca?" I replied as evenly as possible, laying the duster down.She crossed her arms, leaning against the doorway with that smirk that ran a chill down my spine. "You're awfully distracted these days. Something on your mind? Or should I say… so
Chapter Sicty One ;The Trap is Set(Damian's POV)The air was thick with lies, the kind that seeped into the walls and poisoned everything it touched. Carlos thought he was clever, thought I hadn't noticed the way his eyes stayed a fraction of a second too long when I gave orders, the way his fingers twitched when he returned to me to give his reports, or the subtle tension in his shoulders when Bianca's name was mentioned. But I was not a fool. I had been watching him for days, and now it was time to put an end to this game.I sat in my office, drumming my fingers on the table as I looked at the papers in front of me. At first glance, they were simply business contracts—routes of trade, security provisions, fiscal accounts—but underneath them lay something far more valuable: a finely woven deceit. A deceit that would lead Carlos to his next move.I sat back, exhaling slowly. It wasn't enough to take him by surprise. I needed him to bring me to Bianca. I needed him to believe that he
Chapter Suctu : Betrayal within the Ranks(Damian's POV)The weight of what I had just discovered felt like a knife against my ribs, suffocating me. Bianca was dangerous, but I had underestimated her desperation. She was not acting alone—she had powerful allies, ones that had been hiding in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.I clenched my fists as I scanned the documents laid out before me. The evidence was undeniable. A series of encrypted emails between Bianca and an unknown contact, and transaction records—hundreds of thousands of dollars funneled through offshore accounts. But what ran cold was the final page. A signature.The signature at the bottom gave me the chills.Carlos.My right hand. My most faithful lieutenant. The one I'd had since war, since betrayal, since bloodshed. The man to whom I'd entrusted my life.For what seemed like forever, I just stood there, not wanting to accept it. No, this was some kind of mistake. Someone had signed his name, or pe
Chapter Fifty Nine: Whispers Of BetrayalLena's POVSilence had been her most merciless friend.Lena sat in the dark room, her arms wrapped around her knees as she fought to calm the hurricane brewing within her. Every breath was leaden, every second stretched out endlessly. She was trapped—not physically but also mentally, emotionally. Bianca's ultimatum was a noose around her neck.Either she would have to push Damian aside and shatter his heart, or she would be responsible for his ruin.She shut her eyes, exhaustion gnawing at her. She had not been sleeping well in days. How could she? Every time she allowed herself to close her eyes, she could see Damian's face—the way he regarded her in love, in unbreakable dedication. And now they wanted her to betray that?She swallowed hard. No. She couldn't.But what else could she do?Marcus and Bianca had been methodical in their intimidation, with no way out for her. The only thing they hadn't banked on was the depth of her love for Damian
Chapter Title: The Price of Betrayal(Lena’s POV)The room was silent, yet it felt suffocating. My breath came in slow, measured exhales as I sat on the cold stone floor, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees. My body ached, my wrists raw from the hours of being tied up, and the shadows in the corners of the dimly lit room seemed to shift with an eerie presence. Time had lost all meaning. How long had I been here? A day? Two? More?Hunger clawed at my insides, my throat dry from lack of water, but I refused to break. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me beg. Not Bianca. Not Marcus. No one. The memory of how I got here replayed in my mind like a cruel joke. I had trusted too easily, believed too much, and now, I was paying the price.A loud creak echoed through the room, making me flinch. My eyes darted to the heavy metal door as it swung open, revealing the last person I wanted to see—Bianca.She stepped in, her heels clicking against the stone floor, her expression a
.Chapter Title: The Betrayal UnfoldsDamian’s POVI could feel the weight of the world bearing down on me, more than ever before. The absence of Lena from my life had left a vacuum, an emptiness of a gulf that echoed in the darkest corners of my mind. And now, in the shadows of my own kingdom, I realized something worse—something I never imagined possible—had happened.There was treachery in plain sight.I had always counted on others. I had always taken loyalty for granted, in bonds created through years of adversity and common goals. But here, in my office, I had a new understanding. A bitter realization consumed me, and it sickened me. One of the people I thought I could trust was implicated. One of them had betrayed me—and more importantly—betrayed Lena.The clue had been given by an unexpected source: a missing report I had found secretly stashed in a drawer that should have been empty. The papers had been neatly folded, carefully hidden between folders I knew I'd sorted through
Bianca's New PlanLena's POVDark clouds gathered over the city as if the sky itself sensed the brewing storm. I sat at the window of Damian's mansion, staring out over the horizon, my mind disturbed. It had been days since Bianca's last threat, and no matter what Damian tried to tell me, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the calm before the storm.Bianca wasn't a woman to give up. No, she was a woman who smiled while whetting her blade.And she was planning something. I knew it.Damian ramped up the security, having double the amount of guards posted at the house. Every doorway was monitored and no one came or left without being searched. It should have made me more comfortable, but it didn't. Bianca had means, connections—she wasn't the kind of woman who had to play by rules.She was unpredictable.And then, as if the world had it in for reliving my worst nightmares, Damian stormed into the room, his phone clutched in his hand.His face was unreadable, but the tension
Lena’s POVThe house was colder than ever. It wasn't the chill of the air, but the chill that seeped into my bones and made me hollow inside. I had been saved, rescued from the hell Bianca and Marcus had subjected me to, but I wasn't free yet. Not yet.Because the moment Damian had enveloped me in his arms, telling me I was safe, I had felt it—fear.Fear of what came next.Fear of what he needed.Fear that I would never be normal again.I sat beside the window in the darkened bedroom where Damian had brought me back. My fingers traced imaginary patterns on the glass, my mind replaying every detail of what had happened. The chains. The black room. Marcus's sneer. Alex's willingness to sacrifice himself for my liberty.And Bianca…She wasn't done. I knew it.I took a deep breath, misting the glass with my exhalation. The door thudded shut, and I bristled at once. My heart pounded as I shifted my head infinitesimally, to discover Damian standing there.He towered there, his face impassiv
Chapter Title: The Truth RevealedLena's POVThe fury boiling inside of me was something new for me. My heart pounding in my chest, I stormed into Damian's office, my hand clutching the proof so tightly that it turned white from the grip. I had been humiliated, abandoned, and made to endure because of Bianca's deceptions. But now, I had evidence—undeniable evidence—that I had been framed.Damian sat behind his desk, sorting through some documents, but his entire body stiffened the instant I entered. His black eyes snapped up to meet mine, and for a brief moment, I saw something there—guilt, doubt, maybe even remorse.I didn't care.I slammed the folder onto his desk with emphasis. The papers scattered everywhere across the polished surface, some falling on the floor."See it," I insisted, my voice firm and uncompromising. "See it and say that you did not make an error."Damian exhaled deeply, sitting back in his seat, his expression neutral. "Lena, if you've come here to—""Don't," I
Chapter Fifty Four: The Truth Beneath the LiesLena's POVThe air in my room was suffocating, pressing down on me like a weight I couldn't tolerate. My hands trembled at my sides as I paced back and forth, my mind reeling with everything that had just happened. Damian had looked at me with suspicion in his eyes—suspicion that hurt more than any wound.How could he ever think I would betray him?I tightened my fists, breathless. Bianca did this. I was certain of it. But she had played her cards too perfectly this time, leaving evidence so incriminating that even Damian had paused before me. The video footage… the alleged proof of my "betrayal."I needed to clear my name.I swallowed my pride and made myself think logically. If I allowed emotions to rule my head, I would be where Bianca had wanted me to be—broken and defenseless. But I was not about to let her win.Step one: go through everything that had occurred.I was on the edge of my bed, eyes shut while I replayed each detail in m