George's face turned ashen, his eyes darkening with fury at Damien's smug declaration! His granddaughter is his treasured jewel, his prized star. She is the child he personally nurtured! Her business potential was fully developed because of him! She belonged to no one except herself. “Belongs to?” he spat. “My granddaughter doesn’t ‘belong’ to anyone. She is her own person, and I will not let her reputation be dragged through mud for the sake of your ego.” His gaze flicked coldly over Damien, his expression disgusted.“You claim that she is your lover, right?” George went on, his voice gaining a sharper edge. “Then tell me, who is the secretary that so boldly hovering around you? Or did you think I wouldn't know what is happening back there in Miami just because I'm not there? Don't think because you're from the Cross family, I wouldn't dig into your background.” George felt his face redden with anger. How dare he keep a mistress while staking a claim on his granddaughter?! Did he t
Damien’s expression softened instantly and gave her a nod. For her, he would do anything. This stubborn woman refused to ask him for anything, and now that she did, he instantly agreed. He then turned to George with a more measured voice. “I understand, sir. But know that I am here to protect her, too.”George lips pursed, “Eva, don't hide behind this birdbrain brute. You don't need a protector like him." Even in his rage, he noticed how protective this man was of his granddaughter. While it was a good and notable trait, having another woman in his life claiming to be his future wife negates all that.Julian nearly cried tears of blood when he heard the insult. B-birdbrain brute?! His anxiety was skyrocketing out the rooftop with his boss's stubborn temperament and rude behavior!Damien’s response was swift. “I plan to do more than protect her, Elder Black.” Damien tried to soften his voice to make it sound more polite, but it didn't make a lot of difference. His grandfather had hars
Eva’s heart raced at the sight of Damien speaking so fervently. For a man who kept his cards close, she’d never seen him look so passionate, so resolute about something. He wasn’t just saying this to appease her grandfather; he meant every word.George paused for a while as if weighing Damien’s words before his mouth curved in a faint, approving smile. “Well, if you’re truly that devoted, I’ll trust you with my granddaughter…….for now.”Eva’s eyes darted between the two of them, confusion taking over her expression. Had they forgotten she was right there? She opened her mouth, about to protest, but the men were already nodding as though they’d settled a contract. Marriage? Family? Leaving his precious granddaughter in Damien’s care?!They were practically planning their wedding as if she weren’t even in the room!‘Where do I get a say in all this?’Eva cleared her throat, trying to insert some logic. “Excuse me—marriage? Can we take a step back? We haven’t even officially established
The edge of Damien's lips twitched. He finally saw where she got her daring behavior. So it was from none other than her grandfather…..“My wounds are fine,” Eva replied, holding her grandfather’s gaze. She lightly touched the bandages on her forehead, her mind wandering off to what had happened to cause these bandages.Noticing the change in his granddaughter's face, George knew she was daydreaming about unnecessary things. “Call the nurse in to help you change the bandage. I'm surprised they haven't come and woke you up yet by this hour." George said, diverting her attention to something else.Eva paused when she heard her grandfather, she recalled a small commotion in her sleep that immediately stopped when she mumbled something. She was barely awake when she heard the shuffling of footsteps before it went back to dead silence. “It seems like they left immediately after they came…. I'm not sure.” she replied not sure if she was right."Is that so…" George tilted his head to Dami
Damien waited for the sound of George's retreating footsteps to completely fade before turning his attention back to Eva. She looked like she was on the verge of losing her sanity, her face flushed with frustration and embarrassment as she glanced at him. The sight was enough to bring a devilish grin to his face. He found her absolutely adorable like this.“My love,” He began in a teasing tone, his smirk widening, “it’s okay to admit you couldn’t resist touching me all night long.”“I did no such thing!” she snapped, her voice rising.“I worked really hard for this body. I’m glad my effort hasn’t gone unnoticed—”“Shut up!”“Touch me as much as you like, darling. I quite enjoyed your fingers running all over me—”“Shut up! Shut up!” she screamed, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as her face turned a deeper shade of crimson. The thought of what he was implying made her want to crawl under the nearest rock and stay there forever. It would be better than dealing with this incr
With a low growl, Damien surged forward, sweeping her into his arms and laying her down on the bed. Before she could process what was happening, his lips crashed onto hers in a searing kiss.His kiss was anything but gentle. It was intense, hungry, and completely consuming. His hand cradled the back of her head, angling it just right as he deepened the kiss. His other hand roamed, exploring the curve of her waist and hips, his touch leaving a trail of fire in its wake.“D-Damien—” she gasped, trying to catch her breath.He silenced her with another kiss, his teeth gently tugging on her bottom lip before soothing it with his tongue. The sound of her soft moan sent a shiver down his spine, and he pulled her closer, his grip tightening possessively.Her hands instinctively found their way to his chest, her fingers trembling as they brushed over the hard planes of muscle. She felt the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm, the rhythm mirroring the erratic pounding of her own.“Eva,” h
“Damien, there’s someone outside,” Eva warned, attempting to pull herself free from his arms. But his grip only tightened, though he was careful not to press on her injured stomach.“I don’t care.” He buried his face into her neck, breathing in the soft, familiar blend of jasmine and lavender. Three weeks of forced distance had been intolerable, and even last night felt too short. He had waited for this closeness, and he wasn’t about to let go.“Mr. Cross, Ms. Carter we need to change your bandages as soon as possible,” came the hesitant voice of the nurse from outside, her voice almost trembling. In front of her, Damien's formidable guards stood watch, their sharp gazes discouraging any further insistence.“It wasn't changed last night, so it might become infected if it's not changed right now." She continued even though her voice shook and trembled, just like her hands that were holding the tray.‘Just why is it my duty to come here today?’ The nurse cried internally.Eva turned, p
The nurse, who’d been holding her breath, sighed in relief and approached. She cast a smug look at the guards, who reluctantly opened the door, and averted her gaze as she entered the room. Even in his calmness, Damien's aura was intense, the nurse shivered in fear when his expression became rigid and stony upon seeing her. His eyes, glaringly dark and filled with malice, scared her.“Mr. Cross, Miss Carter, I'm here to change the bandages." She stammered, even though she had already said her purpose of being here outside the door, she couldn't help but announce it again. It was quite unnerving to be in the same room as them, in particular, the man who is rumored to be a cold and ruthless person.Damien's scowl deepened when he heard the nurse. She interrupted his moment all because of that! It seems like he would have to make changes to that. Sensing his irritation, Eva squeezed his hand gently. The simple gesture softened his gaze, melting away the tension in his expression. He lo
Tired of the internal debate, Eva shook her head to clear the two imaginary characters off her mind. Deep down, she knew they were right. Damien’s behavior had been suffocating, but his intentions were pure. Perhaps it was time to talk to him, not fight him. She really wanted to have a proper conversation with him to explain the parts she disliked about him, and he could do the same in return. Communication should be key in a relationship. Her phone buzzed, and her heart leapt, thinking it was a message from Damien. But when she glanced at the screen, it was just a spam email. Her shoulders slumped again. Before she could overthink it, she tapped Damien’s name in her contact list and pressed call. It rang once but went straight to voicemail. Stunned, she tried again. The same result. He was ignoring her. Disheartened, she set her phone aside and decided to sleep. But sleep brought no comfort. Instead, it plunged her into a nightmare. Eva found herself walking barefoot through an
“Great! So, who commissioned her attack?” Oliver questioned.Rex hesitated. “I’m afraid that information is… private,” he said carefully, immediately regretting his words when Oliver’s cheerful expression turned dark.“Private?” Oliver echoed, his tone dangerously sweet. “Would it still be private if I cut off your fingers one by one?”Rex’s throat went dry, his pulse quickening as Oliver’s words sank in."My boss is telling the truth. We don’t know! They kept their identity hidden!" One of Rex's most trusted men suddenly spoke up." And who asked you to speak?” Oliver snapped his face towards the man who just spoke.“Hey, kiddo, you need to learn some respect for your elders. My boss has no reason to lie to Mr. Cross over here.” Even though he felt extremely intimidated by Oliver, his pride and ego couldn't allow him to shut up his mouth unlike Rex who was quick to discern that Oliver is not someone he should offend.“Shut the hell up, you!" Rex turned and barked angrily at his subo
Damien’s patience was wearing thin. He had no time for groveling and lies.Sensing his boss’s growing irritation, Eric opened his mouth to speed up the conversation, but before he could, Oliver burst into the room.“Hey, Mr. Piggy, could you shut up?” Oliver snapped, his bright yellow hoodie and ripped jeans contrasting with the grim atmosphere. He twirled a sleek switchblade in his hand, his boyish face betraying a sinister grin.Rex’s brows furrowed at the newcomer. Was this some kind of joke? Who let this disrespectful kid into the room? Besides, wasn't this one way too young to even be here? He was dressed naively young, like a baby chick with that bright clothes.“Hey, human garbage,” Oliver growled, his playful demeanor shifting in an instant. His eyes turned wild, and his grin morphed into something feral. “Don’t look at me like that.” He hurled his knife with terrifying precision, the blade grazing Rex’s neck and leaving a shallow cut. Blood trickled down, making Rex stumble b
Damien didn't speak, instead, he pulled out a gun, turning it around and examining it, a crude expression on his face.His right-hand man, Eric, stepped forward. Unlike his boss, Eric is also active and very talkative in this kind of moment when it comes to cleaning up filth like this."Take a guess," Eric said coolly, his tone sharp enough to cut glass.Rex’s eyes darted to Damien, who was calmly examining a sleek, custom-made gun. A shiver ran down his spine. He recognized the weapon—a modified Smith & Wesson, known for its devastating effects. The bullets it fired didn’t just kill, they tortured, leaving behind excruciatingly slow, acid-induced agony. It was an acid that burned through everything until the pearly white bone was exposed. That pain alone would have people begging for death over mercy.Mr. Damien, I-I’m not sure of the purpose of your visit. V-velvet vipers hasn’t interfered with the Cross’s business—”“Blood fist.” Damien’s icy voice cut through the tense atmosphere,
Just as Rex reached for his expensive wine again, the door to the room burst open with a thunderous crash, silencing the revelry in an instant. Crimson laser dots swarmed the room, targeting every man, freezing them in place.Rex barely blinked when he saw the commotion. It was not something new to have enemies barge into the place he was having fun. Probably, it would end with another threat conversation before the other party leaves. Calmly, he sipped his drink and set it down. But just as his fingers released the glass, a bullet shattered it, spilling the expensive liquor onto his custom Dior shoes."Bold little bastards," Rex muttered, his patience wearing thin. Reaching into his waistband, he pulled out a pistol.Upon seeing the lethal weapon in his hand, the women beside scattered like frightened mice, their shrieks piercing the tension-filled air. They weren't women who worked for the clan, instead, they were just simple escorts and prostitutes called in to please these big-sho
After switching the light on, her eyes landed on a set of bags near the couch. The scent of familiar dishes wafted through the air, and her heart twisted painfully. He had brought her favorite foods, likely intending to eat with her.He had wanted to eat with her. Her chest prickled with guilt and for a moment, she hesitated.But then she glanced at the shattered vase she had thrown in anger, and the guilt was replaced by frustration. Gathering the bags, she marched to the door and opened it to find Damien’s bodyguards standing stiffly outside.“You must be hungry standing out here all day,” she said, shoving the bags into their hands. “Take these. I’m not in the mood to eat.”The men exchanged bewildered glances.“Lady Boss, are you sure—”“If you don’t want them, throw them away,” she said curtly, shutting the door before they could protest further.“We can't really toss this away, can't we? This is too expensive." One of the bodyguards said, glancing at the bag while the others nod
His scowl deepened, and for a moment, she thought he might explode. But instead, he bit back whatever retort had been on the tip of his tongue. He knew that pushing her further would only backfire.“I understand you hate hospitals,” he said after a long pause, his voice gentler. “But staying here and resting is for your own good. You’re too stubborn to take care of yourself, so I have to do it for you.”Did he view her as a child? Why was he so persistent in keeping her here? She could recuperate somewhere else with a personal doctor — anything was fine, as long as it wasn't this chemical-filled location brimming with painful memories.Eva’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I don’t need your intervention.”His eyes narrowed, his irritation simmering just beneath the surface. “Don’t be stubborn—”“You’re a hypocrite,” she shot back before she could stop herself. Well, to some extent, she was hypocritical."Ehm, ehm……you demand me to not be stubborn, but here you are again, also being st
Eva felt her heart ache at the tone of Damien's voice, so small and fragile, like that of a lost child. Her chest tightened with guilt for having pushed him to this point. Her logical mind chastised her for taking things too far, while her heart yearned to soothe and comfort him.“Will you do it again?” she asked softly, her fingers tracing gentle circles over his rough, calloused hands.Immediately, his hand shifted to clasp hers tightly, intertwining their fingers in a firm yet comforting grip. Her heart skipped a beat at the gesture, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her lips.“I can’t promise you a definite no,” he admitted, his deep voice muffled as he rested his head on her shoulder. He breathed her in—the intoxicating, calming scent of jasmine filling his senses and clouding his mind. “But I will try my hardest to be lenient.”She paused, unsure how to respond. Sensing her silence, Damien tightened his hold on her fingers, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.“Are you sti
Eva’s heart pounded as she searched for a way to diffuse his anger. She knew that escalating this tension would only make things worse. Desperate, she decided to play a different card—a gamble.“Tell me, how would you like to handle the consequences? Perhaps I should start with—" He was interrupted when she abruptly stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. The suddenness of her action made him freeze in place.“What are you doing?" He blinked. "Damien," she murmured softly, her voice sweet and soothing. She pressed her face against his chest, rubbing her cheek against the silk of his shirt.His body stiffened, his clenched fists trembling at his sides. "This won't work," he said, though his voice had lost its sharp edge."I'm cold," she whispered, her words muffled against his chest."Eva," he warned, but his tone lacked conviction."Won’t you hug me?" She tilted her head up, gazing at him with wide, pleading eyes and a slight pout on her lips. Her heart ski