Damien Shaw The only words my mind has been able to piece together all morning is “shit”. Because, well, things are definitely gonna go to shit after I hooked up with Elinor last night. Elinor!! Imogene’s best friend.Speaking of Elinor, she’s asleep in my bedroom while I continue to pace back and forth the livingroom. I can’t bring myself to think straight or think of a solution out of this. She’s probably going to tell Imogene about it, give or take. Imogene is engaged to Keith, she wouldn’t care, would she? That makes it even more sad.I take a deep breath as I hear the faint sound of the door monitor beeping followed by the door opening. I immediately conclude it’s Breonna because she’s the only one that knows my passcode. My guess is confirmed as Breonna steps into the living room, her feet hitting the linoleum floor hard.Her fists are clenched beside her and her eyes are flashing with anger. “What the actual fuck, Damien? How could you keep something so huge from me?”I
Damien Shaw I pull up in front of FiFi-Myse, the sleek, glass façade of Fiona’s fashion company gleaming under the late morning sun. The building looks exactly as I remembered it—sharp, pristine, and cold. Just like Fiona. I kill the engine and sit there for a moment, staring at the entrance. My heart’s pounding in my chest. I successfully talked to Elinor and she is keen on keeping our little rendezvous a secret. I’m sure I can trust her but I have other things to worry about now. Fiona. She’s the reason Imogene is engaged to Keith right now. She made Imogene think I had a son. That I had another life, another family.But she was wrong. Fiona lied, and today, I’m going to make her answer for it. Or that least, make sure we don’t have to resort to Breonna’s ways.I get out of the car, the door slamming shut behind me, the sound echoing in the nearly empty parking lot. I walk through the glass doors, barely registering the receptionist’s practiced smile as she greets me.“
Damien Shaw“Just tell me.” I say, my voice ragged.“It’s…Keith. Keith Jordan.”I cock my head. “Keith?”Fiona nods, her voice trembling. “He... He planned all of this. He needed Imogene to believe you had a son with me. He knew she wouldn’t marry him unless she had a reason to move on from you.”I take a step back, my mind reeling. Keith planned this? Keith? The man who just proposed to Imogene, the man she thinks she’s in love with, orchestrated this whole lie? So he could trap her into saying yes?“How low can he stoop?” I mutter, barely able to process it.Fiona doesn’t say anything, just stands there, wringing her hands. It is my fault for ever thinking highly of him. How could he? I take a deep breath, my hands curling into fists at my sides. Imogene thinks I betrayed her. She thinks I have a family with another woman because of Keith’s lies. But now... now I know the truth.And Keith is going to pay.I storm out of Fiona’s office, the anger boiling in my veins. My hands ball
Imogene Scott“I seriously cannot believe you got engaged, Imogene.” Elinor says, walking out of my kitchen with a big bowl of ice cream.She usually doesn’t binge eat unless she’s stressed. She won’t tell me what’s wrong, or where she was all night, or why she had Breonna come lever to babysit Lily instead of her.“Well, surprise.” I say.I’m sitting in the living room, legs curled beneath me, flipping mindlessly through a magazine. Elinor takes a seat across me, then places her leg on the ottoman and starts munching on her ice cream.“I’m happy for you. Keith is a really nice guy. But I’m more interested in why you agreed to the proposal. Marriage is a huge step. Does Damien know yet?”My mind crosses with an image of the way Damien had looked at me in the garden—like I’d ripped his heart out. What am I doing? I glance at the diamond ring. I don’t even love Keith. But... hurting Damien? A part of me hates myself for it, but another part, a deeper, angrier part, thinks he deserves it
Imogene ScottDamien stands up first, his eyes locking with mine. There’s a storm in them—anger, hurt, regret, and something else. Something raw that makes my throat tighten.Keith tries to stand, but he winces, clearly in pain. “Imogene,” he says, his voice soft, like he’s expecting me to run to him. But I don’t. I can’t.The officer clears her throat. “Miss Scott, you’re free to post bail for either or both of them. Though, I suggest you talk to them first.”Talk? To them? I don’t even know what to say.I step toward Damien first. My heart tugs in his direction before my brain can stop it. He’s leaning against the wall, looking down at the floor. His knuckles are bruised, and his jaw is tight, but his eyes... they’re softer now, searching mine as I stand in front of him.“What the hell happened?” I ask, my voice barely more than a whisper. Damien lets out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair. “Keith. He lied, Imogene. About everything.” His voice is rough, and there’s
Imogene ScottThe words hang in the air. I see the flicker of defeat in his eyes, and for a moment, he looks like a stranger to me. Keith opens his mouth, as if to argue, but no words come out. His shoulders slump, and he turns away. I don’t feel triumph in this moment. Just a deep, aching sadness. How did everything get so messed up?I step away, needing air. I can’t be in the same room with him any longer. The officer, sensing the tension, steps in. "Miss Scott, if you’re done here, you can handle the bail paperwork for Mr. Shaw. We can proceed with Mr. Jordan’s after that."I nod, numb, and turn to Damien. He hasn’t moved, still standing there, watching me with an intensity that makes my heart stutter. He has a small cut on his cheek, but he doesn’t seem to care. His eyes are locked on mine, waiting for some kind of sign.I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”He follows me silently. As we walk toward the front of the station, the dim ligh
Thank you for making it this far with "He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back." So Far, what do you think about the pace of the book? Is it too fast or too slow? Do you think the problems are being solved too fast or they should drag on much longer? Feel free to leave a comment on what you think. XoXo- Author Siwa Rose.
Imogene Scott Two weeks later… It’s no surprise that the whole incident didn’t affect the Tech Con Project. Except Keith now works his part alone. He sends his assistant to important meetings too. What’s with men and having their poor assistant face the humiliation for them?I haven’t seen Keith since that night at the police station. We don’t even run into each other even though we stay in the same building. I’m not sure how long he’s going to avoid a confrontation. He should at least own up to his mistakes and apologize like a man.I guess I should really level up regarding my taste in men.But I can’t let that bother me right now because I need to get ready for a wedding. Not mine obviously, but my Dad is getting remarried. Funny, right? His third marriage. I’m surprised he suddenly found the love of his life two months after finally regaining everything he lost.But I’m happy for him, at least Sasha and Fiona, my step mom and step sister, are out of the picture now and Da
Imogene Scott I slept through the night for the first time in weeks. No jolting awake. No sweat-slicked skin. No dreams of drowning in shadows. Just silence. Stillness. Peace.My eyes open slowly, blinking into the quiet morning light spilling through the gauzy white curtains. The ocean breeze flows in from the slightly open window. My head doesn’t feel like it’s been split in two.I pull the blanket down and sit up, cradling my growing belly with both hands. The twins will be here in a few weeks. Two heartbeats fluttering beneath my skin. Two tiny souls I haven't even met, but already love with an intensity that’s terrifying and beautiful all at once.My fingers press gently into the bump. “You two are going to be okay,” I whisper. “We’re all going to be okay.”A soft smile pulls at my lips. It’s real this time. Not the kind I force at dinner tables or mirror reflections. No, this one is real.“What are you smiling about?”Damien’s voice startles me. I look up as he steps into
Damien Shaw The sun spills through the curtains as my eyes flutter open. I groan, registering the soreness in my bones. I rub at my face, letting my hand fall onto the bed beside me…It’s empty.My heart kicks up, a sudden thrum against my ribs.Imogene is not here.The sheets are still warm, faintly scented with her shampoo and her pillow’s half-squashed. She couldn’t have gone far. But still… my throat tightens as I sit up fast, pushing the blanket off. My bare feet hit the cool wood floor and I stand, eyes scanning the quiet bedroom.I don’t call out. Not yet. My gut twists like it always does when she disappears from my line of sight. I step into the hallway, and I’m immediately hit with a warm, sweet and smoky smell.Pancakes?I follow the scent into the kitchen, tension loosening slightly with each step. And then I see her.She’s standing by the stove, her back to me, swaying ever so slightly to some melody in her head. She’s barefoot, in nothing but my oversized black T-shir
Imogene Scott“Mummy, how long are you going to be gone?” Lily’s small voice floats toward me.I pause, my hand hovering over the zipper of my suitcase. The last dress is folded neatly inside and I press it down before turning to face her. She’s standing by the edge of the bed.“Mummy will be back in a few days,” I say gently, kneeling in front of her and smoothing her curls with my palm. She looks at me like she’s studying me, trying to see if I’m telling the truth or just saying what I think she wants to hear.“Will Mummy be better by then?” she asks.My breath catches.Better.I nod, brushing my thumb across her cheek.“Yes, baby. Mummy will be fine.”Lily thinks about that for a second, then smiles. “Yes, then Mummy can go. Anty Kia will take good care of me.”A soft knock sounds on the door just as I press a kiss to Lily’s forehead. Sheila steps in. “Is there anything else you want to take to the water park, Lily?” she says.Before Lily can answer, Kia walks in right behind
Imogene Scott When I open my eyes, it’s dark outside.The ceiling fan spins slowly above me. My body feels warm as I place my palm on my forehead and try to register what time it is on the wall clock across the room. But my vision’s a little blurry and I can’t make out the numbers, so I sit up instead, blinking away the sleep.I swing my legs off the bed and the cold wooden floor kisses my bare feet. I tug Damien’s hoodie tighter around me before padding to the door. I didn’t mean to sleep that long. I was just going to close my eyes for a few minutes.The hallway is dim. I make my way down slowly, hand on the banister. My joints still feel a little stiff from laying in one position for too long.When I reach the last step, I spot him.Damien’s seated at the dining table, one elbow propped up, his head resting in his palm. His hair’s tousled like he’s run his hand through it a hundred times tonight.“Hey there,” I say, softly.His head snaps up.“You’re awake?” His voice is low.
Damien Shaw I help Imogene off the examination table slowly, my hands gripping her waist. She's light and it unsettles me more than I let on. She sits up and swings her legs over the edge, her fingers resting on my forearm to steady herself."I'm okay," she says softly.She’s not. But I nod anyway. We walk out of the room together and back into the office, where Dr. Rogers is typing something into her computer. The click of the keys fills the silence.She looks up and smiles, though there's a trace of something behind her eyes. Concern, maybe. Caution."Everything looks good so far," she says. "But we’re entering the home stretch now. Just a few more weeks. You both need to be careful, especially you, Imogene."Imogene nods politely. “We will.”I thank her and reach for the door handle, ready to leave. I’m already thinking about the drive home, when Dr Rogers calls out to me. “Damien, could I speak to you for a second?”I stop and glance at Imogene.“I’ll wait in the car,” she
Damien Shaw“You worry too much,” she says. “I’m fine.”I don’t believe her. But I let it slide. For now.I bring her hand to my lips and kiss it gently, holding on a little longer. Then I lean back and press on the gas, taking us the rest of the way.We pull into the hospital’s underground lot. I park, unbuckle, and rush around to open her door. She steps out slowly, her hand finding mine. Her fingers are colder than usual.Inside, the halls are clean, overly bright. We walk in silence to Dr. Roger’s office.She’s waiting when we arrive. “Glad to see Damien’s with you today.”I offer a hand. “Nice to see you too, Doctor.”We sit side-by-side, the chairs squeaking slightly beneath us. Imogene sits with perfect posture, her dress flowing around her legs.“So,” Dr. Roger says gently, “how are you feeling about everything?”“I’m fine,” Imogene says with a small smile.Her hand is in mine. I squeeze it.The doctor nods slowly. “Let’s go to the examination room. I want to check on the tw
Damien Shaw Returning to the living room, something feels...off.Imogene’s still sitting at the dining table, arms wrapped tightly around Lily. Her head turns the moment she hears me, and just like that, she lets go.I step closer. “Everything okay?”She lifts her face and gives me a smile. It's warm but it doesn’t reach her eyes. I see it immediately. “Just feeling a little emotional,” she says.I nod slowly. I don’t push, even though every instinct in me is screaming that something’s not right. “Eat up,” I say instead, nodding toward her plate.She nods and picks up her fork. I head to the counter, grab Lily’s pink backpack, and step outside. The spring air hits me as I open the back door of the car and slide Lily’s bag inside. My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I ignore it. By the time I’m back inside, Imogene’s finished eating. She wipes her lips gently, her eyes briefly flickering up to meet mine. I offer my hand.“Let’s go,” I say.She places her hand in mine. Lily ski
The last chapter has been edited. Read before you proceed. Imogene Scott Sunlight spills across the bed like golden syrup, warm and soft against my skin. I shift under the sheets, groaning quietly as I feel the heat against my eyelids. I blink once, then again, and finally push myself up on my elbow. Damien stands by the window, arms folded, wearing that smug little smile he always wears when he thinks he’s caught me being adorable. He’s already dressed in a gray fitted T-shirt and black joggers. His hair is damp from a shower, and he looks annoyingly refreshed. “Rise and shine, sweetie.” I groan and drag the covers over my head. “Ugh… it’s too early in the morning.” “It’s almost eleven,” he says with a chuckle. I fling the duvet back just enough to peek at him. “How did I sleep for that long?” He walks over, sits on the edge of the bed, and leans in with a playful glint in his eye. “Because I cuddled you in my arms all night.” I snort. “No. You’re not my sleeping pill.” “S
Imogene Scott As soon as Damien walks out the door, I let out a slow breath. It’s soft, almost soundless, like I’m trying not to break something fragile that still lives inside me. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m what’s fragile now. He really cares about me. I know that. Every word, every touch, every look tonight, he’s trying. He always has. But the truth is, I’m struggling. I don’t know where I’m at anymore. Everything feels fuzzy, like the world has gone slightly out of focus and I’m squinting to make it make sense again. I sit up slowly, brushing my hair back from my face. It’s still damp from the shower earlier, curling at the ends in soft, stubborn waves. I reach for my slippers and slide my feet in. They make a soft shuffling sound against the hardwood as I walk toward the door. It’s just 8 p.m. The hallway is dim and the air smells faintly of pancakes, probably and something else... cinnamon maybe. Damien must’ve added cinnamon. I smile a little at the thought. He always adds t