Damien Shaw The door clicks shut, and the silence that fills the villa after Jace and Dahlia leave is almost a relief. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, running a hand through my hair. The tension in my shoulders doesn’t ease, though, and I glance over at Imogene. She’s already started gathering empty glasses and straightening the cushions on the couch.I move to help her, picking up plates and stacking them. The whole night… It was hard to enjoy anything when I could feel Jace’s eyes on her, the way he kept glancing at Imogene like he didn’t care I was sitting right there. Every time she spoke, he seemed to hang onto her every word, and it took everything in me not to just call him out on it.But I didn’t. I held back because I wasn’t sure. What are we? What do I even have the right to feel? We’re here, together, and it feels right—she feels right—but I don’t know if I can just claim her like that. Our relationship is still unlabeled.I place the plates on t
Imogene Scott Ding!Seriously? I sigh, sinking deeper into the couch cushions. The doorbell rings again, shattering the peaceful evening Damien and I were enjoying. We’ve been at the villa for four days, and it’s been quiet—just the way I like it. We’ve managed to avoid Dahlia and Jace ever since that uncomfortable dinner, and I’m counting down the days until we can go back to LA and see Lily. Three more days, and we’ll be home.I glance at Damien, who’s lounging beside me, his legs stretched out. He raises an eyebrow at the doorbell. “Expecting anyone?” he asks, his voice teasing, but there’s a hint of irritation behind it.“No,” I mutter, standing up. Who could it be now?I head toward the door, the cool tiles beneath my feet sending a slight shiver up my legs. Opening the door, I’m greeted by a concierge, impeccably dressed in a suit, standing with a formal invitation in his hand. “Good evening, ma’am. I’m here to deliver this for you,” he says, handing me the envelope. “The
Imogene Scott I bite my lip and gaze into his eyes. “The party can wait, we have a few minutes.”Damien’s impossibly beautiful face breaks out into a heart stopping smile. God, he just looks so... joyful. He sits on tte edge of the bed and pulls me onto his lap and into his arms. I bury my face in his neck, wrap my arms around him and hold on, inhaling his sexy scent, planting soft kisses on his cheek.I lean back and take his face in my hands, gazing deeply into his eyes. “I love you.”He smiles again. “I love that you love me.”Suddenly he’s kissing me and we’re on the move. He stands with me in his arms then stands me gently at the side of his bed. He grabs the hem of my dress and pulls it over my head.I’m left with nothing but my thong, so I start unbuttoning his shirt. His eyes watch mine intently and I pop the buttons, one by one. I push the shirt over his shoulders and he lets it fall to the floor. Next I push my finger between the elastic of his boxers and his skin. His
Imogene Scott The dress I picked for the masquerade is pink, with spaghetti straps and a skirt that stops at mid-thigh, showing off my legs. My wig is long, wavy and pink as well. I seriously adore how the colors go together for me.I’m pretty sure no one will be able to recognize me with the pearlescent white mask I’m wearing. It has tiny feathers and cubic zirconia around the edges. As I stand by the champagne tower—which is just a statue of a champagne cup with water overflowing out of it like a fountain, I take a quick picture of it. The lights on the sandy beach are dimmed for ambiance—or maybe they’re trying to conserve electricity. Who the hell knows?Scantily dressed women and men mill around like stoned zombies. Despite the scarcity of fabric on their bodies, their outfits likely cost some ovaries and left nuts. Everyone is wearing a mask of course. One must play to the stereotype. But that doesn’t stop them from taking selfies to record this nonsense on social media.
Imogene Scott My heart pounds as the light floods the room, and I see him—Jace. The smug look on his face makes my stomach turn. He’s sprawled on the floor, one hand gripping the edge of a table to steady himself, but he’s not apologizing. In fact, he looks like he’s enjoying this. “What the hell is wrong with you?” My voice trembles as I step toward him.Jace starts to push himself up, still wearing that sickening grin. “Oh, come on, Imogene. It’s just a bit of fun. You can’t pretend you didn’t like it.”The way he says it makes my skin crawl. What the hell? What he just tried to do to me was illegal. He’s a piece of shit. Without thinking, my hand flies through the air, connecting with his face in a sharp slap that echoes through the room. The force of it leaves a sting in my palm, but it’s nothing compared to the satisfaction I feel when I see his head snap to the side.Something wet is oozing from his mouth. I think he’s moaning a little, too, but it’s hard to tell because th
Imogene ScottI decide to do tte one last thing I wouldn’t want yo do—Ask Dahlia and Jace for help. As I turn towards their villa, I see a shadow breaking through the rain just from Ty direction of our villa. I squint through the heavy rainfall to see the man I’ve been looking for. Damien is running through the rain. He’s completely drenched.Without thinking, I run the rest of the way to meet him. He catches sight of me half a minute later. His eyes widen in surprise which causes him to come to a full stop. I launch myself at him, uncaring if he will catch me or let me topple to the ground with embarrassment. Luckily, he catches me just as I land right in his chest. I feel him relax against me. His arms wrap tighter around me, and the firm press of his lips into my neck. My pulse quicken underneath that touch."Where the hell were you?," I breath in relief. My anxiety drops slowly. "Why couldn’t I reach you?" "I passed out at Jace and Dahlia’s. When I returned back to our villa,
Imogene and Damien have had their happy, let's be honest, steamy, couple moments for thirteen chapters now. Time for them to return to their drama filled and problematic lives. Hold on to your hearts!!!
Damien Shaw The rain is coming down hard, relentless. It’s been like this for two days, just gray skies and the constant drum of water against the cabin roof. We’re supposed to be on a flight back to LA by now, but the storm’s got all flights grounded. It’s just me and Imogene, trapped in our Villa. I can feel her restlessness even when she doesn’t say a word. She’s sitting by the window, staring out at the rain like she’s trying to conjure some sort of magical power to make it stop. I want to tell her to relax, to stop worrying, but I know it wouldn’t help. She’s been on edge since our flights got delayed. I know it’s because of Lily. We haven’t been able to receive any calls from Breonna or get updates about Lily in two days due to bad network connection and the storm’s just making everything worse.I’m about to suggest we make some tea or watch a movie—anything to distract her—when her phone rings. My heart leaps, is the line finally back up?I see Imogene’s shoulders tense
Imogene Scott It was hard to focus on the dull ache in my lower abdomen, because I’m in a constant reminder of how close I’d come to losing everything. Abortion pills. The words echo in my mind. How? Why? I didn’t take anything like that. I wouldn’t.“Your gynecologist recommended drugs to you?” I nod, confused and uncertain at the same time. Yes, Dr. Pepp had prescribed something, and I’d taken them without hesitation, trusting they were for the twins' health. I can still see the disbelief in Damien’s eyes, the storm building behind them before he stormed out of the hospital room. Now I’m alone, left to piece together the scattered fragments of what had happened.I sit up slightly in the hospital bed, staring blankly at the door Damien just stormed out of. The words still echo in my head. It doesn’t make sense. I only took what Dr. Pepp prescribed. My hands tremble as I press them to my belly, trying to anchor myself to the reality that my babies are still safe. I can’t sto
Damien ShawThe office feels suffocating tonight. It’s past 9 p.m., and I’ve been waiting all day for feedback about Gerald’s latest screw-up. Patience isn’t my strong suit, and right now, it’s wearing thin. I glance at my phone for what feels like the hundredth time. No messages. No missed calls. Not from Imogene. That’s what surprises me the most. She always checks in, even if it’s just a quick text. Maybe she’s just tired. The drive home is quiet. When I pull into the driveway, the house looks the same as it always does. I step out of the car and into the cool night air. Inside, the aroma of something faintly sweet greets me. Sheila’s in the kitchen, wiping down the counter. She looks up and smiles when she sees me. “Evening, Mr. Shaw,” she says cheerfully. “Long day?” “Yeah.” I drop my briefcase by the door and loosen my tie. “Where’s Imogene?” “She’s been asleep since this afternoon,” Sheila says. “I didn’t want to disturb her. She looked so tired.” I frown. “That’
Imogene Scott The air inside the car feels suffocating as I grip the steering wheel, my knuckles white against the leather. The phone call is still replaying in my head including my conversation with Lila. It wasn’t her that made the threatening call. I’m sure of it now. But if it wasn’t her, then who was it? I force myself to focus on the road ahead. My fingers tighten around the wheel as I take the familiar turn toward the hospital. The parking lot is half-empty. I pull into a spot near the entrance and kill the engine. For a moment, I sit there, staring at the hospital entrance. Six months. I rest a hand on my stomach to feel the faint stir of life within me. “We’re okay,” I whisper softly, but the weight in my chest doesn’t lift. I climb out of the car, the cool breeze biting against my skin as I cross the lot. The hospital doors slide open with a faint hiss, and I step into the sterile, overly bright lobby. When I reach Dr. Pepp’s office, she’s waiting for me. H
Damien Shaw I walk into the office that morning, lost in thought. I can still feel Imogene’s body next to mine from last night. I wanted to ask her about Ville Road, but I don’t know how to do it without sounding accusatory. Without making her feel like I’m questioning her. Hell, I’ve never been good at that—asking the hard questions, digging into the things I want to know but don’t always want the answers to. I close my eyes briefly as I move down the hall. What the hell was she doing there? I tell myself I trust her. I do. I reach my office, push the door open, and step inside. The moment I do, I stop dead in my tracks. Kia’s pacing in front of my desk, her heels clicking against the floor. Her brows are furrowed, and she doesn’t even notice me until I clear my throat. “Mr Shaw,” she says, stopping. “Gerald dropped by earlier this morning.” I feel relief at the mention of Gerald’s name. “Gerald?” I repeat, still standing in the doorway. “I told you he was only caught u
Imogene Scott I sit frozen on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone screen, the words "Unknown Caller" still burned into my mind. The robotic voice from the call plays over and over again. “Whatever you think you’re doing, stop it now. Things might get ugly.”A chill runs through me, and I rub my arms, trying to shake it off. My mind races. Who was it? How do they know what I’m doing? And why now? The door creaks open, snapping me out of my thoughts. My heart jumps in my chest, and I instinctively clutch my phone tighter. But it’s Damien. Relief floods me, but only for a moment. His face is drawn. Something about him feels off. “Hey,” I say softly, rising from the bed. I move toward him and wrap my arms around him. He hugs me back, but it’s not the same. His body feels stiff, like he’s holding something back. I pull back and study his face. “Are you okay?” I ask. “Just work stress,” he mutters, brushing past me. Work stress? I know Damien better than that. He’s hid
Imogene Scott The city stretches out in front of me as I drive. My fingers drum lightly against the steering wheel. How am I supposed to find out what this key unlocks? From what I’ve seen, Lila will continue to be tight-lipped. But at least I know how important the key is amd whatever “this is bigger than you.” threat she spilled isn’t going to scare me. I grip the wheel tighter. The dashboard clock flashes 2:45 PM, and I realize it’s almost time to pick up Lily. I push my thoughts aside, turning the car toward her school. When I pull up, I see Lily. She’s standing by the gate, clutching her little pink bag. Her mouth set in a pout. Normally, she runs to me the moment she sees the car. But today? Today, she walks. Slow. When she reaches the car, she opens the back door herself and climbs in, offering me only a quiet, "Hi, Mum," before clicking her seatbelt into place. When did my baby girl become such a grown up?"Hi, sweetheart," I say softly, turning in my seat to look at
Damien Shaw I pull into the parking lot of Shaw Tech. I’m a little stressed from all the drama this morning. Between Lily's tantrums of her avoiding Imogene and Imogene’s sudden emotional distance. I can’t seem to focus. It feels like I’ve been juggling too many balls, and any minute now, one of them is bound to drop. I grab my briefcase from the passenger seat and step out, adjusting my tie as I walk toward the building. The elevator ride up is quick, and when the doors open to my office floor, Kia is already waiting by my door. Her crisp blouse and tightly pulled-back hair are as perfect as always."Good morning, Kia," I say as I step into my office. "Morning, sir," she replies, following me in. "We’ve got a problem." I drop my briefcase onto the desk and loosen my tie slightly. "Don’t tell me. Let me guess—Gerald still isn’t here." "You guessed right," she says. "Three days now without any notice. And sir, I don’t think it’s just a personal issue." I pause mid-reach
Imogene Scott As soon as Damien and Lily leave the house that morning, I take a moment to gather my thoughts together. From what I discovered yesterday, Terry and Lila used to be together but Lila left him to get married to my father. My question now is why Lila would date someone who had nothing, someone like Terry. Could it be because she needed access to something? The key he made for dad? I mean Terry made the key which is something seemingly important so that’s the only explanation.I shove the thought aside as I rush into the bathroom. The water in the shower is scalding, and I let it sting my skin as I hurriedly scrub myself clean. I need to see Lila again.After a quick change into dark jeans and a simple blouse, I head downstairs and I spot Sheila walking in through the front door. She’s carrying a small tote.“Good morning, Imogene,” she greets me.Her smile is bright and unnervingly warm. Something about Sheila stirs an uneasy feeling in me, though I can’t place it.
Note: the last two chapters have been edited. Read them before proceeding.Imogene ScottI wake up to the sound of water running in the bathroom. The spot next to me in bed is cold, Damien already gone. The faint hum of the shower fills the room, but it does little to distract me from the heavy knot of guilt in my chest. Last night’s events play on a loop in my head—Damien’s disappointment, Lily’s tears, Sheila stepping in where I failed. I sit up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and glance at the clock on the nightstand. It’s just after 6 a.m. Damien’s workday will start soon, and I don’t even know how to approach him after what happened. But more than that, I don’t know how to face Lily. I take a deep breath and swing my legs over the side of the bed. The floor is cool against my bare feet as I walk to the closet. Pulling open the door, I automatically grab one of Damien’s pressed shirts and a tie, laying them neatly on the bench by the foot of the bed. The shower contin