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
Damien Shaw The rain continues to pound against the windows of our cabin as I continue to good Imogene in my arms. The sound of the rain feels louder now and I feel her breath against my neck, shallow and uneven. I rest my chin on top of her head, inhaling the familiar scent of her hair, and try to find something, anything, to distract her from the spiral of thoughts I know is taking over."Remember the second day of this trip?" I murmur, keeping my voice light. "When we hiked up that trail and found that little cove? You swore you wouldn’t go into the water, but then I saw you diving in before I even had a chance to take my shoes off."She doesn’t answer, but I feel her relax slightly against me. I continue, trying to keep her in the moment. "That night, after dinner, you fell asleep with your head in my lap while we were watching that ridiculous rom-com. I didn’t have the heart to wake you, so I stayed up the whole night watching you sleep, just listening to the waves crash."
Imogene Scott Damien’s eyes are burning into me, and I feel my throat tighten. The words are stuck somewhere between my heart and my mouth. Why the fuck did I take so long to say something? I open my lips, barely a whisper coming out. “It was a mistake… Jace came on to me at the—”Before I can finish, Damien grabs Jace by the collar, rage overtaking his face. “You son of a bitch!” he roars, pulling Jace closer and slamming his fist into his face. The sound of the impact is sickening, a harsh crack that echoes through the kitchen. Jace stumbles back, crashing to the floor, clutching his jaw.“Damien! No!” I shout, but it’s useless.Damien hauls Jace up by the collar again, dragging him into the living room. I follow, heart pounding. Damien throws another punch, and Jace barely has time to react before his head snaps to the side from the force. Blood spills from his lip, and I can hear Dahlia screaming, rushing over to try and pull them apart. “Damien! Stop it!” Dahlia cries, h
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Imogene Scott Damien refuses to speak to me for the rest of the trip. I don’t blame him, I really messed up and it has once again cost us our relationship. I try to keep my thoughts occupied with Lily throughout the remaining twenty four hours that the storm persisted. Even throughout the flight home, we didn’t say anything to each other. The moment we touch down in LA, I feel the gnawing guilt that has been growing in my chest again. Damien and I have barely spoken since the incident with Jace. His hands grip the steering wheel tightly as he drives, but his eyes are fixed on the road ahead. I glance at him, wanting to say something, but the words don’t come out. Instead, I just stare out the window and let my mind by consumed by one thing—Lily.By the time we pull up to Aces penthouse, stomach is in knots. I practically throw the car door open, not waiting for Damien as I rush into the building. The walk across the lobby feels like forever but I finally walk into the elevator. D
Imogene Scott As soon as we buckle Lily into the backseat, I can feel my heart squeezing in my chest. Damien and I slid into the front seat and he starts the engine. But his gaze flickers to me before pulling out of the parking lot. "It's going to be fine," he says, but I can hear the tension underneath. He’s trying to reassure me, but all I can think about is how wrong everything feels. I look back at Lily through the rearview mirror. Her tiny body is slumped slightly and her eyelids flutter as if even staying awake is too much effort.I force myself to breathe, to keep it together, but the sight of her pale face, the way her little hands rest limply in her lap, is too much for me to take in. "She's too warm," I murmur, more to myself than to Damien.My hand is hovering over her forehead again as if I could do something—anything—to make her feel better. Damien reaches over, squeezing my knee gently. His eyes briefly meeting mine. "Kids get fevers. Kids get tired. We’re just
Damien Shaw The drive home feels suffocating and hands grip the steering wheel tighter to ease the tension in my shoulders. I glance over at Imogene. She’s staring out the window. Her eyes are red from holding back tears. She hasn’t said a word since we left the hospital. She doesn’t need to—her pain is written all over her face.I hate this feeling. This helplessness. I don't give a damn about what happened with Jace anymore. Right now, none of that matters. The only thing that does is Lily. And Imogene. I look in the rearview mirror at our little girl. She’s still too pale, too fragile and her head is resting against the car seat. Seeing her like this... it cuts me deep in ways I can’t even articulate. She’s so small. Too small for this kind of fear.When we finally pull into the penthouse, Imogene unbuckles her seatbelt but doesn’t move for a moment. I reach out, placing my hand on hers. “We’ll get through this,” I say.She doesn’t respond, just nods slightly, then gets out
Imogene ScottThe first light of dawn filters through the curtains as I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling. I haven’t slept, not really. Damien is beside me, his breaths deep and steady, but I know he didn’t sleep much either. His arm is across his chest and his face is turned towards me in his sleep. Quietly, I slip out of bed, careful not to disturb him. The floor is cold under my feet as I make my way down the hall to Lily’s room. The door is slightly ajar and soft light is spilling in from the curtains. I step inside and I see Lily. She’s still asleep, curled up on her side with her favorite stuffed rabbit tucked under her arm.I stand there for a moment, just watching her. Her tiny chest rises and falls with each breath, and for a fleeting second, it’s like everything is normal again. Like she’s just sleeping peacefully, like any other morning. But then I see the faint bruises on her arms and the knot in my stomach tightens. I feel so helpless. My baby girl... she’s so small
Imogene Scott I sit in the living room, wringing my hands together as I stare at the clock. The agency said they’d send the fourth candidate soon, but if she’s anything like the last three, I’m not sure I’ll survive the day. The first woman looked like she’d send me into an early grave with how tightly wound she was, and the second… I don’t even want to think about her. I could practically see her zoning out halfway through our conversation. The third one made me tilt my head in disbelief—a heavy coat, in this heat? On a blazing sunny day? What was she hiding under there? I shake my head, exasperated. A long sigh slips from my lips, and I sink further into the couch, staring at the sun-drenched curtains. Why is this so hard? I just want someone competent. Someone who can help me manage this house without driving me insane. The sharp ring of the doorbell jolts me upright. I spring to my feet, brushing invisible creases from my dress. Fourth time’s the charm, right? I don’t
Damien Shaw "I don’t even know who to trust anymore." The words are frustrating as they leave my mouth. I press my hands flat against the edge of my desk, gripping it harder. Gerald stands across from me, his expression carefully neutral, but I can see the tension in his jaw. “Weaknesses in our security?” I continue. “And now we’re sure someone on the inside helped with the leak?”Gerald nods. “Yes. The evidence points to internal involvement. Possibly more than one person.” The idea sinks into my chest like a stone. More than one person. It’s almost unthinkable. My team, the people I’ve trusted, built this company with—could they really be working against me? My throat tightens at the thought. “We need a full background check on every employee,” I say. “No exceptions. I don’t care how long they’ve been with the company, whether they’re at the executive level or just interns. Go through them all.”Gerald hesitates, just for a second. “That’ll take time,” he says carefull
Imogene Scott My mind is spinning as I step out of Lila’s office. Divorce papers. My father’s name on them. Lila’s isn’t. A billion-dollar check. For her? My heels echo sharply against the marble floor as I walk. In the lobby, I see the receptionist who texted me earlier and make my way toward her. She looks around nervously, then waves me over to a quieter corner. “You’re Mr. Scott’s daughter, right?” her voice low.“Yes,” I say. “Why?”She glances over her shoulder, then leans in, her voice barely above a whisper. “Your father was here the day before he was... you know. Killed. He and Lila had a huge fight in her office. I couldn’t hear what they were arguing about, but it was bad.”My stomach drops. “Do you remember anything else? Anything at all?” She shakes her head apologetically. “No, but... there’s something not right about her. She’s hiding something about this company. I’ve been here a long time, and I know when something’s off.”I blink, trying to process her word
Imogene Scott A week later… I sit in the stiff leather chair, my hands resting over my stomach. The waiting room is quiet and the door finally swings open. The doctor steps in, holding a folder. My breath hitches. This is routine, I remind myself. Routine. I’m here for my usual checkup. Alone this time. I had told Damien he didn’t have to accompany me since he’s been missing a lot work a lot lately because of me.“Mrs. Shaw,” The doctor says with a polite nod, gesturing for me to join him in his office. I follow, my heels clicking against the tile floor. His office smells faintly of antiseptic and lavender, maybe. I sit across from his desk, the folder now open in front of him. He doesn’t look alarmed, but there’s a wrinkle in his brow. “Imogene, I’m glad you came in today.” “Is everything alright?” He nods but steeples his fingers, leaning forward slightly. “The babies are fine, but your stress levels are higher than we’d like. It’s starting to show in your vitals
Imogene Scott The bedroom feels too big when Damien walks out. I sit up in bed, clutching the edge of the blanket. I let out a shaky breath, staring at the door he just closed. He’s going to ask me about therapy. I know he will. I don’t even know how to explain it. How do I tell him that sitting in that room felt like unpacking a suitcase only to realize you’ve brought nothing but broken things? That therapy didn’t feel like healing—it felt like dragging wounds out into the open and watching them bleed. I shake my head. I can’t stay in bed waiting for him to corner me. The quiet will drive me insane. I throw back the covers and swing my legs over the side of the bed. My head spins as I stand, but I grip the bedpost and steady myself. I shuffle to the door, trailing my hand along the wall as I make my way downstairs. The faint hum of the stovetop reaches my ears, along with the rhythmic sound of Damien chopping something. I stop at the edge of the kitchen and watch him.
Damien Shaw “Please, keep the investigation discreet for now,” I say firmly, meeting Gerald’s gaze. My voice is steady, but my insides churn. Gerald nods and gathers his notes before leaving my office. The door clicks shut and I sink into my seat, pinching the bridge of my nose as my temples throb. Five meetings, all back-to-back in one morning. Each one is a battlefield of strategy, damage control, and trying to piece together what the hell is happening with this damn leak. My head feels like it’s about to split open, and the office suddenly seems unbearably warm. I loosen my tie and lean back, closing my eyes for a brief moment. I need just a second—one second to breathe— My phone vibrates against the desk, shattering the silence. I grab it immediately, hoping it’s Gerald with an update, but instead, I see Imogene’s name. It’s a text: Imogene: "I don’t think therapy is good for me."My stomach twists. Therapy. The session. What happened? My thumb hovers over her nam
“Yes,” I say with a little more heat on it than I would’ve liked. “Because he believed in me. He believed I could do it.”“Okay.”“He believed in me.”“I understand.”Beat.“Can you tell me what happened after you helped him save the company?” Annie pauses to find the right words. This one I don’t want to answer but I feel like if I wiggle around it Annie will just come right back for the jugular with her follow up. I tread with caution.“Well… he got married again.”“And you?”“Yes, what about me?”“Were you in touch with him?”“Well, he had his new life. We barely kept touch.”Annie holds another of her trademark unreadable stares at me. Even though I can’t gauge the specics, I can tell there’s a lot of speculation going on. I feel theneed to add more.“Plus, we started keeping in touch again recently.” I give a little nod to punctuate my statement. I’m hoping that moved the dialon Annie’s judgment, but after a few seconds I can tell it didn’t.Annie purses her lips. “Who reached
Imogene Scott I sit down in the tufted chair opposite Dr Annie Eddie and let out a sigh. This is my first therapy session with her and I’m a little nervous. I’m only here because of Damien. Because I want to be better for him, for Lily and the twins. I tell her a few things about my life I’m comfortable telling anyone and she tells me in order to get to what’s underneath those emotions, what’s driving it, we need to unpack my life in a more comprehensive way.“Okay…” I’m hesitant. What will this entail? I hate the uncertainty.“And please, address me as Annie.” I nod. “Sure.”“Now, I want to understand more about Little Imogene,” she says tenderly. “I understand your mother died of cancer when you were just ten.”Always with the childhood, these therapists. I’ve seen enough movies and TV shows to know that this is the classic therapeutic scapegoat. Some shit happenedin your childhood, it messed you up, that’s why you are the way you are.But not me. I didn’t have an alcoholic d
Damien Shaw The kitchen smells like butter and eggs as I stand by the stove, flipping the omelette in the pan. The sizzle fills the air, and I catch the faintest scent of parsley—Lily insists she hates green things, but I sneak them in for her anyway. I glance at the clock above the sink. It’s later than I thought. Imogene is still upstairs with the doctor. I hope that goes smoothly, but something tells me it won’t. “Mummy says eggs make you strong like Superman!” Lily’s voice cuts through my thoughts as she rushes into the kitchen.“Is it ready, Daddy?” she asks.She’s peering up at me with those wide, curious eyes that make me feel like I’m doing something right in this whole parenting thing. “Just in time,” I say.I slide the omelette onto a small plate, cut it into smaller pieces, then hand it to her. “Thank you!” she chirps before scampering into the living room. I follow her with my eyes as she climbs onto the couch, settling in with her plate. A faint movement ca