Aurora was heading from her room to check if Damien was back so she could thank him when she saw him rushing upstairs. The urgency in his movements made her worry, so she hurried after him. When she reached his door, it was ajar. Stepping inside, she looked around anxiously before entering the main bedroom, where she found Damien groaning on the floor.Immediately, she rushed to his side, kneeling beside him.“Are you alright?” she asked, her voice trembling with concern. But instead of answering, Damien suddenly pushed her down, capturing her lips with his in a fiery kiss. Aurora’s eyes widened in shock.She struggled to free herself, but Damien’s weight pinned her down as his heated mouth claimed hers, his lips and tongue rough and demanding. She could feel the intense heat radiating from his body, making her wonder what had happened to him.As she fought against him, the lack of escape left Aurora with no choice but to relent. She started to kiss him back, but her compliance was sh
The sun shone brightly as Aurora lay naked on the cold floor. Damien, also naked, was sprawled next to her, their torn clothes scattered around them. The intense sunlight directly hit Damien’s face, causing him to groan. His head felt heavy as he attempted to stand but quickly lay back down, rubbing his face. After a moment, he managed to sit up and frowned when he noticed Aurora still asleep beside him. He immediately covered her naked body with her torn gown. Damien tried to recall the events of the previous night, but his memory was a blank. “Shit,” he muttered. He knew something had happened, but he couldn’t remember what. He stood up and walked to the bathroom to freshen up. After a quick shower, the headache subsided. Damien wrapped a towel around himself and exited the bathroom. He sat on his cushion and called his butler. “Take two maids to come carry her out of my room,” he instructed before hanging up. He rubbed his forehead, still puzzled by his blank memory of the n
The evening was cold, the sky thick with dark clouds, lightning flickering across the horizon. Aurora wrapped herself tightly in a blanket as she sat on the balcony, the cold air biting at her skin. She hadn’t seen Damien since the previous day when that unexpected, intimate moment occurred between them. Now, she wondered if he was upset with her, disgusted, or avoiding her altogether. A deep sigh escaped her lips as her eyes wandered across the beautiful but desolate landscape. After sitting in the cold for what felt like an eternity, Aurora stood up and left the balcony. She grabbed her coat and made her way downstairs. As she walked through the hallway, she spotted a maid heading towards the kitchen. “Where’s Stella?” Aurora asked, stopping the maid in her tracks. The girl bowed slightly before answering, “The butler asked her to run some errands, Miss.” Aurora sighed, her heart heavy with an uneasy feeling. “Has the boss come back yet?” she inquired, her voice tinged with nerv
The director couldn’t believe his ears. What he had just heard from Beverly was shocking. He knew Mr. Vladimir to be a man of substance, but being petty? That was something he couldn’t imagine.“That’s too petty of Mr. Vladimir,” he scoffed. “He pulled out of a billion-dollar movie just because you haven’t given him an answer? It’s not like you rejected him.”Beverly wiped her tears, and Michael continued to hug her supportively, while the director discreetly turned off the recorder in his pocket.The team listening to the recording frowned. They thought Beverly had something serious to share, but instead, it seemed like a petty reason. Without hesitation, they sent the recording to an anonymous media outlet, attaching it to an article.The next morning, the internet was buzzing with the leaked voice recording of Beverly and her director discussing the Vladimir investment withdrawal. Some netizens supported Damien’s actions, while others doubted the story. Various people threw shades
The mansion was in a state of tension. All the maids and the butler were running helter-skelter, searching for Aurora. They scoured every possible location, from the grand halls to the servants’ quarters, but she was nowhere to be found. Stella, the maid in charge of her, was already in tears. Her body trembled with fear, dreading the consequences she would face if their boss returned and his wife was still missing. The butler, Thomas, hurried to the security quarters and announced that the madam was missing, causing an uproar among the staff. As they all frantically tried to locate her, Thomas instructed the security team to check the mansion’s surveillance footage. Perhaps the cameras had captured Aurora during the early hours of the day. He watched the day’s activities, fast-forwarding to noon when the mansion had been quiet due to the staff’s afternoon rest. On the screen, he saw Aurora walking out of the house, glancing around as if she was bored. He continued watching as sh
Aurora knelt on the wet stone floor of the maze, her body trembling as the rain battered her relentlessly. There was no shelter in this endless labyrinth of towering hedges and twisting pathways. Her clothes clung to her skin, soaked through, and her hair was plastered to her face. Every breath felt colder, harder to draw in, as the storm intensified around her. She had tried to run, to find a way out, but the deeper she ventured into the maze, the more disoriented she became. Now, completely spent, she collapsed to her knees, shivering as the cold seeped into her bones.She had never felt so alone.At the mansion, the worry had grown unbearable. The butler, Thomas, paced by the grand windows, staring out into the sheets of rain that obscured the maze. His face was lined with concern, his usually composed demeanor fraying at the edges. Stella, equally anxious, stood beside him, wringing her hands.“Sir, we need to call the boss. The storm has been raging for hours, and she’s still out
She hesitated at the threshold, her heart racing. His cold, distant presence made her feel even smaller than she already was. She twisted the fabric of the shirt between her fingers, unsure of what to say.“If you want to die so badly,” Damien’s voice cut through the stillness of the room like a blade, “why not jump off your balcony? Why torment yourself in my maze?”Aurora froze where she stood, his cold words slicing through her like the rain had earlier. The shame washed over her as quickly as the tears welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip, trying to stifle the sob that threatened to escape. Her heart raced with fear and regret, and the soft dawn light that streamed into the room felt harsh and unforgiving against the rawness of her emotions.“I—I didn’t mean to…” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I just wanted to understand…”“Understand what?” Damien turned slowly from the balcony, his dark gaze locking onto her tear-filled eyes. His face was impassive, though something deep
Aurora couldn’t sleep for long as she felt Damien was still upset with her, after thirty minutes, of deep slumber, she began turning on the bed before her eyes opened gently. The sun was up and her eyes saw Damien sitting in his balcony. Quietly she sat up, her body still aches from the exhaustion last night, she weakly walked towards him standing beside him. “You should be sleeping” his cold voice said for Aurora to sigh. “I can’t sleep” she whispered rubbing her hair backwards. Damien didn’t say anything as he silently stared into the estates. Aurora stood there, she don’t know what is going on, after his words during dawn, she felt something within her she have never felt before. Despite being nervous by his intimidating aura, she stood at his side because the urge to be beside him seems like it’s growing on her and very fast. After some minutes, Damien stood up and walked closer to the glass protector of the balcony then turn to look at her. “You can leave. Fredric wi
Damien chuckled. “I never said that. But Mason is different. He doesn’t have the same coldness. Naomi keeps pushing him to be something he’s not.” Aurora stared at him for a moment before sighing. “I don’t know if you’re protecting him or just manipulating the situation.” Damien smirked, turning his eyes back to the road. “Maybe both.” Aurora scoffed. “You’re impossible.” Damien reached over and took her hand. “And yet, you’re still here.” Aurora bit her lip, looking away. She couldn’t deny the warmth that spread through her when he held her like that. The car slowed down as they approached a grand, glass-fronted restaurant with golden lighting reflecting off its entrance. The valet rushed forward as Damien pulled into the driveway. “We’re here,” he said, letting go of her hand. Aurora inhaled deeply before stepping out of the car, already sensing that the night wasn’t over yet. The moment Aurora stepped inside Restaurant de Sea, the aroma of grilled seafood and ocea
It was already 1 a.m. Agatha refused to let Aurora sleep in her room. Instead, she held Aurora’s hand and took her to their bedroom.“I don’t want—”“He’s your husband. If you don’t want to, you tell him you don’t want to,” Agatha whispered. Aurora sighed and bit her lip.She slowly opened the door and gently walked into the room. The light was off, so she carefully stepped inside, moving quietly toward their bed.Just as she tried to lay down, a cold, commanding voice stopped her.“Where are you coming from?”The voice made Aurora freeze in place.She couldn’t move until she felt Damien’s breath on her.“Where are you coming from?” he asked again, grabbing her waist and turning her around. Aurora’s eyes widened, but she still couldn’t see his face in the darkness of the room.“I asked you a question.”Aurora swallowed hard. “A-Agatha,” she pointed toward the door.Damien dragged her closer. “Is it fair, hmm?” he asked, his voice unreadable.Aurora looked up at him like a shocked bunn
The words Damien said earlier still ran through Aurora’s mind. She frowned, looking at Damien, but still tried not to glance at the lower part of his body. “My head?” she asked nervously, pointing at her head. “Mmm,” Damien nodded. “Help me out with your head,” he said again, making Aurora take a step back. She was confused as hell. She swallowed hard, then turned around. The closer Damien got, the more she couldn’t imagine what she was feeling or what she was supposed to do. “I… I…” “I will teach you,” he whispered. Aurora felt his breath on her neck. She swallowed hard, and in the next moment, Damien watched as she bolted out of the room. Damien chuckled, then looked down at his bulging member. “Tsk,” he clicked his tongue before shaking his head. “I’m sure she doesn’t even know what that means,” he muttered, walking back to the bathroom. After running out of the bathroom, Aurora stopped beside a pillar, taking a deep breath. Her flushed face was still red, and her hands t
Aurora was excited that she wouldn’t be stuck with Damien—at least Agatha was here to keep her company.“Good evening, Mr. Vladimir,” Agatha greeted.Damien only nodded before turning and heading to his study. Naomi, who had been standing nearby, immediately turned and left before Agatha could catch a glimpse of her.“Thank you for coming. This place would have been suffocating,” Aurora said with a smile.“Don’t say that,” Agatha whispered.“Ma’am, your room is ready. Please come with me,” the butler said, but Agatha held onto Aurora’s hand.“This place is beautiful, Aurora,” Agatha said, smiling.“Mmm… it is,” Aurora murmured.“Damien is here, and he’s obviously trying to make you forgive him for what happened. So don’t say it will be suffocating. This is the time you should make him fall in love with you so deeply that he can’t spend a second without you. Okay?” Agatha said.Aurora smiled but shook her head. “Mmm… His heart is strong. He might have a soft spot for me now, but I can’
Damien’s grip tightened on his phone, his knuckles turning white as he listened to the silence on the other end. Simon held his breath, waiting, watching the doctor shift uncomfortably under his stare.“B…” Simon started, but Damien’s voice cut through like a blade.“Abort it, and take her back to the bunker”Then, the line went dead.Simon’s eyes widened as he slowly turned to the doctor. He swallowed hard before asking, “How is she?”The doctor gave a small nod. “She’s still unconscious but stable. She’ll recuperate soon.”Simon exhaled in relief, but the weight of Damien’s decision pressed heavily on him. “And the baby?”The doctor hesitated before responding, “The procedure will proceed as instructed.”Simon clenched his jaw, nodding once before turning on his heels and leaving the dimly lit room. Back at the Bahamas, As Damien drove out of the secluded area, he sat still in his car, staring ahead at nothing.She was the reason Aurora lost their baby.He would never accept this p
At the Mason Family Mansion Naomi had gone out to meet some old friends. Mason noticed that ever since he halted their vacation for his mother’s health, she had been giving him the cold shoulder. They barely talked anymore, and whenever he tried to speak to her, she acted uninterested. “Junior,” Maria’s voice called. Mason turned. “You’re awake, Mom.” “How long have you been here?” she asked. “Not long. I didn’t meet Dad at home.” Maria sighed. “Mmm. That girl—you said she’s Damien’s wife. Did you say she’s an orphan?” Mason nodded. Maria hesitated before shaking her head. “No, it’s nothing.” But the name her husband had called that day… she had met a woman once when she was pregnant. Was this just a coincidence? “Please send a decline letter to the elite women’s meeting on my behalf,” Maria said before lying down to relax. Mason nodded, then stood up and walked to his father’s study. As he entered, he moved to the desk and reached for the laptop—only for his eyes to land on
At Vladimir Empire, Damien sat behind his massive desk, his sharp eyes scanning the documents before him. His pen glided smoothly over the paper, signing off on year-end deals, but his mind was elsewhere. The image of Aurora’s tear-streaked face, her shattered expression, played in his mind like a broken record. He hated it. He hated how much her pain affected him. His grip on the pen tightened. He was never the type of man to hesitate, to regret—but this time… The door slammed open. John Vladimir strode in, his face a mask of fury. His presence was commanding, but Damien didn’t even look up. “That was too much,” John said, his voice low but filled with anger. “He is your brother, Damien!” Damien didn’t react, didn’t acknowledge his father’s presence. He simply continued signing the document in front of him. John took another step forward. “Why can’t you, for once, listen to me?” he demanded. “We were still trying to find Aurora, and that had nothing to do with Daniel. Do you h
Damien’s masculine hands held Aurora’s fragile hands lightly. He brought them to his lips, placing a soft kiss on them before offering her a rare smile. His long, slim thumb moved to her eyes, gently wiping away her tears.“I’m glad you came back to me,” he whispered, making Aurora smile faintly.“Can you remember anything?” he asked, watching as Aurora closed her eyes.“My baby…” Her eyes snapped open, locking onto Damien’s. His grip on her hands tightened slightly.“What do you remember?” he asked gently, his voice quiet.“I woke up on cold metal… I was running, screaming for help… then I blacked out,” she murmured, and Damien’s fingers brushed against the bandage on her head.“Is that all?” he asked. Aurora nodded, then instinctively placed a hand on her stomach.“Is my baby alright?” she asked, attempting to sit up, but Damien gently held her down.“Relax, my love,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her bandaged forehead. He smiled at her again, and unease crept into Aurora’s chest
Simon paid the bills and also compensated the man who found Aurora. He arranged for her to be transferred to the family hospital, with guards stationed at her ward. He didn’t leave her side because, for the time being, he knew Damien didn’t need him.At Damien’s mansion, he sat in his study, sweat breaking out on his forehead. The urge to do what he wanted was so overwhelming now that he couldn’t control it. The urge—the dark, violent desire—was clawing at his chest, and this time, he had no intention of suppressing it. His breathing was slow, controlled, but his fingers twitched with barely restrained rage. The study door opened, and Mason walked in.“Man, calm down,” he whispered.Damien didn’t reply. His expression remained void of emotion as he stood, grabbed his coat, and headed for the door.“Don’t follow me.” he muttered before walking out.Mason bowed his head, sighing.“What’s wrong with these people?” he muttered, exhaling before leaving too.Moments after Damien drove out,