Damien’s cold gaze locked onto the fragile figure standing before him as he buttoned up his shirt. Aurora’s hands nervously gripped the edges of her pajama shirt as she stood there, unsure of how to proceed. He sighed, his eyes narrowing slightly. “What do you want?” he asked, his voice piercing through the silence like a blade. The commanding tone made her flinch slightly, her blue eyes flickering with uncertainty. “Speak,” he ordered as he fastened his wristwatch. Aurora swallowed hard, her lips trembling. She had to do this. She had to say it now, or she never would. “I’m in love with you, Damien,” she said, her voice small but steady. The room seemed to freeze in that moment. Damien paused, his expression unchanged, though his eyes darkened slightly. Aurora’s heart pounded in her chest as the silence stretched on, suffocating her. She wasn’t sure if he was about to reject her, laugh, or dismiss her entirely. Damien’s cold, unreadable gaze lingered on her, his jaw tight.
The morning was bright as Damien woke up after an almost seven-hour flight from New York to California. He took a bath and put on his bathrobe. The five-star hotel presidential suite he was staying in wasn’t too far from the event center for the business gala. His food was already served, and he ate the little he could before taking a glass of wine to his balcony. The city view was spread out before him, with busy streets and other skyscrapers visible in the distance. Damien took a deep breath. It was a beautiful scene to behold. He looked down at the people walking around, and when his eyes landed on a couple, an image flashed in his head, making him hiss. He sat down to relax, going through his mail, but the events of the previous night in his study started replaying in his mind. “I’m in love with you, Damien.” Aurora’s words seemed to be haunting him, and he dropped his iPad. He didn’t understand why those words still echoed in his mind. Since he was born, the only image that s
The afternoon was bright. Aurora followed Stella and the other maids into the grocery store. One bodyguard stood outside, beside the car, while the other two followed the women inside to accompany them as they shopped. As soon as the women entered the store, Stella looked at Aurora. “Please stay close,” she said. Aurora nodded, and Stella smiled at her as they began shopping. “Miss Stella, please check this out,” one of the maids called, prompting Stella to walk toward her. At that moment, Aurora seized the opportunity to sneak away. While the guards followed the women, Aurora slipped out of the store. As she attempted to cross the road, the guard by the car noticed her and quickly approached. “Madam, do you need anything?” he asked. Aurora smiled. “No, I just want to grab snacks for lunch. I’ll be back,” she said, pointing at the café across the street. The guard nodded, and Aurora crossed the road. Once on the other side, she walked toward the café. As the guards returned to
The large, exquisite room was silent after Simon heard what the butler said. “Ran away,” he murmured. He wanted to ask more questions when the door opened, and Damien walked in with Mason following behind, causing Simon to quickly hang up. “Welcome, boss,” Simon greeted, bowing his head slightly. “Where are my clothes?” Mason asked. Simon quickly walked to the single cushion and handed him the tailored Dior suit. “Thanks, Simon,” Mason said, while Damien walked into his bedroom to undress and take a shower. Mason followed behind as Damien grabbed his bathrobe. Mason began to unbutton his shirt. “What are you doing?” Damien asked, frowning. “Taking a bath, of course,” Mason replied, but Damien glared at him. “Don’t you have your own room? Why do you want to share my bathroom after I let you dress here?” Damien said, still glaring. “I can’t go back to my room and shower and then come back to dress…” “Then take your clothes to your room, dummy,” Damien said, his voice sharp. “
The hall was decorated with a beautiful, bright red color, with round tables now occupied by guests from both large and small companies from different parts of the country. The ladies were dressed elegantly, while the men donned their expensive suits. As soon as Damien walked in with Mason, his appearance drew attention from everyone, including the non-business guests. Business partners immediately approached him, exchanging pleasantries and talking business. Though Damien disliked standing for long conversations, he had no choice—this gala was not just for the award ceremony but also a prime opportunity to meet more businesspeople.“I’m so glad I made the right choice by choosing the contract with Vladimir,” said a man in his late forties, smiling at Damien, who nodded politely.“Please, if you’ll excuse me,” Damien said, giving a dry smile as he walked toward his table at the front row.“Is he alright?” another man asked Mason, who smiled.“Yes, he just doesn’t like standing for too
Immediately after Damien stepped into his hotel suite and started walking towards his wardrobe, he noticed a red light beeping beside the room cushion.He moved towards it and quickly realized it was a fixed bomb.Damien knew it would be too dangerous and too late to try disarming it, so he sprinted towards the door. Just as he managed to open it and run out, the explosion went off, and the force flung him against the opposite wall. He hit his back and head, falling unconscious instantly.Simon, who heard the screams of people outside and the sound of the explosion, rushed out of the garage into the busy night street. Looking up, he saw that the explosion had occurred on the nineteenth floor, right where his boss’s room was.“Shit, boss!” he yelled, sprinting back into the hotel while guests and workers scattered in a panic.“Call the ambulance immediately!” Simon shouted to a security guard while he ran towards the elevator.“Take the stairs!” he ordered the guards who rushed towards
The doctor sighed, his expression grave as he wiped his brow. “He made it through the surgery,” he began, his voice steady but heavy with caution. “However, he’s in a critical condition. The head trauma is severe, and there’s internal bleeding we had to control. We’ve done everything we can for now, but the next 48 hours are crucial.” Mason’s heart sank. “Will he wake up?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper. The doctor glanced between the two men, hesitating before answering. “We can’t say for sure. The extent of the head injury is significant, and he’s in a medically induced coma to reduce the swelling. We’ll have to wait and monitor his brain activity.” Simon, feeling a knot in his stomach, clutched his hands tightly together, his knuckles white. “But he’s strong, right?” he asked, almost pleading. “My boss is a fighter. He’s made it through worse, hasn’t he?” The doctor nodded sympathetically but remained realistic. “He is strong, yes. But this is a delicate situation. We
The room was silent, with only the sound of Beverly’s sobbing as everyone watched John comforting her.“It’s okay, Bev. He will survive,” John said, rubbing Beverly’s back.Camila walked over to her stepbrother, who was still unconscious. She held his hand, trying not to cry as tears formed in her eyes.“Who wants him dead? Is it something related to business, Simon?” she asked, looking at Simon, who sighed.“We’ll find out, young madam. The cops are on it. Our priority is to make sure he’s stable first,” he replied, and Camila sighed.“Please, Damien. I know we don’t talk much, but I love you, and seeing you every day makes me proud. You gave me a unique identity among my peers. Just being known as Damien Vladimir’s baby sister makes even the rich in the same caliber respect me. Please come back, Damien, please,” she said, hugging him and starting to cry.John sighed after releasing Beverly from the hug.“Go and change into something comfortable, okay? Have you all eaten?” John asked
Beverly’s eyes followed Aurora as she turned to Butler Thomas.“Where’s Stella?” Aurora asked.“She’s in the garden, madam,” Thomas replied, bowing respectfully.Beverly frowned. Her heart boiled with anger; she couldn’t believe the men she hired failed to carry out her orders. She had sent them Camila’s photo from her Instagram story and paid a hefty sum, yet they still couldn’t complete the task. Without another word, Beverly turned sharply and stormed toward Damien’s study.“Next time, if she comes visiting, don’t stop her,” Aurora said, turning back to Thomas. “She’s Damien’s lover, so let her in.”Aurora started toward the dining area but paused. “Has he eaten?”Thomas shook his head. “I’m about to serve his meal, madam.”“Leave it,” Aurora said.“Pardon, ma’am?” Thomas asked, confused.“I’ll serve him myself,” she said, smiling gently. Her newfound boldness surprised Thomas, but he nodded and went to set Damien’s meal.At the door to Damien’s study, Beverly stopped to compose he
The morning sun rose high, casting its bright, golden rays across the room, illuminating Aurora’s serene face. Her soft, dark hair framed her delicate features, tucked neatly behind her ears. Her skin, smooth and glowing like polished peach, reflected the sun’s warmth as if nature itself admired her beauty. Aurora moaned softly, her body stirring under the silk sheets, the corners of her lips twitching into a relaxed expression.But something was off.The scent in the air was unfamiliar—sharp and distinctly masculine. It wasn’t the gentle lavender aroma she was accustomed to waking up to. Her brows furrowed as she turned on the bed, pulling the blanket closer. Slowly, her heavy eyelids fluttered open, revealing the room’s dark, unfamiliar surroundings.She sat up abruptly, her heart pounding as she scanned her surroundings. This wasn’t her room. The walls were a dull gray, with heavy, dark curtains that muffled the sunlight’s entrance. The air was cold and almost suffocating. Everythi
Aurora chuckled, knowing the influence Damien had out there. For some reason, she felt proud being his woman, even though it was clear she wasn’t his forever—only for a period of time. “I guess you recognize him,” Aurora said, causing the man to burst out laughing. They had been anonymously hired for the kidnapping, so he didn’t actually know who sent them, but they had been paid very well. “We’ll know after I have you,” he said, smiling. Aurora folded herself, scared. He approached her, licking his lips while Aurora tried to untie her hands, but to no avail. The struggle began to make her wrists red. As he approached, he bent down and held her face while she struggled to free herself. “Don’t touch me! I’m pregnant, please,” she pleaded. He dragged Aurora down, but suddenly, a gunshot sounded, making Aurora scream. “Ahhhhh!!!” Aurora screamed out loud in horror as the blood of the man in front of her splashed all over her face. “Ahhhh!!” she kept screaming as he fell o
Aurora gasped. She didn’t know what was going on, but one thing was certain—it wasn’t good.She saw two men dragging the unconscious taxi driver to the side of the bush. At that moment, she immediately grabbed her phone to call Damien. The moment her phone began to ring, one of the men opened the car door and dragged her out.Damien was in his study, redesigning the company Daniel had tried to sabotage. His vice president had returned, and they were on a conference call when his phone rang. It was Aurora.He frowned. He knew he was the last person Aurora would call, but he answered anyway.“Speak,” he said, only to hear Aurora’s desperate plea.“Please, don’t hurt me! I’m pregnant!” Her terrified voice broke through the line before the call abruptly ended.“Hello?” Damien frowned, calling the number back, but it was switched off.Immediately, Damien called Camila.“I’m sorry, I didn’t—”“Where’s my wife?” Damien’s cold voice cut through, making Camila frown.“I sent her home already.”
Agatha smiled at her colleague, who handed her the table number for her next order.“Two young women at table five, please. They asked for water and juice,” her colleague said. Agatha nodded and took the order.She had been selected by the restaurant’s headquarters to serve at the forum, and she was excited at the prospect of meeting wealthy guests.Walking to the table, Agatha served the drinks. As she did, a familiar face caught her attention, and she gasped.“Aurora,” she called, eyes wide with surprise.Aurora frowned at the waitress who had just said her name. The voice was familiar, but she couldn’t place it.“Excuse me?” Camila asked, prompting Agatha to bow quickly.“Sorry, ma’am,” Agatha said, but she couldn’t help stealing glances at Aurora.“Do you know me?” Aurora asked, confusion evident in her voice.“I’m sorry, I must have been mistaken,” Agatha replied and left immediately.The face and voice were Aurora’s, but her demeanor and expression were different. Agatha wondere
Inside the wet, dark cell room, two men sat far from each other. They didn’t know how many hours they had been there, but it felt like an eternity.“I told you we should leave, but you relied on that bastard who can’t even outdo his brother. Now look where we are,” one of the men said, causing the other to sigh. At that moment, they heard the rumbling sound of chains, and the door opened.The light turned on, and they immediately shut their eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness.They could hear footsteps—more than one person or even two.As they tried to open their eyes, they saw Damien in a wheelchair with three bodyguards.Damien’s cold gaze stared daggers at the two men, who immediately bowed their heads.“Tie them down,” he said quietly. Two guards stepped forward, raised the men, and sat them in iron chairs, binding them with chains.“Daniel asked you to kill me, but you didn’t do a good job. Why?” he asked. Both men frowned and then scoffed.“We don’t know what you—”O
Camila knew Damien might cut her off for this, but something told her that he was going to ask Aurora to terminate the pregnancy, as he didn’t look pleased with the news.“What did you say?” Old man Vladimir asked, making Camila smile.“She’s pregnant, Grandpa. He’s going to be a father,” she said, which made Daniel chuckle.“Why so soon?” he laughed, and the old man smiled.“That’s a man who wants to live life on his own terms. That’s a man of principle,” he said proudly, while Daniel scoffed, wiping his lips as he stood up and left the dining table.“Father, every man has his own priorities,” Clara said, making old man Vladimir scoff.“You should be happy. You’ll be a grandmother soon,” he said, calling out to his butler.“I know where my excitement truly lies,” Clara said, catching John’s attention.“Damien is your son too,” John said as Clara scoffed and put down her cutlery.“I know how many children I gave birth to, John,” she said, standing up, while old man Vladimir shook his
It was 9 a.m. when Damien Vladimir’s private jet landed at New York Airport. Several cars were waiting to pick them up. Mason had to leave home since he’d been away for a while. Damien asked Camila to head back home, leaving him alone with Aurora and Simon. The black SUV driving to Damien’s mansion was silent. Aurora watched the trees pass by one after another as they drove into the estate where Damien’s mansion was located. She couldn’t believe she was back in the reality she had planned so well to escape from. She sat at a distance from Damien, trying her best not to look at him and focusing instead on the scenery. “After you drop us, take the week off. I’ll handle the rest,” Damien said, causing Simon to frown. “But—” “No objections,” Damien’s voice was steady and cold as usual. Aurora still didn’t look at either Simon or Damien. The beautiful gates of the mansion opened as Simon drove in. He pulled into the garage and turned off the engine. Butler Thomas and the other staf
Damien sat in a daze, the words “I’m pregnant your child” lingering in his mind. He couldn’t wait for the test results; the thought of becoming a father in the midst of his family’s deadly feud was overwhelming. despite it all, he couldn’t abandon his child.“What are you thinking?” Mason asked as he entered with Camila, breaking Damien’s silence.“Where’s your wife?” Camila added, prompting Damien to raise his head.“Where is she?” Mason repeated.“Why is your wife acting like a scared cat around you?” Camila pressed.“Mind your business,” Damien snapped, causing Camila to purse her lips in annoyance.“She asked a question; she’s your sister and deserves—”“If you both don’t mind your business, it’s time for you to leave. I’m fine,” he said coldly, his patience running thin. Despite their presence, Damien’s tension remained, and Mason and Camila sat quietly. Time seemed to drag until Simon finally returned with the doctor and Aurora.“Hey, baby girl!” Camila greeted, rushing to hug A