Damien's POVWith wide eyes, I placed a hand between us, keeping some sort of barrier. “What do you think you’re doing, storming up towards me like that?”“It seems like your legs and brain don’t function properly, right?” he quirked a brow. “So I’m going to carry you.”Carry me? There is no way I am going to let him carry me.“You’re not carrying me. I have legs,” I said, folding my arms against my chest. We held each other’s gazes for what felt like forever, neither of us willing to back down.Finally, I sighed, sagging my shoulders as I walked toward the part of the table I had cleaned.Damien discarded his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to his upper arms, giving me a perfect view of his toned forearms. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, and I caught a glimpse of his chest—the same chest I had leaned against just a few minutes ago.My heart raced as I stared at him. It wasn’t like I hadn’t noticed before, but now I couldn’t help but admit it: I had marrie
Damien's POVI adjusted the cufflinks of my suit as I walked downstairs to get to work. When I passed by the kitchen, I glanced inside, seeing Myra and two other maids cleaning up the mess from last night.My lips curled up slightly as I realized that Astrid indeed hadn’t cleaned the kitchen—not that I expected her to. For someone who was out to show she could make it on her own, she needed to learn to stand her ground and not let anyone command her. That was the only way she could succeed. I was impressed with her strength and hoped she remained the same.Myra saw me first, and her lips moved. I was sure she was informing the other two of my presence because they turned toward me, bowing respectfully with their hands placed in front of them. Myra, the head maid, walked toward me.“Mr. Starkov, sir, is there anything you would like to have for breakfast? I can make it right away.”“Myra,” my voice came out cold—never intentionally, but still, this is how I have always been since that
Astrid's POVDisappointment hit me like a tidal wave when Damien didn't react as I had expected him to after discovering that I didn't clean up as he had ordered.I was expecting him to be his grumpy self and maybe even raise his voice. Well, I don’t think he’s raised his voice since I came to his house, but that doesn’t matter.I was just expecting him to go out of his way and scold me so that I would be pushed and motivated to stand my ground and tell him that I am not his slave.I am not his maid who he can control and order around. I can't believe he asked me to clean. Just because the maids and guards had a good time?Yes, I was indeed going to clean the kitchen, but the fact that he commanded me to do it made me lose my mind. I decided that I wouldn’t do what he wanted just because he wanted to show that he had power over me.“Ma’am, do you want us to start packing your stuff now?” Myra, who stood in my room with two other maids, asked me in a soft voice.My brows furrowed. “Pac
Astrid's POVI ground my teeth together, clenching my jaw muscles and fists as I stomped towards the car where the devil sat comfortably, trying to control my life. The driver stepped out and gave me a small bow while opening the door. My brows creased in confusion when I didn’t see Damien inside.“Uh, where’s Mr. Starkov?” I asked, my mind reeling. He had ordered me to join him, yet he wasn’t even here? What the hell?“He will join us soon, ma’am. My orders were to pick you up,” the driver, whom I now knew as Fred, responded before driving through the city.The sun was already going down, casting a soft glow over the hills in the distance. Pedestrians and drivers all hurried to get home before the evening rush hour began. The car swerved to a stop in front of a fancy restaurant.“Are we to meet here?” I asked, but the driver shook his head, his eyes glancing straight into the restaurant. I followed his gaze while asking, “Then why are we—”The words got stuck in my throat at the sigh
Damien's POV"Auntie? Uncle?"I stood by the doorway, my mouth hanging open as I watched my parents ignore me and flash bright smiles at my wife. How did they even know each other?"Mr. Starkov, everything okay, sir?" my parents' chef and housekeeper, Mr. Jeffrey, called out to me. Only then did I notice that they had gone in and left me outside. I shook my head, walking into the house.My parents' house was a cozy three-story building. Anyone who passed by this place would never think of it as the home of a billionaire family. Unlike the elegance and radiant beauty of my own mansion, my parents loved simplicity. They preferred to live in a place that reminded them of their humble beginnings rather than the luxurious lifestyle my money could afford.My mother, Charlotte Starkov, is a gardener, which explains the huge garden located at the back of their home. I think the garden is bigger than the house itself. Meanwhile, my dad, Pedro Starkov, is a retired military officer from Russia.
Astrid's POVOur visit to his parent's home was cut short by Damien's abrupt announcement that we had to leave and attend to a sh emergency in his office.But before then, I had enjoyed spending time with Aunt and Uncle, just like before. They had been my parental figures when I was living with Grandma on her farm, and I'd been so heartbroken when they left.Now reunited, we were, but under the strangest condition. Though they were indeed very happy to find out Damien and I were together. I'd really hate to see their reaction when this charade is over.On this bright sunny afternoon, I was in a car, set to arrive at the airport where we'll take a plane to the Bahamas for our honeymoon.I kept tapping my foot impatiently in the car, glancing out the window and biting my lips to stop myself from asking the driver if we had arrived. I had always heard of Fiona going to the Bahamas and different islands for vacation, at least once every three weeks, and I had always been envious.Now I wa
Astrid's POVMy mind was buzzing with a million questions. What did Eliza just say? Sister? No. I don't believe this."You just said sister. Are you sure you're not mistaken?""I am not making a mistake. I've known them for five years since Luke and I met. She was in high school back then. What did you think she was?"I shrugged, placing my head in my hands. Everything was just too much to handle now."Astrid? Is everything okay?"Glancing at her, I shook my head. "Selena told me she was Damien's wife."Eliza froze, her lips parting with no words coming out for a while. Then, after a few seconds, she chuckled. "Not strange she would say something like that. And you believed her?""What was I supposed to do? She just said it, and I didn't have any arguments to give. My mind was imbalanced all this while, trying to figure out why Damien hadn't told me about her and why he was polygamous."Eliza exhaled, glaring in the direction Selena had stomped off to. "I always found her actions weir
Astrid's POVI couldn't stop my mouth from gaping as the cars zoomed past the bustling city and islands in the Bahamas. I was seated in an Audi—I guess my husband is obsessed with them—while he was at the wheel.My eyes couldn't stop glancing at him often as he sat, leaning back in his seat as he controlled the car with one hand.His shirt clung to his chest and skin, accentuating his broad frame and bulging muscles. His eyes were focused on the road, giving me more opportunities to peer at him beneath my lashes.A strand of his hair kept falling on his face, causing him to keep pushing it off. I gulped, trying to control myself from leaning over and tucking it back into its place.We drove past a sign marked 'Private Property,' and the car rolled to a stop in front of a two-story glass mansion overlooking the blue sea, with its waves lapping at the shore."I need to park the car. Get out." Damien's bored tone pulled me out of my daze. Only then did I notice that everyone else had got
Astrid’s POV "Dear Astrid, I know I am still an enemy in your heart. Or maybe you have truly forgiven me, as you said. But I have decided to go far away, to let us all have peace of mind. Why? Because I have tried to move on, but I can't. Somehow, I still have feelings for you. Inasmuch as I worked with your sister against you, I just couldn't get rid of them. I had to pretend when I was helping you, just so you would allow me to keep you safe. I will come back. Of course, I have to. But that will only be when I am sure that I have moved on 100% from you. I am also sorry for planting the bomb in that car. I know you blamed yourself for their deaths. Please don't. It was going to happen either way. Take care of yourself and your baby. I love you, Astrid. I am not expecting you to say it back, ever. But I just want you to know that I do. Bye, Astrid." * I closed the letter, feeling a tear drop onto my hand. Adrian had been of much help, and I think he was doing the right thing b
Astrid's POV The police cars had barely parked when I was rushing inside, ignoring the calls for me to come back. I was beyond reasoning today. All I needed was to make sure Damien was safe. How? No idea, but I was going to stop them today, even if it meant killing my own father. As I ran through the living room and took the corridor leading to Damien's office, my steps halted as Tiffany and Arthur came rushing down the corridor. Tiffany held him up as he limped. They hadn't seen me yet, so I hid behind the wall. To my side, there was a golden vase on the floor. God bless Damien for keeping antiques like this around. With much difficulty, I lifted it and held it, listening closely so I didn't miss my target. As they came barreling down the corridor, I lifted the vase and, with all my strength, hit it hard against Tiffany's head. She fell to the ground, unconscious. If she was dead, then it was good because what was going to happen to her if she didn't die from this was going to be
Damien's POVI woke up to muffled voices and movement. Blinking through the haze, I saw Arthur and Tiffany standing close together.It was real. Not a dream.My own mother was siding with Arthur.What in the world?My eyes trailed down to Arthur’s legs, noticing that his previously wounded leg was now patched up and bandaged. A bit sloppy, but still okay.I cursed the heavens at that moment for making my mother a nurse before she married Dad. Now, with her helping his injuries, she could help them escape, and I would have no way to fight back."Ugh."Shut. My groan alerted them, and they turned to look at me."Hey, son. You’re awake?" Tiffany smirked. "You should get some rest. You’ll need your strength."Arthur nodded, stepping beside her as she walked toward me.My stomach churned, and I clenched my fists. I had to find a way out of this.I struggled to support myself and stand, but only then did I notice that my hands were tied behind my back. Liquid dripped from my head, and when
Damien's POVLike music to my ears were the groans of Arthur Marshall as he clutched his wounded leg while glaring daggers at me from where he lay on the floor. He had broken in, expecting to take me unaware.Astrid had broken me. After her departure, I had become a mess, going as far as drinking alcohol and doing things I had promised never to do. Luke, seeing that, reduced the amount of security in the house. First mistake.One day, I came home, and the bodyguards tried to help me. In anger, I decided to relieve all of them from duty for a few weeks, just until I could get Astrid home. So I gave them a much-celebrated vacation, which they took. And that was where my self-torture skyrocketed.I didn’t even show up at the office but spent my days indoors, working in my home office tirelessly and then drinking myself to sleep. That was the routine. And that was how Arthur found me.Luckily, Luke was wise enough to leave some cameras in my house, connected to the office. That was how he
Astrid’s POVToday was D-Day.Adrian had let me go to his house, a mansion in the middle of the city—much smaller than Damien’s, but it would have to do. Since Grandmother didn’t know where Damien lived exactly, she wouldn’t know I wasn’t at his place and that this was all a plan. The police were on standby, cameras set; she had to confess whether she knew it or not.“My beautiful grandbaby, look at you! You’re so healthy and happy—you look fat,” Grandma greeted as soon as she walked through the door.“Hi, Grandma. Nice to meet you.” The words felt bitter on my tongue, but I had to pretend to be happy to see her.After that day, Damien didn’t leave me alone. Every day, he kept disturbing me, so I had to move out of that house to somewhere else, which he still found—telling me there was no way he was letting me and his baby go."Co-parent my foot." Those were his exact words to me.It was only because of Luke’s intervention that he didn’t carry me back home. Thank God he didn’t, or els
Astrid's POVLying over the toilet seat had become a habit of mine. Even after leaving Damien's house and going to the small apartment Adrian had rented since I refused anything too extravagant, I couldn't keep anything down. I was booked for a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and so I decided to just drink a lot of water to replenish whatever I was losing. But from the looks of things, I could go to the doctor today.The thought of Damien and Fiona currently kissing or doing something else–it was nighttime, so maybe they were wrapped in the sheets already–filled my head, making me restless.Each time I closed my eyes to sleep, their faces would pop into my mind. Damien's first making me smile, and then Fiona reminding me that I had lost him forever.As I finally stood up from my spot on the ground, Adrian knocked on the door."Astrid? Come on, there's something you need to see."I groaned. Couldn't a pregnant, heartbroken woman rest?"What is going on, Adrian?" I asked. I just wanted t
Damien’s POV"What is wrong with Astrid?" I asked Luke the moment I stepped out of the house and into my car.He didn’t immediately respond but glared at me for a couple of seconds. When I raised a brow, he shook his head."You’re so dumb, Damien. What day is it today?""Thursday?" I replied, wondering what today had to do with my question."And what is happening on this particular Thursday, Damien?"I tried to wrack my brain for answers. Of course, a lot of things were happening. How did he expect me to know which one he meant?"Just tell me what is wrong with Astrid, Luke. She doesn’t look fine. She looks so pale, so sick. In fact, turn the car around. Let’s go take her to the hospital.""And then what next? Damien, you’re getting married today. Do you really think any married woman would be happy and look lively on the morning of her husband's wedding to her sister who betrayed her in the past?"Of course, I knew it. I had just been trying to deny it, but his words hit me in the gu
Astrid's POVIt had been a week since the announcement that shattered my existence. Damien and Fiona weren't planning on taking things slow. Not one bit.I walked down the stairs as carefully as I could, my thoughts running. What if he knew I was pregnant? How would he react? Would he even let me walk down these stairs? Or would he prefer I sleep downstairs? What about my job? My eating habits?I'd been trying so hard to eat, but as soon as anything got close to my mouth, I felt like throwing it all up. The doctor told me it was normal, but I needed to eat for my child's sake. Everything I was doing now revolved around this little life in me. If not, I'd have been a shell of myself.Every night, I'd cook. Enough for both of us. Then I'd wait for him to return so we could eat, but when he didn't show up after hours of waiting, I'd just eat as little as I could and sleep after soaking my pillow with tears."Myra, has Damien eaten?" I asked her as I walked into the kitchen.She turned to
Astrid's POVAs soon as I picked up the call from Eliza, screaming filled my ears."You shouldn't have told him! God, you just acted out of impulse, and now what? If you had spoken to me first, this wouldn't have happened.""And if you had told me, I would never have told him, okay? I didn't know that was the situation!" Luke shouted back.I took the phone away from my ear to stare at the screen, sleep completely clearing from my eyes.What was going on? I'd never heard them quarrel. And why did she call me while they were arguing? Maybe I was butt-dialed. Yes, that had to be it."Hello?"I was about to drop the call when I heard Eliza speak into the phone."You better hope she picks up this call before he finds out."Finds out? Finds out what?"You just ruined everything we've been working on for months!""I'm sorry, okay? I had no idea that was what was going on. I would never have said it, but—""Oh, she's not picking up.""I'm right here, Eliza," I said, bringing the phone closer