“Are you not done?” Damian called. She could hear his voice from downstairs, reaching all the way to her room. She quickly took one last look at herself before running out of her room.“I’m here,” she said, gasping as soon as her eyes landed on Damian. He looked so handsome. Too hot. Ever since the time of her kidnapping and how Damian had handled the case, taking such good care of her, she’d started seeing him in a new light. Her coldness toward him was melting away. She wanted more. More than just being his contracted wife. She had feelings for him but chose to stay silent. She feared rejection—sometimes he could be so kind, but other times, he turned cold, as if he didn’t care.“You look beautiful,” he complimented. She blushed. Before, she might have thought he was lying.“Thank you,” she muttered. “You don’t look bad either.”Damian chuckled, though it felt forced. She stared at him, wondering what he might look like if he ever gave a real smile.“Shall we go?” he asked, holding
The drive home from the courthouse was quiet, but not uncomfortable. She stared out the window, her mind replaying Charles’s wife’s words, while Damian’s thumb absently stroked the back of her hand. The gesture was small, but it made her heart flutter.“You handled that well,” Damian said finally, breaking the silence.She turned to look at him. “Charles’s wife, you mean?”He nodded. “Most people wouldn’t have been so forgiving.”“I meant what I said.” She sighed, looking down at their joined hands. “Holding onto anger... it doesn’t help anyone.”His eyes studied her face with an intensity that made her cheeks warm. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, his phone buzzed. His expression hardened as he checked the message.“What is it?” she asked.“Mother is hosting a dinner tonight. She’s insisting we attend.” His jaw tightened. “To celebrate the closure of the case.”Elara’s stomach knotted. After the confrontation with Nina and that phone call with Serena, she knew this wasn’t a simp
The room fell into a stunned silence at Elara’s words. Even Nina’s exaggerated sobs momentarily stop as she processed the unexpected response.Damian’s eyes darted between his sister and his wife, his jaw clenched tight. The business associates shifted uncomfortably in their seats while Serena watched the scene unfold with barely concealed satisfaction.“What an awful thing to say,” Nina whimpered, but Elara noticed her mask slipping slightly. “See how cruel she is?”“Cruel?” Elara let out a short, bitter laugh. “Like sending me threatening notes?” She reached into her clutch and pulled out the invitation card, holding it up. “Or should we discuss your other schemes, sister-in-law?”Nina’s eyes widened fractionally at the sight of the note. Serena stepped forward quickly, her smile sharp. “Now, now, let’s not ruin dinner with such dramatics. Nina, darling, get up from the floor. You’re making a scene.”“But Mother—”“Up," Serena commanded, her voice firm yet smooth as silk. She turned
The room seemed to freeze. Elara felt as if all the air had been sucked out of her lungs. Jackson’s eyes widened in shock, while Nina and Serena exchanged knowing glances.“Vera!” Jackson hissed, but she ignored him.“Since childhood,” Vera continued, her voice rising, “we were together, and then suddenly he gets married to... to you?” She spat the last word like it was poison.Damian appeared at Elara side as if he had materialized from thin air. His presence was commanding, his expression dark. “Vera. I suggest you remember where you are.”“Remember?” Vera laughed. The sound was brittle and sharp. “Oh, I remember everything, Damian.”Jackson glanced at Damian, as if offering an apology. If he had known Vera could behave like this, he would never have let her follow him. Vera had been their childhood friend. No—his childhood friend. Because he was Damian’s only friend, Vera had been allowed into their circle. But Damian had always despised her. Vera had flitted around him, flirting a
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She turned around to see the smug look on Damian’s sister, Nina.Elara tensed up as her words filled the air with disdain. The crowd, fully engaged in the unfolding drama, shifted uncomfortably, hungry for more spectacle.“Don’t you have anything better to do, Nina?” Damian’s voice was cold as he fixed his gaze on his sister. He was clearly losing patience with the situation.Nina raised an eyebrow, unbothered by his tone. “I’m only stating the obvious, brother. Everyone can see your wife is affected. Don’t pretend this is just some harmless misunderstanding.”Elara looked at her. She knew Nina was trying her best to paint her red in front of everyone, but she refused to be humiliated any further. She straightened her back, forcing a smile.“Nina, if you’re so keen on discussing other people’s emotions, maybe you should start with your own,” she said, her voice calm but edged with steel.Her expression faltered, and for a brief moment, a flash of anger crossed her features. But she qu
She watched as Vera was escorted out, her chest tightening with conflicting emotions. She felt a strange mix of relief and guilt over what had just happened. The evening had taken a dark turn, and though Vera’s attack was unjustified, seeing Damian react with such violence unsettled her. His possessiveness, though meant to protect, felt suffocating.Damian’s grip on her hand loosened slightly as he turned to face her, his intense gaze softening. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly, his voice gentle amidst the chaos that had just unfolded.She nodded, though she wasn’t sure if she was being truthful. The way everyone’s eyes were on them was unbearable. She could feel the whispers, the judgment, and the assumptions swirling around the room. It was too much. Too much to bear.“I need some air,” she murmured, pulling her hand free from Damian’s grasp. Without waiting for his response, she headed for the exit, her mind replaying everything that had transpired.Stepping outside, the cool night
Damian’s words echoed in Jackson’s head as consciousness slowly returned. The pounding headache and the bitter taste in his mouth were stark reminders of last night’s breakdown. He groaned, attempting to piece together the fragments of his memories.“Here,” a soft voice spoke, and he opened his eyes to find Elara holding out a glass of water and some aspirin. “This should help.”Jackson accepted them gratefully, taking in his surroundings. He was in Damian’s guest room, still wearing his rumpled suit from the party. The events of the previous night came rushing back—his emotional outburst, the things he’d said to Damian.“God,” he muttered, pressing his palms against his eyes. “What have I done?”“You needed to let it out,” Elara said gently, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Sometimes pain demands to be felt.”Jackson lowered his hands and looked at her. There was something different about her today. A sadness in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. He remembered her taking his win