Damian’s mind raced as he watched Jackson walk away, the echoes of their conversation lingering in the stillness of the room. His mood was dark, his emotions as unreadable as the still waters of a deep lake hiding unseen currents beneath. His thoughts drifted back to Asher, now a shattered shell, abandoned in a cold underground cell, barely holding on to life. His rage remained unabated, simmering just below the surface, ready to boil over once more. Asher’s confession had done little to quell the fury eating away at him. The truth of whether anything had truly happened to Elara didn’t matter – Asher had crossed a line by laying a hand on her and even entertaining the idea of causing her harm. And then there was Charles. The man who had orchestrated the whole thing. He clenched his jaw, trying to suppress the rising tide of violence within him. Handing him over to the police would be too easy, too clean. But the deal was set, and Damian had no intention of reneging on the contract. C
Damian stood outside Elara’s room, listening to her quiet breathing as she rested. The weight of everything that had transpired in the last few days bore down on him, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of relief. Charles was in police custody, Asher would never pose a threat again, and Elara was safe.His phone buzzed, breaking the silence. It was Jackson.“Damian, there’s something you need to know,” Jackson said, his voice urgent.Damian’s brow furrowed as he stepped away from the door, his heart sinking. “What is it?”“They’re not going to hold Charles for long. His lawyers are already working on getting him out on bail, and it looks like they’re going to succeed.”“What are you saying?” Damian asked. “Did you not give the documents to the officer?”Jackson sighed over the phone. “Yes, I did, but…”Damian yelled, his frustration clear. “But what?”“They said it wasn’t enough,” Jackson replied.A surge of anger flared within Damian, his hands balling into fists.
She smirked. “My husband? You won’t be that soon.” Anita knew he could try hard to deny it, given how he was speaking yesterday when she was there. After she left, she went back to his firm to find James, and she had asked for the footage. She shoved her hand into her bag and pulled out her phone. She swiped and clicked on the footage, playing it. She turned it over and showed him how he was enjoying and moaning while she was sucking him. Charles’s eyes widened even more. He tried to process it.“How?” he asked, shock lacing his voice. “How did you get it?”She laughed, her laugh dry. “I was a fool. I was worried and couldn’t sleep, thinking something bad must have happened to you.” She paused, trying to fight the tears that threatened to fall. “But who could have imagined that you were enjoying yourself, and you dared to tell me you loved me, you son of a bitch?”“How did you fucking get that footage of me?”“So, you were the one?” Anita asked. “In it. With her.”“Answer my question!
Each step she took felt heavier, her chest tightening with the weight of emotions she had tried so hard to suppress. Betrayal, anger, sadness—it all swirled inside her like a storm ready to break loose. Charles’s pleas echoed in her ears, but they only fueled the fire burning inside her. How could he even dare to ask for forgiveness after what he had done?As she reached her car, she paused. Her hands shook as she fumbled for the keys in her bag. She pressed her palms against the car’s cool surface, trying to regain her composure, but the tears continued to spill. “I loved him,” she whispered to herself, her voice thick with emotion. “I really loved him.” And yet, here she was, standing on the edge of her marriage, staring at the wreckage of what once was.But love wasn’t enough. Not anymore.She wiped her tears and steeled herself, her resolve hardening. There was no turning back. The divorce papers were already in the works, and soon, she would be free. Free from the lies, free from
She staggered back, still clutching her cheek. “You don’t know who you’re messing with,” Nina hissed, her eyes burning with fury. “You think you’re something, don’t you? Just because you’re Damian’s little plaything.”Elara didn’t flinch. Her gaze remained steady as she took a step closer, her voice low but laced with warning. “I am Damian’s wife. And as long as you are under this roof, you will respect me and everyone who works here.”Nina’s lips twisted into a sneer, but she said nothing, her hand still pressed against the cheek that Elara had struck. She was clearly not used to being put in her place, especially not by someone she saw as beneath her. But Elara had no intention of letting her walk over her or anyone in her household. Not after everything she had been through.Before Nina could make another move, Anita, still trembling from the earlier altercation, stepped forward. “Ma’am,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “Please... I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”Elara turned
Elara finished her breakfast in deliberate calm, but her mind was racing. Nina’s venomous threats echoed in her ears, but she wasn’t rattled. She knew Nina wouldn’t stop, especially with her mother in the picture. She sighed, brushing off the tension. Damian would be back soon, and things needed to be in order before his return.Just as she was about to stand, Joy entered the sitting room once again, her face tight with worry.“Ma’am, there’s a call for you. It’s from Mrs. Blackwood.”Her grip tightened around her spoon. Of course. Nina’s mother. She should have expected this. “Put it through.”“Okay, ma’am.” Joy did as she was instructed.The moment she lifted the phone to her ear, Damian’s mother’s icy voice cut through the air.“Elara,” she began, her tone dripping with disdain, “what do you think you’re doing, throwing my daughter out of her own brother’s house? Are you crazy?”She didn’t miss a beat. “Your daughter crossed a line, Mrs. Blackwood. I won’t tolerate disrespect in my
“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