All Chapters of Love and deceit : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

🌹Damien🌹I woke before dawn, the cold, sterile light of early morning creeping through the heavy curtains of my study. The room was silent except for the steady hum of the air conditioner and the faint tick of the clock on the wall—each second a reminder that my wedding was only days away. My mind churned with thoughts I had meticulously tried to suppress the night before, when I swore to myself that I would never allow vulnerability to breach the fortress I had built around me. And yet, Aurora had managed to do just that.I dressed in my customary dark suit, each piece of clothing a uniform of control and precision. Every time I buttoned my shirt or adjusted my tie, I felt as if I were reinforcing the walls that separated me from the world. I could not afford even a hint of softness, not now. The engagement, forced upon me by circumstances I had no choice but to accept, demanded that I remain unyielding. I caught my reflection in the mirror—a pair of steely eyes, a firm set jaw, an

🌹Damien🌹I remember the first time I realized that love was a rare commodity in our home. I was barely six years old, sitting at the long mahogany table in our grand dining room, the clatter of fine china echoing in a silence that spoke louder than any conversation. My father, Bryan Reynolds, sat at the head of the table—always impeccably dressed, his face set in a mask of stern authority—and my mother, whose laughter I once hoped would fill our home, was absent that day. I later learned that her presence was like a gentle warmth, something that made even the coldest mornings bearable. But in those early years, all I felt was the chill of my father’s disapproval, the heavy expectation that nothing less than perfection was acceptable.I would watch him for hours, the way his eyes would narrow ever so slightly when he reviewed the day’s work or when I made a mistake that, to him, was unforgivable. His presence was like a looming storm cloud that never dissipated—a constant reminder th

🌹Damien🌹I was twelve when I first saw her. I still remember the day vividly, though the details have blurred over time like an old photograph fading at the edges. It was a cold winter afternoon, the kind when the sky was a relentless gray and the wind whispered secrets through the halls of our vast, impersonal mansion. I had just come home from school, my uniform still crisp despite the chill, when I found myself drawn to the drawing room. I had no inkling then that my life was about to change, that a woman would step into my world and claim a place that I never knew existed.There she was, sitting in the armchair that once belonged to my mother—a chair that had always been a silent reminder of her warmth and kindness. In that moment, the room seemed to hold its breath. I watched as she sipped a glass of red wine, her dark hair pulled back into an elegant chignon, her eyes cool and assessing. Her presence was commanding in a way that felt both alien and enthralling. I remember the

(Damien's Point of View)The boardroom was cold, a sterile environment designed for efficiency and control. Everything about it, from the polished mahogany table to the perfectly aligned chairs, screamed precision. But as I sat at the head of the table, the weight of the room pressed down on me, heavier than the fine suit I wore, heavier than the expectations of my father, my company, and now, the looming wedding. Every detail felt orchestrated—an intricate dance that kept everyone in line, including myself. But beneath that order, there was an undercurrent I couldn't ignore. The unease that had settled in my gut since Victoria’s arrival hadn't dissipated. In fact, it had only deepened, gnawing at me with a persistent force I couldn’t shake.I glanced at the faces around the table. The board members were as stone-faced as ever, each one accustomed to the cold, calculated exchanges that defined our meetings. My father, seated beside me, looked every bit the part of the imposing CEO—dis

🌹Damien 🌹The days following my confrontation with my father were filled with an oppressive silence. It was as though a rift had opened between us, and no matter how hard I tried to bridge it, nothing would close the gap. I had done everything he asked of me, everything that was expected, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had already chosen his side.Victoria’s influence over him was undeniable, and with each passing day, it became clearer that the legacy I had worked so hard to build, the empire that I thought would one day be mine, was slipping further away. It was no longer about business. It had become personal.The weight of that realization settled like a stone in my chest, and no matter how many times I tried to shove it aside, it lingered, suffocating me. The anger, the frustration, it all built up until I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring down at a dark abyss. If I fell, I might never be able to climb back out.But the one thing I knew for sure