《Faking it with Damian Black novel (Millie)》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    -Millic-


    ¡®Baby, are youing home?


    I fought a grin, reading Hunter¡¯s message.


    ¡®Sorry, I can¡¯t make it. Still swamped with work. Phone clutched in my right hand. I looked outside the


    window as I toyed with my engagement ring.


    Hunter and I had been engaged for six months. We dated for two years before he proposed to me at the


    same bar where we met in Boston three Christmas back. He saved me from a drunken college jo ck who


    wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. It became an inside joke between us that he paid that college guy so he


    coulde to my rescue and sweep me off my feet.


    ¡°Ipensive face emojil I miss you so much. It¡¯s been three weeks since Ist saw you,¡¯ Hunter replied.


    I can¡¯t help but giggle. The cab driver¡¯s curious eyes locked with mine in the rearview mirror.


    ¡°I promise to make it up to you [pleading face emoji), I replied as the cab exited the highway and entered


    the familiar route of Roslin City.


    Excitement made my insides giddy, anticipating how Hunter would react once he saw me on his


    doorstep. He hates surprises. but I bet he¡¯d like this one.


    After finishing college, I took permanent residence in New York, onlying home for holidays. But


    when I got engaged, I decided it was time to go back home and start building a future with the love of my


    life.


    The cab pulled to aplete stop at Hunter¡¯s apartment building. After paying the driver. I flung my


    messenger bag over my shoulder and dragged my luggage through the lobby. As the lift door closed, it


    felt like my heart would burst each floor we ascended. My steps were extra springy as I bound towards


    Hunter¡¯s unit, toying with the keys in my hand.


    Pushing the door open, I meant to sing out Hunter¡¯s name. I know he was home since it was Saturday,


    and it was his day off from the department. But no words came out of my mouth when I heard a woman¡¯s


    voice. Frowning, I shut my mouth and listened closely, looking left to right in the hallway.


    My frown deepened. The sound of a woman¡¯s moan became more distinct, and it wasn¡¯ting from his


    neighbor¡¯s unit but from inside my fiance¡¯s ce.


    Dread annihted all excitement in my system. As my heart drummed in my ears, beads of sweat formed


    on my spine. With my lower lip trapped between my teeth, I entered the apartment, my stilettos jabbing


    the floor. My steps weren¡¯t silent by any means. They were just so caught up in f ucking one another, lost


    in the thunder of their moans and groans.


    Crossing the entry towards the living room, the fervent sound of lovemaking- no, scratch that, f ucking, to


    be precise ¨C intensified.


    ¡°Ah! F uck me harder, Officer!¡± The woman¡¯s zealous scream was apanied by flesh pping against


    flesh. Then a loud smack echoed, followed by a man¡¯s chuckle. ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°You like being punished like a dirty little sl ut?¡± Hearing Hunter¡¯s voice was the final nail in the coffin.


    Part of me hoped that Hunter¡¯s friend might have stayed in his ce and brought a woman with him. But


    Hunter was a clean freak. He was unlikely to allow a friend to use his bed.


    ¡°Y-yes, Officer!¡± the woman whimpered, squealing as a series of smacks echoed from the room.


    ways.


    They were even role-ying? Hunter was dominant in bed. I knew this all too well because he


    introduced me to all sorts of role-ying inside the bedroom. I was hesitant at first, but because I wanted


    to please him, I agreed to try his Apparently, I wasn¡¯t the only one he liked to y with.


    I pinched my eyes shut. Warm liquid rolled down my cheeks.


    O


    I didn¡¯t even realize I was crying. An iron hand suddenly materialized around my neck, clutching my


    throat so tight I couldn¡¯t breathe. I lift my trembling left hand on my lips, suppressing my so bs. The


    ground I¡¯m standing on turned into marshmallows. I st aggered on my skyscraper shoes, feeling


    lightheaded. Instinctively, I reached out for something to keep me upright. The back of my knees bumped


    on the coffee table. I lost my bnce and fell on my a ss. Cups, tes, and utensils above the table


    crashed on the floor, thenplete silence engulfed Hunter¡¯s apartment.


    Measly secondster, the bedroom door swung open, and a half-naked Hunter, pointing his gun around


    the apartment, stepped out. His gaze dropped to the floor, widening like saucers.


    ¡°Millie?¡± he blurted out. Then, a woman wrapped in the cerulean sheets I gifted Hunter stepped out


    behind him.


    1 specifically ordered that color since it was the color of his eyes.


    ¡°Wha.. what are you doing here?¡± Hunter stuttered, taking in my current state. He dragged an inked hand


    over his messy hair, wild and confused blue eyes locking with mine. As though he finally gathered


    himself together, he kneeled before me and offered to help me stand.


    I pped his hand and used the couch as leverage, standing on my wobbly legs.


    I wiped my tears to take in the woman he was f ucking seconds ago. Realization hit me like a freight


    train.


    ¡°Natalie¡±


    ¡°Millie¡­ Natalie whispered, wild eyes meeting my wounded ones.


    Eyes bouncing back and forth between my fiance and my friend, a hairline c ack materialized in my


    heart. It spread so fast, with one poke, it would break into a million pieces.


    Natalie was a friend from high school. She reached out to me about the same time Hunter and I got


    engaged. She was in tears and pretty shaken, told me she had made a few poor deals as a social media


    influencer. It was so bad that she faced giarism charges andwsuits and lost her apartment in the


    process. I let her stay in my apartment here in Roslin City until she could get back on her feet and even


    offered a partnership on some of my contracts. She was supposed to be in California, making a vlog for


    the newly opened resto bar we recently signed a contract with


    The tangy taste of betrayal made me scowl.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t f ucking believe this.¡± I clenched my trembling fist, molten anger coursed through my body.


    ¡°How long have you two been f ucking behind my back?!¡±


    Natalie lowered her head. Her soft, chestnut curls stuck out in every direction, mascara circled her brown


    eyes like a roon. ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to-.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to?!¡± I cut off whatever lies she was about to spew. ¡°What?¡± I huffed. ¡°You didn¡¯t mean


    to spread your legs. and my fiance just happened to be ready to shove his dic k in your vagina?¡±


    Offended, Natalie narrowed her eyes, biting her lower lip. She was never one to keep quiet in a


    confrontation, but she was wise not to argue with me. I¡¯m not in the mood to patronize her shi tty


    exnation for backstabbing me and stealing my


    Looking at Hunter, he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, my handnded on


    his cheek, the cra ck rang through the apartment.


    ¡°How could you?!¡± my voice rose an octave.


    Cheeks red with my palm print, he stared at me with a storm raging in his eyes. Those same eyes that


    made me feel like the queen of his world every time we made love, those same eyes that looked into my


    soul each time he said he loved me for the past two and a half, those same eyes that are gazing at me


    now with uncertainty, pain, and anguish.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d do this to me,¡± I said, took off my engagement ring and tossed it on his face. The


    diamond caught the morning light as it bounced on his cheek, falling somewhere on our feet. ¡°We¡¯re


    over..¡± I sobbed. ¡°I guess that¡¯s pretty f u cking obvious since you two were already f ucking, anyway.¡± I


    red at Natalie. ¡°I want you out of my apartment, ungrateful b itch.¡±


    I hastily picked up my carry-on bag and ran out of the apartment. Vision blurred with tears, I tripped over


    my forgotten luggage on the doorstep and fell on my knees. Cursing inwardly, I wiped my tears harshly


    as Hunter offered a hand to help


    ¦°¦¥


    How many times did this scenario make my heart swell with love? He¡¯d always been there to save me.


    And now he¡¯s the one who shattered me into a million unrepairable pieces.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help!¡± I stood, grabbed my bag and luggage, and proceeded to the elevator.


    ¡°Millie, don¡¯t leave like this.¡± Hunter kept murmuring, following me through the hallway.


    ¡°Leave me alone, Hunter,¡± I frantically jabbed my forefinger on the elevator button. Hunter reached me,


    wrapping an inked hand around my biceps.


    He spun, me around, eyes soft and filled with remorse. Seeing him this close, hair disheveled from his


    obviously busy night with my friend, reeking of another woman¡¯s perfume on his body, threatened to


    break my hold on my emotions. I refused to break down in front of him, yet the pounding pain in my chest


    rapidly grew.


    ¡°Would you f ucking listen to me for a second?¡± I¡¯d never heard him so unhinged before.


    I wiped the tears my s tupid tear ducts kept spewing.


    ¡°What is there to talk about?¡± I said, fingers frantically punching the ground floor button.


    Why is this elevator so slow? We are only on the fifth freaking floor!


    You don¡¯t understand-¡±


    Facing him. I pushed the same finger jabbing the elevator button in his chest. ¡°You know better than to


    start with that line. Detective Lean. You deal with liars and criminals for a living.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    His thin lips pursed on a hard line, eyes narrowed to slits. ¡°This isn¡¯t all on me. Millicent.¡±


    I gaped at him. Is he actually pointing a finger at me right now?


    ¡°You were never around. His remorseful tone took aplete turn. He made it sound as if I was an


    aplice to his crimes. ¡°When was thest time you spent an entire weekend with me? Since we got


    engaged, I¡¯ve only seen you four times) I got f ucking lonely!¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Hunter? You¡¯re pinning this on me? If you weren¡¯t happy with our rtionship, you should¡¯ve


    ended it, not f uck my friend!¡± my chest was rising and falling fast, my voice echoing through the hallway


    The fa rthest door on the floor creaked open. I usually avoid confrontations, but I cannot let this one


    slide.


    Silence befell us. Our chest heaving in unison. The annoying elevator finally arrived. I stepped inside the


    lift. Hunter was hot on my heels, nose ring, and his gaze could melt steel. ¡°If you would just listen. I


    know I f ucked up, and I¡¯m sorry¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I matched his burning gaze with a razor-sharp one. Would you like a medal for admitting that?¡±


    Now, I was just being difficult, impatiently tapping my shoes on the floor as the lift descended. Why was


    this elevator so f ucking slow? I need to get out of here. Why was the air suddenly so thin, and why were


    the walls closing on me?


    F uck. It felt like I was drowning. I closed my eyes and breathed through my nose, counting from one to


    ten.


    ¡°Millie.¡± Hunter released an exasperated breath, the lift reaching the ground floor. Hunter blocked my exit


    and pressed the emergency button. ¡°Just f u cking listen, Millicent! I can¡¯t lose you I love you.¡±


    Hearing those words from his lips used to swoon me, and made my heart beat so fast. My f ucking st


    upid heart that¡¯s on the brink of exploding.


    Did he even mean all those I love yous he told me before? Did he tell Natalie he loved her, too? All I


    could see when I looked at him was his betrayal and this pain in my chest.


    III


    ¡°Get out of my way,¡± I said through gritted teeth.


    He reached for my face, clutching my chin. I pped his hand away, ring at him. He dropped his hand


    to the side. His smile was solemn. ¡°Let¡¯s just go back to my ce and talk. We can figure this out


    together.¡±


    ¡°Figure out what, exactly?¡± my voice was broken, and my eyes began to sting. ¡°Figure out how you can¡¯t


    keep your di ck in your pants? Or how you can¡¯t keep being faithful despite proposing to me?¡±


    My tears streamed. I lifted my hand to my chest, f isting my blouse as I stared at Hunter straight in the


    eyes.


    ¡°I told you to take care of my heart, Hunter. You promise not to break it. You f ucking promised!¡± I wiped


    my tears. ¡°But you. didn¡¯t just break my heart. You tore it out of my chest and stomped on it with your st


    upid, stinky feet! So no¡­ no matter what you say, no matter what f ucked up exnation you have for f


    ucking Natalie, I won¡¯t get back with you! Even if you grovel before me.¡±

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    -Damian-


    ¡°Go ddam mi t, Sonja!¡± 1 roared, ck dots danced on the back of my eyelids as my body shuddered


    with my release.


    ¡°Oh, Damian¡­¡± Sonja moaned, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, her pu ssy choking my c ock


    as I thrust to the hilt, enjoying her warmth


    ¡°F uck.¡± I groaned, pulled out, and copsed in the space beside her. I pinched my eyes shut, heaving


    chunks of air, catching my breath. Although it was past midnight, the balcony lights cast a dim glow


    inside the room. Silence swelled between Sonja and me. Slowly, the world started to make sense


    again.


    Like every time we were together, everything around me faded into the background. All that mattered


    was this woman who meant the world to me. I could f uck her all day, sleep, eat, and do it all over again


    the next day.


    I met Sonja in my third year at the university. She was an ambitious woman, so f ucking tenacious, and


    it drove me crazy how she wouldn¡¯t fall for my tricks; eventually, she did. We were insatiable back then


    until she moved to France to pursue her modeling career.


    Through the years. I¡¯ve had a few girlfriends, but there was never one as perfect as Sonja. And when


    we crossed paths a year ago, she dered the same feelings for me. She started pursuing me, a


    persistent temptress who wasn¡¯t willing to take no for an answer until I fell for her trap


    I did my best to avoid her, knowing she was a married woman now, but like a druggie needing a fix, I


    kept going back for more. She was a temptation, my kryptonite. One touch and I was on my knees, and


    when I got back to my senses, the ws of guilt appeared around my throat and chest, choking me


    back to reality.


    I pushed off the bed. Sonja¡¯s lithe hands reached for mine. ¡°Come back to bed. Give me five, and we


    could go for another round¡±


    What a f ucking tempting offer. We¡¯ve already done it three times. I knew we could go f ucking all night


    if I¡¯d stay.


    This was f ucking messed up.


    Nobody out there could pull me out of this mess other than myself. I am better than this. Nancy would


    be ashamed of me if she learned that I am f ucking a married woman. And for f uck¡¯s sake, I am a man,


    and I deserved better than this.


    Deep in my thoughts, I went to the bathroom and took a shower breaking things off with Sonja was the


    only thing on my mind.


    It wasn¡¯t as if I hadn¡¯t tried the first time I learned she was married. When I told her I¡¯d stoping


    over, she threatened to take suicide. My conscience wouldn¡¯t let me rest if she took her own life, so I


    stayed.


    Wrapping a white towel around my waist, I returned to the room. Sonja was sitting on the bed, her back


    resting against the headboard, the light from her phone illuminating her soft jaws, big doe eyes, and


    swollen lips. Her brte hair was wild and messy from all my pulling and tugging. She was so f ucking


    beautiful it hurts to even just think of not seeing her again.


    My co ck jerked to life, knowing this woman could satisfy my cravings in bed. My needy o rgan


    protested at what I was about


    to do.


    ¡°Lyndon¡¯s bar is opening tomorrow.¡± She looked up, her blue eyes hopeful. ¡°Please be my date?¡±


    Date. I scoffed. She just wanted to show me off to her friends. Her husband, Silverio nchet, was


    twice older than me, with a beer belly and stale breath. With all the money in his bank ounts, he


    couldn¡¯t even find a good f ucking mouthwash to save his dear life.


    I know her husband so f ucking well. He was one of my father¡¯s business partners. Dad hired me to do


    a background check on him. That guy¡¯s business is f ucked up, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before the


    Bureau of Investigations pin their eyes on


    him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I murmured, picking up my boxer briefs on the foot of the bed, my jeans close to the bedside


    table and my shirt on the door, her thong hanging on the doorknob.


    Did we f ucking y slingshot with it?


    We¡¯ve ravished each other like there was no tomorrow. I would miss f ucking Sonja


    Suddenly alert, Sonja put down her phone and tumed thempshade on a frown creating her forehead


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I searched the room for my socks 1 found one under the bed but couldn¡¯t find the other


    ¡°This has to end, Sonja My conscience won¡¯t let me rest at night anymore. F uck the socks I sat on the


    edge of the bed and wore one, then shoved my feet into my bonts


    Songa crawled to me, wrapping her arms around my waist from behind ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this. D.


    You know I can¡¯t live


    without you


    I sighed. I hate hearing her voice breaking ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore. Let¡¯s just take some time off I need


    to think


    ¡°No¡±¡± her hands tightened around me. I¡¯m not letting you go!!


    Anger simantred within me. I wring her hands off me and stood, pinning her with a searing gaze, but


    once my eyes dropped to her perfect ti ts, nipples as stiff as a pole and so f ucking pink. I swallowed


    hard. The space between my eyebrows wrinkled struggling to keep my eyes above her shoulder. Then


    divorce Silverio so we can be together. I can¡¯t be your little secret anymore. Hlove you Sonja, and I


    want to show the world you¡¯re mine¡±


    Astorm of emotions swirled in Sompa¡¯s eyes. It was the hrst time I had admitted my feelings for her.


    Deep down, I hoped this would finally push ber to file the divorce.


    She stood before me, still very f ucking naked Longshes fluttered as she looked up at me with those


    beautiful eyes


    ¡°I love you too. Damian, she said, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her lips against


    mine I clenched my st on the sade stopping myself from taking her into my arms. Ive heard her say that


    a thousand times, but I was waiting for a different confession this time ¡°But I cannot divorce Silverio


    The doctor said we should avoid stressing him out. His heart is erged and filing a divorce ¡°She


    shook her head, stepping away from me ¡°He can¡¯t survive that, and I don¡¯t want to be med if


    something had happens to him¡± Then she turned, her eyes gleaming with hope ¡°He¡¯s already seventy


    this year we just have to wait a little longer. He had very little time on his clock before he she swallowed


    hard, ¡°dies¡±


    My jaw ticked. The tabloid quoted Sonja as a gold digger and social climber, but my feelings for her


    banded me. But this She just pped me with the truth


    ¡°He¡¯ll live for another decade, Sonja.¡± I swallowed the bitter taste of her rejection and searched for my


    leather jacket. Tcan¡¯


    Wait that long¡±


    ¡°If you really love me like you said she waved a hand in the air, you¡¯ll wait!¡±


    My eyes narrowed to sh its: ¡°Don¡¯t even question what I feel, Sorgh, What is it, huh?¡± I said through


    gritted teeth. ¡°Is it ho money Is that why you are changing to a man good enough to be your


    grandfather?¡±


    She recalled lips quivered and I watched her shock morph mito anger. ¡°You think I¡¯m doing this for


    myself I am doing this fur un Damiant Once Silverio dies his money will be mine will be ours. This world


    is cruel. The more money you have. the more friends you have, and the happier we will be!¡±


    ¡°Moury in 1 everything. Sonja¡± 1 sad, my chest tightened and belief. Fant believe the woman I


    worshiped and dreamed of marrying saw I was in college was this shallow. I can¡¯t buy you happiness


    and fulfillment is life¡±


    Shar sutted ¡°Your pot saying that now Tell me at divorce Saverio, can you support my neeth with your


    ie as a guitar yer And where will we live in your stinky apartment above that all time bar


    1 It


    ¡°Yes, Song¡± I finally found my leather jacket i was hanging on the vanity chans across from the bed I


    skirted past her and grabbed it ¡°Because that¡¯s all I f ucking am A pour guitar yer living in a sunky


    apartment


    I headed for the door. Sonja came rushing to me, hugging me from behind again. ¡°Wait, Damian¡­ I¡¯m


    sorry. Sorry for saying those things to you. You know I love you.¡±


    I removed her hands from me, repulsed that I f ucking fell for her tricks. How could I be so st upid?


    Looking down at her right now, crying and begging me to stay after belittling me the way she did, I¡¯m


    d she didn¡¯t know who I truly was. At least she showed her true colors before I even put a ring on


    her finger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. At least now I know how you really see me. This was f ucking enlightening¡± I turned to


    leave again. Sonja skirted past me and stood before the door, blocking my exit.


    She shook her head, tears streaming down her checks, ¡°Please, Damian¡­ Don¡¯t do this to us.¡±


    ¡°Then f ucking divorce Silverio!¡± I roared


    ¡°You want me to choose!?¡± she sobbed. ¡°I told you already, I will not divorce Silverio.¡±


    Dark clouds loomed over my head. Then we¡¯re f ucking over.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed to slits. ¡°Fine! But mark my words. You¡¯lle back to me when you miss me. I


    know you, Damian. You love me, and you won¡¯t be able to resist me.¡±


    It hurts that I know she was right. I¡¯m f ucking crazy about her. But I¡¯m doing this for myself. I stepped


    forward. Sonja stepped back, a pinch of fear crossing her face. ¡°Once I step out of this room, you are


    nothing to me. Sonja. You made your choice. Now I¡¯m making mine¡±


    r

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°Have a nice evening, Miss,¡± the elderly cabby smiled at me through the rearview mirror.


    ¡°I sure hope, sir.¡± I murmured, slurring each syble.


    I¡¯d like to consider myself a bit tipsy, but who was I kidding? I was borderline drunk after drinking nine


    sses of wine at home. There¡¯s an extremely unhealthy bond between alcohol and I. I leaned on it for


    courage every time shi tstorms hit my


    life.


    It¡¯s a love-hate rtionship. The only rtionship I could keep, apparently.


    On wobbly legs, I stepped out of the cab and inhaled the familiar Roslin City summer air.


    I smoothed my hand down the skirt of my ck mini-dress andbed my hair with my fingers. I


    walked to the entry of the ck Hotel as confidently as possible, careful not to trip on my three-inch


    ck stilettos.


    Attending my high school reunion drunk was not how I pictured spending my weekend back in my


    hometown. I envision Hunter and Iing here together. But things got out of my control like a derailed


    train wagon.


    All I wanted to do was watch FRIENDS rerun and drink myself to oblivion. But my pride wouldn¡¯t let me


    rest in peace in my childhood bedroom.


    There¡¯s a high chance that I¡¯d cross paths with Natalie tonight, but why would I change my ns? I


    wasn¡¯t the ungrateful- bit ch who stole my friend¡¯s fiance.


    I can look her in the eyes and make her feel any wrath. I can¡¯t let her win and let her y the victim


    card.


    And the break up and cheating wasn¡¯t the only thing that pushed me to drink nine sses of wine while


    getting dressed. Apart from going public on social media with her rtionship with Hunter hours after I


    found them f ucking in his apartment, Natalie been used of giarizing content for one of our


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    cobs. My backstabbing friend threw me under the bus, publicly stating that I was the mastermind of


    that vlog, and she merely followed my lead.


    Where was I when all of these were happening? I was on Malyons Lake, nursing my broken heart, only


    to be bombarded with more betrayals from someone I considered my friend when I opened my phone.


    A party, a walk down high school memoryne after my engagement ended, and my career as a social


    media influencer imploded in my face was just what I needed toplete this catastrophe I call my life.


    I easily found the function hall. The name and year of our ss were written on a glittery banner set on


    a canvas stand.


    A hotel staff member smiled as I approached, watching over the door.


    ¡°Name, please?¡± The woman in a sharp suit asked.


    ¡°Millicent Alejandro,¡± I smiled. She scrolled through the tablet before nodding at me.


    I inhaled a huge breath as the double doors opened. Live music instantly spilled through the silent


    hallway. The party was already in full swing. People were seated at round tables, filling tes at the


    buffet, waiting in line at the bar, standing in groups with drinks at hand, chatting,ughing, and having


    fun.


    Everything appeared to be in ce, just like I assumed. But Candice, my best friend and our ss


    president, was a nning freak. She¡¯d be proud of the oue of her nning. Too bad she wasn¡¯t


    here to see it in person.


    She recently tied the knot with her high school sweetheart, Aaron. They¡¯re in Pwan for their


    honeymoon, but their flight got canceled because of a storm.


    y now


    Somehow, I¡¯m d she wasn¡¯t here to witness how Hunter tore my heart out of my chest. She¡¯d


    probably killed him by if she was here.


    I crossed the dance floor and smiled at a few people as I passed them. Their existence was a mere


    shadow of thousand-dor suits and designer dresses. With every step I made, the sinking feeling this


    was a bad idea pulsed louder in my ears.


    Since when did I give a s hit about what people think about me? Since when did I let my pride rule over


    my rational thought? Coming here was a mistake.


    ¡°Millie!¡± I heard a familiar warm voice over the pulsing music from the speaker.


    Madeline. She was at the bar, talking to a group of girls in sparkly designer dresses. Seeing her familiar


    face made my feet move with a strained smile on my lips, but as soon as I realized who she was talking


    to, I paused and thought of going back the way I went in.


    Toote, though. Madeline waved at me with a huge grin.


    ¡°Millie!¡± she called again. The girls around her turned in my direction. The mean girls of our batch.


    Felicity, the homing queen and cheer captain, with her minions Hallie and Luna.


    So much for not drawing attention to myself.


    I wore an Oscar-worthy smile as I walked to the bar.


    ¡°Oh, look at you. I love that dress! You look stunning. Madeline wrapped her arms around me, air


    kissing my cheeks.


    I locked eyes with Felicity. She smirked at me as if she knew something I didn¡¯t.


    ¡®Oh, this is bad.


    Madeline pulled away, and Felicity¡¯s smirk turned into a c unningly sweet smile.


    ¡°I missed you,


    Maddie. You look hot in red,¡± I slurred, taking in her sequined red dress. My eyes were unfocused, so I


    didn¡¯t really know if it looked good on her or not


    ¡°I know, right?¡± Madeline giggled. ¡°Too bad Candice couldn¡¯te. She did an amazing job nning


    everything!¡±


    Everyone in our small circle agreed.


    ¡°She¡¯s in Pwan for the honeymoon, right?¡± Felicity pressed a hand on her chest, eyes roaming


    around the circle of people around her. ¡°I hear a storm is about to hit the Philippines. I hope they¡¯re


    safe.


    They are,¡± I murmured, turning to Madeline again. ¡°She just wanted to make sure you have me if you


    need help. You know how she is.¡±


    Madeline giggled. ¡°Her n was spotless. I¡¯m just enjoying my time reconnecting with our high school


    friends.¡±


    They all hummed andplimented the venue, the food, and the music. Candice would be happy to


    hear this.


    ¡°I saw her prenup and wedding video,¡± Felicity butted in, a diamond ring on her left hand catching the


    light from the bar. ¡°It¡¯s every bride¡¯s dream.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you can ask Max to hold your wedding at Amalfi Coast as well,¡± Luna suggested. ¡°I heard


    Candice nned her own wedding. Oh, you work for Candice at Effortless Events, right?¡±


    My eyes twitched at herst statement. I don¡¯t work for Candice. We were business partners, and they


    knew that. They¡¯ve been our chent on more than one asion.


    I kept my cool and nodded a yes.


    ¡°Felicity is engaged,¡± Hallie added, oblivious to the annoyance string inside me.


    ¡°Oh, wow.¡± My poker face was worth millions. ¡°Congrattions. We would be honored to n your


    wedding, Felicity,¡± I said, batting my eyshes.


    Everyone quieted down, their gaze pinned on something behind me. Looking over my shoulder, Natalie


    had just walked in a skin-tight white dress, a pageantry smile stered on her fake face.


    The way the circle of people around me quieted down meant that they knew every detail of Natalie¡¯s


    usation against me. I had hoped she would somehow have the decency to keep a low profile after


    everything she did to me, but who was I kidding? She f ucked my fiance. She doesn¡¯t give a s hit about


    respect.


    A hundred sets of eyes bore holes in my body from every direction. Some were prying, but most people


    were just waiting for my reaction.


    ¡°Nat!¡± Felicity waved at Natalie. They were besties in high school. She was fifteen steps away from


    the one who wronged Natalie, but that doesn¡¯t mean this situation was gonna be a walk in the park.


    I took one of the sses avable on the bar counter. It was blue with lemons and ice. I nearly spit it


    out. It tastes like astringent and rotten eggs blended together.


    Natalie¡¯s eyes flew in my direction as she greeted everyone, exchanging pleasantries. I stayed in the


    background, keeping my fury at bay. I badly wanted to throw the contents of my shot ss in her face.


    Better yet, get a bucket of ice-cold water and pour it over her head to wipe off that fake smile on her


    face.


    I never knew I could loathe someone the way I despise her. She doesn¡¯t seem a little remorseful of


    what she did to me. How did I not see how f ucking fake she was?


    ¡°Oh. I hate to make things awkward for Millicent,¡± Natalie replied when Felicity asked her to stay.


    ¡°What?! Why would it be awkward?¡± Felicity gasped, feigning innocence.


    Natalie wasn¡¯t the only one who could pretend that we weren¡¯t in the state of World War III. ¡°Yeah,


    Natalie,¡± I smiled. ¡°Why would it be awkward?¡±


    Unphased. Natalie shrugged. ¡°Coz you know, about you and Hunter¡¯s break up and that giarizing


    issue.¡±


    I hummed, nodding. ¡°Why? Did you backstab me? It would only be awkward if my fiance cheated on


    me with you before we ended things, right? And that issue¡­¡± I dismissed her with a hand. ¡°The truth


    wille out in due time.¡±


    Our friends eyes moved from me and Natalie as if they were watching a tennis match.


    ¡°Right-¡±


    ¡°Oh, my Go d!¡± Luna cut off Natalie¡¯s reply, sna tching her left hand. ¡°You¡¯re engaged?¡±


    Nothing prepared me for the pain of seeing my engagement ring in another woman¡¯s hands. A


    whirlwind of emo su cker-punched me in the face. I had to clutch the counter edge to keep myself


    upright.


    Natalie¡¯s cheeks reddened, retracting her hand from Luna. ¡°Hunter insisted that we tie the knot soon,¡±


    she murmu looking at me with wary eyes.


    Was she afraid that I¡¯d make a scene? She shouldn¡¯t havee here in the first ce. She shouldn¡¯t


    have f ucked my fia the first ce!


    I want to scream. I want to break something. Natalie¡¯s face would be an excellent ce to start. But no.


    I wasn¡¯t brought up that way. Besides, I honestly don¡¯t get why Natalie epted that ring. If it were me,


    I wouldn¡¯t have my boyfriend¡¯s ex- fiancee¡¯s engagement ring. What was going on inside Natalie¡¯s


    head? I guess I would never understand.


    ¡°Okay¡­ that was freaking fast.¡± Surprised, Felicity turned to me, the space between her brows knitted.


    It was rare to see a genuine expression on her face; I wanted tough. ¡°When did you two even break


    up?¡±


    His betrayal stings. It¡¯s breaking me inside, but no one has to know that. I have to fake it to make it


    through this night.


    ¡°Recently, I replied, reaching for a ss of wine. ¡°Congrattions on your engagement, Natalie. That¡¯s


    a fancy-looking ring¡±


    Two karat diamond in six prong setting on a tinum band. My dream engagement ring now rests on


    another woman¡¯s finger. Though I kept my rtionship with Hunter away from social media, I posted a


    photo of that ring on my profile.


    That definitely made things awkward in our circle. The shame that crossed Natalie¡¯s face was priceless,


    but the ever- persistent Felicity butted in once again, hoax empathy masking her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know


    how you¡¯re handling things this well, but I guess this calls for a celebration?¡±


    Everyone followed Felicity¡¯s lead and grabbed a ss of wine from the counter, raising a toast for


    Natalie¡¯s engagement Maddie locked eyes with me, mouthing are you okay? I nodded and down my


    drink in one go.


    I knew this night wouldn¡¯t go down without anyone rubbing my failed engagement in my face. And I


    happened to flock around the right people for that job.


    The conversation circled around Natalie¡¯s engagement. She kept spitting lies after lies about how she


    and Hunter started dating. She said they started dating about five months ago. The whole time she


    spoke of how happy they¡¯ve been since they got together, she didn¡¯t dare look my way. Maybe there


    was truth in her story, but I was too drunk and hurt to listen and give a sh it anymore. I just want to get


    out of here.


    Zoning out. I searched the crowd for anything to save me from this situation. Probably someone I knew


    who I could go to and extract myself from this conversation.


    That¡¯s when my eyesnded on the guy at the other end of the bar. Damian ck, Candice¡¯s


    stepbrother. I used to have a massive crush on him. He was already looking at me, nodding,


    acknowledging me.


    ¡°Excuse me, I murmured and skirted past Madeline.


    ¡°Hey, you good Madeline gripped my arm gently.


    ¡°Never been better.¡± I shed another award-winning smile, giggling when my legs almost gave out on


    me.


    G od. The world was f ucking spinning


    ¡°Where are you going¡± Madeline gripped my arm tighter; concern nketed her pretty face.


    I patted her hand, my drunk mind driving my mouth to spit lies. To my date.¡± I murmured, smiling at her


    sweetly.


    Five pairs of intent eyes burned holes in the back of my head as I made a beeline for Damian


    He lifted a rock ss to his lips, watching me remove the distance between us,


    ¡°Damian.¡±


    ¡°Millicent¡±


    We were at eye level since he was sitting on a barstool. I had to slot myself between his long legs so I


    could grab his tie. lean forward, and whisper in his ears. ¡°I need a favor.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± His breath was warin against my skin. Gooseflesh coated my body.


    ¡°Act along. I murmured as I ran my fingers along thepel of his suit. He doesn¡¯t inch. He doesn¡¯t say


    anything. Darksh gaze pinned me with intense curiosity, waiting.


    I ran my hands over the nes of his chest. He was solid, hard everywhere, like a wall of warm and


    delicious muscles.


    Knowing everyone was watching. I continued my n. Stood on the tip of my toes and pressed my lips


    against Damian¡¯s


    III

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    -DAMIAN-


    ¡°Refill, boss?¡± Greg, the bartender, offered.


    I pushed my ss and nodded, thanking him.


    I was seated at the bar of ck Hotel¡¯s ballroom with three of my best friends, Charlie, Matt, and Luke,


    Charlie was here as his girlfriend¡¯s plus one in my stepsister¡¯s batch¡¯s reunion night, while Luke and


    Matt were just gate crashing. Too many familiar faces were present in the lively crowd gathered tonight,


    yet I couldn¡¯t put a name on each of them


    Luke shouted his order for a third beer. His bottle hits the table, condensation dripping down the edge.


    He quickly peeked at his phone, smiling like a sap before he tucked it in his suit jacket pocket.


    ¡°Savi?¡± Matt asked, lifting his ss to his mouth. Luke answered him with a quick nod. ¡°She wants you


    home?¡±


    Lukeughed lightly, mumbling a no. ¡°Sent me a photo that made me want to go home.¡±


    ¡°Women,¡± Matt blew out a tired breath. ¡°She wants you to go home, but it has to be your idea.


    Luke shrugs. ¡°I don¡¯t give a f uck, man. Still gonna go home and have S** with my girl.¡±


    Matt belched, finishing his bourbon in one go. ¡°They¡¯re getting smarter as you fall deeper, then find


    ws in everything you do. He shook his head. ¡°Not gonna go through that sh it again.¡±


    Matt recently broke off his engagement with Monique. It turned him bitter, and he loathed the idea of


    settling down like it. was a f ucking poison.


    ¡°Come on, Matt, Charlie draped an arm over Matt¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I dragged you here to have fun and


    unwind, celebrate Damian¡¯s promotion. Your grouchy face is co ckblo king you. There¡¯s a field of single


    women here,¡± he motioned towards the dance floor.


    Matt groaned, asking for a refill of his drink. ¡°I¡¯d rather spend my night watching football at home. I¡¯m


    here because you ckmailed me with those naked baby pictures.¡±


    I almost choked on my whiskey.


    Charlie pped a hand on the back of Matt¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a baby. You looked cute in those


    pictures.¡±


    That was the problem with cousins growing up together. You know almost every dirty detail of each


    other¡¯s childhood, and in this scenario, Charlie used it to his advantage.


    ¡°F uck you, man,¡± Matt groaned and turned to me. ¡°Did this mo ron ckmail you as well?¡± He knew I


    would avoid an event like this, even if my life depended on it. ¡°We can slice his tirester if you want.¡±


    Charlie chuckled, answering for me. ¡°Believe it or not, D is here on his own ord.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Matt and Luke stared at me as if I had grown two heads. First, youe home after ten years


    to take over as CEO of your Dad¡¯spany, and now you¡¯re wearing a suit and tie. Are you sick or


    something?¡±


    Three months ago, Dad was ecstatic when I went home and expressed my intentions of finally staying


    at Roslin City for good. As his sole heir, he couldn¡¯t wait to give me his CEO position and retire. For


    years, I¡¯d been working behind the scenes overseas, heading the expansion of ck Hotels across the


    globe I liked it that way, but he said I was more than ready to take over thepany.


    If only he knew the reason I came home. A five-foot-six, leggy brte that tore my heart out of my


    chest, and wanted to piece it back together and do it all over again.


    Sonja¡¯s persistence surprised me. The next day, after I broke things off with her, she showed up in my


    ¡®stinky¡¯ apartment dressed in a figure-hugging silver dress, acting as if nothing had happened the night


    before. I still remember the first time


    |||


    <


    she wore that for me. I dragged those thin straps down her arms with my teeth while my hands crawled


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    up the hem, finding her hot and wet for me.


    My willpower almost crumbled.


    Right then, I knew I could not stay in the same state where she was, so I went home. Sonja didn¡¯t know


    I was from Roslin City. And I intend to keep it that way. It had been three months since, and it had been


    pretty quiet on her end. I miss her. I still dream of us now and then, the way she feels around me, her


    scent, and her moans. Too many times, I was tempted to call her so I could quelch this desire to have a


    taste of her again. It¡¯s tough, but doing the right thing hasn¡¯t been easy.


    Even my best friends don¡¯t know the reason that pushed me to go home, and I don¡¯t n to let them in


    on my f ucked up situation. It was over, anyway.


    ¡°No. Just helping out Dad.¡± I replied, shifting the topic to Matt¡¯s students. He is the head football coach


    at our old high school. His sullen mood lightened when he started talking about his students.


    Charlie nodded at me, grateful for my subtle tactics. He might not show it to Matt, but he¡¯s been worried


    sick about him. Monique was his girlfriend for five years, and he worries that their split affected Matt


    more than he let on.


    I see his point.


    My gaze started to wander around the party. Wondering what my life would have been if I stayed in


    Roslin City. Would Sonja and I ever cross paths again? Will I be as content as Luke and Charlie with


    their partners or as sullen as Matt over his failed rtionship?


    Breaking things off with Sonja was tough, but seeing Matt now, I wonder if I ever really loved Sonja like


    Matt loved Monique or just the idea of it


    We were in the middle of talking about football stats when my eyes wandered toward the entry. I saw a


    familiar face, doing a double take at the leggy blond whose eyes coast around the entire function hall


    as though she was analyzing everything.


    ¡°Is that Millicent Alejandro?¡± Matt murmured


    Apparently, I wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed her. In fact, most guys eyed her like a slice of meat for


    their taking. Some were less subtle than most.


    Luke blew a silent whistle as she crossed the dance floor. ¡°Is that really Millie? Your stepsister¡¯s nerd


    best friend?¡±


    I knew her all too well. Since Dad married Candice¡¯s mom and they moved into our mansion, Millicent


    hardly call a dress, I had already seen her almost naked a handful of times.


    Millicent and Candice spend their Sunday morning in our pool every summer. She was different when


    she was around my stepsister. She¡¯s more rxed and carefree. At school, she¡¯s an uptight nerd who


    doesn¡¯t talk much. From what I recall, Candice was her only friend back then.


    ¡°Have any of you slept with her?¡± Matt asked, pulling my gaze from watching her converse with


    Madeline¡¯s circle of friends.


    Luke and Charlie shook their heads. It was an unspoken rule that we didn¡¯t sleep with anyone who had


    already slept with one of us. It started when Luke and Matt dated Nikky from freshman year. That two-


    timing b itch almost caused the end of their friendship. But they realized the girl was not worth it and


    called a truce. They dumped her together.


    ¡°D¡± Matt turned to me.


    I shook my head no, grimacing at the unsettling feeling in my gut. Millicent and I might not be friends.


    We spoke to each other a few times when she slept over at our mansion, but none of my friends knew


    that.


    ¡°Good,¡± Matt murmured. I could hear his mind gears working on how to make the first move. He needs


    to be quick, though. Predatory gaze lingered on her from all corners of the room. It kicked the urge in


    me to cover her with my suit jacket.


    No one knew I busted a few noses back in high school for trash-talking Millicent. And f uck if I¡¯d tell her.


    It confused me why I¡¯ve always been protective of her. I was protective of my stepsister, too. For years.


    I thought that was the only reason. But


    |||


    O


    M


    28%


    the tightening of my pants as I drank her features tells me otherwise.


    Matt tossed back his drink. He looked like a man on a mission hot paused when he saw Millicent


    walking in our direction.


    Her steps were shaky, yet still regal and f ucking se xy as hell. She looked like a seductress eyeing her


    prey. Her hair cascades in big waves down her back, touching the curve of her as s as she moves. Her


    tight ck slip barely covered the swell of her a ss and breast. She swayed a bit, taking unsteady steps


    until she stood before me.


    She looked like the same Millicent from high school and not at the same time:


    ¡°Damian,¡± she slurred, halting between my legs. Thickshed dog eyes blinked up at me.


    ¡°Millicent Matt raised his brows from the corner of my eyes, pinning me with an using gaze. But I


    was too confused an what was happening to even acknowledge him.


    Millicent leaned in and whispered in my ears. ¡°I need a favor.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± My jaw fluttered. My entire body buzzed with need under her touch.


    ¡°Act along. She skimmed her palms down my chest. And f uck, Iwant those hands to wander lower.


    Pure feminine scent enveloped me as she stood on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips against


    mine.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    -MILLIE-


    The music, the buzz, and the chatter were drowned out by thuddling inside my chest. My heartbeat was


    loud, louder than the alcohol droning in my head. I am suddenly very aware that Lam kissing Damian


    freaking ck, Candice¡¯s hot stepbrother.


    I pulled away, reality dawning on me. Like the deepest part of the forest after the rain, his green eyes


    regarded me with a look that could make a criminal concede to plead guilty.


    ¡°What the f u ck did I just do? My wildly beating heart pumped blood into my cheeks. ¡°What if he has a


    girlfriend, or worse, a wife? I¡¯m not exactly updated on Damian¡¯s current status in life or anything about


    him, period


    As though his skin burned me. I lifted my hands from resting on his chest, but Damian¡¯s big and warm


    hand slipped onto my lower back. He drew me closer until our fronts were pressed together.


    ¡°I¡¯m so his lips crushing on mine swallowed whatever words I was about to spew. Rough paws sped


    the back of my neck. angling my face to gain better ess. Catching my lips parted, his deft tongue


    swept inside my mouth-easily. Surprisingly. his touch was gentle and forceful at the same time.


    An army of ants crawled beneath my skin as he licked my lips,pping at the bottom and giving it a little


    bite. Electric shock zapped mydy parts to life as we pulled apart.


    Something about the way Damian held me close to his body and his intense gaze made my insides


    shiver with excitement. It released thousands of butterflies from the cage to flutter around my belly.


    I was speechless. My eyes dted, tumbling back into my equilibrium. I don¡¯t think I have been kissed


    like that before, like my lips were the sweetest thing he ever tasted, and he couldn¡¯t get enough


    Damian knew how to f ucking kiss.


    Oh boy. What?


    No. No. No. I¡¯m drunk. That¡¯s all this is. The freaking alcohol.


    ¡°Uhm.¡±I gripped thepel of his suit once again, needing something to keep me steady.


    ¡°D:¡± a deep voice echoed behind me. My feet were in contact with earth again, and the noise, the people,


    the low light from the bar started to make sense again. ¡°What the hell? You said you haven¡¯t slept with


    her.¡±


    My brows furrowed at his incensed tone. I disentangled from Damian, but he kept a solid grip on my


    waist, me on his side.


    Blond curls framing angr jaws emphasized the blue using gaze directed at Damian. It¡¯s Matthew


    Evans, Damian¡¯s best buddies in high school. On his right was his cousin Charlie and Madeline¡¯s


    boyfriend, and behind Luke.


    They all had surprised and confused expressions directed at Damian.


    Damian raised a shoulder in azy shrug and squeezed my waist


    His kiss made me forget why I was even glued to his side.


    ¡°Why the hell did I kiss Damian again?


    and the


    My dazed eyes found Madeline and Natalie walking up to us. Felicity and her minions were closed


    behind. Five pair of eyes. sporting contrasting emotions, reminded me of my f ucked up lie. Madeline¡¯s


    eyes sparkled with glee, Felicity¡¯s narrowed and probing, Halie¡¯s and Luna¡¯s were confused with lingering


    surprise, and Natalie was clearly disorientated.


    I giggled nervously and patted Damian¡¯s chest. He was pure muscles. Da mn. So hard and defined. I


    wonder how he¡¯d look


    ???


    <


    naked. Dizziness struck me just imagining it, so I leaned my head on his shoulder..


    Although I don¡¯t understand why Matt would say that, I exined. ¡°I asked him to keep ¡®us¡¯ a secret, at


    least until I tell


    Candice.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Matt kept his sharp-edged re focused on Damian. Madeline reached Charlie, and thetter nted a


    kiss on her forehead.


    ¡°You and Damian?¡± Felicity squeaked, her perfectly curved brows tipped to the ceiling.


    I hummed, smiling sweetly at her. Jealousy in bold capital letters shed like a neon sign on her


    forehead. Back in high school, Felicity had a huge crush on Damian. I know so because Candice busted


    my ears withints about girlsing up to see Damian in their home. They bring him gifts, some


    even sneak into the property straight to Damian¡¯s bedroom.


    Teenagers and their hormones, Candice used to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s still pretty new, I said, locking eyes with Natalie. She wasn¡¯t the only one who knew how to lie. ¡°We


    reconnected at Candice¡¯s wedding¡±


    Damian had always been one of the handsome faces at school, but I remember seeing him at Candice¡¯s


    wedding. He took my breath away. Well, he caught a lot of women¡¯s eyes that day.


    I have tomend Damian¡¯s poker face. We acknowledged each other with a nod at Candice¡¯s


    wedding. He had a S** y redhead wrapped around him the entire time. Once the picture-taking and


    ceremony were done, they disappeared to G od knows where


    Good thing none of the people from this group were present at that wedding. They seemed to buy my


    story apart from Matt. He seemed skeptical, but said nothing. And, of course. Natalie knew I was lying,


    She knew all too well that Hunter and I were together until yesterday morning, when I found them f


    ucking in his apartment. I pinned her with a razor-sharp stare. daring her to speak up. With her lower lip


    stuck out in a pout and thinned eyes, she kept her mouth shut


    ¡°Who¡¯d have thought?¡± Felicity¡¯s eyes darted from Damian to me. ¡°Millicent, the uptight nerd, and


    Damian¡­ Damian ck I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only one surprised by this news.¡±


    I stiffened when Damian pulled me tighter to him. ¡°And you are?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stop chortling. Felicity¡¯s mouth hung open.


    ¡°She¡¯s Felicity Adams. The cheer captain and homing queen.¡± Hallie, came to her friend¡¯s rescue,


    looping her arm around Felicity¡¯s. ¡°How can you not remember her when you were in the student council


    together?¡± She asked usingly.


    Damian seemed to ponder on it, but he ended up shrugging. ¡°Anyway, being a nerd was Millicent¡¯s


    appeal. Smart girls are f ucking hot.¡±


    His friends hummed in agreement. Who would¡¯ve thought that these boys who go around campus f


    ucking random chicks at all corners of our high school would agree to that statement? I wonder if they


    were just ying along with Damian.


    We clustered a good space in front of the bar. People were starting to line up on the other side, so


    Madeline invited us to sit in one of the booths.


    I detached myself from Damian to follow everyone, but he kept an iron grip on my waist. ¡°Go ahead. I


    just need some alone time with ¡®my girl.¡±


    His friends gave him a pat on the shoulder. While the distance between us and them stretched, dread


    spiraled down my spine. My stomach somersaulted. The alcohol I depended on for courage threatened


    to crawl out where it came in.


    I shivered. If it was from Damian¡¯s body attached to mine, to the ¡°my girl¡¯ im, or the fact that he was


    obviously going to haul me for the reason I kissed him, I¡¯m not sure.


    I kept my eyes on everyone as they settled into the booth, dreading Damian¡¯s cross-examination yet.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna collect,¡± Damian said, sessfully grabbing my attention.


    |||


    Now that we are alone, Fexamined his features up close, really studied him. I drowned in those deep


    sets of green eyes.


    They were brooding as though he wanted to read my soul.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, ordering a ss of vodka cranberry.


    ¡°A favor for a favor.¡± Damian murmured.


    Oh, hell.


    III


    0

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± I struggled to sound confident. A merry-go-round of probable favor he¡¯d asked made my


    head spun.


    Collect? G od. What kind of collection does someone like Damian do? Definitely not money. He was a


    billionaire¡¯s heir for crying out loud. Sex? Oh Go d!


    Dread settled on my belly. Sweat began to form on my spine.


    What have I gotten myself into? S hit. S hit. Sh it!


    I wasn¡¯t a virgin nor a prude, but I don¡¯t randomly sleep with men. The concept of one-night stands still


    puzzled me. How do women have S** with random men without getting attached? I¡¯m not judging anyone


    who indulges in that kind of activity. It¡¯s their life. It¡¯s just not for me.


    But I knew the right to options was not in my hands. I gave that up when I kissed him. It only seemed fair


    for Damian to


    ¡®collect.¡±


    A silly part of me hopes that is not the case. One percent of my brain and the rest say Damian will ask for


    S** as payment, given his history and all.


    Now, I¡¯m judging the man who saved me from that catastrophic groupie? What was wrong with me?


    Damian¡¯s slightly down turned mouth tugged into a knowing smirk. As though he could read the thoughts


    in my head.


    I finished my drink in one go. I reached my alcohol limit hours ago, but I ordered another.


    ¡°So, who was I supposed to be?¡± Damian asked, sliding down his seat and offering it to me.


    I shook my head, no, but he gripped my waist and deposited me on the barstool. My as snded on the


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    warm leather surface with a squeak


    ¡°What?¡± The dimmed lights on the bar spin.


    Why am I seeing two Damian ck?


    ¡°How much alcohol did you drink?¡± Frowning, he cupped my face and tilted it side to side. I pinched my


    eyes closed, gripping the edge of the counter so tightly from fear of falling on the floor.


    ¡°Too many.¡± I blinked my eyes again and again until Damian¡¯s twin disappeared. ¡°What was your


    question again?¡±


    ¡°I am the boyfriend.¡± He asked for a refill of his whiskey and waited until the bartender was done. ¡°We


    reconnected at Pigtail¡¯s wedding,¡± he reminded me.


    I smiled at his cute pet name for Candice. She loathed pigtails the moment Damian christened her with it


    back in third grade.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t had S** yet,¡± he winked, and my cheeks red.


    ¡°Just for tonight,¡± I sighed, setting my elbows on the counter. An uncontroble pulse began to throb in


    my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for dragging you into this.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m d you came up to me. This party was boring me to death.¡± He turned on his side


    and nodded at someone behind me. I followed his line of sight. His friends were calling us over. But


    Matt¡¯s hostile gaze grabbed my attention. He was sulking in the corner of the table.


    ¡°Your friend doesn¡¯t seem to buy my story.¡± Imented, outlining the lips of my ss. He didn¡¯t say


    anything, so I asked. ¡°Do you have a girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he murmured.


    M


    ¡°Oh, sh it,¡± I facepalmed myself. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Damian. I will straighten things out before this night


    ends.¡±


    He tilted his head to the side, teeth sinking into his bottom lip.


    ¡®Why did that look so hot on him?


    28%


    ¡°I do have a girlfriend. You,¡± he said, his lips stretching into a wide smile. It reached his eyes, and they


    sparkled in a way that made my insides shiver.


    I rarely see Damian smiling. He¡¯s always brooding and hostile to everyone. I wish I could see more of


    that smile.


    I rolled my eyes and fought off the blush creeping on my cheeks


    ¡°Jerk.¡± I giggled.


    Damian chuckled, surprising me. It sounded deep and cool, like diving into the ocean in the heat of the


    summer. I wanted to hear it again.


    He gripped the back of my seat and spun me unceremoniously. ¡°Will you stop doing that?¡± I groaned.


    ¡°The world is f ucking spinning.¡±-


    Heughed again, setting his broad hands on my knees. Finding my equilibrium. I realized I was facing


    him now, and he was so close, so close that I could feel his warm breath against my face.


    Damian was so much taller than me. I had to crane my neck to meet his eyes. They were sparkling with


    circles of gold and brown, catching the lights from the bar. I shivered when his thumb gently caressed my


    skin, kick-starting a fluttering between my thighs.


    This was probably the part where I tell him we were only pretending and no one was looking at us


    anymore. But his touch felt so good it left me speechless.


    He removed what little space was between our faces and whispered in my ears. ¡°I think I¡¯ll need to know


    how Felicity Adams got into your head to sell this act.¡±


    I swallowed, inhaling a lungful of his sp icy masculine perfume. She didn¡¯t,¡± I said, which wasn¡¯t a total


    lie. Felicity wasn¡¯t exactly the only reason, but the culmination of everything that happened since


    yesterday blowing up on my face and alcohol just made it worse.


    Damian tucked my hair behind my ears. His eyes boring holes into mine. ¡°You can lie to them, but not to


    me. Millicent. I know you.¡±


    ¡®He know me?¡± I frowned. I never thought he paid me any mind back in high school.


    He tilts his head, his expression tinged with amusement, like he enjoys me quivering under his gaze.


    ¡°That girl tried to get a reaction from you since freshman year. Fourteen yearster, she finally got one.


    What¡¯s the deal?¡±


    My mouth formed in the shape of an ¡®o. He does know me. And he knew who Felicity was. He pretended


    he didn¡¯t know her for my benefit. And that he was aware of Felicity targeting me since freshman year


    made my heart swell. So he noticed me. after all. Was it also true that he thinks smart girls are hot?


    in


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long day, and I¡¯ve had enough of life¡¯s bull shi t,¡± I admitted, shivering. It felt as though


    someone was boring holes.


    back. I peered over my shoulder, finding endless faces I couldn¡¯t put a name on. The crowd was busy,


    the music was buzzing, and my eyes were unfocused due to my alcohol intake,


    my


    Damian h ooked his finger under my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. I blinked, eyshes fluttering as I


    focused on his eyes. They were so green and so intense. And his voice. Goodness. I almost moaned at


    the delicious sound when he spoke in that gravelly tone. ¡°I like hearing you talk dirty. I have to ask,


    though, why¡¯d youe up to me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fishing, Damian.¡± I pped his hand away, emptying thest of my vodka cran, and ordered


    another, but Damian ordered a ss of water instead.


    III


    <


    ¡°No more alcohol, Millicent


    ¡°Pooper,¡± I murmured, but honestly, I was grateful he was not taking advantage of the situation. ¡°You


    were the only guy I knew who wasn¡¯t a creep. You¡¯re a total flirt, but not a creep.¡± I sipped my water.


    ¡°Solid reasoning even when drunk,¡± he stated. ¡°I¡¯m impressed.


    I don¡¯t believe I am reasonable at all. I knew alcohol and I will forever dance the tango of a love-hate


    rtionship. My next statement proved that. ¡°And I have had a crush on you since high school.¡±

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    -MILLIE-


    I groaned, struggling to get my bearings together. There was a loud pounding in my head and my entire


    body was so stiff, as if it had been cemented on the bed I was lying on. Each movement was an


    impossible feat, even opening my eyes to orientate where I was.


    Light wrestled against darkness, cloaking the room in dimmed light. Vision hazy, 1 sought to take in my


    surroundings. The gray-painted walls immediately struck me that I wasn¡¯t in my childhood room or my


    apartment. Both had Swiss coffee paint.


    The mattress silently groaned as I shifted in my lying position. A beating ache in my head made me


    moan. A jackhammer was pounding my skull. My entire body stilled when my butt rubbed against a solid


    wall of warm muscles. Then a big hand slid to my front, fanning on my belly, and drew me back.


    The man behind me, whoever he was, had big hands and a solid body. He was hard everywhere. If he


    wasn¡¯t awake yet, a particr part of him was. His erection, as if it had a mind of its own. kept knocking


    on the cra ck of my as s cheeks.


    Panic swelled in my throat.


    Did I have S**st night?


    I tried to scout my brain for answers and found nothing but a hazy vision of the reunion, never-ending


    sses of alcohol. and strobes of red and greenser lights.


    What the hell happened?


    This was the downside of relying on coffee to function every f ucking day. My brain remained asleep


    even when my body was awake, panicking no less.


    I remember drinking wine ¨C lots of it ¨C beforeing to the reunion. Then I met Madeline with Felicity


    and her minions, seeing Natalie walk in with Hunter oh g od. My lie and the hottest kiss of my life came


    forth, my hands shooting up to my mouth. I kissed Damian!¡±


    ¡°What time is it?¡± Damian asked in a raspy voice.


    I slept with Damian? S hit! Sh it! S hit!¡±


    I should scramble to my feet and distance myself from my best friend¡¯s stepbrother. But my body and


    brain were at war. My brain knew that lie should¡¯ve ended in that reunion and not end me up in Damian¡¯s


    bed. My body doesn¡¯t seem to get memo, though. I was frozen, curled in a spooning position with


    Damian


    He was so warm, very masculine, and hard everywhere. The knocking of his morning wood against my


    as s jolted me back to


    life.


    S hit!


    I scooted away from him. If my skin could turn any redder, I¡¯d spontaneouslybast. To my relief, he


    released me. 1 mbered onto the edge of the mattress, cradling my face in my palm. The jackhammer


    pounds intensified with each move


    I made.


    Damian sat beside me; his chest was bare, and gray sweatpants covered the lower half of his body.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I looked down at the white shirt I was wearing, my nipples poking through its sheer


    fabric. I bite down the urge to cover myself.


    If we sleptst night, he¡¯d seen everything by now. I was in his shirt for crying out loud.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Damian¡¯s mocking tone didn¡¯t sit well with me. I pinned him with a stare, brows


    knitted together. He replied by chuckling, rising to his full height, and headed for his closet. It dawned on


    me that we were in their mansion. But


    M


    I was unfamiliar with his room.


    I¡¯ve only been in Hunter¡¯s bedroom, and Damian was very minimalist inparison. He had a dresser, a


    desk with a desktop, and a shelf on the side stacked with books ¨C lots of them.


    ¡°You were drunk as f uck,¡± Damian murmured, grabbing a shirt from his closet and dragging it over his


    head. I drank in the sight of his back muscles rippling until it was concealed beneath his shirt. ¡°I had to


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    drag your as s out of the hotel to keep you from embarrassing yourself.¡±


    I hide my face in my palms. ¡°G od. What did I do?¡±


    ¡°Apart from climbing me like a tree?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my G od.¡± Mortified, I looked into Damian¡¯s eyes, perusing those green pools for humor, and found


    none.


    Corded arms folded over his chest, a look I couldn¡¯t identify sailed over his features. ¡°You really don¡¯t


    remember?¡±


    I shook my head. The world spun as I did. Bile crawled from my stomach through my throat, I grimaced.


    He looked the other way. If I didn¡¯t know Damian, I¡¯d say he looked disappointed. He blew a resigned


    huff. ¡°Clean up. Get something to wear from Pigtails¡¯ room. I¡¯ll prepare breakfast¡±


    Not waiting for a reply, he spun on his heels and left. Once the door slotted in its frame, I mulled over the


    conversation we just had. Questions swirled in my head as embarrassment sank into my flesh at the


    thought of climbing Damian like a tree. The biggest puzzle of all was how I ended up in his room,


    dressed in nothing but my panties and his shirt.


    ¡®Did we have S**?¡±


    I groaned. I need a f ucking coffee.


    Twenty minutester, dressed in Candice¡¯s sweater and shorts, I entered the kitchen and instantly fell


    under Damian¡¯s watchful stare. He scanned me over the cup of coffee licking my bare legs with his gaze


    as I sat on the barstool across from him. Candice was five-three, and I was five-six. The only clothes we


    shared were oversized sweaters.


    I silently filled a mug with coffee, shoulder rxing as I took a sip. The caffeine rush in my body was like


    a drug, kick- starting my brain to work.


    ¡°Have you seen my phone?¡± I asked, reaching for a piece of bacon from the breakfast tter.


    Damian was one of those boys that could cook. It¡¯s one of the perks of being best friends with Candice; I


    get to see Damian in a way everyone at school cannot. I¡¯m not even surprised that it hasn¡¯t changed over


    the years.


    He pointed towards the counter, where it was charging. I rounded the ind and grabbed my phone,


    grimacing at the number of notifications on the lock screen.


    ¡®Can¡¯t these people let me have a peaceful weekend?¡±


    They all could wait. I need to have food in my system first before dealing with this mess I call life.


    ¡°So, how did I end up in your bed?¡± I tried to sound nonchnt. Not remembering if we had S** or not is


    bugging the hell


    out of me.


    Damian¡¯s gaze was the epitome of calmness and serenity. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to take the chances of you


    burning the mansion down.¡±¡±


    I choked on the coffee I was sipping. ¡°What?!¡±


    He reached for the newspaper on the countertop, unfolding it. ¡°You were very unpredictable, Millicent. I¡¯m


    all for living in the


    moment, carpe diem, and YOLO sh it kids these days call it, but you put yourself at riskst night.¡± That


    calm tone, borderline concern, and scolding reminded me so much of my dad.


    III


    18 Sat,


    I


    ¡°Put myself at risk?¡± I parroted, my voice rising a pitch higher.


    28%.


    He sighed, meeting my eyes. It was hard to be annoyed at him when he looked like that. He was good


    enough to be my breakfast with that disheveled dark gray hair. In the light of the day, his scruff seemed


    to rough I imagined him rubbing it against my skin. I¡¯m a s ucker for scruff, and his was epic.


    ¡°You were very drink. You don¡¯t even remember half of what you did. What if I wasn¡¯t there with you?


    ¡°Someone could¡¯ve taken advantage of you. There was an odd punch in ¡°someone¡±


    I frowned, understanding where he wasing from. He¡¯s been overprotective of Candice, and his


    brotherly protection also extended to my welfare.


    Bining my lip. I nced down at my coffee, making out a blurry outline of my messy hair tied in a bun in


    the dark liquid. ¡°Thank you Things just got out of hand. It was supposed to be a quick in and out, you


    know.¡±


    ¡°Drink what you can handle. The pinch of annoyance in his calm tone rubbed me the wrong way. He had


    more to say, but the shrill sound of my phone ringing cut him off.


    It¡¯s Candice.


    Damian rose and exited the kitchen, silently bidding for me to answer Candice¡¯s call.


    ¡°Millicent,¡± Candice¡¯s motherly tone made me sit up straighter. She only calls me by my full name when


    something is


    WTONE


    ¡°Good morning¡± Myposure was a hoax, and she knew it. A heavy sigh belched from her end. My


    brows furrowed. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± worryced my tone.


    ¡°Seriously? How much alcohol did you drinkst night?¡± Clutters of silverware against ceramic


    apanied her groan. must¡¯ve been dining with Aaron and covered the mouthpiece with her hand


    because I heard her muttled mumble that she needed to talk some sense to me.


    ¡°Let me guess, you don¡¯t remember what you didst night, she murmured usingly.


    My frown deepened. Damian telling me that was one thing, but Candice was oceans, Dread sheathed


    my entire body, my heart pounding in my cats.


    Candice took in my silence as confirmation. ¡°Oh boy, this is gonna be interesting, You¡¯ve got a lot of


    exining to do, but I can wait. First, check your Instagram ount, then call me.¡±


    Fingers trembling. I did as I was told and gasped in horror at what I saw


    My profile, which I had been using for the past six months, has now been changed to a photo of Damian


    and me


    Damian¡¯s cheek rested against my forehead, our eyes were closed, and our toothy grins appeared as


    though we wereughing about something so freaking hrious


    I haven¡¯t seen myself this content and happy in a long time. But Damian, he¡¯d always been handsome.


    The longer I stares at


    picture, the stronger this unsettling feeling in my gut got


    the


    We were the epitome of a happy couple.


    Thement section kept growing like it was counting each millisecond that passed by The hearts the


    photo received were more than I got in a mouth with daily uploadsbined.


    |||

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    -DAMIAN-


    Sheer frustration pumped into my system. I had no ns to leave the mansion, but staying there became


    impossible when Millicent admitted she didn¡¯t remember most of what happenedst night.


    Why I am pis sed about that is beyond me. It shouldn¡¯t bother me. In fact, I should be relieved only one


    of us had a crystal memory of what truly transpired between us.


    The things she revealed about her ex, her confessions of her feelings for me, and the things she¡¯d


    written in her diary. 1 shouldn¡¯t feel guilty for knowing intimate details about her life. It¡¯s not like I forced


    her to spill her guts on mest night. But I do feel guilty. I can¡¯t even look at her without thinking of those


    things. How did I not notice that back in high school?


    After twenty minutes of driving around town. I ended up at Lol ita¡¯s. Stepping inside the diner was simr


    to going back in the past. Apart from the fresh faces of the servers and the chick behind the register,


    nothing has changed.


    Chessboard-colored vinyl tiles catch the lights from the ceiling. Booths with worn-out red couches lined


    the ss wall. Facing it was a long counter dotted with barstools. I had no doubt that if I¡¯d inspect the far


    thest booth from the entry. I¡¯d find my name scribed on the edge of the wooden table.


    Remembering how Mom gave me an earful that morning tugged the edge of my lips.


    Mom was friends with L olita. She used to take me here every weekend for pancakes and wattles. They


    have the best pancakes I¡¯ve ever tasted. and L olita only serves real maple syrup since she was from


    Saskatchewan.


    ¡°Are you waiting for someone?¡± The blond server in a pale blue uniform, a white apron wrapped around


    her tiny waist. beamed brightly at me..


    Apart from the three elderly men upying the barstools, nursing their coffees, and reading today¡¯s


    paper, the breakfast house was mostly empty.


    ¡°No,¡± I said curtly, ignoring how she twirled the ends of her long ponytail. Sandy ¨C the small rectangr


    te pinned to her uniform suggests was cute, but I was in no mood for flirting this morning.


    I just need coffee and food.


    -Sit wherever you feel, and I¡¯ll bring you the menu,¡± she chirped, bouncing on her heels as she rounded


    the counter. Giggles and hushed whispers greeted her when she reached the cluster of her co-workers


    behind the counter.


    I chose the corner booth, and like I assumed, my name was still engraved on the table, along with many


    others. True to her words, Sandy was at my table with the menu before I plonked down on the couch.


    ¡°Are you new in town?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°No.¡± I kept my eyes on theminated menu. Even the list hasn¡¯t changed.


    I haven¡¯t been here since Mom passed, and being here pinched something in my chest.


    ¡°Yeah? I haven¡¯t seen you around before. I would¡¯ve remembered you.¡± I didn¡¯t want to be rude, but I was


    really in no mood for a chat, even for a friendly one.


    Ready to give her my order so I could have my peace, a leggy brte loomed over the table and slid to


    the seat across from


    minc.


    Sonja.


    I bit back the groan. How the f uck did she find me? Did she have me investigated? That¡¯s the only


    reasonable answer to my question.


    ¡°You ordered without me, Numyl?tinis?¡± she asked in that s exy Lithuanian ent. The way she speaks


    her nativenguage


    a M


    does something to my c ock. It jerked in response. [darling]


    28%.


    Sonja smiled sweetly, batting her impossibly longshes as she plucked the menu from my hand. Today,


    she wore a white tank, denim short shorts that emphasized her long tan legs, and a light orange kimono.


    I struggled to keep my eyes above her shoulder. She wasn¡¯t wearing a bra; those milky ti ts were


    begging to be sucked.


    She came here with intent. I hate that she knew how to tempt me, and I hate my body even more for


    responding to her


    teasing.


    Sandy star-struck by Sonja¡¯s beauty scrambled and pulled out a pad and pen from the pockets of her


    apron as Sonja listed down her order.


    What are you having?¡± Sonja leaned her elbows on the table; the low cut of her neckline showed enough


    cleavage to have my d ick knocking on my pants,


    I shouldn¡¯t be lusting over. Everything about us was wrong, and it had to stop.


    Sonja¡¯s presence left a sour taste on my tongue, so I settled for coffee.


    Once Sandy was out of earshot, Sonja parked her elbows on the table, giving me a perfect view of her ti


    ts. A different kind of hunger nketed my body. It would be so f ucking easy to quench this need. I could


    take her to my car and f uck her brains out, or probably the bathroom. I remember how Sonja loved


    having S** in public ces. She gets so worked up at the idea of being caught.


    ¡°Damian¡­.¡± She murmured. longing shed in her eyes. I hate it when she looks at me like that. So


    innocent, so beautiful, and so fragile. She had the face of an angel and transformed into a she-devil in


    bed.


    I maintain my nk expression. She cannot see how she¡¯s affecting me, or she¡¯ll continue pursuing me. I


    shoot her a steaming re. ¡°How the f uck did you find me?¡±


    Her eyes rounded as saucers, pressing a manicured hand on her chest, offended. ¡°Why so hostile?


    Aren¡¯t you happy to see


    me


    I simpered at her nonchnce. As if having me investigated was not a breach of my privacy. I used to


    admire Sonja¡¯s tenacity, but she¡¯s bing a pain in my a ss. The girl couldn¡¯t take no for an answer.


    She sighed and jutted out her lower lip.


    Those f ucking beautiful lips. F uck! I remember how they felt around my co ck, their softness as I slid in


    and out of her wet mouth while I fist her dark silky curls..


    1


    She reached over the table, tracing my knuckles with her finger. Fire ignited where she touched me. My


    jaw fluttered. I clenched my fists so tight that they turned white. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to


    prove, D. We¡¯ve been dating for a year, and you¡¯re breaking up with me for no reason.¡±


    Molten annoyance flowed through my veins. Dating? Breaking up? She speak as if she wasn¡¯t f ucking


    married.


    Sandy came back with my coffee and Sonja¡¯s cappino. Grateful for the distraction, I reached for my


    drink and took a long as s sip, fighting hard to keep my anger at bay.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were from Roslin City. In fact, there¡¯s a lot I didn¡¯t know about you.¡± Her eyes were


    questioning. She¡¯d finally discovered that I am Erick ck¡¯s only son, the heir to his billion dor


    usingly.


    The thought of Millicent and I shed in my mind. Last night, she was the sweetest seductress I had


    ount. ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s working,¡± Sonja sighed exasperatedly.


    Herst statement caught my attention.


    Sandy returned with Sonja¡¯s orders. A te of bunless bacon, egg and cheese, and blueberry muf fins.


    A thoughtless lie slipped out of my mouth when we were alone again. ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend.¡±


    28%


    Holding a fork and knife, Sonja¡¯s hand stilled, mid-cutting her bacon, egg, and cheese. She kept her


    gaze on the te, but there was an evident tension on her shoulder that wasn¡¯t there seconds ago.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not.¡± Her tone was b utcher knife sharp. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. You¡¯re head over heels for me,


    Damian. I know you.¡±


    If iming Millicent was my girlfriend got me this reaction from her, I might as well use this to my


    advantage.


    ¡°Yes, she is,¡± I said, sipping my coffee, watching Sonja over the ceramic cup,


    She took a forkful of her breakfast, stabbing me with her icy blue gaze. She chewed slowly as we


    entered a ring contest. It felt like I was under a high-end microscope¡¯s scrutiny. Yeah? How long have


    you been dating? She just broke up with her


    fiance.¡±


    Her knowledge of Millicent¡¯s life was perturbing. I kept a stoic facade. ¡°She did. And now we have a


    chance to be together. She¡¯s the reason I wanted to end things between us. My he dribbled like honey


    from my mouth.


    The pain that crossed Sonja¡¯s pretty face snapped a heartstring. Despite our situation, I cared for her


    more than she knew. I wish I didn¡¯t, but I do.


    She turned to the ss wall, blinking back the mist gathering on her eyelids. ¡°You love me,¡± her probing


    tone softened, ocean gaze sliding back to meet mine. The sadness nketing them made my chest


    tighten. ¡°We wouldn¡¯tst this long if you didn¡¯t. What is it? Is it because of Silverio? I will divorce him if


    that¡¯s your issue.¡±


    My mrs ground. It hurts that the woman I loved only gave me this much attention when she realized I


    was wealthier than her husband. ¡°Souja, we¡¯re over. If you¡¯re going to file for divorce, do it for yourself,


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    not for me. I¡¯ve got nothing to offer


    you.¡±


    A lone tear rolled down her cheeks. It pains me to see her so sad, but she needs to forget about me. I


    shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved with her in the first ce.


    Keeping a stony facade, I pulled out my waller and dropped a few twenties on the table, leaving a


    shoulder-shuddering Sonja with her bacon, egg, and cheese, and mu ffins.


    As I exited the diner, I had only one goal in my mind. I need to collect a favor.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    -MILLI


    I stood on the wooden tform, overlooking the calm water of Malyons Lake, listening to the wind sweep


    over the trees epassing theke.


    I stood here all afternoon trying to clear my head. It¡¯s not like me to give in to the pressure around me,


    but I¡¯m human, too. My head was clustered with all the punches I¡¯d taken left to right, and this mess with


    Damian only added to the chaos, tipping me on the edge of breaking down.


    The wind had gone cold. I thrust my hands into my borrowed hoodie¡¯s pocket and heaved a breath.


    Beforeing here, I went home for a proper change of clothing, but I kept Candice¡¯s hoodie. It


    strangely gave mefort. If she were here, she¡¯d tell me how I f u cked up, probablyugh in my face.


    At least I am not alone.


    I sighed. ¡°What the f uck am I gonna do now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a hard woman to find.¡± I stiffened.


    Hunter¡¯s steps were hushed. 1 didn¡¯t hear him approaching until he was only a hand stretched away from


    me. A different kind of chill swirled down my spine as he stood beside me. He sported a gray tee: the


    hem tucked into the waist of his dark jeans, his badge and gun hanging on his belt.


    ¡°Apparently not hard enough. I grimaced. Talking to him was thest thing I needed.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been answering your phone¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a memo we were still in talking terms,¡± sarcasm dripped like honey from my mouth.


    Hunter faced me, annoyance zed in his eyes. He hates it when I talked back. He openly red at me.


    further, I paid him no mind and kept my eyes pinned on the treeline across theke..


    ¡°I don¡¯t f ucking appreciate your tone, Millicent,¡± he growled through gritted teeth.


    To annoy him


    I faced him, pained and hatred zing my eyes. Seeing him here, hearing him speak as if he still had the


    right tomand me, mmed a sledgehammer on the walls I created around my heart.


    I¡¯ve had enough. How can Natalie and Hunter act as if they didn¡¯t pull my heart out of my chest with their


    b still had the nerve to talk to me? ¡°And I don¡¯t appreciate youing here, talking to me like you didn¡¯t f


    uck Hunter.


    His eyes sl anted, nose ring. ¡°If you only listened to me and didn¡¯t run away like a petnt child, we


    wouldn this conversation.¡±


    I huffed, hands clenching inside my hoodie¡¯s pocket. ¡°If you didn¡¯t f uck Natalie, we wouldn¡¯t be in this


    situation.


    He strode forward,manding power and dominance in each step. Eyes blown wide with fear, I sta


    ggered back w reached up to touch my face. Hunter¡¯s hand froze mid-air, his gaze softening.


    I thought he was gonna p me. Memories of how he¡¯dnded those hands on me inside the bedroom


    flooded my he Hunter had a different kind of need inside the bedroom, and there were times when I


    couldn¡¯t physically give him wha


    needed


    He clenched his hands, dropping them to his side.


    ¡°1. I¡¯m sorry¡± Remorse shone in his eyes. ¡°How many times do I have to apologize, Milliceru? I was


    lonely, and Natalie was avable and willing. She was willing to do what you couldn¡¯t do for me, but


    you¡¯re the one I love. I still want to marry you.¡±


    My eyes thinned, lips curling into a grimace. The nerve of this man?


    ¡°Love?¡± A humorless chuckle fell from my lips. ¡°If you love me, you wouldn¡¯t even think of touching


    another woman, Hunter. And what was that about the ring? You two are already engaged not even a


    week after I found you two f ucking. What has gotten into you? Have you ever considered what I would


    feel¡±


    He looked genuinely confused, but then something dangerous crossed his face when a memory


    surfaced in his head. ¡°What has gotten into me? You¡¯re one to speak. You were all over that billionaire


    bratst night. One second, you were crying about how I cheated on you, the next, you spread your legs


    to another man-¡±


    My palm struck his cheek. It happened so fast I gasped at my actions. The p echoed through theke,


    stopping whatever insult he was gonna spew


    Hunter growled. He moved so quickly it barely even registered how he grabbed my throat in a choke


    hold, cutting air from entering my body. ¡°You f ucking b itch¡±


    Gripping his wrist. I wrenched his hand from choking me. Tears sprang from my eyes. My head spun with


    images of Hunter hovering above me. pinning me down with his weight as he cut my air supply.


    ¡°Hu¡­ Hunter¡­ ¡°I choked, staring right at the face of the monster I considered my end game. Molten


    anger lit up his blue eyes. There was not a trace of the man I love, but a sinister and menacing beast


    ready to burn me to the ground.


    Laughter and light footstepsing our direction made Hunter release me, tossing me aside like a rag


    doll. I limped against the wooden railings, gasping for air. A group of three women on their afternoon run


    sped past the tform, disappearing through the walking path


    Hunter raked his inked fingers through his hair, eyes wide as saucers. ¡°I I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone, Hunter. My tone was final.


    ¡°Millicent-


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± my voice rose. A man jogging through the footpath threw a worried nce our way.


    Hunter¡¯s lips pursed. ¡°This isn¡¯t over. You¡¯re mine. No one can have you but me.¡±


    His parting words left a foul taste in the air, and fear settled on my belly.


    All I wanted was to get some rest and let the world move on its own ord for a few more hours. My


    conversation with Hunter drained my strength to next week.


    I debated trudging back to theke when I saw Damian¡¯s truck parked in front of my parent¡¯s ce. He


    leaned on one of the four pirs of our porch, arms crossed over his chest. The distance between the


    street corner and our house was far for me to make out his expression, but I knew this couldn¡¯t be good.


    Damian mimicked a hound waiting for its enemy


    ¡°Where were you?¡± Damian pushed off the pir; his face was passive, voice as cold as ice.


    I walked up the stone path, climbed the porch, and pulled out my keys. My hands were shaky as I slotted


    it into the keyhole ¡°I was at theke.¡±


    ¡°All day?¡± The hitch in his voice told me he¡¯d been waiting for quite a while.


    Ifaced him, biting my lip as 1 yed with the keys. I couldn¡¯t look at him without my cheeks turning beet


    red. He looked so good in a shirt and jeans, the fabric threatening to rip on the seams from hugging his


    huge build


    Sighing, I stood with my spine ramrod straight. ¡°I needed time to process everything. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t


    deleted the photo,¡± I rambled, assuming that was the reason he was here. We¡¯ve known each other as


    long as I¡¯ve known Candice, and he never went out of his way to speak to me.


    When he didn¡¯t offer any response. I pulled out my phone and turned it on. As my Instagram ount


    unfurled on the screen. I grimaced at the number of unopened notifications and messages


    111


    M.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Damian,¡± I said solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ll delete it now and post a public apology.


    He tilted his head to the side. ¡°You¡¯ll do that?¡±


    I raked my fingers through my hair, blowing out a breath. ¡°There¡¯s no other way to straighten things out


    than toe clean. I¡¯ll probably lose what¡¯s left of my endorsements, but this has to be done.¡±


    My fingers hovered on the delete option, preparing myself for the disaster I was about to face when


    Damian spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    My gaze snapped at him. ¡°Huh?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t delete it.


    Tongue-tied, I gaped at him, searching his face. For what? I don¡¯t know. He caught on to my confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to collect. my favor.¡±


    A favor for a favor, his voice rang in my ears. I¡¯m gonna collect


    Snippets ofst night¡¯s even shed in my head. Our kiss, Damian bracketing my jaw as he savored my


    lips like I was thest tiramisu on a buffet. Tingles covered my entire body. I¡¯ve put the same amount of


    thought into solving my problem and remembering what happenedst night. Not remembering how I


    climbed him like a tree was rming and reassuring.


    When I couldn¡¯t remember anything, I ended up leaning onto the saying that what I didn¡¯t know won¡¯t hurt


    me.


    ¡°You remember,¡± he murmured mostly to himself.


    If my heart was thrashing before, I swear it¡¯s about to karate chop my breast bone and jump into


    Darmian¡¯s feet.


    ¡°What kind of favor will he ask? Will he ask me to have S** with him? That¡¯s highly unlikely. Because if he


    did, he would¡¯ve asked that this morning, right? What if he changed his mind? What if we already did that


    Ugh. I need my memories back!


    ¡°Vaguely,¡± I murmured, ying it cool. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, looking at the familiar street I


    grew up in. My stomach growling ended the pregnant pause swelling between us.


    Damian¡¯s brows twitched, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips..


    My cheeks were on fire. I could spontaneouslybust on the spot.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten, I admitted, lowering my gaze to the tips of my sneakers.


    ¡°Let¡¯s grab some food,¡± Damian offered.


    If we were in a different situation, I would give anything to dine with Damian. Dating him had been one of


    the deepest secrets written in my teenage diary. Sadly, this wasn¡¯t one of the scenarios I pictured.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to stay in,¡± I said, sidestepping to invite him. ¡°Il order¡­ uhm, would you like toe in?


    So we can talk¡­


    He didn¡¯t hesitate. His steps were calcted, epting my offer, Fresh cut woods, mint, and waterfall


    scents smacked my senses as he entered my home. My parents¡¯ ce was not small by any means. It


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    was a three-story house with five bedrooms, three bathrooms, living, dining, a kitchen, and a min library.


    But Damian¡¯s presence took in most of the space; it made me ustrophobic.


    I closed the door, locking it. Mom and Dad had taken residence at rke Bay and keeping the door


    locked was an instinct, not that I wanted to keep Damian here.


    Ugh. What the hell was going on with me?


    Crossing the living room, I went to the kitchen and grabbed a ss of water from the fridge. I sighed in


    relief as it dampened my throat.


    O


    M


    ¡°You were on theke all day?¡± Damian asked, his hands stretchell wide on the kitchen ind, gripping


    the edge.


    I ignored shes of what Hunter did to me this afternoon, leaning on the counter behind me, nodding. ¡°I


    had to figure out. what to do. My phone was off.¡±


    My stomach growled again, Damian allowed a chuckle to slip past his lips this time. He pulled out his


    phone, scrolling. ¡°You like Italian, right?¡±


    How did he know that? I loved everything Italian. I think I was Italian in my past life ¡°Yeah. But let me


    order.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± He gave no room for arguments, lifting the device to his ears, barking food orders


    enough to feed a family of


    twelve


    Twenty minutester, Damian and I sat across from each other on the ind. It¡¯s like picking up where


    we left off this morning. While waiting for food, I took a quick shower. This favor he was about to ask me


    left a sinking feeling in my gut.


    We ate silently. To be precise, Damian watched me gobble up the spaghetti bolognese and mnese


    chicken. After drinking a tall ss of water, I determinedly met Damian¡¯s gaze. ¡°Okay. Tim stuffed. What


    is your favor?¡±


    Deep in his thoughts, Damina sipped his wine. His mind gears shifting overtime, I could tell.


    He¡¯s hesitating.


    That¡¯s not good..


    My pulse gained speed with each second that passed by. As though he had finally made up his mind, he


    met my gaze with such intensity that made my chest cave. I need you to continue pretending to be my


    girlfriend¡±


    B

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°What?¡± I had to be sure.


    ¡°You heard me.¡±


    Of all the favors he¡¯d ask, that didn¡¯t cross my mind. Though I¡¯ve been trying to push it aside, S** was


    lingering there in my head. It¡¯s f ucking shameful, Damian wouldn¡¯t even bat an eysh on me. Why did I


    even assume he¡¯d want to sleep with me? But be his pretend girlfriend?


    ¡°Why?¡± my voice hitched. My brain tried and failed to find a logical reason for his request.


    ¡°I have my reasons, and you need me, he stated in a businesslike tone.


    ¡°I need you?¡± my brain¡¯s chips are short-circuiting. I couldn¡¯t keep up. First, he asked me to continue


    pretending to be his girlfriend, and now he says I need him.


    His intense gaze made my skin tingle. ¡°Your ex-fiance cheated on you with your friend, right? And this


    girl, Natalie, kept gaslighting people that you were the one who giarized the content for your vlog¡±


    That was public knowledge. A few sent me hoax sympathy, but none of them actually believed I didn¡¯t do


    it. Damian surprisingly does. ¡°You don¡¯t believe her?¡±


    ¡°Anyone with eyes would see who between the two of you works hard for those vlogs,¡± his statement


    caught me off guard.


    ¡°You¡¯re following me?¡±


    His lips pressed on a hard line. He didn¡¯t look impressed.


    I had to be sure because I was not following his ount. Searching his name on the tab of my followers,


    I want to take back my question. He was indeed following me.


    I frowned. ¡°Did you follow me just now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my point, Millicent,¡± he groaned, tossing back the rest of his wine. ¡°Think about it. This is the


    sweetest form of revenge. I¡¯m willing to be your rebound from the di ps hit ex of yours.¡±


    He had a point.


    Before going to theke, I scrolled through some of thements, and my followers were indeed


    celebrating this blooming rtionship between Damian and me. Of course, there were tons of negative


    day they were all just spections. Assumptions I would have straightened out with a public apology by


    now if my brain is notgging in this conversation.


    I took a few calming breaths, willing my pulse to slow down. In the span of twenty-four hours, I¡¯ve made


    enough mess tost me ten years. Adding another to the list will screw me for good.


    ¡°Why are you willing to help me? What¡¯s the catch?¡±


    Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sounded annoyed when he replied. ¡°There¡¯s this girl I need to get rid


    of, okay? And she saw our picture.¡±


    I knew it. I bat back the urge to p my fist on my palm for dramatic effect.


    ¡°She got jealous:¡±


    He hummed a yes. This girl must be important to Damian. If this was just any fling, he wouldn¡¯t need to


    lie. He¡¯d just get rid of her or ghost her. He and his friends were notorious for that scheme back in high


    school. Flirt, f uck, and dump.


    III


    Chapter 10:


    ¡°I¡¯m not just your girlfriend I told Felicity we were engaged.¡± Knowing Felicity, she¡¯s probably cooking a


    big reveal to some of my bashers, or worst, Natalije.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be engaged.¡± He didn¡¯t miss a beat.


    A sound caught between half, and cough choked me. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± His nonchnce was refreshing, as if being engaged was nothing but a mere business deal


    to him. ¡°Everything will be for a show. Then after a year, we¡¯ll part ways amicably as friends. No one will


    get hurt. It¡¯s a win win.¡±


    I frowned. He put a lot of thought into this, didn¡¯t he? ¡°Our parents will get hurt, Damian. Mom was over


    the moon when Hunter and 1 broke the news of our engagement to her. And now she went radio silent


    after hearing about Hunter and Natalie. I don¡¯t want to put her in that situation again.¡±


    It¡¯s one of the many reasons I turned my phone off. Mom certainly saw the picture I postedst night. I


    was scrawling a good story for her.


    Damian¡¯s resolve did not falter. ¡°She got hurt because Hunter cheated on you. If you say we fell out of


    love, she¡¯ll understand.¡±


    When he put it that way. I had no reason to argue. Mom was very understanding, and I forgot Damian


    knew her from all those Sunday lunches we had with Candice¡¯s mom and his dad.


    1 pulled my lower lip between my teeth. I was already full, but I reached for a cannoli, needing distraction


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    from this


    conversation


    ¡°How long do you propose we pretend?¡± I bit my cannoli, sweetness red on my pte.


    Am I really considering this! Holy hell. There¡¯s just so much going on that I can¡¯t think straight.


    ¡°One year.¡±


    Twelve months of being engaged to Damian. I¡¯d be living one of my biggest fantasies hidden in my diary.


    The only downside was that it had an expiration date, and it was not real.


    I finished my cannoli, rested my elbows on the ind, leaning forward. ¡°You thought of everything, didn¡¯t


    you?


    ¡°Of course,¡± he stated firmly, sounding smug. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ask you this favor if it won¡¯t benefit the two of us.


    And I won¡¯t ask for anything that will jeopardize you and your career. In fact, this is a way to save it¡­


    save you.¡±


    So this is the businessman, Damian ck. Candice had mentioned once or twice that he exceeded his


    fan


    of him. I could see why.


    ¡°This girl, do I know her?¡± his shoulder went rigid for a split second.


    ¡°No.¡± I waited for him to continue, but he was adamant. He poured wine into his ss and kept silent.


    ¡°If we¡¯re doing this, I need to know who she is,¡± for so many reasons. Curiosity was on top of my list.


    He considered his answer until a knot on the back of his neck loosened. ¡°Her name is Sonja nchet,¡± a


    pause. He to tell me more. ¡°She¡¯s married to one of Dad¡¯s business partners,¡±


    My mouth formed the shape of an O. Now that exins a lot.


    ¡°I broke things off with her, but she followed me all the way from LA; that¡¯s how persistent she is. With


    you in the picture she¡¯d leave me alone.


    Damian rose from the barstool, tucking his hands in his pocket. We need each other, Millicent. I¡¯ll be in


    New York on Wednesday. I hope you¡¯ll have an answer by then¡±


    III

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    -MILLI


    ¡°Say something.¡± I said, preparing for Candice to preach about my behavior. Needing to get everything


    out of my system, 1 spilled my guts on my best friend y-by-y, excluding Damian¡¯s reason for


    offering me his deal. Now she was silent. Thickshes framed her probing green eyes.


    ¡°I think you should say yes, she murmured, lifting a shoulder in azy shrug.


    My mouth parted and closed, gaping like a fish out of the sea. Herment came out of the left field. I


    expected her to oppose the idea of fake dating her step brother and tell me how st upid I was for even


    considering his offer.


    ¡°What?¡± The ss of wine I¡¯m holding almost slipped off my hands. ¡°You were supposed to be my voice


    of thought not the devil on my shoulder.


    In the wake of the storm, Pwan¡¯s white sand beach was still a picturesque view in the background.


    Candice lifts her coffee canister to her lips, the soft morning pastel glow bouncing on her face.


    ¡°The world must be ending coz I agree with Draco,¡± she grimacel, her statement leaving a foul taste on


    her tongue. She nicknamed-Damian after one Harry Potter character because he¡¯s narrow-minded and


    could be a bit of an idiot, her words, not mine. ¡°It¡¯s the sweetest revenge, M.


    She pr ods the phone on the sand and leaned back on her palms, soaking in the sunrise before they


    leave for Roslin City in a few hours.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you tell a soul about this, but being with Draco is definitely an upgrade from Hunter.¡± She


    curled an eyebrow, expecting me to oppose her statement.


    She was right, and I¡¯m afraid Damian was truly saving me with this deal. So why was I hesitating to


    ept it? Being with him will basically solve a lot of my problems. No public apology is needed.


    1 pouted, tipping my head back on the backrest of the couch. I¡¯d been sitting here since Damian left,


    nursing one ss of wine, sipping unhurriedly. Before calling Candice, 1 opened my email and was


    surprised to see a few endorsement offers. And thements on our photo, I can¡¯t even begin


    describing what I feel. Confused, shocked, disbelief, or a bit of those threebined. Encouragement for


    this blooming rtionship between Damian and me had shunned the issue with Natalie. ¡°I don¡¯t know,


    Can. Lying never ends well. Besides, do you even ship us together?¡±


    She made a pif sound under her throat, waving off my hesitation. ¡°You saw your followers¡¯ reaction. And


    please, don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t imagined what it would be like to be his girlfriend. You¡¯ve been crushing


    on him back in high school.¡± She sounded scandalized and fascinated at the same time.


    Stunned, I blinked at her. ¡°I did not.¡±


    I had to put my


    out my flute ss on the table because I swear I would drop it if I didn¡¯t. How did she know about my


    crush on- Damian? All those years, I thought my diary was the only one that knew my secret.


    She narrowed her eyes at me, taking an Indian sitting position; grains of sand clung onto her legs. Her


    yellow bikini top and tiny white denim shortsplimented her tanned skin. She¡¯s glowing. ¡°If you


    thought I¡¯d get in between you and my st upid step brother, you were wrong, I was actually waiting for


    you to tell me about it.¡±


    I caved, hugging my knees close to my chest. If Candice knew, it meant I wasn¡¯t as good as I thought at


    hiding my feelings. ¡°Was I that obvious?¡±


    `¡°Ha! I knew it!¡± She melodramatically punched her fist in the air ¡°I suspected, and you just plead guilty,¡±


    she giggled


    heartily.


    I dropped my face to my knees. Da mn. She could be annoyingly tricky at times, but I still love her.


    ¡°I knew you were only using me to get close to him!¡± she feigned hurt, but theughter in her eyes was


    so da mn irritating I wanted to pluck her raven dark hair.


    III


    M


    ¡°You know me better than that, and Damian was a yer. Even if I had a crush on him, I would never act


    on it: that¡¯s why I¡¯ be declining his offer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what she says.¡± She wiggled her brows.


    ¡°Watch me.¡± I sat taller, chest puffed out as I jutted my chin, defiance burning in my system. But on a


    scale of one to ten, seven against three. I¡¯ll say yes to Damian. He was practically offering me a way out


    of a wreck I caused myself.


    ¡°Oh, I will watch, alright.¡± I wanted to wipe that knowing grin on her face. She looked up at the sky,


    closing her eyes for dramatic effect. Pouty lips stretched into a wide grin as she nced back at me.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna be sisters. finally


    ¡°Hey! If I agreed, it would be fake. FAKE! And we¡¯re already sisters.¡± I insisted.


    She giggled. ¡°This is probably the first time something good came out from you being so drunk, M,¡± she


    said as though she had won the lottery. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see this show on the road.¡±


    ¡°Millie!¡± Andrea perched up from her table as I entered the office, surprise and hesitation written all over


    her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate your tone,¡± I said, rolling my eyes as I headed for my desk.


    Andrea cleared her throat, eyes following me as I set my bag on my table. I pressed theputer¡¯s


    power button. As it was loading. I went to the pantry to make coffee.


    Andrea¡¯s table was by the door. She acts as our secretary, personal assistant, and liaison when Candice


    and I are swamped with work. On the far wall of the office was Candice and I¡¯s a workstation. A small


    ss room was in the corner where we pitched proposals or held meetings with suppliers.


    Effortless Events¡¯ interior was meant to offer an airy, open space where we could see each other. We


    didn¡¯t need walls since only three of us were in this office. Hence, avoiding each other wasn¡¯t an option.


    Consequently, I cannot evade the questions written on Andrea¡¯s face.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my calls and emails,¡± she pointed and ambled to my side. She pulled the bread


    rolls from the brown paper bag, and my mouth watered at the delicious aroma. ¡°I got bagels,¡± she


    chirped.


    I narrowed my eyes at her. She knew I was a su cker for the bagels. A bakeshop around the corner


    makes fantastic bagels. ¡°You¡¯re waiting for me.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± Like a petnt child, she stuck out her lower lip, folding her arms in her middle.


    1 faced her; my gaze was searing.


    Andrea, wearing three-inch stilettos, was almost at eye level with me. Waist-length red hair pulled back in


    a high ponytail, minimal makeup, and sporting a white polka dot top and high-waist jeans. She threw her


    hands in the air. ¡°Fine! I was hoping you¡¯de in. I was worried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still breathing,¡± I grumbled and sn atched the bread from the te, taking a huge bite. The coffee


    machine purred behind us.


    Shifting from one red high heel to another, Andrea tested the waters. ¡°So, how true is it?¡±


    Andrea was a good friend, but until I figure out my next move, I¡¯ll keep things to myself and Candice. If I


    agree, the fewer people who know about Damian¡¯s offer, the safer our secret will be.


    ¡°How true is what?¡± I feigned innocence.


    She pouted. ¡°Come on. What happened to Hunter and Natalie?¡±


    I told her how I found Hunter and Natalie in his bed. She was seething, breathing fire through her nose.


    Even offered to have her biker boyfriend f uck Hunter over. It¡¯s nice to have friends who¡¯d want to fight


    my battles for me. Plus, I appreciate their


    offer to murder Hunter.


    <


    ¡°And Damian?¡± she pressed. What was that all about?¡± She tried and failed to make this appear like an


    interrogation.


    Once upon a time, when she was still single, she¡¯d been crushing on Damian, too. I mean, who


    wouldn¡¯t? That guy is every woman¡¯s


    we t dre am..


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing-¡± before I could spill more lies, the door to our office opened, and a delivery guy wearing a


    red baseball cap peeked his head inside.


    ¡°Millicent Alejandro?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± I left my coffee. The guy let himself in, holding the biggest basket of red roses 1 had ever


    seen.


    I stopped in my tracks. Delivery guy met me halfway, holding out a small clipboard, a pen attached to the


    top. ¡°Just sign


    here¡±


    On autopilot. I signed where he was pointing at. ¡°Where do you want this?¡± he asked, looking around the


    office.


    ¡°On my desk, right there.¡±


    The base of the basket hadn¡¯t touched my table when my phone rang. Damian¡¯s face shed on the


    screen. I almost dropped my phone, epting the video call button.


    ¡°Hi. His smile made my knees buckle.


    ¡°Hey.¡± My breath caught in my throat. As I savored the view the camera allowed, my chest tightened and


    my head spun. Strands of his ash gray hair clung to his forehead, and beads of sweat glistened on his


    skin.


    He must¡¯vee from a run or morning workout, perhaps. Damian, sweaty and rippling muscles? Da


    mn. My mouth goes dry.


    ¡°Did you get the flowers?¡± he murmured, lifting a ss of water to his lips. He settled in his kitchen;


    everything I could see through the ss wall behind him was green. Thick forest line in the distance,


    perched tall, reaching the clear blue sky.


    ¡°Y.. yeah.¡± I nced at the flowers taking up a huge portion of my desk. The delivery guy silently slipped


    out of the office. and Andrea¡¯s brows pointed at the ceiling, eyes dancing with mischief. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± The tips of his lips curling into a smirk. ¡°I¡¯ll see you on Wednesday. He wasn¡¯t asking,


    but there was an edge in his tone that said I needed to confirm.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He grinned, baring bleach-white teeth, liking my response. For the life of me, I can¡¯t take my eyes off his


    lips. I dreamt about our kiss, and I¡¯ve gotten myself off thinking about him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at seven, beautiful,¡± he said, and the line went dead.


    I was too busy processing his words to give a response, anyway.


    Beautiful? Did he really mean that? Heat zed from my chest to my cheeks.


    Maybe he calls all his flings beautiful. Whatever Damian was doing was part of this deal he wanted me to


    agree with


    I filled my chest with much-needed oxygen. There was a strange sensation in my belly, as though a


    thousand butterflies wanted to escape from their cage.


    ¡°Ugh! Gather yourself together, Millicent! Work Focus on something not rted to Damian¡±


    I need my coffee to get my feet on the ground.


    Andrea was still where I had left her. She pinned ine with an using gaze. ¡°Nothing, huh?¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    -MILLIE-


    If not for Andrea, we would have incurred a tremendous loss on the wedding proposal we¡¯ve been


    aiming to seal. It¡¯s for Constance Moreno, a fashion icon and vlogger, also a good friend of Candice. I


    messed up the budget allocation by a couple of hundred dors. Good thing Andrea read the printed


    document and pointed out my mistake.


    She was a lifesaver.


    This meeting with Damian factored into my anxiety, but a huge part came from the second bouquet I


    received on Tuesday. I thought it was another surprise from Damian. But the card said otherwise. It


    was from Hunter.


    ¡°I think you should take a day off,¡± Andrea suggested when we were locking the office Tuesday night.


    ¡°And do what?¡± We walked side by side to the elevator. ¡°I¡¯ll just stress myself out in my apartment,¡± 1


    added as the lift carried us to the ground floor.


    ¡°And you¡¯ll stress me out if youe in!¡± she murmured, her exasperation ring


    I pinned her reflection on the lift door with a narrowed re.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re mad? I had to double-check your work today as if I were a school teacher checking a


    paper, M.¡± Disappointment simmered in her earth colored eyes.


    As the lift touched down on the ground floor. Andrea was still pensive. We stepped out of the building


    and waited for her ride. She sighed and faced me, running her fingers through her fiery red waves.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry for calling you brain-dead. I have to work on my patience because I know this isn¡¯t


    you.¡±


    I lowered my gaze, studying the tips of my stilettos, mulling over my entire day. She had the right to call


    me brain-dead. I was out of my head. ¡°Sorry¡±


    Sympathy coasted her face. ¡°What are you gonna do?¡±


    After the delivery guy left- the same one from Monday- I stood frozen, holding the card with Hunter¡¯s


    signature. Andrea scanned what was scribbled on it and cursed under her breath.


    ¡°Missing you.¡±


    Two words from Hunter. That¡¯s all it needed to rattle my entire day. I still feel something for him. His


    betrayal wouldn¡¯t sting like this if I didn¡¯t. But reconnecting with him was out of the question. If Natalie


    wasn¡¯t in the picture, I might reconsider. Sadly, she was.


    I shrugged, gripping the strap of my messenger bag tighter. ¡°Nothing. What¡¯s there to do?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Andrea grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t usually give a piece of my mind to you, Millie, coz you have a good


    head over your shoulder. But when ites to love, smarts don¡¯t count.¡± She¡¯d known because she


    went through a simr situation before she found Nick, her beau who just rolled in in his Honda Rebel


    500.


    ¡°This thing with Hunter and Andrea is still fresh, and I might not agree with your actions¡­ She nibbled


    her bottom lip. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s true that the best way to get over someone is to get under someone. And


    Damian is a light years upgrade from Hunter.¡±


    ¡°Why are you frowning, Bambina?¡± Nick asked, nodding at me. I nodded back, acknowledging him.


    Intricate tattoos snaked out from the sleeves of his fitted ck tee. If he wasn¡¯t with Andrea, I wouldn¡¯t


    Wolves MC¡¯s insignia on his bike, and a si on his pinky. Everything about him screams danger. He


    carried a gun with him around New York like he was a cop.


    Nick patiently waited for Andrea¡¯s response, his aviator sunsses concealing his


    ¡°It¡¯s Millie¡¯s ex.¡± Andrea swung her legs over Nick¡¯s bike, fastening her helmet.


    III


    ¡°Why?¡± Nick¡¯s cool voice sharpened. ¡°He¡¯s still bothering you?¡±


    I shrugged, not knowing how to answer that question. Hunter could do a lot of sh it to bother me, but it


    was my choice to allow his stunts to rattle me. ¡°He¡¯s harmless. Maybe he just realized what he¡¯s


    missing¡± I managed to soundcent.


    Nick doesn¡¯t buy it. His face remained stoic, voice tight with danger. ¡°If he does, tell me. I¡¯ve got a ce


    for people like him.¡±


    Shivers coiled down my spine. I don¡¯t even want to ask what he meant by that. ¡°Uhm, sure. Drive


    safely,¡± I said, bidding goodbye, and started walking to my apartment.


    Despite the workload waiting for me at the office. I took Andrea¡¯s advice and stayed home. Candice will


    room, scrubbed the bathroom, and baked Italian pasta. I kept busy all day and prepared early for my


    dinner with Damian.


    Damian said he¡¯d pick me up at seven. The doorbell buzzed at six thirty, I did a double take at my


    reflection in the full-body mirror in my room. My blond hair was in waves draping past my shoulder, and


    light makeup tinted my face. I wore a high- waisted coffee-colored re skirt and a white tank..


    I was leaning toward casual. I didn¡¯t want to seem eager to be dating Damian.


    Taking a deep breath and stering a smile, I opened the door, my smile dropping to a grimace. It


    wasn¡¯t Damian by the door, but Hunter.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± My tone was anything but friendly. Seeing him stirred hostile emotions in


    me. Anger, annoyance, confusion, and a sparkle of hope. I hate it, but it¡¯s there. Hope for what? I¡¯m not


    sure. I wouldn¡¯t want him back. even if my life depended on it.


    You haven¡¯t returned my calls,¡± he jabbed back, his fingers messing with his blond curls


    1 listened to all his voicemails gushing the same thing. He wanted to talk to me. I should¡¯ve blocked


    him, but it gave me satisfaction knowing he¡¯s reached out to me, and I shut him out. Somehow, I


    weirdly felt in control.


    Cool blue eyes traversing my face down to my bare feet. His brows curled. ¡°Going somewhere?¡±


    I folded my arms, scowling, ¡°What. Are, You, Doing. Here.¡±


    Seeing his heartbreakingly handsome face ripped open the rift in my heart I tried to piece together


    since Saturday.


    ¡°Come on, amore.¡± I loved it when he called me Amore. I bet I wasn¡¯t the only Amore in his life. It¡¯s


    probably a code name so he wouldn¡¯t mistakenly call another woman¡¯s name. ¡°You can¡¯t still be mad at


    me, are you?¡± he lifted a hand to my face. 1 recoiled, pping it away.


    Mad doesn¡¯t even cover what I felt. Looking back at our rtionship thesest three months, I realized


    he¡¯d been traveling more, going on out-of-town trips when I couldn¡¯t see him on weekends. At the same


    time, Natalie had volunteered to take over vlogs outside Roslin City, too.


    They¡¯ve made a fool out of me that long


    Then, two weeks ago, I received a picture of him dining with a woman in their restaurant in Roslin City.


    The photo was taken from the other side of the street, blurry and impossible to make out the face of the


    woman he¡¯s with Lasked him about it. He said he was investigating a case. My intuition told me


    otherwise, so I asked who the woman was. That¡¯s when things started to heat up


    ¡°If you can¡¯t trust me, then there¡¯s no future for us, he said back then


    I was too mad and too tired to even argue with him, so I just kept my mouth shut and gave him a cold


    shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad. I¡¯m livid. Hunter,¡± I stated firmaly, willing my heart to slow down. Deep down. I¡¯m delighted


    to see the longing and hesitation in his eyes. Not because I wanted him back, but because he knew he


    can¡¯t just waltz back into my life after what he did. ¡°Say what you came for, or I¡¯ll call security¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± A deep voice filled the hallway. Damian stepped out of the elevator. Like a lion, he was


    slick and agile as he walked to my


    door.


    A lot of emotion traversed Hunter¡¯s face. Confusion, then recognition, his face crumpling to a scowl.


    Damian tossed an arm over my shoulder, his fresh waterfall scent calming my nerves. After kissing my


    forehead, he tipped his chin towards Hunter, matching my ex¡¯s death re. Damian¡¯s smirk was


    taunting, challenging Hunter to speak up..


    ¡°Is this why you haven¡¯t answered any of my calls?¡± Hunter asked. His icy blue eyes, which used to


    look at me adoringly. were now judging as they bounced to Damian and me.


    ¡°That¡¯s on me.¡± Daman answered before I could. ¡°Got a problem with that?¡±


    Hunter¡¯s eyes  nted, meeting Damian¡¯s gaze in a standoff. ¡°You know she¡¯s my girl, right?¡±


    Damian smirked. ¡°From what I heard, she wants you out of her face, Detective Lean.¡±


    Hunter¡¯s nose red, his eyes shooting daggers. ¡°You¡¯re just a f ucking rebound,¡± his eyes slide to meet


    mine. His weighted. stare made my chest tight. I¡¯d never seen him this agitated. It¡¯s like he could


    swallow me whole if I¡¯d let him.


    ¡°Good night, amore,¡± he turned towards the elevator.


    Damian stirred me inside the apartment, closing the door behind us. His expression quickly shifted to


    worry. He gripped my shoulder and leveled his face with mine. ¡°You good?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± and I wasn¡¯t even lying. I didn¡¯t need rescuing, but Damian¡¯s presence put the tension


    out of my body.


    ¡°You sure?¡± Damian wanted to know.


    I heaved a breath and squared my shoulder. ¡°Yep. I¡¯ll need shoes and my purse, and I¡¯m good to go.¡±


    This will be a good distraction, and G od knows I need one right now.


    Damian looked unconvinced, but straightened and offered me abouquet of roses. I didn¡¯t even notice


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    he was holding one. I thanked him, put them in the water, and grabbed my purse, shoes, and jacket.


    Once in the lobby, I was startled when Damian tossed his corded arms over my shoulder, tucking me to


    his side. I nced up at him, brows furrowed.


    He leaned his mouth on the side of my head. ¡°Your ex is lurking across the street,¡± his breath teasing


    my skin. ¡°F ucking creep. He murmured thatst statement to himself.


    Through the ss door, I caught sight of Hunter inside the coffee shop across the street. He upied


    a booth, a single cup of coffee on his table. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with him.¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t ept that you already reced him.¡± We stepped out onto the street. I curled an arm


    around Damian¡¯s waist, going with the flow. Damian gripped me tighter.


    ¡°He cheated on me. Technically, he reced me first.¡±


    ¡°I should kiss you,¡± he chuckled, guiding me towards the Jeep clustered along the lines of cars on the


    street side. ¡°That¡¯ll ward him off.¡±


    Men and their possessive stance. I snorted. ¡°What a bright idea. Damian.¡± Sarcasm dripped like honey


    from my lips, but Damian didn¡¯t seem to take the hint or just ignored it. He pushed me against the door


    of his Jeep when we reached it, his eyes dark and brooding.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t kidding.¡± He bracketed my jaw, green eyes sliding from my eyes to my lips, thumb sailing on


    them. My heart gained speed from zero to a hundred miles per hour, my pulse galloping. His other


    hand slid under my jacket, gripping the bare skin between my skirt and top. Heat Hared where he was


    touching me. ¡°I hate it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I wet my parched lips with my tongue, my brain working overtime to keep up with this


    conversation. Damian¡¯s


    M.


    heated gaze dropped to my mouth, a deep rumble rolling from his chest.


    ¡°Have you decided yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes to your deal.


    Hunter showing up in my apartment was thest nail to the coffin. I don¡¯t want him lurking in my life,


    and the way he reacted to Damian earlier gave me the final push I needed.


    ¡°Good, Damian murmured, leaning his face closer to mine. My breath hitched. What the hell is this man


    doing to me? ¡°We need to talk terms.¡±


    ¡°O¡­ okay¡± Held captive by his intense gaze, I shifted from one high heel to another, cheeks heating up


    from his proximity. and the attention we were gaining from pedestrians on the street


    ¡°But first. Damian¡¯s face was so close his body heat was a stark contrast to the cool surface of his car.


    ¡°I need to mark my


    territory.


    ¡°You do?


    He smirked and removed the distance between our lips.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    -MILLIE-


    After that scorching kiss in front of my apartment, a constant buzz has been wheezing in my head. This


    felt like an out of my body experience, an astral projection, and I had no idea how to navigate this reality


    or to return to my body.


    I couldn¡¯t help looking at Damian¡¯s elegant long fingers clutching his burger; my eyes were glued to his


    mouth with each. bite, practically salivating as he licked off the tiny smear of cheese from his lips. I


    remember how that mouth tasted, how those lips felt, and how those fingers grabbed me as if he owned


    me, how he ¡®marked his territory.


    Damian brought me to a popr rooftop bar in the city. We were treated as VIPs as soon as we entered


    the premises. 1 learnedter that Damian and his team designed the renovation of the establishment,


    and he personally knew the owner.


    Star-like lights hung above us, dangling with each whisper of the wind. Lanterns littered the floor,


    creating the illusion of an enchanted walk path. Tiny candle-shaped LED lights were atop the tables,


    matching the glowingmps sc attered around us. Soft jazz music crooned from the speaker. The


    summer night temperature pleasantly caresses my hair.


    We each finished a burger. A ss of beer, a medium basket of fries, and a te of greens remained on


    our table.


    ¡°This ce is cozy,¡± Imented, looking anywhere but at the man across from me. I¡¯d avoided eye


    contact with Damian, only looking at him when he spoke. The butterflies in my belly were relentless,


    zapping my insides with their tiny wings cach time we locked gaze. It¡¯s throwing me off my equilibrium.


    It doesn¡¯t help that Damian looked devilishly handsome in faded jeans and an ocean-hued button-down


    shirt, the first three buttons were undone, the sleeves rolled up his forearms, and the fabric stretched to


    amodate his toned muscles. His hair was a crown of a beautiful mess, framing his stubble-covered


    jaws.


    If we were in a different scenario, tonight would¡¯ve made my top five romantic dates.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good ce for business talks, Damian replied, reminding me that this wasn¡¯t a date.


    Unlike me, he¡¯d been watching me all night. If his eyes could shoot fire, I swear I would suffer from third-


    degree burns by now, I don¡¯t know what his game was, but I already said yes to his deal. The more time I


    spend alone with him, the stronger this urge to rise and leave and hide in my apartment gets.


    He doesn¡¯t make me feel ufortable. Damian was the perfect gentleman all night. It¡¯s my heart I


    couldn¡¯t control. It¡¯s been drumming wildly. If my date would investigate, he¡¯d see the pulse on my neck


    drumming


    ¡°Cool,¡± I said, reaching for my untouched beer, finally taking a few sips. I promised never to get drunk, so


    I am careful with my alcohol intake. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk business.¡±


    The quicker we finished this meeting, the sooner I¡¯d be able to breathe. No matter how many deep


    breaths I pull in and puff out, there¡¯s a tension in my body that won¡¯t go away.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have brought you here if I knew you¡¯d say yes,¡± he stated as a matter of fact.


    My gaze darted to him from the perspiration on my ss.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    He thought I¡¯d decline? At least he wasn¡¯t as self-assured as he appeared.


    He sinirked. ¡°I thought this was a business meeting.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± My brows curled, throat going parched under his intense stare. What is it with him tonight? He¡¯s


    been extra intense. I don¡¯t remember him being like this back in high school. But I do remember this


    same heat from him on Saturday night.


    ¡°You said yes.¡± He leaned back on the leather seat, his powerful thighs spread wide under the frosted


    ss table. ¡°So this is a date.


    I choked on the brew I was sipping, hands darting to pluck a napkin from its wooden holder.


    M


    28%


    His point made sense. Technically, we¡¯re together now. I wondered where he took his dates. The


    question, fueled by my


    was o curiosity, on the tip of my tongue, but I bit it back. Diving into those romantic details will do me no


    good.


    Business. This is a business meeting. I had to remind myself of that.


    In the public¡¯s eyes, yes,¡± I reiterated, gathering myself together ¡°How do you propose we do this?¡±


    Throwing questions was the safest route for me. I didn¡¯t want to seem too eager.


    He leaned forward, parking his corded forearms on the table. The tables were far enough so we could


    discuss the uses of our deal, but Damian still spoke in a low voice. ¡°You¡¯d be my girl for a year.¡±


    Emerald gaze held mine captive.


    My breath hitched, I¡¯d be his girl..


    ¡°I know you loved working, so you¡¯ll continue working here in Manhattan. I¡¯lle visit you twice a month


    and take you out on dates. More if my schedule permits, out-of-town if our schedule allows. Are you cool


    with that?¡±


    I can¡¯t help but smile. He put so much thought into this deal. ¡°Yes, I loved working, but we¡¯re moving


    Effortless Event¡¯s main office to Roslin City


    His eyebrows curled, so I exined. ¡°Candice will be moving to Roslin City with Aaron, and since Hunter


    and I were engaged, we decided it was best to move the office to Roslin City¡±


    ¡°You were ready to settle down with that as shole,¡± he s


    stated.


    ¡°I was,¡± I said, scowling. The pain of Hunter¡¯s betrayal resurfaces. ¡°He didn¡¯t even know that I was


    working on moving cities. for him. He thought I was too busy with my work.¡±


    Damian blew out a breath, leaning back on his chair. ¡°He¡¯s an idiot for letting you go. He¡¯s realizing that,


    trust me.


    I smiled, grateful for his sympathy.


    ¡°I hope so. I want him to drool over me,¡± I was half kidding.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure he does.¡± Damian chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m working on buying my own ce in Roslin as well.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll like that one. Remember Maynard Sten?¡±


    ¡°The beach house?¡± he nodded. ¡°Wow. That ce is gorgeous, D¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± He told me how he nned to renovate the ce once the sale was done, then he shifted to a


    more impor ¡°How sure are you that you told Felicity we were engaged?¡±


    Distorted images and clips of my conversation with Felicity in thedies¡¯ room were my only basis. I


    might or mig have said it, but Damian already knew that. ¡°60 40,¡± I sighed. ¡°I hate not remembering.¡±


    Damian¡¯s shoulder tensed for a beat as he lifted the ss to his lips. ¡°About that. I don¡¯t want you


    drinking without m sounded genuinely concerned about my welfare.


    ¡°I can do that, and I promise never to drink beyond my limits again, no matter how pi ssed I am, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Good¡± his words were cut off by the simultaneous buzzing of our phones on the table. We frowned at


    each other. Nancy face nketed his screen device while Mom was on my cell


    Nancy was Candice¡¯s mom.


    ¡°Hey, Nancy Damian surprised me by answering his call in front of me. Hunter always took his calls


    privately, no matter who was calling him


    III


    I answered mine, too. ¡°Hey, Mom.


    ¡°Hey, honey. Are you with Damian?¡± she asked in her familiar sweet voice. My frown deepened, gaze


    locking with Damian, which tells me that Nancy likely asked him the same question.


    ¡°She¡¯s with me,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Yeah, I responded to Mom.


    ¡°So it¡¯s true?¡± There¡¯s a hitch in Mom¡¯s voice that unsettles me


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You two are dating?¡± The usation in her tone didn¡¯t sit well with me. But under all that was curiosity


    and a pinch of excitement missing in ourst conversation. The night she learned of Hunter and Natalie.


    ¡°Since when?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still pretty new, mom. I stood up and leaned on the railings, needing air in my lungs. Nerves were


    wracking my insides. We haven¡¯t even touched down discussing how we¡¯d y this in front of our


    families,


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful news,¡± I can hear Nancy¡¯s hushed voice in the background.


    1 felt a brewing scheme was about toe, and it did. ¡°Nancy and I will be in Colorado for the weekend,


    she murmured. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner and catch up.¡±


    Catching up meant she¡¯d interrogate me about Hunter and Damian.


    ¡°Will you be a doll and ask Damian toe with you? I haven¡¯t seen him in forever.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± I groaned, picturing a dinner disaster with Damian and me in the center of the storm.


    ¡°Come on, honey. It¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t done this before. But Nancy and I are ecstatic to learn about


    this news¡± I thought she¡¯d be crying over my failed engagement with Hunter.


    I threw a nce at Damian. He¡¯s already finished talking to Nancy with a serious look. He said yes, d


    amn it! He¡¯s always been a s ucker for Nancy. Sometimes I wonder if Damian was Nancy son¡¯s in


    another lifetime, really.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask him, okay? But no promises.¡±


    ¡°Of course, honey, she breathed, conceding, but then she said. ¡°See you this weekend.¡±


    ¡°You said yes?¡± I asked Damian, my tone using as I plonked back in my seat.


    ¡°Have you met Nancy?¡± he grumbled, tossing his beer down his throat.


    ¡°We need to get our stories straight.¡±


    Mom and Nancy¡¯s tandem was a force to be reckoned with.


    Damian pinched his eyes shut. ¡°We do. But before we go on, I have to tell you something¡­ about


    Saturday night.¡± 1 straightened my spine, the tiny hairs on my nape perched up. ¡°You told me some very


    personal stuff,¡± his contemtion made my heart pound.


    ¡°What?¡± My voice was so small I didn¡¯t think he heard me.


    He leaned closer, eyes searching my face. ¡°Things you¡¯ve written in your journal.¡±


    It felt like he emptied a bucket of iced water over my head. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow


    me whole.


    ¡°And vivid details about your intimate rtionship with that creep.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my Go d.¡± I gasped, handsing up to hide my face from him.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    -MILLIE-


    I heaved a breath, took onest nce at Damian, and rose from my chair. ¡°Thank you for dinner,¡± I


    said, gathered my things, and ran towards the exit.


    ¡°What?¡± Damian scrambled to his feet, pulled out his wallet, and dropped a few bills on the table.


    ¡°Millicent, where are you going!!


    I gathered spectators as I shuffled towards the elevator. The stato of my stilettos rose in discard


    with my speeding pulse.


    Stepping inside the elevator, 1 jabbed my fingers at the close door button as if the building was on fire.


    I nced up. Darmian patted the shoulders of the bar manager, skirted past him, and took huge,


    determined strides in my direction. He cursed loudly as the door closed.


    I was flustered when I reached the lobby, my chin tucked against my corbone, shame crawling


    underneath my skin. I raced towards the street. hailing a cab in time for Damian to step out of the


    building.


    ¡°Millicent! Go dda mit!¡± He cursed.


    I slid into the cab¡¯s back seat, not daring to look back, and ordered the driver to get me out of there as


    though my life depended on it.


    His studying gaze, those intense green eyes wanting to read my soul, and the kiss on the sidewalk-


    everything made sense now. He knew my deepest, darkest secret. Even Candice didn¡¯t know what was


    going on in my S** life. Within seconds. tonight topped my unforgettable night in the most negative way


    The cab stopped at my building. I paid the cabby and rode the elevator up to my floor; the tension in my


    body eased a bit. But as soon as the lift door parted. I debated whether to continue forward or run back


    to the elevator¡¯s safety. There was a very upset six-foot-one caveman ring my way.


    How Damian managed to beat me here is beyond me.


    He pushed off from the wall where he¡¯d been leaning, faced me, and folded his arms in his middle. His


    gaze could melt ciers.


    I willed my feet to move, one foot in front of the other. My legs threatened to give up on me under


    Damian¡¯s heated re


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t very nice, Millicent.¡± His tone was sharp. Annoyance red in his emerald pools.


    My fingers trembled as I opened the door. This conversation cannot happen in the hallway. It was


    embarrassing enough th Damian knew intimate details about my S**ual rtionship with Hunter.


    Having my neighbors eavesdrop on this topic wa thest thing I needed.


    Damian invited himself in and closed the door behind him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this, Damian,¡± I murmured, heading towards my kitchen and opening the wine cab,


    looking for something stronger than beer.


    ¡°Do what?¡± He parked his huge figure across my kitchen ind, his presence taking up all the space in


    my apartment.


    I faced him, unscrewed the pinot noir, and drank straight from the bottle.


    Yes. I¡¯m breaking my promise to watch my alcohol intake. The wine warmed my throat, giving me a


    boost to meet Damian¡¯s gaze. ¡°This, my forefinger wagged back and forth between us. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    His brows creased, the tips of his hips curling in annoyance ¡°You¡¯re backing out?¡± I nodded ¡°Because I


    know you had a huge crush on me back in high school, and your p sycho ex makes you do things you


    can¡¯t stomach?¡±


    ¡°Geez, Damian.¡± I sank my fingers through my hair, raking the strands harshly. ¡°Strip me bare, will


    you?¡±


    His lips twitched, picking up the innuendo in my statement. I rolled my eyes and took another gulp of


    wine.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t finished talking about the terms. He rounded the ind and opened the fridge, frowning as


    he closed it. He neared me, sna tched the bottle of wine, and took a long pull before saying, ¡°You need


    beer in that fridge.¡±


    He stood beside me, our shoulders brushing, our as s es pressed against the counter.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. I¡¯m out.¡± I took the wine from him, tipping the bottle to my lips.


    ¡°Why?¡± He sounded genuinely confused.


    ¡°Because¡­ Damian,¡± I groaned.


    ¡°Because what, Millicent..¡± he mimicked my exasperated tone.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± I swiped my mouth with the back of my hand, wiping the rivulets of wine from my lips. ¡°How can I


    pretend we¡¯re together when I can¡¯t even look you in the eyes?¡±


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m too beautiful that you find it hard to breathe?¡± His teasing tone set my cheeks on fire.


    Oh, my G od! Did I really tell him everything in detail? That¡¯s how I entered his name in my diary for


    over four years.


    ¡°That was a long time ago, I huffed, fighting the cold sweat forming on the base of my spine.


    ¡°Sure it was, so what¡¯s the issue?¡± He asked, our fingers brushing when he took the wine bottle from


    me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because your ex is a ps ycho.¡±


    ¡°Can we not?¡± I stepped away from him, but he grabbed my forearm, towing me back until I was


    pressed against his body.


    ¡°That¡¯s your issue?¡± His brows wrinkled, genuine confusion nketing his face. ¡°Why? And stop f


    ucking running, or I¡¯ll tie you up. Millicent.¡±


    My mouth parted at his threat, my heart smashing against my breastbone, and my inside throbbed¡­


    with need. I¡¯ve always pictured Damian as dominant and possessive. Images of me tied up in his bed,


    moaning and writhing underneath him, flooded my head.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with me?


    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed, okay?¡± Defeat settling on my belly. At night, when I¡¯m alone in bed. I still cry over Hunter,


    justifyin actions. Apart from being busy with work, there were some things I could not fulfill as Hunter¡¯s


    girlfriend. Yes, I h but sometimes, he gets too controlling in bed, forcing me to do things I cannot


    swallow.


    A low growl rumbled from Damian¡¯s chest, eyes  nting. ¡°If someone should be ashamed, it¡¯s


    definitely not you, p erv ert ex.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not his fault I cannot give him everything he needs, okay!¡± wriggled my arm from his grip. He only


    tightened


    on me.


    He huffed, and then my world spun. The next thing I knew, Damian had me trapped with his body


    against the counter white steam billowing from his ears and nose.


    ¡°Did he ask for your consent before doing those things to you?¡± His voice was almost a snarl.


    ¡°What?¡± I was too stunned to process his question.


    ¡°Answer the f ucking question, Millicent.¡± If he was annoyed earlier, he was enraged now.


    ¡°We¡¯re not talking about this, Damian.¡± I ttened my hand on his chest, his heartbeat drumming


    against my palms.


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡± He grabbed my wrists and pinned them behind my back, my breast pushed against his


    chest. ¡°Did he?¡±


    I kept my mouth shut, refusing to discuss my f ucked up S** life with him.


    28%


    His gaze softened, but his iron grip remained. ¡°Answer me. For this to work, I should know how your ex


    f ucked you up.¡±


    Thoughts of Hunter touching me shed in my head. My fear and the pain he inflicted on me when I


    refused to submit to him.


    1 caved. ¡°At first, he did,¡± I grunted, my voice thick with shame. Heat exploded from my chest. ¡°But he


    has needs I had to fulfill them, Damian.¡±


    Growling, Damian let an inch separate our bodies, releasing my wrists, slithering his left hand on my


    hips, holding me close. ¡°That¡¯s not how a rtionship should work. Yes, a man has needs, but forcing


    you to do sh it against your will isn¡¯t justified by


    that


    ¡°Damian..¡± I was mortified that he knew my secret, and realizing he was right made my stomach twist,


    pushing bile up my throat. ¡°Please. I don¡¯t want to talk about this anymore.¡±


    I kept everything to myself, how Hunter treated me when I refused to have S** with him or let him tie


    me up and use things on my body that I didn¡¯t even know existed.


    ¡°Your ex is a f ucking maniac.¡± Damian growled. ¡°First, he manipted you and treated you like s hit.


    The more I learn about him, the more I¡¯m convinced you are better off without him. He doesn¡¯t deserve


    you, Millicent. He¡¯s a good for nothing cheater and a f ucking p sycho.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault he cheated on me. I¡¯m not defending Hunter. He¡¯s not even here, and we¡¯re not even


    together. But I¡¯m aware of my shorings. At some point, I even considered that one of the reasons


    he cheated on me. ¡°Hunter said I am the problem. Can we just stop talking about this?¡± I reached for


    the abandoned wine on the counter and drained thest of it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you out of this deal,¡± he insisted, leaning back on the ind, facing me. I was ready to


    question his motives when he exined. ¡°This isn¡¯t you. I hate that f ucker for nting that self-doubt in


    you. He took advantage of you. He¡¯ll know what he lost and regret what he did to you. I assure you


    that.¡±


    It¡¯s really sweet that he wanted to help me, but how will I move on from this? He knew the things


    Candice didn¡¯t know about. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can pull this off, Damian,¡± I sighed. ¡°After knowing what


    you learned about me.¡±


    He stepped forward, reaching for my face. His touch was gentle, pilting my chin up, forcing me to look


    into his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel embarrassed about it, Millicent. How I see you haven¡¯t changed.


    I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± He kissed my forehead; the tender gesture caught me off guard. ¡°I¡¯ll see you on


    Saturday.¡±


    He left me standing there, speechless. I eyed the door where Damian had disappeared. Time ticked by,


    and I still couldn¡¯t wrap my mind around what had happened tonight.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    -MILLIE-


    The Saturday night dinner with Mom and Nancy escted into a family get-together in the blink of an


    eye. I was tempted to stay in Manhattan, give petty reasons for being busy, and more, but when Mom


    mentioned Dad would join us, I gave in. I know how busy dad was every summer season in his


    vineyard at rke Bay.


    Thest time we gathered together like this was on our graduation day- not counting Candice¡¯s


    wedding-so missing out on today¡¯s afternoon barbecue at the ck mansion was not an option.


    My backpack hung heavy on my shoulder, and I moved with the throng of people exiting the boarding


    bridge. I scrolled through my phone, searching for Candice¡¯s contact. I pressed the call button,


    scanning the airport and lifting the phone to my cars, My head whipped back, my ponytail pping my


    face as I did a double take at the guy leaning against one huge pir of the terminal.


    Damian


    My breath hitched. He was already watching me.


    I¡¯m going to kill Candice! I told her everything about Damian and my dilemma about seeing him again.


    She promised she¡¯d pick me up, at least that would give me time to prepare myself for the inevitable.


    Uncrossing his arms, Damian smirked, relishing my surprise.


    My heart thumped erratically when he came walking in my direction. He was dressed for the summer- a


    gray tee, khaki shorts, and sneakers. The tips of his gray curls sticking out from his backward baseball


    cap, aviator sunsses on, concealing his eyes


    Frozen on my spot, uncertainty settled in my belly, my insides twisting into knots. Our conversation on


    Wednesday night flooded my head. Over thest two days, we exchanged messages regarding the


    uses of our deal and how we¡¯ll y this rtionship in front of our families.


    Things were much easier said over a message than in person.


    The sight of him unnerved me in ways I couldn¡¯tprehend.


    ¡°Millicent.¡± He halted a foot away from me, ying with the keys in his hands.


    I clutched my phone, biting my lip as I scanned the crowd, unsering. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    His brows shoot up. I hate that I can¡¯t see his eyes. ¡°Picking up my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Damian¡­¡±I started, breath hitching when his hand shot up. Through my sleeveless tank top, his rough


    finge exposed skin of my shoulder when he grabbed my backpack. His touch roused gooseflesh to


    nket my skin


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. He didn¡¯t give me time to protest and removed the distance between us. He threw an arm


    over my sho certain my heart would burst out of my chest when he did. I swallowed the lump in my


    throat, walking with him airport to his truck. I was moving on autopilot, his closeness short-circuiting my


    brain.


    I waited until we were both seated inside the car.


    ¡°Is everyone already in the mansion?¡± I couldn¡¯t hide the tension in my voice.


    My nerves were knotted so tightly that I feared they would snap. And we don¡¯t have an audience yet.


    How am I going to g through this afternoon with our families?


    Damian hummed a yes, sounding calm and collected ¡°Dad even came. Can you believe it?¡± he


    chuckled, shoulder checking and backing out of the parking lot. ¡°He cut short his business trip in


    London just to have a barbecue in his backyard.¡±


    Damian entered the freeway. I blew a breath and brushed the mischievous strands of my hair out of my


    face. He left the


    r


    09.20


    Sat, Feb TO


    windows open, allowing the familiar Roslin City air to fill the inside of his truck.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to mess this up.¡± I voiced the muddled thoughts cluttering my head in thest twenty-


    four hours.


    He threw a mild nce at me. ¡°It¡¯s just our families, Millicent. Rx.¡±


    28%


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m going to mess this up. They know me too well.¡± I¡¯ve been rehearsing how I¡¯ll act


    around Mom and exin to her how I ended up with Damian just twenty-four hours after my


    engagement with Hunter ended. She would squeeze me for details, that is for sure. One look and she¡¯d


    know something was bothering me. Panic started to swell in my throat with each mile we covered.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t fight me, and we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    We pulled in front of the mansion.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± I slide out of the truck.


    Damian swung my backpack over his shoulder, rounded the car, and came to my side.


    ¡°Why would I fight you?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer, and once again threw his arms over my shoulder. The warmth of his body, his fresh


    waterfall, and rain scent embracing me weren¡¯t helping my situation.


    Web


    We agreed with PDA, but Damian getting touchy with me ignited havoc in my system. We haven¡¯t been


    together for more than an hour, and I¡¯m already a mess of knotted nerves.


    In my sneakers, I barely reached his shoulder as he tucked me to his side. We walked up the stairs


    leading to the threshold. The double doors were open, Strawberry Fields Forever by the Beatles


    crooned from the speakers, a tell that Dad was already here


    He loved the Beatles, and I grew up dancing to their songs.


    As we walked through the door, Damian put a big hand on the small of my back, causing a different


    kind of panic to spark inside me. As we crossed their massive living room to the kitchen, the aroma of


    grilling meat wafted in the air. Waves ofughter and voices drift along with the music.


    Mom was the first to see us. Delight crossed her face, a broad smile tugging her lips.


    Everyone was gathered under the perg on the other side of the pool. Thin white sheets meticulously


    slithered poles and beams sway with the soft summer air.


    Mom and Nancy were setting the tes on the long outdoor table. The same table amodated our


    Sunday lun dinner in this mansion until high school graduation. Nancy followed Mom¡¯s line of sight;


    pure glee sparkled in her taking in Damian and me.


    Dad and Erik, Damian¡¯s dad, were busy with the grill, Aaron helping them. Candice was sipping a


    mimosa on one of t Rattan couches, watching me lose my sh it. I narrowed my eyes on her.


    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for thister, I thought. Her brows shot up, smirking as though she could hear my thoughts.


    Ugh! I hate her sometimes.


    My steps faltered, but Damian put his arms around my shoulder, tucking me to his side. I was stiff as a


    board as we continued trailing on the side of the pool. He leaned down, his hot breath blew against my


    ear. ¡°Don¡¯t fight me. Try to rx.


    My hands were cold as ice. ¡°I¡¯m nervous,¡± I whispered, stering the most beautiful smile I could put


    on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± Daman whispered against my hair.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I squeaked, tripping on my fool.


    III


    Damian caught me by the waist, steadying me, and guided me forward. ¡°If you seem nervous, they¡¯ll


    notice it. Try not to pull away. Just go with it.¡± His lips caressed my forehead.


    ¡°Go with it.¡± I parroted.


    ¡°Yep.¡± He squeezed my waist. I gasped. An electric shock lit up under my skin where he touched me.


    ¡°Just go with it, baby,¡±

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    -MILLIE-


    Grilled shrimp, squid, pork, chicken, and sds were served alongside Dad¡¯s very own wine, beers,


    and mimosas.


    The setting sun was warm against my skin. As weughed and talked about the past, as if thest 10


    years hadn¡¯t passed, the afternoon¡¯s pastel hue illuminated the sky above us.


    ¡°I heard all about the sess you¡¯ve been having at your dad¡¯spany,¡± Dad cast apliment to


    Damian.


    Sitting next to me, Damian leaned back in his chair, his thumb circling the condensation in his beer


    bottle. ¡°He¡¯s just making all the fuss,¡± he replied, snting his eyes at Erik. No one could deny the


    resemnce between the two. Both had ash gray hair, emerald eyes, and handsome good looks in


    their own rights. ¡°I¡¯m just doing what I¡¯m paid to do.¡±


    In contrast to Damian¡¯s humble response, Erik countered with a smug grin. ¡°He¡¯s just being modest.


    The board was so impressed when they learned he¡¯d been working behind the scenes all these years.


    Caruso even gave me an earful about why I¡¯d been hiding my heir for a decade.¡± He shook his head.


    ¡°With the rate he¡¯s going, I¡¯ll be able to retire sooner than nned.¡±


    ¡°Then we can finally make ns for that fishing trip,¡± Dad chuckled along with Erik, and Damian sighed.


    ¡°This wine doesn¡¯t have abel,¡± Candicemented, scrutinizing the dark bottle of wine Dad brought


    with him.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t put it out on the market yet,¡± Dad replied.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Candice prodded, sampling her wine. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, smooth, and crisp, and there¡¯s that


    pinch of alcohol that I¡¯m chasing with every sip.¡±


    Dad grinned, soaking in Candice¡¯spliment on his craft. He threw an arm over my mom¡¯s shoulder


    and said, ¡°Because I made it for Leonor. Mom¡¯s cheeks reddened at Dad¡¯s announcement.


    ¡°Aw, that¡¯s so sweet,¡± Candice cooed, leaning on Aaron¡¯s shoulder


    Dad¡¯s chest puffed out. ¡°It¡¯s up to her if she¡¯ll put it out on the market. It¡¯s hers.¡±


    ¡°Robert¡­¡± Mom whispered, her blush deepened.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making me fall for you all over again.¡±


    ¡°Aw¡­¡± wedies cooed, awed by their sweet gestures toward one another. No matter how many years


    have gone by, the way they look at each other hasn¡¯t changed. I¡¯ve always dreamed of finding a love


    like that.


    Erik scratched the stubble covering his jaw, a frown creasing his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re making me look


    bad.¡± He reached for Nancy¡¯s hand on the table. ¡°Give me two months, and I¡¯ll name a building after


    you, darling.¡±


    Nancy giggled, patting Erik¡¯s chest. ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous, Erik. There¡¯s no need to do that for me.¡±


    But knowing Erik, he¡¯d do just that. He loves Nancy more than anything in this world. If he could pluck


    the moon from the sky and give it to her, he would.


    ¡°Geez. The cheesiness,¡± Candice made a low gagging sound. ¡°This is something I definitely didn¡¯t miss


    We allughed at that, and the topic shifted to the house Candice and Aaron were nning to buy. Erik


    offered to cover the cost of renovations while Mom and Nancy would do the interion Everyone has a


    long-term n if they are not living their long-term n yet. While 1, on the other hand, can¡¯t do


    anything but listen to them.


    I had a future nned with Hunter. Since we ended things, that map has turned to ashes. Now, I¡¯m lost


    in the status quo of a messy life.


    |||


    I flinched when Damian ced his hand on top of mine, which was resting over my thighs. His fingers


    grazed my bare legs as heced our fingers. I turned to face him; he listened keenly to Erik¡¯s


    suggestion about the renovation.


    I tugged my hand from Damian¡¯s hold, but he gripped mine tighter, lifting it to his lips and kissing my


    knuckles. Candice, sitting across from me, raised an eyebrow. Mom and Nancy subtly nce in our


    direction, a meaningful smile tipping their lips. The boys were oblivious to Damian¡¯s public disy of


    affection


    1 feared being alone with thedies, but it had been a practice that the men would clean up and wash


    the dishes.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You and Damian?¡± Mom gushed as soon as we moved to the gazebo, a drink of our choosing at hand.


    ¡°I knew there was something there. Nancy supplied; her eyes were googly. ¡°We¡¯ll definitely be


    one big family now,


    Lenny.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to n their wedding. Mom sighed.


    ¡°Mom¡­ stop. I groaned. ¡°No one¡¯s nning a wedding because no one is getting married.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hush, Millicent. You don¡¯t have to pretend with us, she shushed me.


    ¡°We know everything. Millie honey.¡± Nancy said. Her face turned serious. ¡°One look, and I knew Hunter


    was no good for you. Apart from his age. I heard some really troubling stories about him this morning


    ¡°What stories?¡± Candice asked, curiosity shining in her eyes.


    Nancy leaned closer, lowering her voice as she reached for Morn¡¯s hand. ¡°You know Sandra? I went to


    pick up the pastries from her bakery this morning, and she told me that she saw Detective Lean exiting


    the Russo¡¯s mansion


    The Russo family had been known for dealing with illegal businesses since I was little. They were one


    of the wealthiest families in Roslin City. But words go around that their wealthes from drugs and


    blood money


    orry you ended things with him, honey. You are worth more than a


    Mom gasped, her gazending g on me. ¡°I¡¯m not even sorry diny cop.


    Nancy shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s only a story until the court proves him guilty, Lenny. But I assure you, our Millicent


    is in good hands with Damian.¡±


    ¡°And we understand you guys want things on a low profile. Mom¡¯s worry quickly morphed into glee. I


    don¡¯t know how she¡¯s doing that. I was still processing Hunter being tangled with the Russos. He¡¯d


    been after that family since the beginning of his career. He told me so.


    ¡°And we will definitely do just that,¡± Nancy supplied. Their eyes spoke with such emotion that I couldn¡¯t


    keep up.


    I looked at Candice helplessly. ¡°What are they talking about? She shrugged, clearly as clueless as I


    was.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I reached for my untouched ss of wine, needing to wash down the bile rising


    in my throat


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to be subtle about it with us, Millie,¡± Nancy murmured. ¡°Diana already told us about


    your n


    Diana was Felicity¡¯s grandmother. She was enamored by Damian¡¯s charms, pairing her granddaughter


    with him since they were teenagers. Fear nketed my skin like a cocoon of thickforters, and I


    found it hard to breathe.


    ¡°What


    ¡°She said she didn¡¯t like the idea of you marrying Damian, Mom said grunly ¡°She¡¯s still vetting Felicity


    and Damian. Can you imagine that? Felicity is already engaged, for crying out loud!¡±


    I hadn¡¯t seen or talked with Diaria in forever, which only meant Felicity ranted about us. I bit my lip,


    wondering who else she told about our fake engagement. If I was at 60-40 before, I am 100 percent


    sure now that that conversation in thedy¡¯s room took ce.


    ¡°She¡¯s talking nonsense.¡± I swiped my mmy palms over the fabric of my denim shorts, doing my best


    to y it cool. ¡°I


    III


    haven¡¯t even seen Diana for over a decade!¡±


    ¡°Felicity told her about your engagement,¡± Nancy rified. They did more than just ¡°hear¡± Diana talk


    about us. ¡°And we get it, honey,¡±


    ¡°What exactly did she tell you?¡± I was in a full-blown panic now. What the hell did I bber that night to


    Felicity? I guess I am about to find out


    ¡°That you and Hunter had a falling out even before you found him with Natalie,¡± Mom murmured.


    ¡°And Damian was there for you all those times, patiently waiting for you to end things with Hunter,¡±


    Nancy added, a heartfelt pinch in her tone. ¡°I knew deep down that boy¡¯s yer facade was a truly


    romantic heart,¡± she cooed. If I wasn¡¯t in the center of this conversion, I would¡¯veughed at how


    Candice rolled her eyes, scowling


    ¡°And he can¡¯t wait to marry my daughter!¡± Mom gushed, her voice hitching an octave higher in


    excitement. ¡°Too bad you can¡¯t wear the diamond ring he gave you,¡±


    ¡°Diamond ring?¡± I squeaked.


    This story just keeps getting better and better. Maybe I should switch careers and be a writer instead.


    ¡°We get it,¡± Nancy mumbled. ¡°You¡¯re avoiding the gossip because of Hunter and Natalie, but we¡¯d like


    to engagement ring soon.¡± She wiggled her brows.


    Oh, my g od. I even had the specifics for the ring!


    Candice choked on her mimosa, her shoulder quaking. ¡°I want to see that ring too!¡±


    I red at my best friend, freezing at Nancy¡¯s next words.


    see your two-karat


    ¡°And about the wedding, Millic honey. Nancy reached for my hand, squeezing it. ¡°Lenny and I have that


    covered. Don¡¯t


    worry.


    I¡¯m not worried. I¡¯m freaking the f uck out!¡±


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Mom nodded enthusiastically.


    I hope this leather couch I¡¯m sitting on would c rack open and swallow me whole. It dawned on me that


    if Diana knew, the whole town would also know. She prances around town every weekend like a siren


    wailing about other people¡¯s lives. This would blow up in my face sooner rather thanter.


    Damian stepped out of the sliding door connecting the kitchen and the pool. His eyes instantly found


    mine, and I instantly, knew I went in over my head in the freaking reunion. And I¡¯m about to pay the


    price.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    -MILLIE


    ¡°No wonder they¡¯re asking for a night out,¡± Damian said.


    I told him everything Diana knew, and probably what the entire town knows too by now, and his reaction


    was that. A little crease on his forehead, a simple crossing of his brawny arms in his middle, nothing


    more. While here I am, a pacing wreck of nerves, a tight bundle of anxiety that would snap at any minute.


    He plucked me from the gazebo for a walk, a save from further hearing Mom and Nancy over-enthuse


    about the engagement party they¡¯re nning for us. His emergency was truly a non-emergency


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I asked, my sneakers leaving prints on the ground at the ck mansion¡¯s property. The


    bespeckle of trees behind the estate had grown leaves over spring. Damian leaned against one pine


    tree, watching me with calmness in his eyes.


    Hisposure was getting on my nerves. Since we started this fake dating, he¡¯d been so calm with


    every clout my drunk self created for us.


    He raised abrow. ¡°You¡¯re not even mad at me?¡± I probed, halting my steps, parking a hand on my hip. ¡°I¡¯d


    be mad at me. Really, really mad.¡±


    A slow smirk tipped his lips. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating, actually,¡± he exined. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you so. ruffled.¡± he


    chose his words. ¡°So Millicent is human, after all.¡±


    My mouth parted, fire frizzled under my cheeks.


    ¡°Ruffled?¡± I piped, my voice hitching. ¡°I¡¯m more than ruffled, Damian. Try freaking the f uck out! Have you


    heard anything that I said: I even had my engagement ring in detail!¡± I raised my left hand to insist on my


    point. ¡°I even came up


    up with the reason why I wasn¡¯t wearing it! There¡¯s no way around this.¡±


    Damian chuckled, left his post under the tree, and walked to where I was ¡®ruffling¡±


    ¡°See? Fascinating. You could be a writer, Millicent.¡± He tossed an arm over my shoulder, which was


    bing a habit of his. ¡°You need a drink.¡± He suggested, whisking me back towards the mansion. ¡°And


    then we can n on this fake engagement. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink anymore.¡± I pout, permitting him to guide me, subtly sinking into his side. Damian¡¯s


    calming effect on my nerves grew stronger with every hitch in this deal.


    ¡°You need one,¡± he insisted. ¡°Maybe you can think of another amazing twist in our love story.¡± I stabbed


    his side with my


    elbow.


    ¡°Aw, why so mean to me, my lovely fiancee?¡± He feigned hurt, but I couldn¡¯t contain a giggle from


    escaping me.


    Luke Russell owned one of the most popr clubs in the City, Legally Luke¡¯s. We ski pped a long waiting


    line of people, Damian pushing me forward with a hand on the small of my back.


    We approached two bouncers manning the club¡¯s entry. Damian tipped his chin to the bulky guy on the


    right. ¡°Stan.¡±


    ¡°Boss,¡± Stan replied, stepping aside to let us in.


    Damian removed his hand from my lower back and slid his fingers to sp mine. The gesture was so


    casual one would never think we were faking this rtionship. He patted Stan¡¯s shoulder whispering


    something to him.


    The rave music pulsed beneath my heels. Laser lights hit me in the face in the same pulsing beat. After


    Damian and Stan exchanged a few words, Damian curved a hand over my shoulder and guided me


    through the dance floor.


    III


    O


    N


    the U-shaped level on the second floor. Luke and his


    Across the entry was a bar, and on each side were stairs leading girlfriend Savannah, Matt, Madeline,


    and Charlie were already waiting for us.


    Madeline and I sat side by side, Charlie and Damian sandwiching us in a crescent-shaped booth


    designed to provide privacy.


    ¡°You two look cute together,¡± Madeline gushed as soon as the guys dived into a conversation regarding


    football stats,


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen 1 with a girl before,¡± Savannah butted in. She was total knockout, with prominent


    cheekbones, and shiny blond hair that would pass for a shampoomercial. ¡°But you¡¯re cute,¡± she


    shrugged, forcing out thatpliment if I could even call it that as though I needed her approval to be


    Damian¡¯s girlfriend.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, the


    e downing my t tone,


    Madeline bbered about how Damian and I never talked back in high school, dominating the


    conversation like a talk show. host. She set a hand over my forearm. Her fingernails sunk into my skin.


    She was too excited to notice she was about to pull my skin.


    ¡°Felicity can¡¯t get over you and Damian,¡± she twittered. ¡°She kept bugging me for details about you two,


    Like, what am I gonna give her? The guys didn¡¯t know about your engagement before the reunion!¡±


    Savannah raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why? Damian kept you like his dirty little secret.¡±


    Damian heard Savannah¡¯sment. ¡°Who¡¯s my dirty little secret?¡± He tossed an arm over my shoulder


    yet again.


    ¡°Millic, silly.¡± Madeline supplied. ¡°You two kept it a secret.


    ¡°Not anymore.¡± Damian leaned back and sipped his beer, his thigh brushing against mine. ¡°Pigtails


    already knows about us Damian kept saving me constantly, I might get used to this kind of treatment.


    Hunter had never brought me out with his friends. I only met his colleagues at events or when I visited


    him at the station. This was quite a pleasant change.


    I leaned my head on Damian¡¯s shoulder, the first time I ever initiated to be touchy with him. We agreed


    we¡¯d be touchy in public, but it takes a lot of courage to be bold. ¡°Damian¡¯s very understanding and


    Candice took everything well.¡±


    ¡°Aw,¡± Madeline cooed, ¡°I¡¯m so happy things are working out for you two.¡±


    ¡°So, how did Damian propose?¡± Savannah chipped in, her probing blue eyes searing.


    All eyes were on us now, putting me on a hot seat. Damian¡¯sposure never wavered, so I decided to


    put all the weight on him this time. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell them how you asked me, babe?¡± I looked up at


    him, batting my eyel


    He peered down at me; our faces were so close his breath brushed my cheeks. Everything about hi


    scents, his breath, and the way he stared at me. He slid the hand resting on my shoulder to my side.


    jolted in my seat, gasping, squirming.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t proposed properly to her,¡± he murmured, ncing at his friends. ¡°When I saw Millicent at 1


    something unexinable hit me. She was so da mn beautiful I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her and wonde


    nice to have her in my arms. She was still with Hunter back then, but I made a promise to myself. It lev


    Millicent, I would¡± Hiv long,sh gaze met mine. The tenderness sailing over them left me breathless. ¡°I


    every day with her in my arms,¡± he smirked, lifting his face. ¡°And when I heard what that f ucker did to


    her, she¡¯d give me a chance, and here we are.¡±


    ¡°And you said yes?¡± Matt inquired, brows creased. His indignance still battled me. He had the same tone


    back ae But my recollection of that night cannot be used as solid evidence, anyway


    me. His


    List. I¡¯


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes,¡± I swallowed, still breathless by Daman¡¯s deration is thumb on my waist kept drawing


    incoherent pa Each stroke directed a zing toward my center, forcing me to rub my thighs together. ¡°I


    mean, when you know, you ki right?¡± I pat Damian¡¯s chest, electric shock tingling under my palmis. ¡°It


    doesn¡¯t matter where or how.¡±


    Madeline opened her mouth, ready to fire another question, but Damian rose. ¡°Wanna dance?¡±


    M


    ¡°But I have more questions! Madeline pouted, crossing her arms like a petnt child.


    ¡°You don¡¯t dance, D, Savannah goaded, frowning.


    ¡°Let them be.¡± Luke tossed an arm over Savannah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen this version of Damian in a


    long time.¡±


    Damian red at Luke, grabbed my hand from myp, and dragged me away from the booth.


    III


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    O

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    -DAMIA


    ¡°Danny, I growled, answering my assistant¡¯s call as soon as I stepped out of Legally Luke¡¯s. This better


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    be a f ucking life or death situation.¡±


    Danny chuckled, brushing off my chagrin. He knew not to bother me on my day off. ¡°Did I c ockb lock


    you, boss?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting there. I granted, raking a hand through my hair.


    I f ucking wish my night would end with my d ick getting wet and warm. For the first time, I finally had a


    girlfriend. Millicent was every man¡¯s dream, but she¡¯s the one woman I cannot im.


    ¡°Sorry, boss,¡± Danny murmured; I could still hear the smile in lus voice. He¡¯d been my assistant for the


    past four years, and I knew Danny would never call me if it wasn¡¯t necessary. ¡°But there had been an


    incident at Belmont.¡±


    Belmont was the hotel we recently finished constructing for nchet Land, a subsidiarypany of


    nchet Corporation. owned by Silverio. This week, we will hand over the building to Silverio¡¯s chosen


    interior designpany. No wonder Danny called me.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I nced at each side of the street, moving to the right where there were fewer


    people to get some privacy


    ¡°It¡¯s been handled. Our fire rms alerted the LA fire department, and they said it was a false rm.¡±


    ¡°False rm?¡± My voiced two octaves lower. ¡°Which floor did the rme from?¡±


    Danny took a moment before answering my question, papers flipping silently. ¡°At the ground floor, in the


    lobby.¡±


    I scratched the stubbles under my chin. It couldn¡¯t be faulty wiring. I knew the supplier personally. ¡°That¡¯s


    the only intel we got:¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on it, boss¡± Danny knew how my mind operated, which was why wested this long.


    Someone was definitely responsible for that rm. Who and why was what we needed to find out. This


    matter cannot be neglected. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I know more.¡±


    ¡°Ask Mon if our security cameras outside the building caught anything¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re already working?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I got his email yesterday¡±


    ¡°Should I ry this info to the fire chief?¡±


    ¡°Report to me, then we will decide on what to do.¡±


    ¡°Sure, boss. Enjoy your vacation¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Thanks, Danny¡±


    I went back inside the club, eyes scanning the bar where I had left Millicent. She didn¡¯t want to return to


    the VIP and insisted she¡¯d wait for me at the bar.


    Savannah and Matt had been making her ufortable. I forgot to warn her about Matt¡¯s grumpy


    attitude, but the hostilitying from Savannah was uncalled for Maybe it¡¯s the tune of the month, but I¡¯d


    never seen her act this way before. Or perhaps I wasn¡¯t paying attention until she was hauling Millicent


    with her probing questions.


    Even in the low light of the bar, 1 quickly spotted Millicent¡¯s tinum blond waves. She faced the counter,


    sitting on the barstool by the bar¡¯s edge. While I made a beeline to her, I groaned inwardly as I took in


    the curve of her waist and the swell of her hips. That f ucking a ss had been haunting me in my dreams


    since their reunion night. My body had the same reaction


    M


    the moment I picked her up in their house ¨C pulse quickening, breathing in huffs. She¡¯s a vision in


    that little dress. The hem brushed the middle of her thigh. The slim strap, deep cut back, and low


    neckline teased my mind with ways to peel that dress off her body, craving to see what was underneath


    all thoseyers.


    I¡¯ve seen it before, and I wanted more.


    She squirmed in her seat, seemingly ufortable. I was so focused on drooling over her body that I


    hadn¡¯t noticed the guy beside her. He leaned against the bar, one elbow on the counter and the other


    holding a ss of dark golden liquid.


    The dimmed light made it hard for me to read his face, but his bodynguage tells it all. He¡¯s trying to hit


    on my girl. He leaned closer to her, invading her personal bubble.


    Millicent¡¯s head recoiled, her eyes filled with displeasure. She said something to him, and he chuckled,


    throwing his head back, and murmured something that made her grimace. I was a few feet away from


    them. Her eyes locked with mine, relief washing her features.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone. the guy said loud enough for Millicent to hear. He was too upied hitting on her


    and didn¡¯t notice meing.


    ¡°Is there a problem here?¡± I asked, slinking a possessive arm around Millicent¡¯s waist. F uck¡­ She was


    so f ucking soft and warm. My di ck punched against the zipper of my jeans.


    She instantly melted in my arms, shoulders rxing.


    ¡°He¡¯s just leaving.¡± Millicent murmured, tipping her chin at the guy as though saying ¡®I told you so.¡±


    The guy looked more like a college jo ck up close. He was big, probably a varsity yer, but looked a


    little too young to be


    inside this club.


    He red at me, testing the waters. I narrowed my eyes at him, stepped forward, and he raised his


    hand.


    ¡°Just making conversation, man.¡± He gave Millicent a once over and shook his head. Then turned and


    disappeared through


    the crowd.


    ¡°I was gone for two minutes, and someone¡¯s already trying to steal what¡¯s mine?¡± I tried to sound casual,


    but inside, I was gritting. It wasn¡¯t enough that that guy backed down. I want to shove my fist in his face


    so he¡¯d know not to try taking what¡¯s mine again


    Millicent¡¯s big brown eyes studied me, biting her lip as I took the spot the college jo ck left. Go d. Those


    eyes, those lips. I wanted to possess Millicent, own her, mark her so no man would even dare look in her


    direction. And mind you, tons of those wolfish eyes were pinned on her the moment we stepped inside


    this club.


    She toyed with the olives on her martini ss. It seemed untouched, and her counter was empty apart


    from that drink..


    ¡°Everything okay?¡± She had to lean closer, so I could hear her over the pulsing music.


    I stood closer to her, ordering a ss of whiskey. While I waited, I faced Millicent and tantly traipsed


    my heated gaze over her face, admiring her beauty, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been handled. My assistant just wanted to


    inform me, that¡¯s all.¡±


    She nodded as the bartender slid over my drink. I¡¯m all in tonight since we took a cab here.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she murmured, flipping the olives with the tiny stick.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna drink that?¡± I nudged her side, tossing back my drink.


    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m abstaining from alcohol.¡±


    I won¡¯t force her if she doesn¡¯t want to drink, but I knew she needed to unwind. She worries too much,


    and I want to see the Millicent I was withst Saturday night. ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll watch over you.¡±


    She threw me a sidelong nce. ¡°Like you watched over mest Saturday night?¡±


    |||


    If only she knew what truly transpired between us in my room, she¡¯d take that question back.


    We didn¡¯t have an audience. I should keep my hands to myself and leave her be. I promised to take care


    of her through the validity of this deal and not make a move on her. But I can¡¯t help it. Everything about


    her drives my senses wild. Her scent, the waves of her hair, f uck, even the way she spoke and looked at


    me. I don¡¯t know what it was, but it feels like I¡¯m just getting acquainted with Millicent Alejandro when I¡¯ve


    known her since we were in elementary school,


    I leaned closer, whispering in her ears. The flowery scent of her soap made my mouth water for a taste


    of her skin. ¡°You weren¡¯t mine back then.¡±


    Her gasp was f ucking loud, her head slowly angled to face me. I deserved that slow blink, but it was da


    mn hard not to hit on her. I wasn¡¯t any better than the men in this club ogling her or that jo ck I shooed


    away. I was worse. Smirking, I slid a possessive hand around her waist. ¡°But now I have a im on you. I


    get to punish you if you behave badly, Millicent.¡±

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    -DAMIAN-


    I waited for her to sass me, fight me on my tant im over her, but she did none of that. She


    lowered her gaze to her drink, lifted the olives to her lips. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, fist


    clenched tightly around my ss, watching her lips part as she swallowed


    Swiveling on the barstool, her crossed legs bumped on the outside of my thighs. Her eyelids were


    heavy, slowly sipping her drink, her pink tongue darting out to lick her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m yours, huh?¡± Her voice was sultry and low.


    My brows shoot up, challenging her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    It¡¯s not a t-out no. 1 smirked andnguidly removed the distance between our bodies, leaning my


    face close to hers.


    She wasn¡¯t backing down. Her heated stare matched my own. There were sparks around us that only


    the two of us could feel.


    Something definitely changed in me since Saturday night. Like a moth to a me, I¡¯m drawn to her. I


    wanted to push her to her limits, craving to see how far she¡¯d go before she pushed me away and put


    her walls up.


    This attraction I had for her was driving me insane. It¡¯s nothing like I ever felt before. Womene and


    go in my life, and I don¡¯t feel any s hit about them leaving. Sonja was the only exception and now..


    Millicent too. I shower my flings with gifts, take them to fancy ces, but this is Millicent. She¡¯s so close


    to home. We¡¯re both risking too much by getting too deep with


    each other.


    Our lips were millimeters apart when she spoke. ¡°I want that dance now,¡± she said. Her breath


    caresses my lips, sweet and minty with a note of alcohol.


    After emptying her second martini ss, she slid down her seat and strutted towards the dance floor


    without a backward nce at me, I followed the sway of her hips, itching to sp ank that plump as s.


    F ucking tease. There¡¯s no way she doesn¡¯t know what we¡¯re doing or, more like, what she¡¯s doing to


    me.


    My loafers cemented by the bar, I watched Millicent blend into the dancing crowd, owning it with each


    passing second. She settled in my line of sight, eyes locked with mine. Chris Brown and Jhene Aiko¡¯s


    ¡®Post to Be¡¯ pulsed from the speaker. Laser lights raved in the same beat. Millicents¡¯ hips started to


    move in that se xy sway that had invaded my dre since Saturday.


    This was different. She was sober, and the heat in her eyes as she danced for me went straight to my


    dic


    Like a siren in a turbulent sea, she was luring me into weathering the storm and staking my im on


    her.


    And I want to.


    If she¡¯s the price waiting for me at the other end of the storm, it would be f ucking worth it.


    Slowly sipping my drink, my eyes feast on the show she was putting on for me. But I wasn¡¯t the only


    one watchi moved behind her, bravely sping his paws on her hips. She jerked at his attempt. The


    confidence she¡¯s untin And I knew right then that Millicent was walking on unchartered territory.


    night


    let it y. She kept her eyes locked with mine, grinding against the guy holding her, daring me to im


    her. In a bo move, the guy pressed his lip on her shoulder, and I lost it. I mmed my ss on the


    counter, nearly breaking it to p


    Millicent smirked, delight dting her brown eyes as I approached, a lion ready to stake my im. Once


    I was within he reach, she looped her arms around my neck. The guy behind her instantly released her


    hips.


    ¡°Hey baby.¡± Millicent slurred. To his credit, the guy raised a hand, stepping back without trying to gauge


    my reaction. ¡°Too


    |


    you long enough.¡±


    ¡°The f uck you¡¯re doing?¡± I growled, pulling her closer until no space separated our bodies.


    She batted hershes, peering at me with those innocent eyes. ¡°Dancing.


    She turned her back on me, slithering her hands up to my nape. The movement caused her breast to


    push forward and her a ss to push back against my cr otch. I growled, slipping my hand to her belly.


    She shivered under my touch. I skimmed a hand in her middle, past her ribcage, until I was sping


    her throat. ¡°You know what you are, Millicent?¡± 1 growled in her


    ears.


    my power move or to my question.


    She gave no response to my power


    ¡°You¡¯re a f ucking tease. If you were mine, you¡¯d think twice before doing this stunt.¡±


    She angled her head until her lips ghosted mine. ¡°Too bad I¡¯m only yours for a show, huh?¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    I chuckled darkly. She knew how to y her cards well. I like it so f ucking much. I¡¯d enjoy breaking her


    defiance until she submits to me, until she¡¯s begging for me to take her. But f uck! What are we even


    doing? This wasn¡¯t part of the deal, and this woman grinding on me was not the Millicent I had in mind


    when I offered her that deal. That girl was timid and shy. This Millicent, untamed and wild, was an


    enigma I needed to fathom.


    She circled her perky a ss over my hardening erection, moaning so loud I heard her it over the music. I


    released her throat, dropped my hands to her hips, and spun her around. Her eyelids fluttered, sucking


    in a gasp, her wild eyes finding my own.


    We stopped moving, lost in each other¡¯s eyes. Her dted ones dropped to my lips, darting back to my


    eyes, and her fingers clutched my shirt as she licked her lips.


    I don¡¯t know who kissed who, but the next thing I knew, our mouths were devouring one another as


    though we¡¯d been starving. She pulled me down by my shirt, and 1 gripped her closer by her waist. Our


    mouths were frantic, wild. Tasting, savoring until we had no choice but to gasp for air.


    Foreheads pressed together, still holding each other tightly, our eyes questioning.


    ¡°Damian, Millicent whispered, pinching her eyes shut


    I gripped her jaw, coasting the pad of my thumb over her swollen lips. ¡°You taste so sweet, Millicent.¡±


    Her lips parted, but I gave her no time to protest and dipped for another kiss, drinking the sweetness


    from her mouth. 1 don¡¯t f ucking know what I¡¯m doing, but G od, she tasted like nothing I had ever


    tasted before. Sweet, so feminine, and soft. This time. I took my time savoring her pillowy lips. Licking


    and biting, teasing, which she returned with equal enthusiasm. I dared slide my hand lower, grasping a


    healthy amount of her perky a ss. She squealed against my mouth, and I smiled at her adorable


    reaction.


    How can she be so bold and innocent all at the same time?


    She reached for my hair, her fingers tugging and pulling as I dared my tongue inside her parted mouth.


    Our tongues dueled for dominance, but she slowly caved in, surrendering to me.


    And hot d amn, this girl could f ucking kiss.


    She giggled when we pulled apart, rested her head on my chest, and started dancing. Her glee was


    contiguous. I chuckled, buried my face in the crook of her neck as I moved with her. We were dancing


    against the music, but I couldn¡¯t care less. It felt too good to hold Millicent.


    What the uck is this girl doing to me?

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    1-MILLIE-


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± I blew out a breath when Candice¡¯s car slowed to a crawl at their new house.


    ¡°I know, right?¡± she murmured, giggling, her entire body vibrating with excitement.


    The house was gorgeous, and I¡¯m certain the location and the structure were the sell-outs to Candice.


    ¡°This is your dream house, Can. I looped my arm through hers is we entered the foyer. The three-


    bedroom house built of stone and logs was ideal for starting a family. Natural light passed through the


    floor to ceiling ss walls, illuminating the open floor n, andrge windows created a warm and


    inviting atmosphere.


    ¡°Oh, look at that view,¡± I gushed as we entered the kitchen and gazed at the closed ss French door. I


    dragged Candice with me and opened the door, stepping onto an elevated stone deck overlooking the


    city. Huge logs circled a man-made fire pit, recreating an outdoor camping vibe.


    ¡°I¡¯m in love with this house. No wonder you bought it at first sight.¡± I murmured, grinning at my best


    friend.


    ¡°And it¡¯s far enough from Mom so I could breathe,¡± she said, face scrunching. I giggled at that.


    It was an hour¡¯s drive away from the city. I doubt that would stop Nancy from visiting her often, though.


    Nancy was a sweetdy, but I understand Candice¡¯s craving for space. Having someone micromanaging


    your life even when you¡¯re already married was suffocating. But Moms will be Moms.


    ¡°When are you moving?¡± I asked, following Candice back inside. She headed for the kitchen, drew a


    ss from the cupboard, and filled it with water, offering it to me.


    I sipped my water, feeling the summer heat enveloping me.


    ¡°Proper turnover will be done this week, and we¡¯re still waiting for the furniture to be delivered, Candice


    grabbed a ss of her own and led me back to the deck. ¡°And for Aaron¡¯s dad to find a recement for


    him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I breathe. She ordered the furniture seconds after reading the broker¡¯s email that they were drawing


    out the papers and Aaron was not leaving his job at his dad¡¯sw firm. He will only be working from aT¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    different city.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you.¡± I tried to hide the sadness in my voice.


    She reached for my hand, squeezing it. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I chirped, biting the pang of longing already sinking in my chest. ¡°I just¡­¡± I trailed off, water


    gathering in my


    eyes.


    I haven¡¯t really cried since finding out about Natalie and Hunter. The chaos that followed that day kept


    me upied. Now that I am alone with Candice, and seeing her dream materialize, I realize how much I


    have lost. This was my dream, too, to get married and start putting roots in one ce. I imagined


    furniture shopping for Hunter and I¡¯s house, too. It all vanished in one go.


    ¡°Oh, babee here.¡± If there was one person in this world who could understand me by looking at me,


    that¡¯s Candice. She just gets me. I lowered my guard and buried my face in Canilice¡¯s warm embrace,


    letting my tears stream.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Natalie would do that to you,¡± Candice said. We settled in the master bedroom on the


    second floor. There were outdoor couches avable on the balcony left by the previous owner. We


    ordered pizza while Candice listened to my story in detail for the second time. ¡°She¡¯s an ungrateful b


    utch. I would understand if it was someone outside our circle of friends. But she¡¯s too close to you. She¡¯s


    technically living under your roof!¡±


    I lift


    my


    shoulder in a shrug,zily sipping my Sprite. ¡°I would never understand what she did, no matter how


    much exining she does, but Hunter¡­ I gave him everything, Candice.¡±


    She snorted, brushing off the lonesome air that hovered over us ¡°I never liked the guy¡±


    She openly disliked Hunter from the moment I introduced them together. Candice said something about


    his aura being strange. It rubbed her the wrong way. But for the sake of my happiness, she tolerated


    Hunter¡¯s creepy aura. Those were her exact words. Three yearster, her first impression turned out to


    be true.


    ¡°Draco is way better than him.¡±


    ¡°Ugh! Not you, too!¡± I groaned, sinking into the rattan cu shioned chair.


    Mischief sparked in her eyes. ¡°So tell me aboutst night. You two looked cozy after that ¡®talk.¡±


    Cozy doesn¡¯t even cover what we hadst night. We kissed a lot on the dance floor, and Damian might


    have grown a liking to my butt. He¡¯d squeezed it a handful of times while grinding me against him. He


    didn¡¯t shy away from letting me know how aroused he was. Pride swelled in my chest knowing I did that


    to Damian


    ¡°You¡¯re blushing¡± Candice pointed out, tilting her head to the side. ¡°Oh, my g od. Tell me! I want dibs


    I peered away from her probing gaze. There¡¯s really not much to tell.¡±


    I told her how Damian¡¯s friends weed me to their group, how Matt was grumpy, and how Savannah


    subtly bit ched out on me, curving the topic away from Damian and me.


    ¡°Matt recently broke up with his fiancee,¡± she exined. They were together for four years, engaged for


    two. Then, one day, Matt woke up alone, only a letter from Monique saying she had a change of heart.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s gotta hurt. No wonder he¡¯s a bitter a ss.¡± I nodded, pursing my lips. I knew the feeling all too well,


    so all is forgiven.


    ¡°When a yer gets his heart broken, it¡¯s hard for them to bounce back on their feet.¡±


    ¡°But Savannah, though, I supplied. ¡°I think she hates my guts.¡±


    Candice crossed a leg over the other. ¡°That girl has a thing for Damian.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh, she nodded. ¡°Madeline is like a locket full of gossip, you know. One push, and she¡¯ll spill


    everything she knows. She told me about Savannah when we were nning the reunion Savannah


    wanted to snare Damian, but he turned her down with her every attempt. That¡¯s when Luke came in and


    made a move on her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cruel. I stared at her, feeling a bit bad for Luke. He might have been a yer in high school, but I


    saw at Savannah. There were stars in his eyes every time he stared at her.


    ked


    Candice shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s pretty f ucked up if she did that to youst night. It only meant she was still trying


    to c attention, even when she was already with Luke. And speaking of Madeline¡­. The probing pitch in


    her voice pr ickle. ¡°She sent me a photo of you and Damian.¡±


    My eyes widened. ¡°What photo?¡±


    Candice giggled ¡°Tasked her how things are going, and she kindly gave me hard evidence of you two


    smooching in middle of the dance floor¡±


    1 dropped my face onto my palms, taking a m ental note to drop milk into Madeline¡¯s drink the next time


    we met. Shectose intolerant, and that would be the meanest payback I could get


    ¡°It was only for a show,¡± I grunted, trying to exin myself


    ¡°Yeah? What I saw over dinner looked da mn real to me. M¡± I lifted my face and stared at her ¡°Damian


    can swoon a tree wit his charm,¡± she murmured, a wicked smile ying on her lips. ¡°I wasn¡¯t surprised


    that you were ogling him like he¡¯s a rockstar and you¡¯re a die-hard fan.¡±


    ¡°I did not!¡± I retort defensively.Chapter 201


    ¡°Yes, you did,¡± she insisted. At first, I was worried he wouldn¡¯t be able to sell he was in love with you, but


    he did. That¡¯s what Mom and Lenny saw. Hell, that¡¯s what I saw. They can¡¯t help gushing about your


    engagement party.¡±


    ¡°Oh my Go d,¡± I groaned. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡±


    Candice giggled. It was a witch-like, menacingugh. I frowned at her, but she threw her head back,


    ¡°This turned out to be the best show I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± she couldn¡¯t keep the grin off her face. ¡°And Mom¡¯s


    attention will be solely focused on you and Damian. Which means I can finally have peace.¡±


    I pped her shoulder hard enough to leave palm prints on her skin. She hissed, ring at me. ¡°Aw!


    Why do you have to be so brute? You have to win over my approval as your boyfriend¡¯s step-sister.¡±


    ¡°I hate you.¡± I groaned.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t she leaned over and pinched my cheeks. ¡°We¡¯re finally gonna be sisters!¡±


    ¡°Candice!¡±


    |||

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    -DAMIAN


    Hey, how are you doing?¡¯ I typed on my phone, only to delete the message again. Cursing inwardly, I


    chewed the insides of my checks andposed another message.


    ¡®T¡¯ll be in Seattle on Saturday. Wannae as my date? If you¡¯re not busy? I groaned, deleting what I


    typed, and pped my phone screen down on top of my thigh.


    A chuckle rumbled from the driver¡¯s seat. Danny was behind the wheel, driving me back to my


    amodation in LA. I pinned him with a narrowed re through the rearview mirror. The man¡¯s


    chuckle turned to full-blownughter.


    ¡°The f uck are youughing at?¡± I grumbled, parking an elbow on the windowpane.


    We¡¯re driving through the city after meeting Silverio and udia from Scarlette Interiors. The meeting


    dragged on longer than nned because Silverio tends to mix pleasure with business. After udia


    pitched her interior design ns, Silverio invited us for a drink I made ame excuse to meet my


    girlfriend just to get out of their hair. Silverio was probably balls- deep buried now in udia¡¯s pu ssy.


    udia¡¯s resemnce to Sonja left an unsettling feeling in my gut. Five foot six, brte, blue eyes.


    udia was a little curvier than Sonja. I almost tried to pluck her our of Silverio¡¯s ws.


    I sighed, feeling bad for Sonja all over again. But who was I to judge them? My hands were far from


    being clean.


    ¡°Is this Millie chick upying your mind?¡± He asked, pulling my gaze from watching the city lights¡¯ stripe


    of a kaleidoscope as we drove by


    I neither denied nor confirmed his question and asked instead. ¡°How did you know about Millicent?¡±


    It had been five days since Ist heard from Millicent, and she¡¯d been on my mind like a lessee taking


    permanent residence there, rent-free. I don¡¯t know what I expected from her, but definitely not this radio


    silence. We had a good time at Legally Luke¡¯s. I¡¯m sure we did. We were inseparable that night. We were


    all over each other, and now I¡¯m wondering if I did. something to trigger this cold treatment from her.


    I don¡¯t even know how to start a conversation because she was, in fact, ab iding by our agreement. PDA


    was allowed, but we didn¡¯t exactlyy out our rules when we had no audience or were states away from


    each other. She did insist that there would be no third party involved. I get why she insisted on the


    use. So I said yes, even if it meant I would be celibate for a


    year.


    ¡°Finance chicks had been bugging me about your rumored ¡®girlfriend,¡± he insisted on thest word, a


    spark of teasing tone. ¡°So, is it true?¡±


    I nodded. In the public eye, Millicent is my girlfriend. There¡¯s no use denying that to Danny or any of our


    employees,


    anyway.


    ¡°Da mn,¡± Danny grinned. ¡°So someone finally tamed the wild heart of Damian ck, huh? Agnes will be


    pis s ed.¡±


    Agnes was the Finance Manager who¡¯d been tant in her mission to be my wife. Apart from Sonja,


    having Millicent as my girlfriend will push away the unwanted attention I¡¯m getting from our employees as


    well. I hope it does.


    ¡°She can be pi ssed all she wants, Danny,¡± I groaned, pulling out my phone, debating whether to just ask


    her toe with me to Seattle. We agreed we¡¯d be there for each other when we needed a date for an


    event. That¡¯s my reason for seeing her again.


    ¡°Ah¡­ trouble in paradise already?¡± Danny asked, taking the turn towards one of ck Hotels franchises.


    The distant crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean eased the tension in my spine a bit.


    I tucked my phone back into my pocket, annoyed. Danny would never understand my dilemma. He¡¯s


    been a one-womant kind of guy, been with his girlfriend since they were in college.


    |||


    pter 21


    Stopping the SUV at the red light, he reached for his messenger bag in the passenger side, passing


    me.


    a man envelope to


    ¡°I¡¯ve been talking since we left the club,¡± he murmured, no hint of ire in his tone. In fact, he sounded


    amused. ¡°I know you heard no shi t about my report on Belmont. Everything is in there.¡± The car wheeled


    once more as the green light lit up on the streetlight.


    I sighed, grateful that Danny was an efficient assistant. My mind has been a muddle of indecision since


    Monday. I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯m functioning in this state. ¡°Heard anything from Mon?¡±


    He nodded a yes. ¡°He will send the CCTV footage tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright, send it to my email as soon as you get it.¡± I shoved the envelope in my bag as Danny pulled in


    front of the hotel.


    Before I could slide out, Danny said, ¡°Do something to get her attention,¡± as though he understood my


    problem. ¡°That works, he added, chuckling.


    Thanks Danny,¡± I groaned, closing the door. But as I made my way through the lobby, I considered his


    advice, conjuring an excellent way to get Millicent¡¯s attention without looking like a hormonal teenager


    eager to see my girlfriend.


    By the time I poured the honey mixture and sliced lemons into the seared salmon in the skillet, I was


    anxious as f uck. I almost burn the salmon from peeking at my phone every f ucking minute. I turned the


    stove off and transferred the salmon onto a te. My stomach was a mess of knots, and the idea of


    eating made me nauseous.


    My phone chimed. I grabbed it with the speed of lightning striking the ground, a s hit-eating grin stretched


    my lips. It was a message from Millicent.


    F uck! 1 raked my fingers through my hair. This isn¡¯t happening to me. It felt like I was sixteen all over


    again, a boy without control over his hormones.


    I let five minutes pass, sipping a beer before opening Millicent¡¯s message.


    Millicent: Hey, can I call?


    That¡¯s it? Why didn¡¯t I think of sending a message like that earlier?


    I gnawed my lip and pressed the video call button. The low rumble of the ringer filled the silence in my


    suite. Millicent answered on the third ring, and f uck me. The sight of her made my di ck surge forward.


    I forgot the time difference between her location and mine. She¡¯s already in bed in nothing but a silk


    spaghetti-strapped to She held the sheets up


    one hand over his breasts. What I would give for her to tug those sheets down. Her hair was a


    mess of beautiful blond curls cascading past her shoulder. Her face was make-up-free.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she smiled, a pink blush tainting her cheeks.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I groaned, pressing my tongue on the inside of my cheeks. Are you about to sleep?¡±


    She bit her lip, shaking her head no. The video went shaky for a beat, and then she was leaning on the


    headboard, a pillow pressed in her front as a cover-up. ¡°I was reading, then my phone wouldn¡¯t stop


    buzzing on my side table.¡± Her big brown eyes narrowed to slits. ¡°Had anything to do with that?¡±


    I pulled my lower lip between my teeth. This this kind of conversation is why I can¡¯t stop thinking about


    Millicent. No woman has ever talked to me so casually. They¡¯re usually flirting, trying so hard to get my


    attention or to have their mouths around my coc k


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I heaved, grabbed my te of salmon, and brought it to the


    breakfast bar.


    ¡°Yeah? Were you drunk as well when you changed your profile picture?¡±


    I threw my head backughing and went back to the kitchen, fetching my bottle of beer.


    Before taking a shower, I scrolled through my phone and found a decent photo of Millicent and me on


    that reunion night.


    III


    <


    She wasn¡¯t the only one who got pictures of us that night. I did, too, because she insisted we needed to


    document our one- night rtionship. I haven¡¯t deleted any of those pictures and stared at them in the


    I chose the picture of us with my arms around her waist as we grinned at the camera. She held my


    phone and took a snapshot with my lips pressed to the top of her head.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I murmured, setting my phone on the holder and slicing my salmon. ¡°Do you want me to take it


    down?¡±


    Please don¡¯t say yes. I liked that picture, and it took me an hour of debating about making that move.


    ¡°No,¡± she said quietly, her blush deepening. ¡°I guess it¡¯s only fitting, since we¡¯re faking things. It just


    surprised me.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed? I¡¯m full of surprises, baby,¡± I winked at her, taking a forkful of my salmon.


    She giggled. That you are, babe. What¡¯s your dinner?¡±


    ¡°Honey garlic zed salmon.¡±


    She closed her eyes and moaned as though she were tasting what I was eating. My d ick jumped against


    the fabric of my shorts. Those moans had invaded my dreams since the night we shared in my bed. Like


    a f ucking creep, I had jerked off, picturing Millicent moaning and writhing beneath me since Saturday


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    night.


    g me up.


    ¡°A man who can cook turns me on, babe,¡± she teased and f uck me. Her sultry tone was working


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I leaned back in my seat and sipped my beer, wanting to have her for dinner instead. So we¡¯re


    doing this, flirting even if we don¡¯t have an audience. I¡¯m in. ¡°How turned on are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°Hm, she thought for a moment, lust dting her eyes. ¡°Like toe-curling, spine-arching turned on.¡±


    ¡°Da mn, Millicent, I groaned, shifting in my seat.


    She giggled, sliding down from the headboard until she was lying on her bed. Turning to the side, she is


    still hugging that dam n pillow. I would give anything right now to be in her room pluck that pillow, and


    see her nipples strain against her silk top. Was she even wearing shorts or just her panties?


    G odda mmit! My semi-turned into a full-blown h ard-on in the snap of a finger.


    ¡°So, do you actually have something to ask from me?¡± she asked, biting her lip. My brows creased. ¡°You


    won¡¯t try to grab my attention like that for no reason.¡±


    For a moment, I forgot how assertive Millicent can be. ¡°I need a date on Saturday.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Seattle. Dad was supposed to attend that fundraiser, but he asked if I could fill in. He¡¯d want to take


    Nancy for a weekend getaway¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s sweet. She gnawed her lip. ¡°I would love to go. Is there a dress code?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle that,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll book us a hotel. Meet me there before lunchtime?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    She hummed, yawning. ¡°My boyfriend needs me, so I¡¯ll be there


    I chuckled, my heart drumming at the anticipation of seeing her again.


    III

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°Oh da mn, I should¡¯ve googled what this event was about,¡± I whispered as the SUV pulled to aplete


    stop at the roundabout of The Bauer Venue.


    Damian slid out of the SUV first, buttoned his suit jacket, offering me his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll be here an hour


    tops,¡± he assured me.


    I ced my hands in his, feeling the familiar tingling whenever we touched. ¡°No wonder you dressed me


    fancy.¡±


    I fixed the flowy skirt of the red evening gown he prepared for me. It had a corset top that hugged my


    upper body like it was custom made and a thigh-high slit on the a-line skirt enhancing my leg with every


    step. I¡¯ve never worn something like this


    feel before. Candice always said that there were dresses meant to look beautiful, and there were those


    meant to make you beautiful. This one is thetter. I felt beautiful on my skin. I took some shots and


    posted them on my social media ounts before Damian fetched me from my hotel room.


    My date fake boyfriend was a dashing debonair in his gray tuxedo- embellished with red rose


    boutonniere pinned on his jacketpel matching the corsage around my wrist. It shouldn¡¯t surprise me


    how good looking he was in formal attire, but he didn¡¯t fail to steal my breath away. His hair was brushed


    back to perfection, not a strand out of ce. His prominent jawline was on full disy, and those dark


    emerald eyes bored a heated gaze on mine every time our eyes locked. Since the hotel, I swear my


    heart was on the verge of tipping off a critical level from how fast it was beating.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a dress. You¡¯re beautiful whatever you wear,¡± he whispered in my ear, looping my arm with his


    as we ascended the red-carpeted stairs towards the entry. The blinding shes of the camera greeted us


    as we went. A long red stretch belt kept the cameraman and news people away from our path, but it


    didn¡¯t stop them from calling out Damian¡¯s name.


    Damian stopped at a few requests for a good picture. Our final stop was on the wide standee ¨C covering


    the rest of the entry- with the words The Lantz Table, An Evening Against Hunger.


    Our night was only beginning. The overwhelming sensation of being around these people ¨C like we¡¯re


    celebrities on the red carpet event ¨C jostled my anxiety forward. This isn¡¯t my scene. I n events and


    stay in the background, but never in front of the camera or stand in a crowd. And my job as social media


    creator starts and ends with the lens of my camera, not the lens of these professional photographers and


    reporters.


    ¡°Kiss for the camera!¡± someone shouted, and a shiver broke out on the base of my spine.


    Damian grabbed my waist. I looked up at him, finding him already staring down at me. His green eyes


    traipse around my facenguidly as a sensual smile broke out on his face. He lowered his lips to my


    ears. ¡°You look stunning, Millicent. I¡¯ll be all over you tonight, you know that, right?¡±


    I released a breathy moan. This part of our deal was bing my favorite use. I¡¯ve dreamt about


    Damian¡¯s kisses for thest week, his touch and his hungry gaze as though he¡¯d devour me if I¡¯d let him.


    I hit my lip and patted his chest. ¡°Like you should, babe¡±


    I swear I heard him growl as he pressed a kiss on the side of my mouth. ¡°F ucking tease.¡±


    If the entry to the event was fancy, the event itself was beyond morous. The hum of the orchestra¡¯s


    string, woodwind, brass, and percussion filled the functional hall. Servers walked around with trays


    carrying champagne. Gold linen tables and chairs circled the dance floor. Women in designer dresses


    and men in thousand-dor suits milled around, talking in groups,ughing, and drinking their choice of


    alcohol.


    Damian had been a crowd favorite the moment we stepped inside. He addressed each person who


    approached him by their names, asked about their wives, kids and fishing escapade. He made everyone


    he conversed with feel important, stroking their egos if he must. He made sure I was introduced in their


    conversation, asking me questions and boasting about Effortless Events on asion. And like he said,


    he was all over me, stealing kisses whenever he could, his hands never leaving my body. He¡¯d hold my


    hand,¡±slide a hand on my lower back, ortuck me to his side like he was afraid someone would steal


    me.


    The first thirty minutes of the fundraiser went by like a blur. I was glued to Damian¡¯s side, learning more


    about him and how good he was with people and making business deals. I only left his side when I


    needed to use thedies¡¯ room.


    Thedies¡¯ room was the size of my apartment, well-lit, and smelled ofvender. I sighed, gazing at


    myself in the mirror and reapplying gloss to my lips.


    My cheeks ached from smiling for thest thirty minutes, and my shoes were pinching my toes.


    I¡¯d be Damian¡¯s girlfriend for a year. It meant that this won¡¯t be thest morous event I¡¯ll ever attend.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    I straightened my spine when the door opened. A woman walked inside, so I kept myposure back


    on. She went straight for the counter, two steps away from me. Her beaded emerald green dress caught


    the light as she pulled a tube from her clutch and stroked her longshes with a mascara wand.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you around before,¡± she murmured. I nced at her through the mirror, taking in her


    brte wavesbed to one side, creating an old Hollywood pin-up model vibe. Her lips were full, red,


    and lush, her clear blue eyes studying with intense curiosity.


    I stered the friendly smile I¡¯d been wearing since walking inside this event. This is my first. I just


    apanied my boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Damian, right?¡± She closed the cap of her mascara tube and pulled out her lipstick.


    ¡°Uhm, yeah,¡± Her probing gaze unsettled me.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to the attention he¡¯s getting. He¡¯s a crowd favorite.


    An unsteady giggle rumbled from my throat. ¡°I thought I was doing fine. Guess I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± she puckered her lips and tossed her lipstick back to her Cleopatra Clutch, facing me. ¡°You fit in


    perfectly,¡± she said, her icy blue eyes gliding from my head to my toes and back up to meet my eyes.


    ¡°Too perfect that no one would notice you¡¯re a fraud.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I blinked at her. Her friendly tone shifted to menacing as fast as a lightning strike.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good actress,¡± her smile was condescending, ¡°You two sell out this couple charade the moment


    you stepped out of the car.¡±


    My instinct to defend myself grew tenfold. My eyebrows tilted. ¡°Seems this conversation is a bit biased. Is


    there a cut in your insults where you¡¯ll introduce yourself and reveal why you¡¯re trying to intimidate me?¡±


    Her daunting gaze made me want to back down. I felt insecure about her beauty, her confidence, and


    her allure. She was everything I was not. Sophisticated, ssy, and stunning,


    She folded her arms in her middle, pushing up her voluptuous breast to spill from the cups of her dress.


    ¡°I¡¯m Sonja.¡±


    Everything has fallen into ce. I should¡¯ve asked more about her, but I didn¡¯t want to impose on


    Damian. I was willing to wait for him to tell me more about this woman, Luck had other ns, though.


    So this is her, the woman who can¡¯t take no for an answer, the reason Damian needed me. I suddenly


    felt protective of Damian. He made a mistake by getting involved with her but he¡¯s setting straight things


    now, that¡¯s what mattered to me.


    I shoved all my insecurities away and stood taller, matching her probing gaze. ¡°Oh, Sonja. I heard about


    you. Are you following Damian here as well, or are you here with your husband?¡±


    The side of her eyes twitched. I definitelynded a strike on a sore spot. ¡°He doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡±


    I pursed my lips, looking thoughtful for a moment. ¡°And he belongs to you?¡± Her eyes narrowed to slits,


    white steam billowed from her ears and nose. ¡°He¡¯s human, not a thing to be owned. And he has the


    brains to keep a distance from a married woman like you.¡±


    Unphased, Sonja stepped forward until we were toe to toe. Menace shone in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re just a


    pastime, another notch


    III


    09:25 Sat Feb 10


    on his bedpost. He Ile back to me once he gets tired of you


    If Daman and I were in an actual rtionship, maybe her words might shake me. Too bad I know what


    Damun and I has The response was on the tip of my tongue, but the doortched open, and threedies


    walked inside, giggling oblivious to the standoff between Sonja and me.


    Sonja smirked, squaring her shoulder. ¡°Enjoy being with him while itsts. You¡¯ll be out of his life before


    you even notice.¡±


    She strutted out of the bathroom regally. I released a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding when she was


    finally out of sight


    I stayed there a few more minutes, gathering myself and calming my wildly beating heart. When I signed


    up as Damian¡¯s girlfriend, I only thought about my problems. 1 forgot to reconsider that Damian wouldn¡¯t


    need my help if Sonja was your average jealous ex-girlfriend. She meant business, and she got her eyes


    set on iming Damian back.


    What the hell have I gotten myself into


    ?

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    -MILLIE-


    I stepped out of the powder room and went back to the function hall, searching for Damian. He was at


    the bar with his friends,


    ¡®He¡¯s a crowd favorite, Sonja¡¯s voice rang in my ears. She¡¯s right. Peopleugh at his jokes, listen to his


    opinion, and Damian knew how topliment people in ways that would make them feel important and


    valued.


    My date tonight was Damian, the businessman, son of Erik ck, heir to his billion-dor real estate


    and construction empire.


    But studying him now from afar. I noticed he kept toying with the cufflinks of his dress shirt. The sides


    of his eyes twitched each time someone belched ament regarding people¡¯s ws, imperfections,


    or shorings. His smile was charming but never reached his eyes. This version of him, no matter


    how charming and attractive his domineering stature was, was my least favorite.


    Feeling my eyes on him, he steered a gaze in my direction, brows furrowed.


    I drew a deep breath and made my way in his direction, ready to put on another show.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± Damian growled in my ears, drawing me by the waist, and nted a lingering


    kiss on my cheeks.)


    ¡°Jesus, ck.¡± Garrett Lantz groaned. He¡¯s the son of Tomas Lantz, the host of this fundraiser. And


    through all the people Damian introduced me to, Garrett seemed the closest to him. He sported a


    boyish charm with his tousled brown hair, deep blue eyes, and a killer body. His smile was so warm


    that it would put anyone immediately at ease with him. ¡°Can¡¯t you be more subtle in being p ussy


    whipped?¡±


    And yep, his dirty mouth probably charmed a woman in his bed every night.


    ¡°Watch your mouth, Lantz,¡± Damian growled, tightening his possessive grip on my waist as he red at


    Garrett.


    Garrett shook his head, sipping the golden liquid on his rock ss. ¡°If this guy ever breaks your heart,


    you know where to find me.¡±


    Damian shoved Garrett, his fingers digging into my hips. ¡°Not a f ucking chance, Lantz. Stop trying to


    steal what¡¯s mine.¡±


    Garrett had fallen into a peal of hystericalughter, gathering a few curious gazes our way. Damian


    didn¡¯t see enjoy Garett¡¯s glee at his expense.


    They were still bickering when a couple, twice older than our age, approached us. The man patted


    Garett Damian a hard time again, huh, son?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Garrett puffed his chest out. ¡°It¡¯s my mission to push his patience to the limit.¡±


    ing


    The old man in a white tuxedo top and ck pants turned to Damian. ¡°Thank you for covering for your


    old


    Damian huffed, epting the older guy¡¯s hand. ¡°This is bing a habit of his. Thank He


    1 for inviting udy in a white evening gown. Her brown hair was pulled up in a neat bun, and her blue


    eyes darted a soft, we toward Damian and me. ¡°Georgina, you look stunning, as always


    Georgina blushed as Damian kissed the back of her hand. ¡°And you¡¯re as charming as always,


    Damian.¡± Her gaze slid me. ¡°And who¡¯s this lovelydy?¡±


    There was very little space between Damian¡¯s hips and mine, but he still drew me closer. I made an


    umph sound in surp ¡°This is my girlfriend, Millicent.¡±


    Tomas Lantz was hailed no 3 as the richest man in the world inst year¡¯s survey, sporting a $123.1


    billion worth, and I can¡¯t stop the reticence that spiraled down my spine in his presence. I hit my lip,


    murmuring a timid ¡®hello, it¡¯s an honor to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Lantz, to the couple, d that Damian


    took their attention, boasting what I do for a living.


    27%


    Honestly, I don¡¯t understand what was there to boast about what I do. These people practically make


    thousands of dors every hour of their lives, if not millions. But Damian made it sound like Effortless


    Events were the best in our field.


    ¡°We will be celebrating our golden wedding anniversary in September, Georgina said, looking up at


    Tomas. ¡°And we¡¯re looking for an event nner, right, darling?¡±


    Tomas gazed down at his wife, a loving tension growing between the two. ¡°It¡¯s up to you, honey.¡±


    ¡°What would you


    u ever do without me, huh?¡± She narrowed her eyes at her husband.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Tomas chuckled, kissing the top of her hair, and turned to Damian, asking him about the proposal he


    spoke with Erik


    Georgina shook her head and plucked me away from Damian. ¡°Why don¡¯t we leave the men to their


    business? I¡¯ll give you some ideas about what I want for our anniversary, then you can decide if you


    want to organize it? How does that sound?¡±


    I nced at Damian helplessly. I didn¡¯t want to leave his side. He only nodded at me reassuringly. ¡°Oh,


    sure.¡±


    ¡°Who was I to turn this woman down?¡±


    Georgina brought me to one of the balconies to discuss her ideas for their anniversary. She was


    leaning on an intimate celebration, about a hundred guests more or less,posed of their families


    and closest friends.


    We exchanged contact information, and I promised to get back to her on Monday. Candice would be


    thrilled about this. Georgina was reluctant to leave my side when her assistant approached her, saying


    Beatrice Rogers was looking for her.


    When I returned to the function hall, Damian was nowhere in sight. I tarried by the bar and ordered a


    gin and tonic. I needed a push to get through the rest of this night. The music halted, and people


    settled in their seats as Garrett walked up the stage and spoke about the cause this fundraiser would


    aid. The man speaking on that stage differed from the guy bickering with Damian. He was regal and


    Apuse rained as Garrett called Tomas on stage. While the spotlight followed Tomas, I caught sight of


    my date in the shaded corner of the hall. My eyes needed a few seconds to adjust to the dimness of his


    location. And when I recognized who he was talking to, chills coated my skin.


    Damian stood with his side facing me, lost in an intense conversation with Sonja. They were standing


    too close. She had one hand on his arm and another on his chest. Everyone¡¯s attention was on Tomas,


    and no one noticed how they looked like a couple engaged in an intense, passionate conversation.


    Sonja¡¯s words didn¡¯t get to me, but this definitely did. A tight knot formed on my belly, pushing the gin


    and tonic backup where they came in.


    Although it was impossible, Damian felt my gaze on him, turning his head my way. I looked away,


    focused my attention on Tomas and the history of their foundation. I hear his speech, but it doesn¡¯t


    register in my head. My heart was drumming, a hairline cr ack slithering through my chest.


    Why was I feeling this way? Damian isn¡¯t mine. I have no hold over him. He felt something for Sonja. I


    knew this from the start, but why does it physically hurt to breathe?


    In my peripheral vision, I saw Damian walking toward me. My heart stammered for a different reason.


    My feet itched to bolt out of this building, away from him, but I did none of that. I stayed rooted where I


    was and pretended to be oblivious to what I saw, of what I was feeling.


    ¡°Millicent,¡± Damian looped his arms around my waist, standing behind my barstool. ¡°It¡¯s not what it


    seemed.¡± he rested his chin on my bare shoulder.


    1 patted a soothing hand above his, blinking away the sting pr ickling my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    It¡¯s really not. Jealousy punctured my throat so deeply that I felt a bile rising in my mouth.


    Tomas called Damian¡¯s name. The spotlight flickered in our direction. Damian cursed under his breath,


    released me, and headed up the stage. Erik was a huge donor to the foundation, and Damian gave a


    heartfelt and meaningful speech on his father¡¯s behalf. I half listened to his words, my heart still aching


    in my chest cavity. I ordered another gin and tonic to


    |||


    O


    M


    silence the pulsing jealousy in my head.


    As the orchestra¡¯s music resumed, Damian made a beeline for me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. He left no room for protest and dragged the out of the function hall. We exited in


    the opposite direction of the entry. Our ride was waiting in the back alley of the building: silence filled


    the entire ride hack to our hotel.


    ¡°Millicent, talk to me.¡± Damian gripped my wrist and spun me around before I could slot the key card


    into my suite.


    1


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, really.¡± I gave him the same answer for thest three times he asked if I was okay. ¡°Don¡¯t


    worry about it. Just be careful next time you talk to her. People might think differently


    Damian growled. Like a lion pouncing on his prey. he pinned me on the closed door: his hand seized


    my throat, preventing a squeal from tumbling past my lips. His hold meant to dominate, but not to hurt


    me. I could free myself if I wanted to


    ¡°No lies. Annoyance nketed his face. ¡°It¡¯s stated in our deal. You¡¯re breaking it.¡±


    My pulse drummed against his hold. ¡°I have to be fine with it. I have no right to be jealous, okay¡±


    He smirked, puncturing me with a triumphant gaze. ¡°So you admit it, you¡¯re jealous?¡±


    My emotion rattled the cage I put them in, trying to break free. I narrowed my eyes at him, nose ring.


    ¡°Yes! I was. You happy?¡±


    ¡°F ucking ecstatic. Then his insistent lips descended upon mine.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    -DAMIAN-


    Emotional women turned me off, but an emotional Millicent turned my body into a wood-burning furnace.


    She struggled against my hold, mming her fist on my chest in protest. I grabbed her waist, yanking her


    tighter against me, cutting off whatever angry words she was about to spit. She wouldn¡¯t respond to my


    kisses when we both knew we¡¯re attracted to each other like mas, and it only made me want her


    more.


    What the f uck is wrong with me?


    Her resistance didn¡¯tst long, then she melted into my kiss, her fingers clutching my dress shirt and


    pulling me closer.


    F uck, she tastes good.


    I had been stealing kisses all night, touching her where she¡¯d let me, but nothing came close to how I


    wanted her right now. I drank deep from her mouth, devouring her like a starved man, ravenous and out


    of control.


    Millicent reciprocated my enthusiasm, moaning, wrapping her arms around my neck, rubbing her body


    against mine. She epted everything I gave her and then some. Tonight felt like a hardcore forey,


    ready to explode in fast, hot S**


    My eager hands skimmed her perfect curves, gripping her butt and rubbing her against my c ock. I


    slipped my


    hands on the slit of her skirt, grunting at the soft milky skin beneath my palms. I was so drunk with desire


    that I couldn¡¯t get enough of her.


    It¡¯s not enough. Every kiss, every touch, every f ucking teasing we¡¯ve done so far left me craving for


    more. It would never be enough until I¡¯m balls-deep buried inside her.


    While I continued to destroy her mouth, my mind whirled on how to take this to the next level.


    If I push her inside her room, will she allow me to taste her, make here with my hand or with my


    tongue? F uck! Will she go all the way and let me own her body like no man had ever done before?


    The elevator dinged open, forcing Millicent and me to part, but I kept her pressed against her door,


    covering her with my body. Drunkenughter filled the hallways. Whoever stepped out of the elevator


    entered the door closest to it, saving us from their closer scrutiny.


    A thick silence hovered over Millicent and me. Our breaths were heavy; her heart was punching against


    my chest.


    ¡°Did


    you kiss her?¡± Millicent¡¯s hesitant voice cut through the heated tension between us.


    ¡°No,¡± I caged her with my arms and body against the door. ¡°She came to me, told me how you assaulted


    her.¡±


    Millicent blew a despondent huff, nose ring. ¡°Did you believe her?¡±


    A worked-up Millicent is f u cking adorable. ¡°I told her my Millicent can¡¯t swat a mosquito even if her life


    depended on it.¡±


    Sonja, with her alluring beauty, big blue doe-eyes, yed me in the palms of her hands for a long time.


    But tonight, I saw through her lies. There might be a hint of truth in her story about the confrontation with


    Millicent. Too bad for Sonja; I know Millicent¡¯s warrior princess sidees forth once she¡¯s pushed to


    one corner.


    Millicent¡¯s lips twitched, fighting off a smile from breaking free, but the fire in her eyes remained. ¡°She


    was all over you,¡± her tone was a cross between huff and sulky.


    Women and jealousy were never a goodbination. I hate exining myself. I mean,e on, women


    Sonja. She becare clingy, jealous of every woman she saw talking to me. But is it weird that I find a


    jealous Millicent adorable as f uck? I like it. It meant that she felt something more for me, an inkling to


    own me, im me as hers. ¡°Jealousy suits you, baby,¡±


    She groaned, dropping her forehead onto my chest. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me she was a dead ringer for Ana De


    Armas.¡±


    |||


    Sonja¡¯s beauty trapped me in that toxic and illicit affair, I¡¯m not going to lie. But what I felt for Millicent was


    beyond physical. Something about her drew me in.


    Since the reunion night, I tried to figure out why after all these years of knowing her, I suddenly lusted


    over her like I had never done with anyone before. Was it because she¡¯s someone I never thought would


    have eyes for me? Knowing she secretly admired me even in my messed up teenage years ignited this


    need to learn more about her now. To try my chances despite the no-S** use in our deal. Maybe it¡¯s


    because she¡¯s a forbidden fruit? Or perhaps I was so used to women throwing themselves at me, and


    Millicent¡¯s resistance to this pull we have for each other turns me the f uck on.


    I cupped her face with both hands, forcing her to look into my eyes.


    ¡°Did you know how many times I almost lost my sh it tonight?¡± hershes fluttered, big brown eyes filled


    with emotions staring back at me. ¡°More than I could count on my fingers, Millicent. I should¡¯ve let you


    wear a statement shirt saying Damian¡¯s property.¡±


    She allowed a giggle to slip past her lips, but I wasn¡¯t kidding. The moment we stepped inside the


    fundraiser, I regretted picking this dress for her. She was stunning, a goddess walking by my side. I didn¡¯t


    let her slip from my hold for fear that someone would steal her from me.


    ¡°Sonja and I had a bit of a standoff in thedies¡¯ room. She chewed the inside of her cheeks. ¡°She said


    mean things to me, but I told her you had enough brains to stay away from a married woman like her.¡±


    Hesitation zed her eyes. ¡°Are you


    mad?¡±


    Not one f ucking bit. In fact, my chest swelled with pride knowing she could handle herself against Sonja.


    I should¡¯ve told her more about Sonja, what she¡¯s like, and her bratty attitude, but I didn¡¯t expect to see


    her tonight. Silverio wasn¡¯t on the guest list since he¡¯s on Tomas¡¯ bad side. ¡°Why would I be mad?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°You two looked like lovers stealing a moment in that corner, Damian. And we¡¯re not


    exactly a real thing. right?¡±


    Her point was valid, but how can I agree with her when I¡¯m feeling f ucking possessive of her?


    ¡°Everything about this rtionship is as real as you and 1. Millicent. And as long as we¡¯re in this deal,


    you are mine, and I am yours, got it?¡±


    She perused my face for insincerity, but she¡¯ll find none. Tonight was a night of revtion for me. First, I


    felt nothing when Sonja came to me, and I saw through her lies. Second, I hate that Millicent feels the


    need to exin herself to me and for feeling threatened about my past with Sonja. Third, I want Millicent


    all to myself like I wanted no one before


    ¡°Okay,¡± she murmured meekly, dropping her gaze to my mouth and then back to my eyes.


    I was still holding her face, moving my thumb to caress her swollen lips. The ever-present sizzle in the air


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    when we¡¯re together zapped my growing need to possess her, own her for real.


    ¡°F uck, you¡¯re beautiful.¡± The words were out of my lips before I realized it.


    She looked away from me, but I pressed our foreheads together, backing her up against the door. ¡°Your


    lips were all I co think about the entire night, Millicent. I was all over you, but it wasn¡¯t enough. I¡¯m still


    craving for a taste.¡±


    Her shallow inhale and exhale matched my own, and before I could do something I¡¯d regret, I slid my


    hand down her arm grabbing the key card from her fist. I slotted it in the keyhole, unlocking her door.


    ¡°Go inside.¡± I opened the door.


    She remained glued to my front, still gazing at me, eyes dted with desire.


    ¡°Now, Millicent. Before I kiss you again.¡±


    ¡°What what if I want that too?¡±


    F uck, what?


    My eyes widened, my coc k jerking in my pants.


    I should remind her of our deal, that we have no audience although we¡¯re in a public ce. We¡¯re tipping


    over dangerous. territories here. But what I said next breaches all the uses of our agreement.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all I want from you, baby.¡± I gripped her hips and ground her against me, letting her feel what


    she was doing to my body. ¡°I¡¯m one second away from pushing you inside your room; get you out of this


    dress so I could have my way with you¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    -MILLIE-


    The following day, I was packing my things when my phone rang. It¡¯s a video call from Cander


    ¡°Good morning ¡°her smile morphed to worry the instant she saw the state I was in ¡°What happened?


    Regret and thoughts of Damian kept me awake all night. My decision to bid him goodnight instead of


    climbing him like a tree ¨C which I still wanted to do haunted me, like the monster under my hed when I


    was five years old.


    ¡°I feel like shit.¡± I groaned, abandoned my luggage, and headed to the open balcony. My breakfast-


    coffee, bacon, toasted bread, and eggs ¨C had already gone cold on the frosted ss table outside.


    ¡°Well, you look like shit. Leave it to my best friend to p me with the naked truth.


    The video went shaky as she milled about her home. Her furninire arrivedst Friday, and she was busy


    ying interior design-ying the part of a perfect housewife. Both of our hair was pulled up in a messy


    bun, a loose shirt hanging from our shoulders; the only difference was that Candice looked good in it.


    While I am a total mess


    1 plonked on the couch by the balcony: the Seattle morning air brushed my skin. I tucked one leg under


    my bum, gazing over the dense skyscrapers in the city. Mount Rainier in its background.


    She settled on the outdoor chair where we had a nice chatst week, sipping her own cup of coffee. ¡°So,


    how was the ¡®g? You looked stunningst night, by the way¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Thanks¡± I grabbed a toasted bread and chomped down on it, then started narrating the pleasant parts of


    the evening. She was ecstatic about Georgina¡¯s offer, excited enough to book a meeting with our on-call


    staff and start nning the proposal Candice was still oblivious to Sonja¡¯s presence in Damian¡¯s life. All


    she knew was that his step-brother was in this deal to help


    I badly wanted to tell someone about my encounter with Sonja, but I couldn¡¯t. I need to respect Damian¡¯s


    privacy. But it¡¯s killing me. It would be nice to have Candice backing me up-


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± she blinked at me, squinting her eyes from the sun rays striking her caramel skin.


    I don¡¯t wanna talk about Damian or what didn¡¯t happen between us because, if I¡¯m being honest, I want


    what he wants. I came to Seattle giddy as fuck in seeing him again. But meeting Sonja ignited


    uncertainty in me. Was Damian¡¯s affection when he was around me even real? His ex was stunning. If


    she wasn¡¯t married, I don¡¯t think Damian would ever throw a second nce my way.


    ¡°No climax¡± she wiggled her brows teasingly,


    I snorted ¡°Nope. We kissed for a show, like what we didst week. It was very anticlimactic


    ¡°Oh She didn¡¯t bother hiding her disappointment. I thought you two might have done the deed by now,


    you know From how he looked at youst week, even your pictures online fromst night oozed with


    S**ual tension.¡±


    ¡°Tappreciate your trust in my ability to ensure your step-brother, but he¡¯s beyond my league


    She narrowed her eyes at me. ¡°It¡¯s the other way around, Millicent You¡¯re too good for him and if he can¡¯t


    make a move on


    you, it¡¯s is los¡±


    Damian made a movest right, he confessed he wanted more the problem. After seeing him with Sonja.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if I could keep my feelings at bay


    Days swelled into weeks, moving Effortless Events to Roslin City and work kept me busy. Between


    nning Georgina¡¯s anniversary and Constance Moreno¡¯s wedding, I resumed my social media gigs.


    The gossip about Natalie¡¯s usation has toned down, so I epted two endorsement deals. One was


    for a newly opened rooftop cafe and a burger chain.


    r


    27


    It was Friday afternoon, and I had just finished recording the video for my rooftop cafe, ¡®Sinag content.


    While enjoying my freette, I started editing my content when Damian¡¯s face shed on my screen.


    It had been two weeks since the fundraiser. Two weeks of ignoring this urge to ask him how he was He¡¯s


    been radio silent, and now that he made the first move tomunicate, my heart wanted to leap out of


    my chest.


    I epted the video call, and my mouth went dry at the delicious sight of Damian. I can¡¯t believe how


    much I missed him. His gray curls were a beautiful mess, framing his razor-sharp jaws as though he¡¯d


    been raking them again and again. It didn¡¯t matter that we were not facing one another, his intense gaze


    had the same effect on the butterflies in my belly. They¡¯ve gone on havoc, their wings piercing my insides


    with excitement.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I smiled, tucking a loose curl from my ponytail away from my face.


    ¡°Hi Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Tim working¡± I said. ¡°Making content for my vlog¡± I was about to ask him the same question, eyes


    narrowing at the familiar dark abstract painting behind him, illuminated by the dimmed light of my


    apartment hallway, ¡°You¡¯re in Manhattan?¡± I had to be sure.


    ¡°Yeah. I meant to surprise you.


    ¡°Oh


    Damian leaned against the door of his Jeep in front of my apartment building. That vehicle, where it was


    parked, reminded me of when he kissed me here. He pushed off from his car, shing me that signature


    panty-melting smirk as I walked in his direction.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked once I was within earshot, breathless. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s from the


    sight of him or the walk from the cab to where he stood.


    He didn¡¯t speak. We gazed at each other and something crossed his face. He towered over me, and his


    intense expression prated me. I gasped as our fronts collided; he tugged me to his body by my


    waist.


    ¡°Damian-¡± I heaved, questioning him was on the tip of my tongue, but his mouth silenced me, making my


    world spin.


    Goodness. I miss him.


    My eyes fluttered shut, wild tremors vibrated through my body as I savored the softness and eagerness


    of his was no chaste kiss; it was passionate, short-circuiting my brain. It¡¯s filled with lust and hot


    temptation, a y the night where we left things off. He yanked me harder; the pedestrians walking around


    us and the bu passing on the street faded into the background. Nothing mattered apart from Damian¡¯s


    demanding ki


    When he lifted his mouth off mine, he kept me close to his body. I was dizzy. I needed time to gather my


    ¡°f**k, I missed you,¡± Damian growled, dipping his mouth for another toe-curling kiss.


    III

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    -MILLIE-


    Damian took me to a small Italian restaurant in the city. It was a hidden gem with an intimate


    atmosphere. The server guided us to a corner booth with a single rose on top of the table. We slid into


    our seats opposite one another, and the server waited for us to order drinks,


    1 settled for Aperol, and Damian ordered a bottle of Corona. Once the server left, Damian started to


    spill the reason he came to Manhattan unannounced.


    To my dismay, he didn¡¯te here just because he missed me. I cannot me him. I practically


    rejected him when he told me he wanted more. This displeasure nagging the inside of my chest was


    like an itch I can¡¯t reach to scratch.


    ¡°What are we gonna do?¡± I asked, toying with the white straw on my ss of Aperol.


    Nancy had already set a date for our engagement party, a surprise freaking party, two weeks from now.


    Knowing how Damian hated surprise parties, Luke kindly gave him a heads-up. I wonder if Candice


    already knows about this.


    ¡°First, we need to buy you a ring.¡± he murmured, reading over the menu.


    My stomach was so tight that the thought of eating, no matter how I craved Italian food, made me


    queasy. I kept it together, though, unting a calm facade as I scanned my menu when inside, I was a


    raving wreck of nerves. Knowing Nancy, she probably already booked a church for our wedding.


    Damian and I getting married? Oh, my God. Shivers prickled my spine.


    ¡°You mean the two-karat diamond ring?¡± I snorted, scamming the menu, unseeing.


    Damian leaned back in his woven chair; the lights attached to the restaurant¡¯s brick wall cast a pale,


    warm glow on his features. He was dressed casually in faded jeans and a vintage white tee. Whatever


    this guy wore, he made it look like a steal from GQ magazine. He lowered his menu on the table,


    swiped a thumb under his stubbled chin as he pinned me with a thoughtful gaze. ¡°Yep. I¡¯d been buying


    some time with that ring and proposal, actually.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I blinked up at him, lowering my menu as well.


    ¡°Nancy kept asking me when I¡¯ll properly propose to you.¡± His tone was rxed. ¡°I think that¡¯s why she


    kept this engagement party a secret.¡±


    ¡°Should we discuss that too?¡­¡± I trailed off, stationing my elbows on the table, leaning forward. ¡°The


    proposal.¡±


    The image of Damian bending on one knee, popping the question, ¡°Will you marry me?¡¯ crossed my


    mind a han times. And my teenage self had dreamt about that, making different scenarios in various


    romantic ces all over


    Damian chuckled.


    1. ¡°Nah, leave that to me. This might be the only time I¡¯ll ever propose, so I want to make it count


    1 giggled, and the server returned to take our orders: Fritto misto, fennel and orange, beef short rib for


    Damian, and ribeye steak for me with panna cotta for dessert.


    Afortable silence hovered on our table as the server left. I ran the pad of my thumb on the stem of


    my ss Damian sipped his beer silently


    s while


    ¡°You haven¡¯t talked to me since Seattle.¡± He reached over the linen for my hand, circling his thumb over


    my knuckles.


    1 chewed


    my lip.


    ?, debating whether to make a petty lie or tell him the truth. I sighed and answered him with a bit of


    both. ¡°Work kept me busy, and I don¡¯t know where we left things off. I kinda assumed you were mad at


    me or something¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never be mad at you for keeping to our deal, Millicent,¡± he said pointedly, as though my answer


    offended him.


    ¡°You never called.¡± I tossed back his usation.


    M


    ¡°I crossed a lot of lines that night,¡± he exined. ¡°I was giving you time to process everything. Then


    space turned to distance.¡±


    27%.


    Now that he put it out there, I felt even more conflicted about what this was between us. We were


    nning on how to make this fake engagement believable, but this conversation we¡¯re having now is


    for a couple in an actual rtionship.


    ¡°And I¡¯ve been dealing with Nancy¡¯s nagging over the past weeks¡± He released my hand and drew a


    long pull of his beer. ¡°I might have told her you¡¯re moving in with me soon.¡±


    ¡°You what?!¡± I blurt out, eyes bulging out from my skull. My outburst amassed a few curious gazes in


    our direction. ¡°That¡¯s not part of our deal.


    He raised his hands, throwing a white g. ¡°She showed up at my ce and fired up questions about


    why I haven¡¯t been taking good care of you. She asked me why you¡¯re still living in your shabby


    apartment. You know Nancy,¡± he murmured. sticking his lower lip out in a manner that made him look


    so much younger than his age.


    I bit my lower lip.


    He¡¯s so adorable sometimes.


    ¡°So I told her we¡¯re still figuring out our living situation, but after you and Pigtails are still in the process


    of moving your business to Roslin City.¡±


    Candice wasn¡¯t kidding when she said that Nancy¡¯s attention would be focused on Damian and me.


    ¡°This is the first time I had a girlfriend, a fiancee, so she¡¯s keen on sealing this marriage as soon as she


    can.¡±


    At the beginning of this agreement, I thought our biggest problem would be Natalie, Hunter, and Sonja.


    Turns out, it was Nancy. She did this same thing to Candice growing up. She ensured her daughter had


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    a wellid map of her future and that she stuck to it, only veering on a different timeline or destination if


    it was better than her original path


    ¡°Candice is over the moon celebrating her freedom right now, huh?¡± I nudged Damian¡¯s foot with mine.


    He chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Pigtails owe us big time for this one.¡±


    Over dinner, we made ns for our living arrangements after the engagement. Candice had already


    found an office space for Effortless Events in Roslin City. Tomorrow, I will be packing my things and the


    movers will be here in two days. Then Damian had already bought the Sten mansion, and it¡¯s still under


    renovation.


    ¡°That will buy us more time.¡± He said as he walked me to my door.


    Despite the dilemmas we¡¯re facing in our fake engagement, I enjoyed my time with Damian. Denying


    that he¡¯s been the source of myfort since we started fake dating would be foolish.


    I faced Damian; the golden light in the hallway radiated soft shadows over his features. ¡°Thank you for


    dinner. I had fun tonight


    *nning a future with you was fun,¡± he jabbed back, shoving his hands in his jeans pocket.


    1 giggled, tucking my hair behind my ears. My cheeks sustained a permanent blush since the kiss on


    the street. ¡°Are you still staying at your assistant¡¯s condo?¡±


    ¡°Yeali


    ¡°Okay.¡± I chewed my lip, perusing my mind for more questions to ask him I didn¡¯t want this night to end


    yet ¨C but came out empty-handed.


    I could invite hing for a drink, but then he¡¯d be driving. His limit was one beer, which he already had in


    the restaurant. Coffee maybe?


    Oh dammit!


    |||


    ¡°Well, drive safely ¡°I yed with my apartment keys.


    My stomach dropped when he said nothing; he just kept staring at me.


    ¡°Good night,¡± I said and turned, slotting the key into my door.


    ¡°Millicent¡±


    I spun and faced him. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    He stepped forward, grabbed my waist, and lowered his lips to mine. His kiss was gentle, as though he


    was savoring the taste of my lips. 1 looped my arms around his neck, doing the same. Before things


    heated up, Damian pulled away, raked a hand through his hair, and stared at me with those same


    intent emeralds.


    ¡°Good night.¡± He walked towards the elevator, and I went inside my ce, pressing my back on the


    door, cursing myself for not taking the initiative. He was clearly handing over the reins to me. Why can¡¯t


    I take a step forward and take what I want?


    I dropped my bag and keys on the floor, opened the door to chase after him, freezing when Damian


    stood there, knuckles ready to knock at my door.


    ¡°Did you forget something?¡± I asked stupidly.


    ¡°¡­¡± he searched for words, spearing his fingers through his hair, frustration evident on his face. He


    pinched his eyes shut, pinning me with a dangerous stare when he finally nced at me. ¡°Were you


    going somewhere?¡±


    I swallowed past the lump in my throat, making up my mind. ¡°I was gonna chase after you and ask if


    you¡¯d like to stay i for coffee.¡±


    Real smooth, Millicent.


    Damian¡¯s rough voice confirmed his desire. ¡°I¡¯d say yes, but I won¡¯t stay for coffee.¡± My entire body


    trembled when he stepped forward, invading my personal space. ¡°If I walk through this door, we¡¯re


    breaching our agreement. Everything will change. Is that something you want?¡±


    I made up my mind, so I stepped aside, opened the door wider, and invited him in.


    |||

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    -DAMIAN-


    Once the door closed, I backed Millicent up to the door, pressed my mouth on hers, a ravenous man


    tasting his first meal after a long period of starvation.


    Millicent made a surprised ump sound, thrusting her fingers through my hair. I took that as permission


    and shamelessly poured everything that had been swirling inside me since we started this deal. My


    need to have her, touch her, let her know how f ucking crazy she makes me.


    One hand weaving into her hair, I tugged her head back to gain better ess to her lush mouth, my


    plunderous tongue teasing hers to dance in a lustful rhythm, Millicent tried to keep up, standing on her


    tippy toes, climbing me like a tree. Bur when my free hand started to scale the curves of her waist and


    the swell of her hips, she shivered against me. I was reminded of all the things her ex forced her to do.


    Like a bucket of ice-cold water dumped over my head, I slowed my kiss and remembered that I had to


    take things slow with her. This woman isn¡¯t some random chick I picked up in a bar.


    Releasing her hair. I scooped her in my arms and carried her to the couch, avoiding boxes stacked in


    the living room.


    Sitting with her in myp. I repositioned her to straddle me. The mini skirt she wore rolled up her thighs.


    The view of hercy underwear made my mouth water.


    ¡°Damian, she breathed into my mouth, eyes blown with lust.


    I need Millicent to make the first move. I¡¯m giving her all the reins. And when she leaned forward and


    pressed her lips against mine, I knew there was no going back.


    I pped my palms on the outside of her thighs. My grip was possessive. Millicent rubbed her body on


    me like a feline seeking warmth, burying her fingers through my hair. She licked my lips, demanding


    entry. I gave her what she needed and groaned at the way her tonguepped on my own.


    G od help me.


    Grunting, my hands inched higher, passing thece fabric of her underwear, sliding under her top,


    resting on the underside of her breast. Millicent pushed her chest against mine, moaning in my mouth


    as my thumb pushed under her bra, searching for her nipples. My thumb glides over her taut little buds.


    They were so hard I wanted to savor them with my tongue.


    ¡°Millicent,¡± I groaned, switching our position, kneeling between her parted legs.


    I stared deep into her eyes. When did she be so f ucking beautiful? I don¡¯t know what the f u ck


    I¡¯m do that I need to touch her, connect with her in ways only a lover would.


    Her chest heaved, biting her quivering lips as our eyes spoke of what we refused to admit to each


    other. All t leading to this moment, the tension and spark every time we steal kisses hiding under the


    pretense of our de knew that what we were about to do would not only cross the line of our agreement,


    but we¡¯d be erasing it.


    I held her gaze as I reached for the hem of her blouse, searching for hesitation. Her throat bobbed as


    she swallow tossed her top aside, feasting on the perfection before me. She wore a matching white


    Still holding her eyes, I dared slide my hand up her thighs again, this time seeking her heat through her


    panties. Her trembling thighs mped shut, pping against my hips.


    ¡°I want to watch youe, Millicent, I barely recognized the gruff voice that tumbled past my lips. It


    was thick with nee


    and desire.


    Her breath was harsh. I leaned forward and kissed her, pushing her panties aside and swiping my


    thumb on her slit. I groaned. She was so f ucking hot and wet. I teased her mouth with mine, kissing


    her through distraction until I felt her legs fall open.


    |||


    ¡°Let me make you feel good, I murmured, tracing the length of her with my fingertips. ¡°Let me take care


    of you.¡±


    She whimpered when my fingers slowly explored her pleasure. She got wetter the minute; her body


    shivered the more I touched her. I slid further down, teasing her entrance, my mouth sketching a line


    down her throat, feeling her pulse against my lips.


    Her back arched forward, whimpering my name. ¡°Damian.¡±


    My thumb found her little cli t, lightly circling it, ying and teasing. She stared at the ceiling with


    dted eyes, giving me ess to the columns of her throat. I pressed my lips on her pulse; it


    quickened as I pushed a finger inside her.


    She pinched her eyes shut, panting slightly in a pre-S** haze as I worked her body expertly and


    carefully. Her chest heaved. and she moaned when I stroked her cl it, pumping a finger inside her.


    I bent my head, pulled the cups of her bra down, and imed one of her pert nipples My tongue swirled


    to the same rhythm I stroked her pus sy. Her breathes out in a short gasp. I lifted my heard,


    watched her face as I moved my finger faster inside her.


    She rocked her hips, the tips of her stilettos pointing on the floor, legs trembling against my side as I


    mped a hand on her


    throat.


    ¡°Let me watch.¡± I murmured. ¡°open your eyes, Millicent.¡±


    The vulnerability in her brown eyes left me speechless. I was taking what I wanted, and Millicent was


    giving up more than she signed up for. Consumed by desire, a wild thought crossed my mind. I wanted


    to be the only guy to see her like this. I want to protect this woman from anyone who dared try to hurt


    her again.


    Mine. She was mine.


    ¡°Damian¡­¡±


    Plundering her softness like my co ck would her pu ssy, I mmed my lips against her, loving how she


    took everything I gave willingly.


    She was so wet, so soft, and so f ucking perfect.


    I mmed two fingers inside her, loving how she cried out my name, her head rolling side to side. ¡°You


    feel that. Millicent My fingers are inside you, f ucking your hot little pu ssy. From now on, I¡¯m the only


    man who¡¯d f u cking touch you this way. murmured ¡°Hm? Would you like that?¡±


    Her eyelids lowered, brown eyes wild with need, not answering. She whined when I pulled my finger


    out of he with her tight little bud.


    ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± I demanded. Her hips lifted, seeking my touch.


    ¡°Damian!¡± she groaned in protest.


    ¡°Do you like the way I touch you?¡± I toyed with her cl it, loving how her body reacted to my touch, hips


    thrusting hand, begging for more.


    ¡°Yes. Go d, yes, thest one sounded more like a plea


    Ircled her opening She was panting, her fingers fis ting on her side as she pushed her body to me. I


    sucked on her m until they were painfully hard


    ¡°Do you trust me, Millicent?¡±


    She swallowed, eyes zed over. ¡°Yes, Damian


    I pawed the back of her neck and pressed our foreheads together, teasing her entrance. ¡°Who do you


    belong to?¡°


    ¡°You, Damian..


    ed


    27%


    That was all the answert needed. I shoved two fingers inside her iming her lips as I f ucked her with


    my hand, pumping my fingers in and out of her. Her hips rolled, meeting my thrust as she cried out my


    name. I moved my fingers faster. prating her depths.


    ¡°Oh G od,¡± she cried. My fingers, slick with her desire, mimicked how my c ock would plunder her p


    ussy.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine, Millicent.¡± I stated, burying my fingers and then curling them when I found her g-spot, I


    stroked her pus sy like it was my favorite pet, caressing it with a delicate touch, marking her as mine.


    Her entire body arched at my touch. Her heavy, lidded eyes locked with mine as she came with a cry of


    my name. ¡°You¡¯re my woman, and this body is mine.¡±


    I kept stroking her, her walls choking my digits as I milked everyst drop of her or gasm. My chest


    swelled with primal victory as I watched here down from her high.


    She was heaving, eyes glued to my face as I pulled my fingers out of her. She watched me clean her


    release from my fingers with my tongue, falling limp in my arms as I cradled her spent body. We sat


    there for a while on the floor: Millicent curled on myp as I stroked her hair.


    ¡°What about you?¡± she murmured, sleep heavy in her tone.


    ¡°Tonight was about you,¡± I murmured. That wasn¡¯t what I had in mind when I walked through her door.


    Hell, this wasn¡¯t what I nned when I asked her to pretend to be my girlfriend. But after seeing her


    vulnerability, I want to give her everything she deserves.


    ¡°I want to please you too.¡± She yawned.


    ¡°You already did, baby.¡± I kissed the top of her head and carried her inside her bedroom. She had


    already dozed off as I cleaned her up. I debated staying or leaving. We didn¡¯t exactly have a use for


    staying over after I gave her an org asm. stayed and slept on her couch. When she wakes up, she


    wouldn¡¯t think this was a one time thing


    I barely dozed off when my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was Danny and that go d forsaken Belmont


    hotel. That project was starting to get on my nerves. Whoever the f uck was sabotaging me needed to


    be handled fast.


    Ripping one sheet from Millicent¡¯s notepad beside thendline, I exined why I had to leave and


    promised to make it up to her on our next date.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    -DAMIAN-


    ¡°boss?¡± Danny¡¯s voice cut through my train of thought.


    I slid my eyes from the window, locking with Danny¡¯s curious one in the rearview mirror.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± he murmured, a crease wrinkling the space between his eyebrows.


    We slid out of the car and crossed the tarmac to thepany jet.


    ¡°Something on your mind?¡± Danny asked as he filled two rock sses with whiskey.


    Danny and I flew to California. udia, the head of Scarlett Design, imed that one of her staff working


    on the ground. floor developed skin irritation when they started working at the Belmont Hotel. The


    woman fucking freaked out and called Silverio, pointing fingers at me and saying that it was caused by


    exposure to asbestos.


    Silverio asked me to personally handle this. We had to take samples and send them to theb for


    analysis. It would take three weeks for the results toe out.


    Silverio clearly took udia¡¯s side on this one. He didn¡¯t even consider that ck Construction had been


    in this industry for too long to be this careless. Maybe udia¡¯s pussy was made of gold. Either that, or


    Silverio was just in stupid. 1 vouched


    for thetter.


    Apart from this freaking asbestosint?¡± I groaned, sipping my drink.


    Danny hummed, removing his necktie, tossing his suit jacket on the long gray seat,


    ¡°You bothered about that? We both know how that result will turn out.¡± He smirked, his voice lighting. ¡°Is


    there still trouble in paradise?¡±


    Danny was one of the people who knew me in and out of the office, and there¡¯s one rule I abide by. Work


    hard, y hard. Even when I was still with Sonja, my personal life had never hindered with my job.


    Sonja knew me as the guitar yer who lived in a stinky apartment, not the security manager for ck


    Holdings. With Danny on my side, I was able to keep my identity a secret for a long time from the girls I


    yed with. Thenes Millicent who knew me as Damian, the son of Erik ck, step brother to her


    best friend and now she¡¯s my fake girlfriend.


    Navigating this territory had been a struggle for me, and Danny could see right through me. Whether


    that¡¯s a good have no idea really.


    It had been days since Ist saw Millicent. From being unable to keep our hands off each other, she¡¯d


    gone radio siler again. It¡¯s fucking with my head..


    Is this really how rtionships worked?


    Since Sonja and I were in an illicit affair, we kept our rtionship a secret. We went out, partied and


    enjoyed each other¡¯spany without the hassle of family drama and public eyes watching us. Most of


    the time, I¡¯d go to her apartment, and we¡¯d stay locked up for a day or two.


    Everything was different with Millicent. I want to see her, hear her voice and take her ces and see her


    smile. I wanted to make her happy and erase every fucked up thing her ex did to her. How could I do that


    if she wasn¡¯t answering my calls and messages?


    At first, I thought she was busy with moving back to Roslin City. Then when I called their new office, and


    she refused to speak to me, I knew something was definitely up with her. She¡¯d totally shut me out.


    ¡°Just thinking about how I¡¯d propose.¡± I cannot exactly let Danny in on my deal with Millicent, but it was


    on the tip of my tongue. Danny was trustworthy, but it¡¯s Millicent¡¯s trust that I¡¯m keeping.


    |||


    M.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°Now that exins why you¡¯re out of your head all day.¡± Danny chuckled. It


    was low and teasing. He¡¯s the only one who couldugh at me and still keep his job.


    I groaned, pinning him with a death re.


    He raised his hand in surrender, still gazing at me as though my misery was an entertainment for him.


    Leaning forward, Danny resting his chin on his joined hands, pondering on his next words. ¡°What does


    Millicent like? Just focus on that. From what I saw, she wasn¡¯t the kind of girl who¡¯s hard to please.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not.¡± Lagreed. Besides, we are faking this engagement. She will act in ordance with our n


    however I¡¯d pop the


    question.


    Changing the topic, I jumped into a much more pressing issue. ¡°Got any news from Mon about the


    tes?¡±


    Our cameras caught a sedan leaving the premises of the Belmont Hotel when the rm went off three


    weeks ago. The whispering devil in my ears tells me the attack wasn¡¯t random and someone wanted to


    sabotage me. I could feel it in my gut. But ¡°why is the question? That rming off didn¡¯t do much


    damage to our operation.


    1 withheld this information from the fire chief, though.


    ¡°It¡¯s a stolen te.¡± Danny pulled out his phone. Secondster, mine vibrated in my pocket.


    I scanned the documents Danny sent in my email, frowning. ¡°Nevada tes?¡±


    Danny nodded a yes.


    ¡°Who would go to these lengths just to piss me off?¡±


    Honestly, I wasn¡¯t bothered by that incident at all, but this information doesn¡¯t sit well with me.


    I couldn¡¯t take Millicent¡¯s silence anymore. So I decided to pop into their new office in Roslin City


    unannounced with takeouts from the Italian restaurant down the street as a prop.


    Boxes littered their office, and newspapers covered the floor, the heavy scent of paint permeating the air.


    Empty shelves lined the walls, and the three of them, Millicent, Candice, and Andrea, were in their shorts


    and tank tops, all sweaty with their hair tied in a messy bun above their heads.


    ¡°You brought lunch!¡± Candice was the first to see me, dropping her brush on the paint bucket before her.


    Millicent locked eyes with me. She was standing on adder. One hand holding for safety, the other


    holding a paint roll


    face was bare of makeup, beads of sweat glistening on her forehead, a map of sweat marked her pink


    tank top. I swallowed the lump in my throat, taking her long legs in those tiny shorts as she descended


    thedder. I remember how good those legs felt wrapped around me. She touched down on her


    sneakers, bit her lip before dropping the roller on the bucket before her, wiping her forehead with a towel


    hanging around her neck. ¡°Hey.¡±


    I stepped inside and ced the takeouts on the table Andrea cleared out.


    ¡°Hi, baby¡± I looped a hand around Millicent¡¯s waist and kissed her forehead.


    She shivered, faltering on her foot as she pushed away from me. Her eyes were weary and distant. The


    fire that had been there when we were in her apartment was nowhere to be seen. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do


    this.¡±


    ¡°This is really sweet,¡± Andrea piped in and opened the food containers one by one. Her eyes sparkled


    like a kid on Christmas Eve, humming as she smelled cach dish.


    ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver, D¡­ I¡¯m freaking starving,¡± Candice said, dragging two chairs from the corner of the


    room. The protective stic cover was still on. She didn¡¯t remove it, rolled one to Andrea, and plonked


    on one, tipping her head at me with a quirked eyebrow. ¡°Get your fiancee a chair, knight in shining


    armor.¡±


    III


    Spotting two more chairs on the side of the room, Idragged thein and passed one to Millicent, Candice


    and Andrea were already eating like they had been starved for days.


    Millicent had been silent the entire time we were having lunch, answering questions and butting in once


    in a while. I don¡¯t think her friends noticed her smile never reached her eyes, but did.


    ¡°Are we okay?¡± I asked Millicent as I walked her to her door. I stayed that afternoon to help them work in


    their office. Andrea was temporarily staying at Millicent¡¯s apartment while Millicent stayed at her parent¡¯s


    ce. She had just put up her apartment for sale. She wanted to get rid of it, which was clearly


    understandable.


    ¡°Yeah. She rummaged through her bag for her keys. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we be?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She¡¯d grown cold towards me, and I didn¡¯t like it. I volunteered to drive her home, but she¡¯d been quiet


    the entire drive. It¡¯s like threading on murky waters with her. ¡°About Saturday-


    Millicent made a sharp tum. Her eyes were glossy when she met mine. ¡°Can we can we not talk about it,


    Damian? It¡¯s not even part of our deal, and we crossed so many lines that night.¡±


    Her sharp tone took me by surprise. I blinked at her. ¡°You invited me through your door, Millicent. Why


    does it sound as if I forced you to do anything?¡±


    I even asked her if that was what she wanted.


    She pinched her eyes shut, took a few deep breaths before looking at me again. ¡°It was a mistake, and I


    regret it. Let¡¯s just stick to our old agreement, okay?¡±


    She mmed the door in my face, not even letting me say a fucking word.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    -DAMIAN-


    ¡°Okay. Tell me what you did to Millicent,¡± Nancy cornered me halfway through this surprise engagement


    party she had nned for Millicent and me.


    Thank fuck she didn¡¯t go all out and invited more people than our inner circle. My friends were here:


    Luke, Matt, Charlie, Madeline, and Savannah. She also invited my cousins, aunt, and uncle, whom I only


    see at family gatherings. Millicent¡¯s friends were here, and her extended family. Forty people gathered in


    one of the ck Hotel¡¯s function halls, and this was as intimate as she could get in Nancy¡¯s book. It was


    more of a family gathering than an explosive party I thought she would do..


    ¡°What?¡± I met Nancy¡¯s probing gaze. ¡°What makes you think I did something to Millicent?¡± I murmured


    defensively.


    After greeting everyone that came, my bottle of whiskey and I had been holed up in the bar. Charlie and


    Madeline are on the dance floor. This girl, Adie, I think she¡¯s Millicent¡¯s distant cousin. approached Matt


    and asked him for a dance, while Luke and Savannah disappeared somewhere moments ago.


    Nancy¡¯s huge round earrings dangled as she blew a heavy breath through her nose, shaking her head.


    She closed her eyes. controlling her anger, then parked her hands on her hips. She looked like a beast


    trying her best not to pounce on her prey. It still sent une chills. Nancy might not have given birth to me,


    but she did a perfect job of being a mother to me, even when I initially showed animosity towards her.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Millicent can¡¯t even stand your presence. You must¡¯ve done something to her.¡± She pinned me with her


    motherly lie- detector eyes.


    My lips pursed. The moment I saw Millicent in her figure-hugging royal blue dress, I instantly felt the pull


    toe to her and mark her in front of our family and friends. Almost was the right word. Then I


    remembered how she mmed the door in my face on Wednesday, so I¡¯d avoided her at all costs.


    Sure enough, Nancy would get a whiff of what was happening between Millicent and me.


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I tossed back the contents of my ss, then filled it again.


    ¡°You women are so freaking unpredictable you do things for no reason.¡±


    Freaking women. Their mind was like a puzzle I couldn¡¯t piece together. One moment, Millicent was all


    over me, spreading her legs, begging me to make here, then she¡¯d gone cold the next as if I had


    done something wrong. I¡¯ve been mapping a woman¡¯s pleasure for decades. There¡¯s nothing wrong with


    my skills. So what was her problem?


    ¡°Then why are you two ignoring each other?¡± Nancy fired, steam bleaching from her nose. My answer cl


    home.


    Shrugging. I focused on the lively room where our guests mingled, enjoying the meal Nancy and Leon


    nned. I¡¯ve never seen so much of our family gathered in one ce since Candice¡¯s wedding. Laughte


    grabbed my attention. Millicent was surrounded by her friends; Candice, Andrea, and a number of her


    her head back,ughing at something Andrea said, but like on Wednesday, that smile never reached her


    e


    ¡°You know girls, they need space sometimes. I¡¯m just giving her what she needs-f**king hell!¡± I groaned


    w pinched my ears with her long ws, pulling my head down to her eye level.


    ¡°You clueless brat,¡± Nancy hissed in my ears. ¡°Have you been born yesterday? After fooling around for


    so long. know how a girl¡¯s mind works? Wh


    they ask for space, it¡¯s usually the other way around. You must¡¯ve done son hurt Millicent¡¯s feelings. And


    you hiding here isn¡¯t helping


    ¡°Alright! Alright!¡± I screeched. If Nancy was a man, she wouldn¡¯t get away with humiliating me like this.


    My cousins around the barughed at me. Nancy red at them and they turned the other way.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.


    table


    Seething, I red at my stepmother. If only I could tell her what truly happened, then she wouldn¡¯t be


    putting all the n


    on me.


    O


    M


    She grabbed my ss of whiskey and drank it. I reached for my ears, heaving when it was still attached


    to my head. ¡°Take Millicent, go on a date, or do whatever you guys want to do and sort your shit.¡±


    I stared at her, wide-eyed. Didn¡¯t she n this gathering to announce our engagement?


    ¡°What?¡± She reached for the bottle this time and drank from the remaining quarter content


    ¡°Luke said you¡¯ll announce our engagement tonight?¡± Looking at Nancy now, I realize she looked


    different from the usuallyposed Nancy I grew up knowing.


    ¡°Have you seen your Aunt Martha?¡± she murmured, nted eyes sliding towards the table where Aunt


    Martha was; a crowd gathered around her. Wearing a gold dress hugging her body so tightly, I wondered


    if she could still breathe. Chandelier earrings pulled her carlobes down, gold gripping her neck and wrist.


    I raised an eyebrow, wondering what Aunt Martha did to Nancy this time. They never really liked each


    other. In Nancy¡¯s defense, no one in our family actually liked Aunt Martha.


    ¡°Shepared my dress to a lumpia!¡± Nancy hissed, gesturing down to her white wrap-around dress. ¡°I


    couldn¡¯t answer back because I don¡¯t know what lumpia is!


    I snorted. Nancy pped my arm, and we fell into a fit ofughter. ¡°Come on. Nancy, You know better


    than to listen to Aunt Martha. And you look stunning


    Looking less somber, Nancy ordered a ss of vodka cranberry from the bartender.


    ¡°Talk to Millicent. I cannot announce your engagement to the family like this. I¡¯ve been watching you two


    all night. It¡¯s like you can¡¯t stand the presence of each other. Fix that this instant. Damian.¡± Herst


    statement was an order, and it¡¯s not up for discussion


    I nodded and left Nancy at the bar, greeting Leanor on my way to the table where Ist saw Millicent.


    She wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°She went to thedies¡¯ room, Candice said.


    Once I shut the door of the function hall behind me, silence embraced me. The hallway was so silent the


    tap of my Italian shoes against the granite floor bounced on the wall. The same silence allowed me to


    hear the faint sound of a woman¡¯s shriek I stopped in my tracks and listened closely. Then, a loud bang


    sounded from the end of the hallway where the restrooms were located.


    I sprinted towards the restroom, heart lodged in my throat as the sound of struggling became more


    ¡°Get off me!¡± Millicent screamed, a loud bang rang again.


    prominent.


    Seeing red, I kicked the door open. A guy dressed in all ck had Millicent wedged on the cubicle wa


    around her neck, his gloved hand pressing a knife on her neck, blood dribbling where the de touch


    Vision tunneling, I locked eyes with the guy¡¯s blue eyes rounded as he watched me charge at him. He th


    floor


    On shivering legs, Millicent scrambled out of the way.


    Masked guy jumped out of the cubicle, charging at me with his knife, aiming for my throat. I dodged his


    blow side, gripped his wrist, lifted a knee to his gut, and dug an elbow into his spine. He dropped to the


    floor, rolling kick at his side. He scrambled to his feet and sprinted out of the restroom as though it were


    on fire:


    I was gonna run after him when Millicent called my name. She leaned against the wall, a hand pressed


    on her side, oozing from the np on her dress

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    -MILLIE-


    I was awake the entire time they stitched the wound on my left side. I was lucky my attacker only sliced


    my skin and didn¡¯t stab me with his knife; that¡¯s what the doctor said. I knew better, and my attacker got


    me where he wanted me to be.


    I was in the Emergency room, and Damian hadn¡¯t left my side. He stood guard beside my bed, looking


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    lethal, eyeballing every nurse and doctor who approached me.


    None of the guests at the party knew we were in the hospital. I begged Damian not to make a fuss about


    this. I didn¡¯t want Mom and Nancy to worry. He called Nancy on the drive here, making up a story that


    he¡¯d be taking me out on a date to fix our issue. Nancy seemed to buy his story, and now here we are.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for the stabbing.¡± I stiffened in my bed, recognizing that voice.


    Of all the police officers in Roslin City, why would they assign Hunter in my case? He was in the drug


    control unit.


    ¡°Bed four,¡± the nurse answered. Secondster, the curtain to my bed was pushed to the side, the metal


    rings ground against


    the bars.


    Hunter locked eyes with me. He doesn¡¯t look surprised to see me lying on a hospital bed. Then again,


    the guy deals with criminals for a living, trained to hide his emotions.


    ¡°Millicent,¡± my name rolled off his tongue, throwing a dark look at Damian, who inched closer to me.


    Damian¡¯s hands were clenched into a fist, and the veins in his arms looked like they were seconds from


    bursting. ¡°Well, this is interesting.¡±


    Hunter moved with deliberate slowness and pulled out a pad and pen from his pocket. He wore dark


    jeans and a fitted gray tee. his badge and gun hanging from his belt.


    ¡°My name is Detective Hunter Lean,¡± his tone was business-like. For the record, can you state your


    name?¡±


    ¡°Mil¡­¡± I swallowed. My mouth was as dry as a desert. ¡°Millicent Alejandro.¡±


    He gave me a once over, lips curling on the end to a sneer. He peeked over the curtains and asked a


    nurse for a bottle of water. Damian helped me sit up. I took a small sip, feeling the tension growing


    between Damian and Hunter.


    ¡°Where were you injured?¡± Hunter started again.


    I pointed at my side and my neck. My neck needed one stitch, but my side needed four.


    Hunter leaned. Damian moved to a defensive stance, ready to jump at Hunter. Thetter¡¯s eyes shone


    with amusement as he dropped his gaze back to me, taking a closer look at my stitched wounds.


    He scrawled something on his pad. ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡±


    1 hesitated. Hunter frowned, and Damian reached for my hand, running his thumb over my knuckles.


    Since Saturday, this was the first time Damian touched me. His touch was surprisingly soothing. I leaned


    on him for strength.


    ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself if you don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Damian mumbled. His gentle tone spiraled down


    my spine. Even if I practically pushed him away for reasons unknown to him, he was still here, offering


    mefort without judgment.


    I nodded and squeezed Damian¡¯s hand. He tightened his hold on me as I turned to Hunter. 1


    backpedaled at the murderous. re he was panning on Damian. He masked it quickly when he saw me


    frowning at him.


    ¡°I barely finished my business in the cubicle when the door was forced open. This guy came at me like a


    blur. He grabbed me, wrapped his arms around my neck, and pushed me against the wall. That¡¯s¡­¡± I


    swallowed. ¡°That¡¯s when I felt a slight sting on my side.¡±


    ¡°Did you fight him?¡± Hunter cut me off.


    09 26 Sat, Feb 10 M


    I shook my head. ¡°He was top strong. I struggled, but then he pressed something into my neck.¡±


    ¡°Did he say what he wanted from you?¡±


    I nced up at Damian. He smiled at me reassuringly, squeezing my hand. ¡°No.. no, he didn¡¯t say


    anything at all.¡±


    Hunter frowned, writing on his pad. ¡°Did you get a good look at him?¡±


    I shook my head again. ¡°He had gloves and a mask. And the only time I saw him was when he grabbed


    me and when¡­. when Damian fought him.¡±


    Hunter stabbed Damian with narrowed, probing eyes. ¡°Can you tell me your name?¡±


    ¡°Damian ck. The boyfriend,¡± Damian added. Hunter¡¯s gaze could melt steel.


    ¡°And what were you doing in thedies¡¯ room?¡±


    Damian told Hunter why he started to look for me and how he found me. His voice was filled with power,


    dominance, and an underlying annoyance.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you lucky your boyfriend was there like he knew what was about to happen?¡± Huntermented


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I frowned. What was he trying to insinuate?


    Hunter shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been to the ck Hotel. There are restrooms inside every function hall. boyfriend


    knew which restroom you would use and what time toe looking for you?¡±


    all. Isn¡¯t it


    convenient that your


    i


    ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate your tone, Detective Lean.¡± Damian remained calm, though his dominating aura rolled


    off him like billowing smoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s my job to look at all the angles of this case and not to please you, Mr. ck


    Damian didn¡¯t back down. He released my hand and red at Hunter through the tip of his nose. ¡°If


    you¡¯re done here, my girlfriend would really appreciate it if you leave and start doing your fucking job of


    finding who assaulted her.¡±


    Amusement, with a pinch of annoyance, crossed Hunter¡¯s face. ¡°No.¡±


    Damian took another step. I reached for his hand, shaking my head when he looked down at me.


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t done yet.¡± Hunter rified. ¡°For the record, do you have any enemies?¡±


    I drew in a huge breath. The testosterone level was suffocating. ¡°Not that I know of. I¡¯ve been living in


    New York for a whil and recently decided toe back to Roslin City for good.¡±


    I¡¯m giving too much information, but I had to take Hunter¡¯s attention from pissing off Damian. And I


    seeded. ¡°You¡¯re moving here?¡±


    Feigning bored, I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I found my y reason toe back.¡±


    I smiled up at Damian. He easily caught up with my y, kissing my forehead.


    Hunter¡¯s detective facade waned, pinning me with dead confusion. The look he gave me was unnerving.


    ¡°Are there more questions you¡¯d like to ask my girlfriend, Detective?¡±


    Hunter¡¯s mr ground, his jaw fluttered. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch.¡±


    His parting words felt more like a threat than a promise to find my assant.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I listened to Damian speak with Nancy over the phone. The cool wind of the night carried her


    voice in my direction. It was mu ffled, but her worry was evident. Damian kept nodding, murmuring


    words of agreement, pinching the bridge of his nose from time to time.


    His gaze would slide to mine once in a while, green questioning eyes, seeking what was going through


    my head.


    I pulled his suit jacket closer to my body. We look out of ce in front of the hospital. I was still in my


    royal blue co cktail dress, blood stained the fabric, while Damian was in his dress pants and shirt. He¡¯d


    discarded his tie. The first three buttons of his white dress shirt were undone.


    He walked to me, extending his hand. ¡°It¡¯s Lenny,¡±


    Sparks tickled the tips of my fingers as our fingers brushed.


    I pressed the phone to my ears. ¡°Hey, mom¡±


    ¡°Hi, Honey, is everything alright?¡± She sounded tipsy.


    ¡°Yes, mom¡­ Damian and I just had to get out of there for a bit. Sorry for bailing out.¡± I pressed my


    tongue on the inside of my checks.


    She blew a breath, giggling. ¡°You missed the good stuff. You should¡¯ve seen the ck eye Nancy gave


    Martha.¡±


    1


    ¡°What?!¡± I hissed. A biting pain struck on my left side,


    Damian stiffened; he tried to reach for me but dropped his hand quickly, hesitation written all over his


    face. I smiled at him gratefully. He looked the other way, tucking his hands in his pants pocket.


    I knew Damian¡¯s Aunt Martha. That woman gets off on insulting people, and I try my best to steer clear


    of her radar whenever she¡¯s around. I wonder who invited her, anyway. Nancy would rather cut off her


    fingernails than be in Aunt Martha¡¯spany.


    Mom giggled. I hear Nancy murmuring in the background. ¡°Martha¡­ she told Nancy not to wear a sack


    of rice again and boom!¡± She was clearly drunk. ¡°Martha came home with a ck eye.¡±


    I giggled. Wincing again. This time, I felt Damian¡¯s hand over my shoulder. The warmth from his hand


    slipped through the fabric of his suit jacket. I pressed a hand over his, a silent thank you for all he¡¯d


    done for me tonight.


    ¡°Listen, Mom¡­. I won¡¯t being home tonight. Please tell Nancy thank you for the beautiful party


    ¡°Oh no. Nancy is not satisfied with this engagement party. We will start nning the proper


    engagement party for you two tomorrow.¡± I could hear Mom shaking her head in the other line


    I pinched my eyes shut. Not another freaking party. But now was not the time to argue with them. I just


    want to sleep this night off. ¡°Good night, Mom. Love you.¡±


    ¡°Love you, too, honey-¡°I cut the call before she could say more. Knowing Mom, she wouldn¡¯t stop


    bbering about how Nancy gave Martha a piece of her mind.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I gave Damian his phone back.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going home?¡± Damian inquired, steering me through the parking lot of the hospital. It was


    after midnight. The night was eerie, and I couldn¡¯t stand being in a hospital. The scent of alcohol and


    bleach turns my stomach upside down.


    I shook my head, sliding on the passenger side of Damian¡¯s jeep.


    ¡°Where to?¡± Damian asked, shoulder checking, backing out of the hospital parking lot.


    09.26 Sat,


    27%.


    I thought for a moment and remembered that Andrea was staying in my apartinent. I didn¡¯t want


    anyone to know what happened to me, at least until I figured out what to do


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Uhm. Just drop me off at the nearest hotel we could find.¡± I said, sporting my clutch bag n the


    dashboard.


    In my peripheral vision. Isas Damian¡¯s jaw tter. ¡°Hotel You want to stay in a freaking hotel?!


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to worry about me. Damian I sighed, looking out the window, watching the city


    light pass like a blur..


    I wasn¡¯t honest with Hunter. He was a cop, but I couldn¡¯t trust the guy. Even if it was a different officer. I


    don¡¯t think I would befortable sharing what really happened in that bathroom. My stomach was in


    knots. The masked my¡¯s words were ringing in my ears like church bells on Sunday morning


    ¡°Just drop me there 1 pointed towards the Orient Hotel, frowning at the driver when he passed by it


    Damian-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not a f ucking chance I¡¯d let you stay in a hotel. Millicent His hands were clutching the steering


    wheel tighty protest died down at his following words ¡°Tknew you lied.¡±


    ¡ü stared at him, eyes wide as dinner tes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try to deny it. I know you too well. Millicent, but given what happened. I won¡¯t force you to


    tell me sh it. But I sure as hell won¡¯t leave you alone tonight


    He knew I lied to Hunter? But how? Did he hear what that guy said to me?


    All bghts have left my system. I just want to rest ¡°Where are you taking me! Nancy will freak out if she


    sees my stitches¡±


    ¡°To my ce¡±


    I woke up with Damian carrying me through a dimly lit room. The pain pills I drank before leaving the


    hospital made me dose off


    Then I felt a soft surface swallow my entire body. I faintly heard Damian asking permission to remove


    my dress so he could check my wounds and dress me cleanly. When I woke up again. I was alone in a


    queen-sized bed, the sun shining through the gaps of the curtains. The salty and fishy scent of the


    ocean mingled with something delicious. My stomach growled.


    The mouthwatering taste of bacon permeating the air made me push through the biting pain on my


    side. Eyeballing the bottle of pain pilis on the bedside table, I swallowed two, washing it down with


    water.


    I was drowning in a pink dress shirt. Damian¡¯s perfume was faint underneath theyers of Lavender


    detergent and fabric


    conditioner


    Barefooted. I walked out the door, the scent of bacon was my guide. The house waspletely bare of


    any furniture. The


    were blinding white as the morning light passed through the ceiling-high ss walls.


    I found Damian in the kitchen his upper body on disy, a basketball shorts hung low on his hips. He


    turned, holding a pan and spat, shiding a sunny side up on the te by the kitchen ind.


    ¡°Good morning his smile was brighter than the morning sun


    Ihat may by highting the effect of his contagious smile Good morning¡±


    but hija,


    ¡°Breakfast? He heathed


    our


    ¡°At least one of us woke up on the right side of the bed and cooked breakfast for a tion Teyed the


    bountiful food served


    on the ind


    He harmed, setting the pan on the sink, filling two cups with coffee from the coffeemaker ¡°That¡¯s


    because we¡¯ve got a busy day ahead of us

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°How¡¯s your pain?¡± Darnian asked, settling beside me on the bed where I woke up this morning.


    His idea of a busy day was staying indoors, cooking enough food to feed an army, spoon-feeding me,


    and maximizing his Netflix subscription.


    The Holidate was rolling on hisptop. I¡¯d probably messed up his movie suggestions by now.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Itchy.¡± I said. Damian removed the pillow stacked on my side and settled there. The bed groaned


    under his weight, sighing as he rested his back on the headboard.


    ¡°Want me to scratch it?¡± He chuckled, reaching for the bowl of popcorn on myp, his big hand almost


    covering the entire lips of the bowl.


    1 bumped his shoulder, grimacing when pain drilled on my left side


    ¡°Easy.¡± Damian glowered at me in disapproval, which quickly morphed to concern. His gaze softened


    as he clutched my shoulder, looking down at my side where my cut was, ¡°Did you take your meds?¡±


    I did box breathing until the pain faded. Damian patiently waited for my response. ¡°Yeah. Right before


    you came in.¡±


    How can I forget to take my meds? He took a few calls after lunch and answered emails in his home


    office, but he texted me about five times, reminding me of the time I should drink my meds.


    His phone had been busy vibrating since morning. I insisted he could leave if he needed to be in the


    office. Candice said Damian was swamped with work these days about his project in California.


    He checked his wristwatch. ¡°That should take effect in a few minutes. Doc said you¡¯ll be sleepy¡±


    I bite the insides of my cheeks. His concern made the butterflies in my belly go crazy. If someone else


    was micromanaging my life. I would tell them to mind their own business. I wasn¡¯t a child. But Damian,


    ying nurse was a different story. I kinda liked having a freaking hot nurse.


    Damian was still wearing those basketball shorts, and he topped it with a sleeveless cotton shirt. This


    reminded me of how I¡¯d usually see him in their mansion back in high school. Laid back, chill. This was


    the version of him that most of our schoolmates didn¡¯t see. I remember ogling him too many times after


    he yed basketball with his friends, all sweaty and flushed, muscles rippling and defined.


    ¡°It was just a cut. You don¡¯t have to worry too much about me, you know. I¡¯ll be as good as new in a


    day or two.¡±


    Damian made a disgruntled groan under his throat. ¡°That could¡¯ve been worse than a cut, Millicent.¡±


    His tone was sharp. ¡°And that cut would open or get infected if you¡¯re not careful.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve had worse idents than this.¡±


    He shook his head, his narrowed eyes burning theptop. He didn¡¯t like my downgrading what


    happened to me.


    I act and say that it was nothing, but inside, I¡¯m still shaking in fear. The guy¡¯s warning still rang in my


    head. ¡®Stay away from Damian. This is your first warning!


    I told him to f uck off. That¡¯s when Damian came barging in.


    ¡°Say a f ucking word to the cops, and I¡¯ll start hurting the people you care about. Those were his


    parting words before Damian fought him off.


    He meant to scare me, and he did. I am not taking his words lightly; that¡¯s why I¡¯m keeping this


    information to myself. He¡¯d be back. I can feel it. It doesn¡¯t just scare me; it f ucking terrifies me, but I


    don¡¯t want Dantian to know that


    O


    M


    With how he acted since he saw me bleeding and the way he watched over me in the hospital, if he


    continued to treat me like this¡­ like he truly cared. I might not be able to get a hold of my feelings


    anymore. A repeat of that night in my New York apartment might take ce.


    I didn¡¯t want that. I lost control. I gave in to what my body wanted and lost sight of the fine line between


    this pretendi rtionship and what was real.


    Silence swelled between us until Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey tried to reenact a dance move from


    Dirty Dancing


    Damian snorted when the two fell on the floor after Emma¡¯s dress ripped on the chest. ¡°People actually


    watch this ship??


    ¡°Hey protested. pping his hand from the popcorn bowl. ¡°It¡¯s funny,¡± I giggled.


    ¡°It¡¯s f ucking cheesy. What¡¯s their deal, anyway¡± He grabbed the entire howl from me and set it on his


    lips.


    Afraid Tid drown in his intense stare. I quickly looked away. My heart was drumming in my head, and


    the tips of my ears were blushing, remembering the night we shared in New York


    I chewed and swallowed the popcorn slowly. They made a deal, Lexined, to be each other¡¯s date on


    every holiday.¡±


    ¡°Yeah Damian¡¯s eyes were still on me.


    ¡°They got tired of being single every holiday, so they decided to be each other¡¯s plus one. They thought


    a tonic rtionship would save them the heartbreak.


    Hocked eyes with Damian. The intensity of his green eyes made me swallow hard. ¡°But they caught


    feelings along the way


    ¡°So fake dating led them to the real thing


    The sliding door was open, but I was starting to feel suffocated, yet I continued. ¡°It did. Coz the more


    holidays they spent together, the more they got to know each other. But you see, that¡¯s what¡¯s messy


    about fake rtionships. You don¡¯t know what¡¯s real and what¡¯s not. At the end of the day, all you¡¯re left


    with is the reality that the two of you would never even be together if you¡¯re not faking it.¡±


    Damian¡¯s jaw fluttered. His eyes searched my face. ¡°I think you didn¡¯t get how the story really turned


    out, Millicent.¡±


    1 gulped the huge lump swelling in my throat


    ¡°Everything that happened since they started seeing each other was real. Everyugh, every touch,


    every f u cking word they said was real. They were only hiding under the pretense of their deal, but it¡¯s f


    ucking real.¡±


    My response, if I could form any, was cut off by the ringing of his phone


    Eyes glued with mine, he let the call go to voicemail, but it rangagain. He grumbled a curse under his


    breath, stood up, and left the room, leaving me to digest his words.


    Since I read the note he left that night. I promised to keep my feelings at bay. The intensity of my


    feelings when I was with Damian was like a bomba ready to detonate in my face in one flick I don¡¯t


    want to fall for him because I know he would never give me the time of the day if he didn¡¯t need me to


    get rid of Sonja


    ¡°They were only hiding under the pretense of their deal, but it¡¯s f ucking real


    Does he mean everything was real for him since day one?


    I groaned, sliding down the bed, and threw an arm over my eyes, scolding myself for going down that


    road again.


    This is Damian ck we are talking about. He¡¯s beyond any league. He would never fall for someone


    like me,


    I¡¯ve fallen asleep with this thought in my head but when I woke up a littleter in the afternoon, I wasn¡¯t


    alone. Damian was sleeping with me. His body was tangled with mine in a spooning position. He had


    an arm draped over my middle, a leg over mine, and my head rested in his arms. Being wrapped in his


    warm, solid body like this feels so good.


    |||


    Sat, Feb


    09:27


    27%


    ¡®Just for today. I thought, snuggling closer to his warmth. His arms tightened around me, pulling me


    impossibly close to his body. Just for today, Millicent, okay? Tomorrow, you go back to your mission of


    putting that wall between the two of you. again.


    Then I dozed off.


    The next day started the same way Sunday began. I woke up alone and found Damian in the kitchen,


    making breakfast, shirtless, Kick starting my day with a view of Damian¡¯s freaking hot back is not such


    a bad idea.


    My cheeks reddened when he caught me staring at him.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± he beamed.


    1 cleared my throat and entered the kitchen, going straight to the coffee machine. ¡°Good morning.¡±


    A stack of shopping bags was on one side of the kitchen counter. The fruit basket was overflowing with


    fresh fruits as well. ¡°Did you go shopping this early?¡± I had to know.


    ¡°Danny brought thosest night.¡± He slid a sunny side up on a te. He ced the pan back into the


    stove and expertly cracked another egg on it. His muscles flexed as he did. I watch him discreetly over


    my cup of coffee, taking a sip.


    ¡°Those are clothes for you.¡± He tipped his head towards the shopping bags, cracking another egg on


    the pan.


    ¡°That¡¯s thoughtful of you,¡± I murmured, blushing when he lifted his eyes on me and caught me biting my


    lip. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, babe,¡± he grinned, sc attering a pinch of salt on the egg he was cooking. ¡°This is


    almost done. Can you set up the table?¡±


    ¡°Sure?¡±


    While setting the table, I couldn¡¯t help but feel the normalcy of this situation and wondered if we were


    not faking things. Having cuddles at night and waking up to Damian cooking breakfast is an excellent


    way to start my mornings. I¡¯d make coffee and set the table. I guillotined that thought before I go


    daydreaming again.


    This isn¡¯t real, Millie.


    Over breakfast, we talked about our schedule for the day. Damian insisted he¡¯d drive me to work and


    pick me up after.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°I have to,¡± he pressed.


    ¡°No, Damian, you don¡¯t. You¡¯re busier than me, and my ce is out of your way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t f ucking care, Millicent. I will drive you to work and drive you home after. That¡¯s final.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s your pain?¡± Damian asked, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel in tune with Kings of


    Leon¡¯s Sex on


    He was driving me home. I don¡¯t know how he knew I nned to take an early off to avoid him. Imagine


    my surp saw him leaning against his Jeep in front of our building when I clocked out, smirking


    haughtily.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost as good as new. It¡¯s just a scratch,¡± I say cuttingly without paying him a nce. I didn¡¯t


    bother hiding the annoyance in my tone. I¡¯m irritated that he outwitted me.


    ¡°That could¡¯ve been worse, Millicent,¡± his tone was pierce, almost irritated. His reflection in the window


    showcased his fluttering jaw and zing eyes


    ???


    09.27 Sat, Feb 10


    I shrugged, not giving him a reply. We had this conversation at his ce. It would be redundant to


    exin myself again. Even though the cool air was blowing up from the air conditioning, the


    atmosphere inside his car was tense, almost ustrophobic. I could hear him clutching the steering


    wheel tightly with each turn.


    When we reached my parent¡¯s ce, he moved at lightning speed and was at my door before I could


    slip out. I sighed and skirted past him, climbing the porch stairs as if a ball of fire was chasing me.


    With Damian¡¯s long legs, he easily caught up with me and grippeil my arm, spinning me around.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± he gazed at me through the tip of his nose, deep green eyes perusing my


    thoughts.


    Nose ring, I matched his prating stare with my own and sn atched my arm back. ¡°I told you I


    don¡¯t need you. chaperoning me, Damian.¡±


    ¡°And I told you that¡¯s not up for discussion, Millicent,¡± he said pointedly.


    ¡°Who gave you the right to make decisions for me?¡±


    His eyes sharpen. I swear I felt his energy surging around us. ¡°You are my responsibility. That¡¯s a f


    ucking no-brainer.¡±


    I gaped at him, disbelieving. I counted to ten and closed my eyes, inhaling a heavy breath before


    looking him in the eyes. again. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do all of this. No one is watching, and no one knows


    what happened to me. You don¡¯t have to pretend that you care for me.¡±


    As soon as the words left my mouth, the air around us cr ackled. Gooseflesh nketed my skin as


    Damian stepped forward, breaching my personal bubble until he had me trapped between the door and


    his huge body. ¡°Pretend? You think I¡¯m pretending to care about you?¡±


    His pine and waterfall scent enveloped me. I was at eye level with his throat. It bobbed up and down,


    and his pulse there was quickening. Damian bent a little on the waist until his face was leveled with


    mine, his palmsid t on each side of my head,pletely trapping me.


    ¡°Let me make one thing clear, Millicent. Everything between us is as real as you and I. I promised I¡¯d


    protect you, and that stays on whether you like it or not, got it?¡±


    His voice¡¯s deep tenor and possessiveness sent a different kind of chill down my spine. I should be


    scared. Damian looked like a feral lion marking his territory. And I was the gazel who st upidly walked in


    his trap. Something must be wrong with me because I swear I felt my lower muscles contract the longer


    he¡¯s keeping me caged with his body. I licked my lips¡­ Damian¡¯s eyes dropped to my lips as I did.


    ¡°Got it?¡± he asked, his hands rounding to a fist beside my head. His hot breath swept over my parted lig


    Chest rising and falling, 1 mustered the little speck of defiance in me and made my position clear. ¡°Th


    contract.¡±


    Fire kindled beneath his eyes. It was so wild, threatening to burn me in ce.


    ¡°Have you forgotten our conversation before you invited me inside your ce, Millicent?¡± His tone was


    hard cold as winter. ¡°We¡¯ve breached that contract the moment I set foot in your apartment and shoved


    my fingers pu ssy-¡±


    ¡°Damian!¡± I hissed, eyes going round. That fire in his eyes ignited heat on my checks. ¡°Can we not-¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Not what? Not go back to that night? I can¡¯t f ucking do that.¡±


    Shocked, I was held speechless. I thought that night was nothing to him, and that note he left was just


    ame excuse for telling me it was a one-time thing.


    He traced my check with the back of his hand, clutching my chin. His thumb traced my jawline as his


    eyes roamed all over my face. ¡°You are mine, Millicent.¡±


    |||

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    -DAMIAN-


    A shiver ran through Millicent¡¯s body; it traveled through my fingers clutching her chin, rippling down to


    my d ick.


    I never realized how f ucking gorgeous Millicent was until this deal started. Red stained her cheeks, lips


    parted as she breathed heavily. Her thickshes fluttered, blinking away the shock that crossed her face.


    It formed into a defiant gaze that pierced my own.


    My co ck jerked. I shouldn¡¯t love that fierce defiance in her eyes, but I f u cking do. Something must be


    wrong with me because I¡¯m so turned on; I think my balls are turning dark blue,


    ¡°For a show,¡± she stated, aiming to make her point, but her body betrayed her. Subtly, she s taggered


    back against the door. her legs wobbling.


    It had been a struggle to keep everything inside me since Saturday night. I appeared cool and collected


    on the outside. Inside, I wanted to pull Millicent into my arms and keep her glued to my side every


    second of the day. I want to hunt the f ucker who attacked her, make him bleed in front of her for her


    forgiveness. And right now, I want to kiss the life out of her and release all this pent-up tension in my


    body.


    Oh, how easy it would be to take advantage of this situation, but I don¡¯t.


    I¡¯ve never met any woman as hard-headed as her. Can¡¯t she f ucking see how much I worry about her?


    She¡¯s been on my mind since I drove her to work this morning. I couldn¡¯t focus on anything. Even theb


    result for the Belmont Hotel leaning in our favor didn¡¯t brighten my mood


    I left work early so I could wait for Millicent to clock out. I¡¯m d I f ucking did, because the sneaky little


    witch left work early. She made it clear she didn¡¯t want me to drive her home. It never crossed my mind


    how stubborn she could be.


    Now she¡¯s babbling nonsense about her being mine for a show? There was an undeniable attraction


    between us. Even a blind man would see it. She says one thing, but her body¡¯s response to my touch


    says otherwise. She wanted me, so what¡¯s her


    deal?


    ¡°I¡¯m not a property you can own because we¡¯re fake dating, Darmian.¡± Her statement stabbed a hot knife


    in my chest, knocking me back to my senses. She shook her head and pushed me away with little force.


    I let her because now I realize where this resistance wasing from. ¡°I made a mistake in New York.


    This rtionship was only meant to save us both from our crazy exes. And I don¡¯t want to jump into


    another rtionship that would surely end me with a broken heart.


    again.


    For the second time, she mmed the door in my face, but this time, I knew I deserved that.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little hurt that you didn¡¯te here just to see my awesomeness,¡± Charlie chuckled, handing me a


    bottle of beer.


    He asked me toe over and look at this BMW R18 a neighbor was selling to him. The bike was in


    good condition. Charlie mentioned something about his friend moving to Canada or something: I actually


    zoned out the entire time.


    I couldn¡¯t keep things to myself anymore. After leaving Millicent¡¯s ce, I drove around town without a


    destination in mind. My head felt like it would explode from my conflicting thoughts, I wanted to make


    things right with Millicent, but I also knew she was doing the right thing by keeping me at arm¡¯s length.


    I don¡¯t know when it happened, but my attraction to Millicent became sopelling. It was easy to forget


    what she was to me and my family when my dic k was taking the wheels.


    Then Charlie invited me for a beer for the second time this week. So here I am. Charlie can be trusted: 1


    just hope he doesn¡¯t spill my secret to Madeline. That girl was like a trigger bomb. One flick, and she¡¯d


    spill her guts without hesitation.


    ¡°I¡¯d f ucking kill you if this gets out,¡± I groaned, lifting the beer to my lips.


    |||


    O


    Sat, Feb


    Even though he could afford to buy a ce in the city, Charle chose to stay in his childhood home. His


    bad made this house of wood, bricks, and ss from scratch A legacy Charlie inherited along with their


    family futuriness whens dad died. His mom wanted to sell everything his father had built, but he


    refused to


    He¡¯d added a few improvements to the ce on the back of the house, a tform now stretched towards


    theke, cradling the furniture Charlie carved himself in his spare time, Outdoor Chairs, tables, and a


    concrete fire pit. Cinder danced up into the air as Charlie fed wood into the burning coal.


    ¡°Not if Maddie asks He plonked on the chair beside me, close enough so I could m my list on his


    shoulder.


    Hisugh was gleeful. The guy loved to give me sh it, seeing how miserable Lam


    ¡°Your secret is safe with me, 1¡± He shook his head, lifting a foot iver his knee. ¡°I know Sonja That chick is


    f ucking dime


    Apart from Millicent, Charlie now knows my f ucked up past with Sonja. My friends can be brutally


    honest, but I know they¡¯d have my back in whatever situation I get myself into without judgment. I was


    the problem. Even to this date, I still me myself for falling into Sonja¡¯s trap.


    ¡°Guess there¡¯s no judging the book by its cover, huh?¡± He thrusted a steel stick onto the fire, allowing air


    into the me.


    ¡°I f ucked up, that is,¡± I stared deep into the slowly growing me licking upwards towards the darkened


    sky.


    ¡°You made a mistake¡± Charlie said over the noise of the insects from the trees bordering theke. It was


    so peaceful here! could hear my own thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s important is you making a move to get out of that


    situation and make things right.¡±


    ¡°By making another mistake, man¡± I couldn¡¯t recognize the pessimist guy that¡¯s speaking. Dad taught me


    to look at the bright side of every situation. Up to this day, that¡¯s one lesson I still apply at work and in life,


    except for this situation with Millicent. I don¡¯t know how to navigate a fake rtionship:


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Charlie murmured, sipping his beer. ¡°But what do you really want to happen right now, D I can


    see you are


    conflicted


    Conflicted would be an understatement. Lost is the right word. ¡°I don¡¯t f ucking know, man. I thought we


    had an understanding. Then she suddenly put her walls back up again.¡±


    ¡°Which was supposed to be there in the first ce, right?¡± he stated. ¡°You chose Millicent because you¡¯re


    sure she will not ask for more than what you put in your contract. And she¡¯s living up to that. So what was


    your deal?¡±


    Med it.


    why


    Speaking in front of people was nothing new to me, but I never talked about what I felt. Business, I could


    handle, but feelings? They¡¯re an unknown territory to me. The first time I said what I felt and gave my


    heart to Sonja,, hurled it on the ground, and then crushed it with her heels. And what Charlie said was


    the in and simp am 1 so pis sed that Millicent repainted the lines we crossed in New York? She


    coated it in a bright yellow setting us right back on track on this fake engagement.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    I stared into the fire, waiting for a piece of paper to appear magically from thin air, bearing the answer to


    m


    Charlie sighed heavily, uncrossing his legs. He rested his elbows on top of his knees, sping his hands


    togeth the epitome of a psyche doctor trying to persuade his patient to open up. ¡°I think I know what¡¯s


    going on, but influence your thoughts.¡±


    I lift my gaze from the fire, pinning him with furrowed brows,


    ¡°You said you loved Sonja?¡±


    The crease between my brows deepened.


    ¡°How did you know you loved her?¡± he asked.


    I growled. ¡°What kind of f ucking question is that?¡±


    Charlie pushed up his eyesses and shook his head ¡°Just answer the f ucking question, man. You¡¯ve


    been with her in college, then got back together years after separation What makes you think you love


    her?¡±


    This was starting to sound like a cross-examination. Charlie had units inw before his father died, and


    he had to stop school and focus on their family business. His childhood dream was to be awyer,


    and it¡¯s still manifesting.


    ¡°Come on, man, indulge me. You came here for a reason, and don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because I invited you for


    a beer. You¡¯ve turned me down the first five times,¡± he belched out, sounding amused more than hurt.


    Groaning, I leaned back in my seat and stared at the star-filled sky, mulling over his question. ¡°I want to


    see her all the f ucking time. I breathe into the air. ¡°She was constantly in my head.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Charlic pressed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, man. I can¡¯t stop thinking about how f ucking hot she was. And no woman could get my d


    ick as hard as she could.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡±


    I made an exasperated sound under my throat, ring at Charlie. His eyes show no judgment


    whatsoever, only curiosity.


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Do you still think about her?¡±


    I stopped ring at Charlie, now a hundred percent focused on his questions. These past months, the


    only time Sonja crossed my mind was when I saw her in Roslin City. I stopped thinking and dreaming


    about her when Millicent stepped into my life.


    A slow smile stretched Charlie¡¯s lip when I kept silent. ¡°What you feel for Sonja isn¡¯t love, man. That¡¯s


    lust.¡±


    I would argue with Charlie if he wasn¡¯t in an eight-year rtionship with Madeline. He earned the right to


    pronounce the difference between love and lust and other feelings in general. If it isn¡¯t love that made


    him loyal to one girl that long. I don¡¯t know what could.


    ¡°You¡¯re right about one thing; you can¡¯t stop thinking about her, but not only about how hot she is. But


    because you wonder what the f uck she¡¯s doing when she¡¯s not with you. You constantly worry if she¡¯d


    eaten, took her med at the right time, or if she needs help in reaching something from the top shelf,¡± he


    chuckled, a memory crossing his face.


    Madeline was a foot and a half shorter than Charlie. He probably worries about her having trouble


    reaching for things.


    ¡°You want


    do everything with her, shopping, groceries, walking in the park, watching a cheesy romantic movie that


    makes her smile, cook for her, give her cuddles at night ¨C even without making love you¡¯d be f ucking


    d just to be sleeping beside her.¡±


    My heart trashed wildly inside its cage. Was it even possible that I don¡¯t really know what love is?


    ¡°Love is that st upid little thing that makes your heart pound just seeing her smile, D¡±

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s up with you?¡± Candice¡¯s fingers were solid restraints around my biceps as she dragged me


    towards her car.


    We were parked on the highway. The rolling hills of Rossendale were behind us, overlooking Malyons


    Lake on the other side of the road.


    Candice¡¯s eyes warily slide behind us. Constance and her fiance Petterson slid out of their rental car,


    their eyes round in awe, neck strained as they admired Rossendale Hills. This ce was popr with


    the locals all year round. In winter, skiing down the snow covered hills attract every adrenaline


    enthusiast. They even held apetition every year. From spring through summer, wildflowers grow on


    the bed of green hills, perfect for Constance¡¯s vision of theirid back and boho inspired prenup video.


    The sunset over Malyon¡¯ske today was an added perk that we are sure Constance would love.


    Constance called our names, her thumbs thrusted up the air while she grinned excitedly. Yep. This ce


    was definitely a sell out. Then she turned to Petterson; his phone was already up and filming his


    fiancee¡¯s reaction. Constance made a twirl, her yellow lily-printed summer dress flowing as she moved.


    She made a few poses for the camera and started gushing about how beautiful Roslin City was to her


    followers.


    Candice tugged on my arm. I red at her, hissing. ¡°What?!¡±


    My best friend¡¯s eyes thinned; her winged eyeliner made her eyes sharp, they could cut steel. ¡°You know


    what. Tell me what¡¯s bothering you.¡±


    I shrugged, rubbing my arm when she let go, focusing on the majestic view of nature around us instead


    of Candice¡¯s probing


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    eyes. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Back in high school, we used to spend our afternoons on this highway. This ce was filled with my


    childhood memories, and I¡¯m d I decided to finallye home. Although my reason foring home


    was not in the picture anymore, still, I¡¯m happy I continued with my n.


    ¡°You were never a good liar, M Millicent,¡± her tone was whetted.


    I winced. This was the downside of knowing someone since you were in kindergarten. ¡°I hate that you


    can read me like a book.


    She sighed, the warm summer air sweeping her raven curls. ¡°It¡¯s both a blessing and a curse.¡±


    I blew a breath and leaned against Candice¡¯s car, watching Constance pranced in the middle of the road,


    Petterson was on her heels with his camera raised in the air, filming everything his fiancee does.


    ¡°Is it Damian?¡± It¡¯s still foreign to my ears when Candice addresses Damian by his name. I was used to


    hearing them bicker all the time, calling each other names when the other was not around.


    I yed coy, nudging a pebble on the roadside with my boots. ¡°What makes you think ¡°he¡± is bothering


    me


    ¡°Please,¡± her narrowed eyes widened as she rolled them at me. ¡°It was like watching a cheesy romantic


    movie, you two. Andrea and I noticed something was up since he visited us with lunch in the office.


    Then, at the party, you disappeared together. Then he drove you to work on Monday. I don¡¯t need a


    master¡¯s degree to figure s hit out.¡±


    Those were facts, but Candice wouldn¡¯t know how deeply this s hit goes.


    When I stayed silent, she pressed for more. ¡°So, are you two like a thing now? Did you do more than


    smooching over the weekend?¡±


    I groaned, pinning her with a sharp sideways nce. She grinned cheekily. It was my turn to do an eye


    roll.


    Constance and Petterson were now itching up the hill closest to the highway, tracing a path through the


    bed of wildflowers. At the top of the hill was a lone tree. It was old and huge, and a wood swing hung


    from its giant branch.


    |||


    M


    Looking at Constance, there¡¯s no doubt she¡¯d choose us to n her wedding. She loved all the ces in


    Roslin City we¡¯d visited today. And what we predicted was happening. This highway was the selling point


    for this couple to choose Effortless


    Events


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± I searched my brain for the right words to exin what I was feeling towards


    Damian, but there was no use in hiding things from Candice. She would know that I am sugarcoating the


    galling truth.


    ¡°Then what is it?¡± Candice pressed, raising a thumbs up at Constance when she asked if we could stay


    for another twenty minutes before we headed back to the city.


    ¡°Things gotplicated in New York.¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Hal¡± Candice¡¯s excited timber was startling. ¡°I knew it! I f ucking knew it. Something happened, right?¡±


    My eyebrows creased. ¡°We didn¡¯t have S**, if that¡¯s what you mean.¡±


    He just shoved his fingers in my coochie and made mee like no one ever did before. Damian¡¯s skills


    were porn worthy. Thoughts of him doing more to me make my knees f ucking buckle.


    ¡°P¡± Candice dismissed. ¡°Sex is not the only thing that could happen between a man and a woman, Millie.


    So, did he g


    §Õ§à down on you, or was it the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Candice!¡± Scandalized. I nailed her with a questioning look. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about Damian with you that


    way. brother.¡±


    He¡¯s your


    We talk about each other¡¯s S** life, but I can¡¯t bring myself to talk about my intimate session with Damina


    with his sister.


    ¡°Step sister, Candice cleared. ¡°He¡¯s not really my brother.¡±


    ¡°Well, do you want to hear how your not so brother made mee with his fingers while he sucked on


    my nipples?¡±


    ¡°Ew! Okay,¡± she grimaced. ¡°Maybe not too detailed.¡±


    ¡°Thought so.¡± Just to p iss her off, I said, ¡°but he did all that and more.¡±


    Her face pruned, daggers shooting from her emerald eyes.


    ¡°You wanted to know what my problem is, right?¡± 1 giggled, eyes rounding on feigning innocence. I took


    my time collecting my thoughts. ¡°It started there. I¡¯ve always been attracted to Damian, and this forced


    proximity our fake rtionship forced upon me made it kindle again. And..¡± I stared at the tip of my boots.


    Admitting this to my best friend also felt like acknowledging my stu pid decisions. ¡°And I liked the


    attention he was giving me. Can.¡±


    Her voice softens. ¡°You fell for him.¡±


    I mulled over my response. ¡°I¡¯m getting there, so I built the boundaries we crossed up again. Then, on


    Saturday, something happened.¡±


    Candice waited patiently, her eyes round with expectation. Eyes narrowing, I grumbled, ¡°We didn¡¯t have


    S**. Get your head out of the gutter.¡±


    She giggled and let me continue.


    Heaving a breath, I prepared myself for Candice¡¯s outburst at what I was about to spill. ¡°I got assaulted in


    thedies¡¯ room of the ck Hotel.¡±


    She blinked at me, waiting for confirmation if it was a punchline ¡°You what!?¡±


    Constance and Petterson stopped and looked in our direction. I smiled at them apologetically. If


    Candice¡¯s emerald eyes could shoot fire, she¡¯d be setting Rossendale Hills on fire by now


    Candice gripped my shoulder, forcing me to focus my attention on no one but her. ¡°What do you mean,


    assaulted?¡±


    O


    Sat, Feb


    I told her everything, y-by-y, except for the guy¡¯s threat, I trust Candice with my life, but I don¡¯t want


    to take risks and put people I care about in danger. Hunter still hasn¡¯t contacted me about the attack. I


    remember Damian insisting that Hunter call him for any development about my case, but knowing how


    stubborn Hunter could be, he¡¯s probably waiting for me to make the call. And until I know more about the


    guy, I¡¯ll keep things to myself for now.


    ¡°You-¡±


    ¡°Oh, my g od!¡± Constance interrupted Candice. ¡°I¡¯m in love with Roslin City! You guys this ce is more


    than perfect for our prenup video,¡± she gushed, unadulterated excitement sparkled in her eyes. ¡°Right,


    babea¡±


    Petterson threw an arm around Constance¡¯s shoulder, kissing the top of her head. He was remarkably


    taller than all of us girls, butnky We had to crane our necks just to meet his gaze. Whatever you want,


    babe. I just want to marry you.¡±


    I wanted to roll my eyes. He was a total cheeseball, but what the hell do I care about that? Constance


    had stars in her eyes. They were so in love it¡¯s nauseating


    TE


    ¡°Aw¡± she leaned on his chest. ¡°We better head back to your office and sign the paperwork. Better get the


    show on the road early.¡±


    -¡°That¡¯s great. Let¡¯s head back, then.¡± Candice had been working overtime to lock this contract.


    Constance had a considerable following on social media, and this was a good exposure for Effortless


    Events. Strangely, she wasn¡¯t even jumping up and down in happiness about Constance¡¯s decision.


    Once Constance and Petterson were inside their car, we slid inside our ride, and Candice started where


    we left off our conversation. But she was less agitated now. The icebreaker definitely tamed her


    annoyance by a few octaves. ¡°What were you thinking. Millicent? Why would you hide something as big


    as that from me and your parents?¡±


    ¡°Because of this,¡± I gestured at her reaction. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you guys to worry.¡±


    She shook her head, stepping on the gas pedal. ¡°That¡¯s selfish, and you know it. You don¡¯t get to rip us


    off worrying about you That¡¯s what family does¡±


    I


    I nibbled my lip, staring straight at the windshield as if the yellow highway line were the most stunning


    sight I had ever seen.


    ¡°What are you not telling?¡± she asked. Again. I hate that she could read me like an open book. ¡°Tell me,


    or I¡¯ll tell Aunt Lenny


    Mom freaking out was thest thing I needed right now. She¡¯d check out on me twenty-four-seven.


    Worse, she¡¯d probably stay back in Roslin City for good just so she could watch over me


    I sighed, closed my eyes, and dreaded the butterfly effect of what I was about to confess. ¡°The guy


    threatened to hurt the people I care about if I told anyone what he said to me.¡±


    ¡°F ucking amateur,¡± Candice grumbled, slowing her speed when she realized Constance¡¯s car was far


    behind us. ¡°That could be an empty threat.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that, Can¡± I stared at the window, watching Malyon¡¯ske get smaller and smaller as we


    wheeled closer to the city. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to risk it. You¡¯re the only one who knows about this.¡±


    ¡°Damian?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°He¡¯s already going to so many lengths to keep an eye on me.¡±


    ¡°I never thought I would say this, but I¡¯m d Damian is.¡± Relief was defined in her tone. ¡°At least


    someone was watching over your selfish as s¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± I raised my hand in the air. ¡°My mind is so messed up I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯m able


    to function thesest few days.¡±


    I¡¯m faking it, but I¡¯m constantly looking over my shoulder, afraid of being alone in a room, thinking the guy


    would pop up from thin air. He definitely seeded in scaring the s hit out of me.


    M


    27%.


    Candice approached my desk as I gathered my things. Constance and Petterson had just left, and we


    were getting ready to head home. Andrea left early because Nick was in town. And boy, was I d she


    wasn¡¯t here to witness this confrontation. If Candice gives the lesson with words, Andrea would have her


    boyfriend handle this situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize for the things I said to you because what you did was wrong. We call on each


    other¡¯s s hit.¡±


    1 strapped my messenger bag over my shoulder. ¡°I get it, Can. But I¡¯m not going to apologize either. I did


    what I did with good intentions.¡±


    Her eyes n ted. ¡°We¡¯re both f ucking stubborn.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why we are best friends.¡±


    She smiled, and I knew I was already forgiven


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride home,¡± Candice said, locking the office.


    There¡¯s no use in arguing with her. She and Damian might not be rted by blood, but if there¡¯s a


    already inviting Candice to have dinner since Aaron was on a business trip. But all our ns went out the


    window when we stepped out of the building.


    1 stopped in my tracks, spotting Damian¡¯s car parked in his usual spot. Unlike yesterday, he was in a


    casual shirt and jeans, leaning against the hood of his Jeep.


    I thought I had made myself clear yesterday. What was he doing here? And why is my heart suddenly


    kicking on my breastbone at the sight of him?


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have dinner alone, and you¡¯ll have that teriyaki salmon with baby bok choy with your


    boyfriend.¡± Candice sang. She waved at Damian, leaving my heart lodged in my throat.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    -MILLIE


    ¡°Candice!¡± Lhissed, glowering at her as she strutted away.


    Traitor! 1 helplessly screamed in my head. After everything I confessed. I was hoping to have her on my


    side and not leave me alone with Danman.


    The pretty little witch winked at me, grinning smugly. I want to wipe that cun ningly sweet smile off her


    face.


    ¡°Have a nice evening, Millie she sang.


    ¡°I hate you¡± 1 mouthed at her, pushing away this drumming in my chest cavity.


    My pulse ran wild as Damian removed the distance between us. With his long legs, it¡¯ll only take him ten


    seconds to cross the street. I had ten seconds to make a decision. Run or face my fear.


    1 fidgeted where I stood. This felt like the first day of school where the teacher made me stand in front of


    the ss to do a self introduction.


    I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m freaking nervous. Maybe it¡¯s the way he¡¯s looking at me. Those green pools


    have always been intense, but this time, it was as if he was trying to read me.


    While I was contemting, trying to assess my situation. I lost those ten seconds. Damian stood before


    me. He was so beautiful I found it hard to breathe.


    ¡°Millicent, his voice was rougher than sand. Dark bags circled his eyes, and his hair was a mess, as


    though he¡¯d raked his fingers through it repeatedly.


    ¡°Hey I stiffened when he leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. His soft lips lingered on the side of


    my mouth.


    ¡°Ready?¡± he asked, his tenor dropping a few octaves,


    I blinked at him in dazed. ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°To go¡± his brows creased, the edge of his lips curling up in an amused smirk.


    ¡°Oh Damian, we already talked about this¡±


    ¡°Shh, he ced a finger over my lips ¡°And I already told you. I¡¯m doing this because I want to.¡± He stole


    my messenge from my shoulder, his long fingers sliding underneath the leather strap in a move so


    smooth and casual, he threw an a over my shoulder and whisked me away from the building towards his


    car. ¡°Just let me take care of you, alright?¡±


    He opened the passenger side, and on the seat sat a beautiful bouquet of red roses. My mouth goes dry.


    Damian picked and handed the flowers to me.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I meekly said, my head going in circles with what this could mean When I signed up for this


    deal, sweet gestures like this weren¡¯t on my list. I mean, we were faking everything.


    1 cradled the flowers on myp as Damian stepped on the gas; the car wheeled away from our office


    building. He turned the radio on and Elvis¡¯ voice filled the car. I was lost in my head while Damian¡¯s


    lingers drummed on the steering wheel. tapping to the tune of Crazy Little Thing Called Love.


    ¡°You mused the turn.¡± I reminded him when he kept driving past the intersection to my house


    ¡°We¡¯re having dinner,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Dinner?¡± I parroted, questioning eyes glued onm


    ¡°Uh, yeah? The meal you have at night?¡± he seemed genuinely confused that I didn¡¯t know what dinner


    was.


    Annoyed, I said. ¡°I know what dinner is. What I meant was, why are we having dinner? What for?¡±


    A mischievous smile ghosted his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t know a single word, and a question mark could mean such


    an intricate question.


    I bite down on my lip, my checks burning as I try hard to suppress my smile, Damian chuckled and


    exined. ¡°My bad, Millicent. I should¡¯ve asked you first. So, would my girlfriend like to join me for


    dinner?¡± he used a tone that was so deep. that it made me giddy inside.


    1


    I couldn¡¯t help but giggle. Damianughed with me, and just like that, I felt at ease again. I don¡¯t know


    how he does that, but this feels so natural. No matter how hard I try to ignore it, I amfortable around


    Damian, like we¡¯d been doing this for a long time. Like we were meant to be in this situation.


    G od. I wanted to crase thatst thought. That was the little girl in me fangirling over Damian all over


    again.


    ¡°Only if you¡¯re taking me some ce I¡¯ve never been to before, babe,¡± I punched back, putting on a sly


    smile.


    Damian frowned. His eyes were glued to the street, deep in his thoughts. ¡°I might know a ce, but we


    have to make a detour first.¡±


    My brows arched. I was only teasing him. I grew up in this town, and I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve explored all the


    corners of Roslin City. But then again, I haven¡¯t resided here for thest decade, so maybe Damian really


    knew a ce I hadn¡¯t seen before.


    The detour he was talking about was at Simply Thai, a Thai restaurant in the city. He left me in the car


    and returned with bags of takeouts. I was itching to tell him it was okay for us to have dinner at that


    restaurant. I haven¡¯t eaten Thai food in a while, and I want to check out their menu.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Damian murmured, securing his seatbelt. I could smell the spices from the


    takeouts permeating the air in his car. My stomach was knotting in anticipation, my mouth salivating to


    taste what he ordered for us.


    ¡°Like what?¡± I yed coy, blinking at him innocently.


    ¡°Like you had a change of heart. I¡¯m one hundred percent sure you¡¯ll love this ce where I¡¯m taking


    you,¡± he shoulder- checked and backed out of the parking lot.


    My shoulder fell. I threw my facade out of the window and admated what I truly felt. ¡°I was only teasing


    you earlier, and I haven¡¯t eaten Simply Thai in like¡­ forever.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you there again,¡± he murmured, pinning me with a sideways nce. ¡°I want to explore Roslin


    City with you.¡±


    Fire kindled under my cheeks. I looked out the window, hiding how his words affected me. The way he


    said it felt like this was a long-term thing. I had to remind my heart to get too excited because, again; we


    are only on this deal for a year. But what came out of my mouth was something my mind didn¡¯t agree


    with, but I think my heart did. ¡°I think I¡¯d like that too. Damian.¡±


    Our eyes locked for a beat. His were round with surprise while mine were wide with this unnerving


    feeling I¡¯ve ignored since New York.


    ¡°Good,¡± Damian said, shifting gears. I was startled when he reached for my hand andced our fingers


    together. And when he lifted my hand to his lips for a kiss, I nearly melted into a puddle in my chair.


    ¡°Is this the part where you confess your deepest darkest sins?¡± I said, ridges deepening on the space of


    my eyebrows. I hesitantly took in the wrecked cars lining the junkyard from left to right.


    ¡°What?¡± Damian chuckled, the car slowing to a crawl.


    This was, in fact, the first time I¡¯ve been to Tobby¡¯s Salvage Yard. I¡¯ve heard of this ce from Dad a few


    times when I was still in school. He was friends with Tobias Watson, the owner of the yard.


    |||


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of movies where they dump the dead bodies inside a car and let the salvage yard do the


    disposal. This is thest ce the authorities would look for a missing person.¡±


    Damian¡¯sughter filled the confines of his car. ¡°Don¡¯t give me ideas, Millicent.¡±


    Iughed with him. The smell of oil and old metal spread through the air, but it didn¡¯t give off that


    unpleasant junkyard smell. The cars lining each side of the dirt path we took were surprisingly organized.


    Big machines and trailers were on the far end of the yard, motorcycles and smaller vehicles were on our


    left, and SUVs and trucks were on the right.


    Damian drove through the yard until we reached a metal arch with a buff guy manning the trailer on the


    left.


    ¡°D!¡±The guy beamed at Damian, offering his hand for one of those handshakes where they pat each


    other¡¯s shoulder. The guy had to reach over the trailer and Damian¡¯s jeep


    ¡°Jackie.¡± Damian replied with the same enthusiasm. ¡°How have you been, bro?¡±


    Jackie spread his arms, gesturing towards the inside of his trailer turned office and over the entire yard.


    ¡°Business is doing good, so I¡¯m good. You? I heard you¡¯ve taken over your old man¡¯spany.¡±


    Damian shook his head. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all destined to take over our old man¡¯s businesses,¡± he said. Both of


    them looked back at the pilling cars behind us. ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink at Lukes on the weekend.¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Jackie¡¯s gaze slid to mine. Then he shed Damian a knowing smile. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d


    see the day you¡¯d visit my yard with a chick¡±


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯m trying to make an impression here.¡± Damian retorted.


    Jackie hollered, throwing his head back. ¡°You go ahead, man, this one¡¯s on the house.¡±


    Through the rearview mirror, another car parked on the one behind us, and I saw a fewing in our


    direction, too.


    ¡°Thanks, man. See you at Luke¡¯s. Damian continued driving through the path.


    Behind the junkyard was a huge parking space. Vehicles were already parked in the lor, facing a wide


    screen with movie credits rolling.


    I was surprised that a ce like this existed in Roslin City. The salvage yard was located on the outskirts


    of the city. Mt. Malyons famous sunset can be witnessed here from a different angle.


    Once Damian found a spot for us, he reached for the bags of takeouts on the back seat and took out the


    foo by one. Som tam, s pic y chili, basil fried rice, tom yum soup, chicken satay, Bangkok-style drunken


    noodles rice pudding for dessert.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of food,¡± Imented, eyes skimming over the sc at tered food containers on the dashboard


    and


    ¡°I¡¯m freaking starving¡± Damian said, handing over a box of fried rice to me along with a spoon and fork.


    He the chicken andid them on top of my rice. ¡°Eat up.¡±


    The food looked delicious, and the aroma was mouthwatering, so I dug in, moaning as the spices


    exploded on my my first bite. ¡°This is really good. Go d. I can¡¯t believe I went away from this town for so


    long,¡± I said with a mouth ful food as a new movie started to y on the widescreen.


    The parking lot started to fill out, too, but we had a little privacy inside Damian¡¯s car.


    s one


    ricky


    ¡°Me too,¡± Damian admitted, busying himself with filling his rice box with more food. ¡°When I was in


    school, all I wanted wa to get away from this ce¡­ and I did. I was happy for a while, but since I came


    back, I appreciated the peace and quiet of this cepared to the big cities I¡¯ve resided for¡­¡± he


    searched for words, ¡°almost fifteen years.¡±


    I lift my shoulder in azy shrug, enjoying my shrimp. ¡°It¡¯s cliche, but we only understand the value of


    things until we lose


    IL¡±


    Damian lifted his intense eyes from his food to my face. ¡°Are we still talking about food?¡±


    I pinned him with a sideways nce. ¡°Are we?¡±


    The air suddenly thickened, the temperature rose even if the air conditioning was on full st.


    His eyes dropped to my lips, intense green pools dting as he reached over and swiped his thumb over


    my lower lip. The satay sauce stained his thumb. A pulse kicked in my lower region as I watched him lift


    it to his lips, gently sucking on it. The movie on the screen faded. The cars parked around us became


    inconsequential. All that I could think of was how those lips felt sucking my own.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe, I couldn¡¯t move. I don¡¯t know if I was leaning toward Damian or if he was the one


    leaning toward me, but our faces were inching closer.


    I swallowed hard, licking my lips. He eyed the movement of my tongue over my lips. We both got started


    when a car behind us blew its horn. I swear I heard Damian growl a curse. In my nervous state, I giggled


    and ttened my back on my seat, resting my head on the headrest.


    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± Damina asked, stabbing the food in his box.


    1 sighed, still giggling to myself. ¡°I thought you¡¯re gonna kiss me


    ¡°I was¡­¡± he murmured.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    This chapter contains trigger themes. Please proceed reading with caution..


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°So, how was it?¡± Damian asked as we ascended the porchnding of my parent¡¯s ce.


    ¡°The movie?¡± I asked, hunting for the keys inside my messenger bag.


    It was a good thing the Drive-in movie they yed was Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze and Demi


    Moore. If I hadn¡¯t watched that movie a million times. Damian would have caught me red-handed


    watching him the entire night instead of the movie.


    Who wouldn¡¯t? He admitted wanting to kiss me. After that confession, nothing apart from him made


    sense. I was starving. but even the food tasted nd


    ¡°That.¡± Damian parked himself on the side of the door as I slotted the key in the keyhole. his gaze


    burning the side of my face. He shoved his hands in his pocket and continued. ¡°And the dinner date.¡±


    I bite my lower lip, concentrating on slotting the freaking key into the hole as though opening a door


    needed my one hundred and ten percent attention. I badly needed to get inside the house, run to my


    room, and hide under the nket. My hands were shaking. Hell, my entire body had been in shambles


    since that almost kiss,


    ¡°Date¡± a tenseugh fell off my lips. ¡°I thought that was only dinner. I peered at Damian, finally able to


    slot the key in. Wrong move. The intensity of his eyes quickly sucked me in. ¡°Not a dinner date¡­.¡±


    He shrugged. leaning against the door frame. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a thing lovers do?¡±


    Once the door utched, I lifted my chin and gave Damian a steady look. ¡°Damian, we talked about


    this.¡±


    ¡°We did.¡±


    ¡°So stop giving me the wrong signals.¡±


    This was starting to feel real, like he was truly mine. It¡¯s getting hard not to step over the line of our


    deal. He takes care of m the way a lover would. We were fake dating, and he made wild promises of


    protecting me when I needed it the most. He admitted he wanted to kiss me, and right now, he was


    looking at me like I was the only girl in the world, yet the fact remain that we are only together because


    we were faking things.


    Damian stood straight, his broad shoulder squared. ¡°What signals are those, exactly?¡± He looked


    confused.


    I searched for the right words, my forefinger pointing at him and me. ¡°This the date, the protecting me.


    This is starting to feel real.¡± His eyebrows creased. ¡°Like¡­ like you really care for me, more than a


    friend should.¡±


    The air between us shifted. Damian¡¯s eyes darkened. He removed the distance between us in one


    steady step. ¡°We are more than friends, Millicent


    1 stepped back. His arm coiling around my waist prevented me from doing so. ¡°Damian.¡±


    ¡°What the f uck do you think we¡¯re doing?¡± he rasped.


    ¡°What we have is not real,¡± I reasoned, lifting my hands to his chest, pushing him away.


    He didn¡¯t let me. Instead, he drew me clover to his body. A surprise squeak got trapped in my throat.


    Damian¡¯s pine and waterfall scent intoxicating me. ¡°Does this feel unreal to you?¡±


    1 09:27 Sat,


    His question clouded my reasoning. Was his question rhetorical? But then he lifted a hand to my check


    to my jaw down to my chin with his knuckles.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    face, caressing the slope of


    ¡°Does this feel unreal to you?¡± His actions conveyed a different meaning to his questions. His green


    eyes rested on mine, reading my soul. ¡°Because this feels real as you and I, Millicent.


    He got my mind reeling with his statement. This had been real to me since the beginning. I was just too


    stubborn to admit that to myself, afraid I¡¯d fall and Damian wouldn¡¯t be there to catch me. Does this


    mean he¡¯d be there to catch me? Was he implying that we make everything real and forget about our


    deal?


    The incessant ringing of his phone cut off our staring contest. He huffed, releasing me, answering the


    call.


    I remained rooted in my spot, rubbing my hand over my forearms as Damian talked to his assistant. It


    sounded urgent.


    ¡°I have to go.¡± Damian removed the distance between us once again and kissed my forehead. The


    gesture was so guileless it felt like we¡¯d been doing this before. ¡°You go inside. I¡¯ll pick you up


    tomorrow.


    I nodded and followed suit, grateful to be finally alone. Inside, I headed straight to my room and stayed


    under the shower until my skin pruned. A white towel wrapped around my body, nguidly walked back


    to my room, my mind still busy processing everything Damian had done and said.


    While I plucked out underwear and nightwear from my closet, the hair on the back of my neck rose.


    The feeling of being trapped and assaulted in the bathroom was still fresh in my memory. I stiffened,


    suddenly aware of my surroundings. The only light inside wasing from the bedsidemp. There


    was nothing but clothes and hangers inside my closet. I stepped back from the closet, aiming to make


    a run for the door, but a shadow emerged from the side of my closet.


    Huge hands coiled on my waist and neck, trapping me in a chokehold.


    ¡°I warned you. I¡¯d recognize that voice anywhere. It was the same guy from the hotel. His wall of


    muscles kept against his front as he switched our position and shoved me into the closet door.


    I clutch the towel on my chest, wing at his arm around my throat


    ¡°I never said anything to the cops!¡± My angry tone opposes the trembling on my hands and legs.


    me secured


    ¡°You were told to f u cking stay away from Damian, he groaned, pulling me away from the closet door


    only to m me back on it. My forehead hit the wood. I cried, a biting pain registered on my head, my


    vision blurring.


    ¡°What do you want from me?!¡± I yelped. ¡°Ah!¡± He mmed my head on the door, then he tossed me


    like a rag doll on my


    bed.


    The towel slipped from my hold. I scrambled back from the guy and secured the towel to cover my


    upper region. I¡¯ve neve gotten a good view of him in the hotel. He wasrger than I remember, wearing


    all ck. The hood of his jacket shadowing his eyes. There was a cut on his upper lip, and his


    menacing sneer as he licked his lips sent fear vibrating through my entire body.


    ¡°You¡¯re a pretty little thing,¡± he murmured, stalking around the bed like an agile lion taunting its prey.


    I hopped out of the bed, my back hitting the wall, the curtains on the window dancing gently with the


    summer night wind. No one had resided in this house since I graduated from high school. The rm


    recement was a decade toote. No wonder he got in and out without triggering the rm.


    He paused for a moment, head tipping to the side. His wicked stare licked me from head to foot. ¡°He


    never said not to y with you.¡±


    ¡°F uck you!¡± I screamed and made a run for the open window. It didn¡¯t matter to me if I would break a


    bone or two from the fall. All I cared about was escaping from this monster!


    He lunged at me. His rough hands locked around my ankle. Dread spiraled through my body from his


    touch. He pulled me away from the window, hurling me down to the floor. The back of my head hit the


    bedside table on foot and the bed. I hissed from the pain, my vision turning dimming, but my other


    senses were hyper aware of my surroundings.


    O


    Sat, Feb


    I kicked him, my hands iling against his face as he straddled me on the waist. ¡°Feisty. You¡¯re getting


    my dic k harder.¡±


    ¡°F uck you!¡± I kicked and screamed, but he was bigger and stronger than me. My towel had long flown


    away from my body. and he was feasting on my nakedness like a starved man. One moment, I was


    fighting him with everything I had, and then his huge body pinning me down was no more. Nothing but


    cold air was licking my skin.


    I grabbed the bed covers and wrapped it around my body, trying to assess what was happening. Two


    bulky guys were brawling at the foot of the bed. Though the room was dimmed, I quickly recognized


    Damian jackhammering his fist on the guy under him. He reminded me of a killing machine. He didn¡¯t


    flinch or grunt when the guy managed tond a punch or two. He didn¡¯t stop until the guy was


    unmoving beneath him.


    ¡°D.. Damian¡­¡±I called. I was surprised he even heard me. Anger, menace, and danger swirled in his


    eyes as he looked over his shoulder. It quickly morphed to concern once he took in my state.


    Abandoning the unconscious body behind, Damian rushed to me. His wet hand cradled my head,


    guiding my forehead to his chest. My knees gave out, and thest thing I remember was Damian¡¯s


    words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so f ucking sorry, baby.¡±


    ND GIFT

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    -MILLIE-


    The next time I opened my eyes, I was back at Damian¡¯s ce. I had been asleep for a day, though it felt


    like I¡¯d been asleep for a whole week.


    Mom, Dad, Nancy, Erick, Candice, and Andrea dropped by and checked up on me. Damian¡¯s room


    became a mini garden from all the flowers they brought. Mom and Nancy stacked the fridge with food.


    They were all worried about me, and I had to put


    a facade that I¡¯d be fine. It dawned on me that they didn¡¯t know what really happened inside my room.


    It helped that I was physically okay. Apart from a few bruises, aceration on the back of my head, and


    the fading handprint on my ankles, I was fine.


    Candice put me up to date on everything that happened while I was unconscious. She said that Damian


    was adamant about letting me stay in the hospital. The cops arrested my assant, but since Damian did


    a good number on him, they brought him straight to the hospital. Four broken ribs, dislocated arms, and


    his face was barely recognizable. I¡¯ve yet to know who he was and what he wanted from me. Part of me


    was eager to learn his reasons for targeting me; the other was still terrified of facing the truth. Candice


    pointed out that Damian was handling the case on my behalf. Not even my dad knew anything as of this


    moment.


    Mom appreciated Damian¡¯s request that I stay here with him while the investigation was rolling. My body


    was tired, but my mind wouldn¡¯t let me rest. It¡¯s the emotional and psychological effects of what


    happened that I¡¯m finding it hard to cope with. I get easily startled, and I hate being alone, like tonight.


    A knock on the door made me stiffen. I¡¯d been lost in my head, staring at nothingness since everyone


    left.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Damian entered the room. I hadn¡¯t seen him since I opened my eyes, and the relief that washed


    over confounding.


    me was


    He hired two security guards for me, but seeing him remove the boulder that I didn¡¯t know was weighing


    down my shoulder.


    I smiled at him. ¡°Hey,¡±


    He dropped his suit jacket on the foot of the bed, tossed his tie on top of it, and sat on my side. ¡°How are


    you feeling?¡±


    Stars must have been sparkling in my eyes. This was the first time I genuinely smiled since I woke up. I


    was happy to see everyone, but they didn¡¯t know what happened to me like Damian did. He knew the


    horror this guy b the hotel.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, flinching when Damian reached for my hand.


    He frowned. He didn¡¯t need a lie detector to know I was lying straight in his face, but he yed along.


    enough food in the fridge to feed us to next week. Got some craving for tonight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± another lie. There was a hollow pit in my belly that not even my favorite wild rice soup


    co eaten bowl still sat on the bedside table. Damian¡¯s eyes fell on it.


    Nodding, Damian gathered the unfinished food and went to wash the dishes. When he returned, he had


    my me and a ss of water.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in the room next to yours,¡± he said once I downed all my pills.


    my life since


    1 didn¡¯t want him to leave. Being alone terrified me, but I didn¡¯t want to impose. He¡¯d already done so


    much for me. ¡°T you, Damian¡±


    He assessed me for a beat, looking unconvinced, before leaving the room.


    I tossed and turned on the bed. The mechanical sound of the digital clock sitting on the bedside table


    was louder than the waves crashing on the shore. It was like a countdown to my final destination. I had


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    already given up on sleep when Damian


    left


    M.


    checked up on me. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡±


    27%-


    I bite my lip. He¡¯d probably seen the light in my room. I tried turning the lights off, but my mind kept


    ying tricks on me. as though someone was watching me in the dark. This felt like kindergarten all over


    again, where I believe a monstery under my bed.


    I nodded. Damian closed the door behind him. No words were exchanged between us. I gave room for


    him on the bed. He offered me his arms, and a sigh of relief tumbled down my lips when his warmth


    enveloped me. He turned the lights off, and I dozed off as quickly as darkness nketed the room.


    The next day. I woke up cocooned in Damian¡¯s arms. Our faces were so close, his breath fanning my


    forehead. Dark bags circled his eyes, and day-old stubbles dusted his jaw. His eyelids fluttered open,


    and like always, I was once again sucked by those intense green pools like a moth to a me.


    He blinked the sleep away from his eyes, pinning me with a stare. ¡°Hey¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± I broke my gaze from him, staring at his throat


    ¡°Were you watching me sleep?¡± a teasing hint in his gruff voice.


    ¡°I¡­ I just want to thank you for everything you¡¯ve done, Damian.¡± I wiggled free from his hold.


    As gently as he could, he drew me closer and kissed my forehead, surprising me. ¡°I promised I¡¯d take


    care of you. I failed¡­ twice. That will never happen again.¡±


    ¡°Damian¡­¡± I wanted to tell him he didn¡¯t need to me himself for what happened. He saved me twice.


    If it wasn¡¯t for him, I would be nursing more than just bruises and scratches. But he shook his head and


    kissed my head again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make breakfast,¡± he got out of the room without allowing me to say another word.


    ¡°Detective Lean will be here in an hour.¡± Damian set his phone down on the dining table.


    ¨C


    Seeing what Damian prepared for breakfast ¨C scrambled eggs, toast, whole wheat pancake, and fruit


    smoothie gave me an appetite. But the mention of Hunter made my stomach sink. This was the first time


    he brought up the case.


    Sweat formed in my palms, my knife and fork slipping from my hold. I lift my gaze from my te of


    scrambled eggs and pancakes. My stomach is turning over. Talking to Hunter meant I needed to go over


    what happened y-by-


    ¡°I can tell him we¡¯ll go to the station when you¡¯re ready.¡± Damian said over his cup of coffee.


    ¡°Who was the guy that attacked me?¡± I mustered enough courage to ask.


    Damian pondered on it before looking at me steadily. ¡°He¡¯s a member of a local gang.¡±


    ¡°What? A gang member?¡± I frowned.


    Damian left the kitchen, went upstairs, and handed me a man folder when he came back. Bile rose


    from my ba came face to face with my assant. I knew it was him. I will never forget those eyes and that


    cut above his lip.


    It was his bio. Rome Fletcher. It also contained the basic information about him and all the crimes he¡¯d


    been involve


    ¡°Drug trafficking. Drug use. Gun smuggling. Assault and attempted murder?¡± my hands were trembling


    as I set the pap down. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know him. How the hell did I be his target?¡±


    This information was mind-numbing. Damian watched me intently as I processed Rome¡¯s bio.


    ¡°Someone hired him.¡± He sounded so sure.


    ¡°What?¡±


    III


    37


    27%


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this, Millicent.¡± His jaw was set on a hardline. He put his elbows on the table,


    joining his hand. The cords on his forearms were ready to explode. His expression was dangerous. ¡°The


    help me find out who hired him, tell me now.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t keep the information to myself anymore, so I told Damian what Rome said to me from the hotel


    and to the night. in my room. When I was done, the back of my shirt was soaked in cold sweat. Damian¡¯s


    chair fell back when he pushed off from the dining table. Anger billowed like white smoke from his skin.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve told me this the first time it happened, Millicent, he was fuming mad. ¡°What the f uck were


    you thinking?¡±


    I jumped from my seat as his voice rose. ¡°L¡­ I was scared he¡¯d hurt someone else I care about.¡±


    ¡°Look at you now,¡± he gestured at me with open palms. ¡°He assaulted you! If I didn¡¯te back¡­. If I


    wasn¡¯t there¡­¡±


    ¡°Damian-¡± Tears gathered on my bottom lids.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if anything worse happened to you. Millicent. I couldn¡¯t forgive myself for not


    being able to protect you¡± His jaw fluttered.


    I stood from my chair and threw myself at him, tears rolling down my cheeks. I hate that he¡¯s ming


    himself for what happened ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault¡±


    ¡°No.¡± he held me tight and buried his face in the crook of my neck. His entire body was shaking in anger,


    in regret, I¡¯m not sure. But his emotions were slithering through my entire body. I was half certain that this


    happened because of me. Now I¡¯m sure that this all happened because you got tangled with me. I won¡¯t


    stop until you¡¯re safe again, you hear me? I won¡¯t.¡±


    0

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    -MILLIE-


    What Natalie and Hunter did to me left a permanent scar on my heart. Over-the-counter medicine cannot


    cure the pain their betrayal inflicted on me. If I could. I would erase all the memories I had of them. I want


    to see them as strangers, not someone I used to know.


    Looking into Hunter¡¯s eyes, knowing his tells, made me clench my fist so tight they turned white.


    He¡¯s mad. Anger shot from his eyes as they slid on the long bruise on my left arm. I scraped it against


    the window sill when Rome hauled me down like a rag doll. A bandage on the back of my head covered


    a wound the size of a penny. It would leave a permanent scar on my scalp, no hair would grow in that


    spot again. My leggings and loose shirt hid all the other bruises and scratches on my body.


    As the lead investigator in this case, he has first-hand information on my medical reports. So why does it


    look like he¡¯s learning about the physical abuse I received for the first time?


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Hunter asked, genuine concern shone in his eyes. Though he wore a mask of


    indifference, I could still see through his tough cop facade. Our rtionship might have ended terribly, but


    we shared part of our lives for two years and a half. Two years and a half that I wanted to undo..


    ¡°I¡¯ve been better. Myposure was unshakable in the naked eyes, when inside, I was a trembling


    mess.


    Damian asked me to sit this out, but I decided it was best to deal with it now. No one would do this for


    me. But there was a considerable difference between knowing and doing that. Just the thought of Rome


    Fletcher, how he stepped out of the shadows in my room like the monster I¡¯ve been terrified of since I


    was five, how his calloused hand felt against my skin. determined to do to me what he will, and how he


    stared down at me like a starved man and I was his meal made me want to vomit everything I had for


    breakfast. My stomach was a twisted iness since Hunter walked in. My feet itched to dash from the


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    living room where we were seated to Damian¡¯s room and lock myself there forever.


    Damian stood in the corner, his hawk eyes glued on Hunter and me. Once my gaze locked with his,


    understanding nketed his face. Hunter eyeballed Damian as he crossed the room and upied the


    space beside me on the long couch, He grabbed my mmy hand, enveloping it in his huge one.


    Though my chest was still heavy, Damian¡¯s nearness loosened. the shackles around my throat


    Hunter gawked at our joined hands with a feral gaze. Glowering, his nails dug into the leather covers of


    his notepad as he prepared to take my statement. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t easy, but could you walk me through


    what happened the night of the assault?


    I squeezed Damian¡¯s hand, drawing courage from him before recounting what happened that night, f


    movies to the moment Rome stepped out of the shadows. Whenever my voice trembled, Damian wou


    my knuckles.


    ¡°For the record, did you know Rome Fletcher before the incident at the ck Hotel?¡±


    1 frowned, confused. ¡°No. I haven¡¯t resided here for years. Everyone I know in Roslin City could attest to


    th


    Hunter¡¯s voice was steady as he said. ¡°Outside Roslin City.¡±


    The edge in his voice didn¡¯t sit well with me. ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°Kome Fletcher ims that you knew each other before the incident, that you invited him into your


    house.¡±


    1 flinched. A throb started to pound in my head. ¡°The hell would I be involved with someone like him?¡±


    ¡°Someone like him?¡± Hunter stared down at me, concern bubbled beneath his cool blue eyes.


    Damian and I didn¡¯t discuss his information in Rome in particr, but I¡¯m not s tupid to realize my


    mistake.


    over


    Eyes glued on Hunter¡¯s face, rage coated my words. ¡°Someone who¡¯d try to touch me without my


    consent. Someone who¡¯d


    <


    take advantage of a woman twice smaller than him. Someone who¡¯d threaten to hurt the people I care


    about if I don¡¯t break up with my boyfriend. I could go on, Hunter. Let¡¯s cut the bu lls hit and tell me why


    the f uck you¡¯re asking me something you already know the answer to,¡± I said through gritted teeth, my


    heart punching out of my breastbone.


    Hunter blinked away whatever doubt he had from before. ¡°I am obliged to take his statement as well,


    Millicent. And I¡¯m letting you know that Romewyered up. They would take this to court and fight.¡±


    My vision tunneled. ¡°He can do whatever the f uck he wants, but would stand by my statement because I


    am the one telling the truth!¡±


    I could hear my heartbeat through the silence that ticked by. Tears pr icked my eye, bile slithered up my


    throat, leaving a sour taste on my tongue. How dare that ba stard try to make himself look like the victim?


    Rome wanted to imply that I him reason to assault me? What the f uck?


    Damian was the epitome of a calm morning breeze. ¡°Your thirty minutes are done. Detective Lean. If you


    have further questions for her, speak to herwyer.¡± He handed Hunter a card, then stood to open the


    door.


    gave


    Hunter¡¯s gaze could cut through steel. Fixing his leather jacket, he stretched to his full height and stared


    down at me. ¡°You still have my number?¡± I answered him with a forced nod. ¡°Call me if you remember


    anything else that might help this case. I will make sure Rome Fletcher pays for what he¡¯d done to you


    Once Hunter was gone. Damian¡¯s eyes softened. He rushed to me and drew me into his arms. Tears


    rolled down my cheeks, and my entire body shook with anger. Damian let me soak his shirt with my


    tears. He¡¯d be the beacon that guided me through these dark times. Although I¡¯ve pushed him


    away since New York, he showed nothing but understanding and kindness


    No, he didn¡¯t need to go out of his way and sleep with mest night, but he did so I could have some rest


    and not be afraid


    of the dark.


    I realize this was the time that I finally admitted to myself howpletely and utterly in love I am with


    Damian ck. The situation was as f ucked up as it could get, but once this contract was over, I knew


    Damian would be taking my heart with


    him

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    -MILLIE-


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I looked up from the magazine I¡¯d been reading when the door opened. Like a puppy waiting for its


    owner, I sat taller on the couch, shoulders slumping when it wasn¡¯t Damian standing at the entry.


    Candice and Andrea stood by the doorway, their hands cram-full of groceries and shopping bags. Our


    eyes met. I forced down the disappointment coasting through my chest and put on a convincing huge


    grin¡­ or so I thought.


    ¡°Gee¡­ if I had known we weren¡¯t wee here, we wouldn¡¯t have gone through the trouble of buying


    you Korean food and assembling the cavalry.¡± Candice rolled her eyes and stepped aside, allowing the


    said cavalry to make their way up the threshold.


    Gianni Molina.


    ¡°Oh my Go d.¡± I gasped, handsing up to my mouth at the same time mist clouded my sight. War


    mth inst antly swallowed my gloomy mood. Gian barrelled through the house, enveloping me in his


    warm embrace, and I c ould n ¡®t h o ld . my so b s back.


    Gian and I had been friends since college, and I hadn¡¯t seen him in over a year.


    ¡°I hope those are happy tears, Amore,¡± he murmured against my hair. I nodded and curled my arms


    around his waist, soaking his shirt with my tears.


    Candice and Andrea joined our little group hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little hurt that you didn¡¯t cry when you saw us, but I also cried when I saw Gian at the airport, so I


    forgive you.¡± Andrea mumbled. I chortle against my so bs.


    ¡°I¡¯m still mad that Gian would leave his little hut in Thand for Millie and not for my wedding, Candice


    butted in, making all of usugh.


    Gian went off the grid, only sending us emails and holiday greetings to let us know he was still alive


    and well.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t my gift enough topensate for my absence?¡± Gian murmured in his defense. He gifted


    Candice and Aaron an all- expenses-paid trip to Italy, which she had yet to use.


    ¡°You can¡¯t bribe me, Gianni Molina!¡± Candice giggled, wiggling out of our group hug pping Gian¡¯s


    shoulder yfully.


    -Mel


    ¡°Me! Me! You can bribe me,¡± Andrea squealed, hands raised. ¡°I¡¯d love to see Italy.¡±


    ¡°Did y


    you get married?¡± A crease formed on Gian¡¯s forehead as though he were ruminating over his own


    question


    Andrea frowned, lips pouting. ¡°That¡¯s not fair. I hate weddings!


    ¡°You¡¯re a wedding nner!¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I hate weddings!¡± she countered, crossing her arms and stomping her feet like a petnt


    child.


    All Gian could do was shake his head and draw the three of us into a giant bear hug again. ¡°I can¡¯t say


    I miss the tantrums and draina.¡°


    And we fall into a fit ofughter.


    ¡°Damian called you?¡± I asked Candice,ying the takeouts on the ind one by one. They brought


    ingredients for samgyupsal along with japchae, rabokki, kimchi, bulgogi, tteokbokki, and soju.


    Damian flew to California yesterday afternoon for business. To say I hadn¡¯t gotten a wink of sleepst


    night would be the understatement of the year. To Damian¡¯s credit, he called me as soon as the ne


    lying.


    A week has gone by, and I¡¯m already attached to Damian and this house like a love-sick puppy.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Eyes narrowed to slits, Candice tallied all the ingredients like she was at a budget meeting.


    ¡°We forgot the portable burner, Andrea sighed, frowning.


    ¡°Damian has a camping cook set somewhere here,¡± I said, sliding from my seat and searching the


    shelves for the camping


    stove.


    2-On her


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Andrea questioned, amusement dancing in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re really ying house well with


    Damian, huh?¡± tippy toes, she helped me search the top cab for the cook set


    Sitting silently on the other side of the ind, Gian asked. ¡°When did this even happen? You and


    Damian?¡±


    Apart from being Candice¡¯s stepbrother, he doesn¡¯t know Damian on a personal level. Gian and I met in


    college, he instantly became the girl¡¯s version of Candice in my life. I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t know about my


    childhood crush on Damian, but why does it sound as if he does?


    This isn¡¯t part of my ns. If Candice hadn¡¯t bought my lie about Damian, I had no doubt Gian would


    also see through my lie. Gian¡¯s assertiveness was on a different level


    Shoulders stiff, I tried my luck and grabbed the camping stove from the top shelf, set it on the ind,


    stering a toothpaste-worthymercial smile.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re really meant to be,¡± I said. Andrea and I settled back in our seats. ¡°You remember I had a


    huge crush on him in high school?¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± Andrea¡¯s eyes were wide as dinner tes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that!¡± The usation was crystal in


    her tone as she pulled up her long, red hair in a high ponytail.


    Guilt gripped my throat. I¡¯ve forgotten that Andrea doesn¡¯t know about my agreement with Damian as


    well.


    ¡°I did,¡± I said, helping Candice ce the meat on the grill pan, the mouthwatering vors of meat


    permeating the air as it simmered in the pan. ¡°But it was a long time ago. I mean, I was in high school,


    and I thought I hid it well.¡± I nudged Candice¡¯s shoulder.


    My best friend rolled her eyes. ¡°You have googly eyes every time Damian is in the room, Millie.¡±


    Andrea¡¯s eyes  nted. ¡°I think there¡¯s a backstory here, but go on. Tell us how it happened,¡± she said,


    scooting closer to Gian as though she had found an ally against Candice and me.


    I kept a steady face, looking straight at Gian¡¯s striking blue eyes, ignoring the chills spiraling down my


    spine. Gian was the silent type of guy back in college, and we only got together when we needed to do


    a project together. He might have kept to himself, but because of his natural Italian streak, he attracted


    attention from the opposite S** without even trying. He stood a towering six foot three, with dark blue


    eyes, natural glowing olive skin, sharp jaws, and messy dark hair. And he had that unapologetic gaze


    that tells you he¡¯s assessing you whether you like it or not. Right now, I am the subject of those dark


    eyes.


    ¡°Well, you already know how things ended between Hunter and me, right?¡± I busied myself by turning


    over the sizzling meat on the pan.


    Candice and Andrea hummed, but Gian¡¯s jaw fluttered. I forgot he was out of the loop.


    ¡°I told you that stronzo is good for nothing,¡± Gian said through gritted teeth, reaching for the bottle of


    soju. He ran his gaze down thebel, frowning. ¡°Where is the f ucking wine, Bambina? He asked


    Candice..


    Candice pouted. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least try something other than wine?¡±\/\


    ¡°Did


    you


    ask something. Bambina? Hm?¡± Gian stood. As if he¡¯d been here before, he went straight to the wine


    cab and


    took out a bottle of Cabe Sauvignon. Taking a wine ss from the side of the ind, he took a long


    sip. Each gulp and bob of his Adam¡¯s apple felt like a timer to my sentence.


    In my time knowing Gian, I learned how overprotective he could be with the people he cared about.


    ¡°Tell me how that stronzo hurt you, and I¡¯ll decide what to do with him.¡±


    ¡°Gian-¡± I groaned. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past.¡±


    +5]


    ¡°Past my as s.¡± Candice grabbed the soju Gian abandoned and filled two shot sses, handing one to


    Andrea. Since I was still on medication, it¡¯s ssic orange juice for me. My mouth watered for a single


    taste of their alcohol.


    Gian¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, pinning me with a ¡®dare to f ucking lie to my face look.


    I sighed and narrated how I found Hunter and Natalie in his apartment. When I was done. he had


    almost finished the entire bottle of wine.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± I asked, stuffing a bacon strip into a lettuce leaf and chewing it slowly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know,¡± he murmured, epting Andrea¡¯s stuffed lettuce leaves.


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I frowned. It¡¯s not his statement that bothered me; it¡¯s the way he


    looked and how dark his eyes were. The urge to physically hurt someone vibrates off of him. It¡¯s both


    scary and surprising.


    Tell me about Damian,¡± he pressed. ¡°Is he treating you right?¡±


    Oh, he¡¯s treating her like a princess, Andrea answered for me. ¡°Have you seen those bodyguards


    patrolling outside? He turned this ce into a fortress in just over a week.¡±


    Apart from the bodyguards, Damian had installed rms and smart locks in the house.


    ¡°And she deserved to be treated like a princess,¡± Gian murmured. ¡°That goes for you two as well. If


    Nick ever treats you like sh it, tell me, and I¡¯ll put him in his ce. And I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re married to


    Aaron. If he f ucks up, he¡¯s dead.¡±


    Candice made a pff sound. ¡°What the hell happened to you in Thand? You sound different.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You almost sound like Nick and his crazy motorcycle gang members, Andrea piped in..


    |||

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°You sure I can¡¯t convince you to stay?¡± As I walked Gian to the door. I toyed with the ring on my


    forefinger. Andrea and Candice decided to stay the night, both already snoring in the guest room where I


    left them. ¡°We have plenty of room in the house, you know,


    ¡°As much as I miss your cooking. I have to finish a few paperwork before enjoying my vacation here in


    Roslin City,¡± Gian exined, facing me when we reached the entry. ¡°We only dropped my luggage in the


    hotel,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Then those t kidnapped me to go grocery shopping for this surprise party¡±


    I giggled. ¡°They knew you have the tendency to go off the grid. Inded a yful punch on his shoulder.


    ¡°Aw,¡± Gian pouted. ¡°I was working.¡±


    ¡°Working on what?¡± 1 folded my arms in my middle. Before he went home to Italy two years ago, Gian


    Molina was an open book to me at least. Then I started to feel this wall slowly springing up between our


    friendship. I noticed his out-of-town trips became frequent. He never called or even told me when he¡¯d


    that didn¡¯t happen. The next thing I knew, he resigned from work and focused on their family business,


    From what I know, his family owns an import and export business in Italy.


    ¡°You don¡¯t tell me things anymore,¡± I said with furrowed brows.


    Gian stared down at me, all humor leaving his eyes as they darkened. ¡°I don¡¯t tell you things because I


    can handle my own shi t, Millicent


    I paused, surprised by this quick shift in his mood.


    ¡°You, on the other hand, obviously can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hey-


    He shook his head, cutting off my protest. ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±


    I feared he¡¯d ask me that, but I cannot lie to Gian, just like with Candice. Our friendship goes deeper than


    that. And I knew, at some point, he¡¯d tell me what¡¯s going on with him when he¡¯s ready. He went back to


    the US for me, and that was a big thing. The least I could do was tell him the truth. ¡°About the assault?¡±


    He nodded. I took a deep breath and told him what had happened from the hotel to my parent¡¯s ce as


    precisely as 1 could. Talking to Hunter was easier than telling Gian the truth, because I knew he¡¯d be


    furious.


    Eyes zing with anger, he spit out a string of curses in Italian. He stepped out the door and paced back


    and forth on the threshold, hands balling on his side. ¡°Why the f uck didn¡¯t you call me?¡±


    Even off the grid, Gian always replied to my emails and text messages, and he specifically told me to call


    him if I ever needed anything.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you.¡± I dropped my gaze at my red toenails. I couldn¡¯t look him in the eyes


    because he would see through my lies. Calling him didn¡¯t cross my mind because Damian was there for


    both assaults on me. Damian made me feel safe. He was everything I needed and more


    ¡°Bother me?¡± he huffed. ¡°You were never a bother to me, Millicent. I¡¯d take the first flight to the US if you


    called me the first time this happened. I had to learn from Candice that you were attacked, for f uck¡¯s


    sake!¡±


    ¡°Gian, I¡¯m fine. Damian was there-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another thing. You were so f ucking in love with Hunter. I don¡¯t believe this s hit you¡¯re telling me


    about you and Damian. You were about to marry that stronzo!¡±


    S hit. I knew he didn¡¯t buy my story. But I cannot tell him about our agreement. He¡¯d go crazy mad if I did.


    ¡°It just happened. Gian.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that cr ap. Is he threatening you as well? Do you want me to deal with him?¡±


    I shook my head vigorously. ¡°No! Damian is the good guy here.¡±


    ¡°How is he the good guy?¡± he pressed. ¡°As far as I know, Damian couldn¡¯t even keep a rtionship, even


    if his life depended on it. That¡¯s how Candice described him in highschool¡±


    My heart was drumming in my cars, anger bubbling in my chest. His attack on Damian makes me want


    to throw a punch in his face. ¡°People change, and you don¡¯t get to judge him when you don¡¯t even know


    him, Gian. That¡¯s out of line.¡±


    He blew a harsh breath, raking a hand through his messy, dark hair. ¡°And now she¡¯s defending him. You


    can¡¯t me me for doubting this perfect rtionship you¡¯re bbering about, Millicent. You were head


    over heels in love with Hunter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Gian. I think it¡¯s best if you should leave.¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re throwing me out?¡±


    ¨C


    ¡°Nah, Millicent. What is it. huh? Is he a rebound? This is


    isn¡¯t you. You don¡¯t need a man to make you forget that b astard ex of


    yours-


    Damian is helping me, okay?¡± This conversation was quickly getting out of hand.


    ¡°Helping you? With what?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s helping me save my name, Gian!¡± I said, chest heaving like I ran a marathon. ¡°That¡¯s all I have left


    after what they¡¯d done to me, okay? I lost my fiance to a friend living under my roof. They made a fool


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    out of me. Then Natalie named me a fraud.


    Gian stood frozen before me, his dark eyes regarding me like the old Gian I met in college, without


    judgment. He¡¯s ready to listen.


    I wiped the tears that rolled down my cheeks harshly and pinned Gian with a determined gaze.


    up at the


    ¡°That night, I drank myself to oblivion so I could forget what Hunter and Natalie did to me. I still had to


    show f ucking reunion like everything was fine. Seeing Natalie there wasn¡¯t the worst part, Gian. It¡¯s the


    fact that she¡¯s wearing my engagement ring hours after I found them f ucking!¡±


    ¡°That f ucking b astard¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I saw Damian there. Everything started because of me, Gian. Damian didn¡¯t need to pretend to be


    in love with me, but he did. He didn¡¯t need to help me that night at the ck Hotel, but he did. And this.¡± I


    stretched my arms wide and gestured towards Damian¡¯s beach house. ¡°He didn¡¯t need to keep me here


    like a princess, but he did.¡±


    Gian chuckled. I frowned. Then, hisughter echoed through the beach house¡¯s garden.


    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head, trying to contain hisugh. ¡°You¡¯re not funny at all, but this situation was f u


    cked up from the very beginning. I left because I thought you were happy with Hunter. I left because I


    thought he was your f ucking end game. Turns out, my absence would lead you to the arms of another


    man.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stared at him, confused.


    ¡°You¡¯ve fallen in love with your fake boyfriend, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    r


    27%-


    I swallowed, ncing away as I moistened my parched lips. I¡¯m still working around that realization, but I


    never knew it would be this easy for Gian to read me.


    He turned around, raked his hair, and then faced me with that familiar, gentle gaze I missed so much.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard, yeah?¡±


    Just a few seconds ago, Gian looked like he was ready to kill a lion, and now he looks like a giant teddy


    bear who wouldn¡¯t even swat a fly. I need to familiarize myself with his sudden mood swings. Is this the


    effect of his stay overseas?


    ¡°You could¡¯ve asked me nicely.¡± I grunted, wiping my wet checks with the back of my hand.


    ¡°And hear the sugar-coated version of this story?¡± His smile was sickeningly sweet. I hate it and miss it at


    the same time. ¡°No. Amore. I prefer the raw story with every gory detail.¡±


    I squared my shoulder and leveled him with a stare. ¡°I hate you


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t, amore. You love me. Even when you don¡¯t want to admit that to yourself.¡±


    My mouth hung open. Never in my wildest dreams have I ever thought of hearing Gian Molina speak to


    me this way. He was respectful, unlike those college jo cks at uni. He never flirted with me; that¡¯s why we


    became friends instantly. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend¡­.¡± I said. ¡°Of course I love you.¡±


    Then a low growl behind Gian sounded, almost replicating the sound of a threatened lion. Stunned as I


    was, Gian stepped to the side, revealing a furious Damian making his way up the threshold.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Like a f ucking creep, I watched Millicent roll on her back on the bed, the nket slipping low on her


    waist. Even though the room was barely lit, I could see the outline of her body. Her ti ts straining against


    the silk fabric of her nightgown, teasing me to f ucking give in to this burning desire to take her.


    I knew Candice would being over. I asked her to apany Millicent for the night, but she didn¡¯t


    inform me she¡¯d bring that Italian punk who pulled Millicent into a giant bear hug the moment he saw her.


    When Riggs, the head of security. told me Candice had brought a guy with her, a nagging feeling settled


    within me. And when I saw how Millicent¡¯s face lit up. at the sight of him and how she weed him with


    open arms, I nearly crushed my mobile phone while I was watching the CCTV footage.


    I meant to surprise Millicent bying home two days earlier than my schedule, but I was the one


    bombarded with a n un wanted surprise hearing her say I Love You to another man. Sure, I heard her


    call him her best friend, but it didn¡¯t lessen the force of jealousy that hit me.


    I¡¯ve known Millicent was special to me, but tonight¡¯s event enlightened me about how much I want


    Millicent to be mine. I don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m feeling, nor do I have the word to describe it, and f uck if


    I know what to do with it,


    I lift the wine bottle to my lips, s taggering across the room towards the balcony, weing the cool air


    sting from the ocean as I slumped on the outdoor couch. Resting my head on the backrest, I stared at


    the tw nkling stars in the sky, cursing myself for feeling this way.


    Millicent owes me nothing apart from what¡¯s written on our contract. That¡¯s why I left like a coward after


    hearing her conversation with that f ucking Italian.


    ¡°She owes me f ucking nothinged, shutting my eyes. I can¡¯t even hate her for talking to that Italian punk.


    ¡°Damian?¡±


    I


    I remained unmoving, listening to Millicent¡¯s light footsteps as she stepped out of the balcony.


    ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± her voice was rough with sleep, and f uck if my c ock didn¡¯t like that


    sound of that.


    ¡°Go back to sleep. Millicent,¡± I said, keeping my eyelids shut. ¡°You need rest.¡±


    Thene sleep beside me,¡± she suggested.


    What a f ucking tempting offer. If she could read what¡¯s running through my mind, she would stay as far


    away from me as possible.


    She stood in front of me, the ca lilies on her body wash cut through the salty ocean air, and her body


    heat vibrated against my knee. All I had to do was reach out and pull her onto myp, then surrender to


    these unholy visions in my head.


    G od, f ucking help me.


    ¡°I will,¡± I murmured. ¡°I just need to finish this.¡± Lifting the wine bottle up, I opened my eyes and was met


    with the sight of the goddess standing before me. Brown eyes glistened with concern I didn¡¯t deserve,


    soft jaws framed with golden hair, and the outline of a body sculpted by the go d s themselves beneath


    that thin red night down. Legs for days that I¡¯d dreamed of having wrapped around my waist a hundred


    times¡­


    These thoughts need to stop right f ucking now. My eyes caressed her body back up until I met her


    brown eyes again; I took a long a ss sip of my wine just to get my mind out of ravaging her body like a


    starving man. My fingers almost broke through.


    the bottle.


    ¡°Are you¡­ are you mad at me she bit her lower lip, shifting all her weight to one foot.


    ¡°I have no right to be mad at you.¡±


    §Ô


    ¡°You don¡¯t, but are you


    I smirked. ¡°What if I am? What are you gonna do about it?¡±


    She considered her response. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    She was asking the right questions at the wrong time and in the wrong setting. ¡°You can¡¯t give me what I


    want.¡±


    A gust of wind blew from the ocean, ushering a strong scent of her body wash in my direction. Millicent


    was busybing her hair away from her face to notice how my gaze licked down her body once again.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Jaw clenched tightly, I debated lying to her face. After what she¡¯d been through, she needed a man


    who¡¯d protect her, respect her, someone who¡¯d put her first. A f u cking gentleman.


    It must be the alcohol or this f ucking possessiveness that I¡¯d been bottling up since this contract had


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    begun because what came out of my mouth next was the opposite of being a gentleman.


    ¡°These hands,¡± I lift my right hand up, ¡°it¡¯s itching to slide up your legs and find out what you have


    underneath that skimpy nightgown you¡¯re wearing.¡±


    She gasped, eyes zing over as she digested what I said. I expected her to turn around, or better yet,


    sass nie off, tell me how I was stepping over the line, but then she surprised me by staying rooted where


    she stood, throat bobbing slowly as she swallowed hard. ¡°And then?¡±


    Knuckles turning white as I gripped the wine bottle. I set my elbows above my knees; my dark gaze


    shed with her ssy ones. ¡°If I tell you, I¡¯d have to act on my words.¡±


    It was a warning. She needed to make a decision because I wouldn¡¯t have a repeat of what happened in


    New York. She¡¯s sober, and I¡¯m f ucking drunk with lust, salivating for a single taste of her. No amount of


    alcohol could make me forget about this need to make her mine anymore.


    ¡°Tell me¡­..¡± her voice dropped, eyelids lowering as her lips quivered. Her body vibrated with anticipation


    of my response.


    I looked away from her. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of self-control right now. You should go back to bed.¡±


    ¡®Stay away, Millicent, I silently prayed to the heavens.


    ¡°Is that what you want me to do?¡± She squared her shoulders, standing taller. ¡°I want to know, Damian,¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know half of what I¡¯m thinking.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a warning,¡± she f ucking knows, and she¡¯s ying with fire.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what that was.¡± I trailed my gaze over her body once again, allowing her to peek at what


    was going through my head.


    Millicent surprised me by stepping between my parted legs; her lithe fingers grazed my hand as she took


    the wine bottle


    from me.


    ¡°Gian is my friend and nothing more.¡± She set the bottle on the floor, her face leveling with mine. Her


    sinfully thin gowni was loose on the top enough to give me a teasing view of her breasts.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you mad?¡±


    She ced her hands on my shoulder, using them as leverage, sitting astride my thighs. Her body heat


    shing with mine sent my co ck kicking against my jeans. I badly wanted to touch her and run my hand


    down her body, feel her skin against mine, but I kept them on her waist, gripping tightly as she settled on


    myp.


    ¡°You know the answer to that, Millicent.¡±


    ¡°I want to hear it, Damian,¡± she murmured, curiosity and anticipation shining in her eyes as they roamed


    over my face. Her delicate fingers run through my hair,bing them out of my face.


    My fingers dug into her waist. Millicent gasped, her eyes turning hooded. ¡°Millicent, if we cross this line


    again, I don¡¯t care what we¡¯re calling it anymore. I allowed you to walk away from this once, and I won¡¯t


    be able to let you go again.¡±


    2000


    Her mouth parted in shock, lust, and desire, then it quickly morphed into courage as she replied. ¡°Then


    don¡¯t.¡±


    I didn¡¯t recognize the sound that rumbled from my throat as I crushed my lips on hers.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    -MILLIE-


    Damian¡¯s touch and kiss were both gentle and possessive. It was a perfectbination of yful and


    tender like he was afraid to break me, yet he couldn¡¯t wait to ravish me. I like it. I like it very much.


    This was different from what we had in New York. For me, at least. epting what I felt for Damian


    made me see things from a different angle. Our rtionship had an expiration date. This was the only


    way I could have him, and I intend to make the most of it.


    Earlier, when Damian left radiating with anger, Gian told me I was out of my mind to even fake things


    with him. My friend pointed out that my history with Damian was nothingpared to what I had with


    Hunter. There was one thing sure about. this deal. I¡¯ll end up with a broken heart.


    Stu pid? Maybe. But knowing I only had limited time with the man I love heightened every emotion


    coursing through my body. Excitement. Lust. Desire, Fear.


    Curiosity will be the death of me, but I want to know what it¡¯s like to be with Damian


    In the flurry of nipping and biting. I took the courage, opened my mouth, darting my tongue out, and


    traced Damian¡¯s lips. He growled, his finger digging into my butt cheeks.


    I was only getting the hang of his kisses when he pulled away, dark eyes pinning me with amanding


    stare. An audible gasp fell from my lips when he lifted me, setting me down on the couch, his brawny


    arms caging me down.


    ¡°This situation familiar to you?¡± he murmured, burying his face in the junction of my neck and shoulder,


    his teeth scraping my skin. I moaned, my back arching off the couch, my stiff nipples grazing his chest,


    begging for his attention.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Did he ask me something? I blinked up at the starry sky, remembering the question.


    ¡°My apartment in New York.¡± I moaned, yelping when he gripped my hips and yanked me down until my


    a ss was hanging off the couch. He chuckled darkly. I should have been scared of his predatory gaze,


    but it thrilled me to my core.


    Gian was right. I was out of my mind¡­


    Damian settled between my parted legs, resting his calloused hands on top of my knee. Then, with such


    slowness that made me dizzy, his hands slid up my thighs until they disappeared under my nightgown.


    With each inch his hands covered, my heartbeat skyrocketed. I feared it would burst out of my chest until


    Damian paused, all traces of yfulness leaving his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re f ucking bare, Millicent,¡± he rasped, his mrs grounding as his fingers dug into the junction of


    my legs and hips where my panties should have been resting. ¡°You wanted this,¡± he murmured, mulling


    over this discovery.


    An army of ants crawled under my skin as I watched his gaze darkened, turning feral while he licked his


    lips. He was a hungry beast, and I was his meal.


    ¡°Yes, Damian.¡± He wasn¡¯t asking, but I felt the need to respond. I want him to know I am a hundred


    percent sure of what we¡¯re doing.


    An animalistic sound rumbled from his chest. In the blink of an eye, he reached up and ripped my


    nightgown in the middle, exposing my body to his scrutiny. The dimmed light on the balcony did nothing


    to stop Damian¡¯s eyes from taking


    ¦°.


    Rome Fletcher suddenly crossed my mind. I knew it wasn¡¯t him who was looking down at my body, so I


    fought the urge to cover my nakedness.


    Being perceptive, Damian saw the slight tremble of my lips catching a whiff of my hesitation


    ¡°That f ucker doesn¡¯t get the privilege of getting between us, baby Damian cupped my face and pulled


    me for a torrid kiss until my lungs begged for air. ¡°I will erase everything he did to you¡±


    O


    I nodded, trusting hinrpletely, burying my fingers in his hair, and pulled him for another kiss.


    I want to forget, and Damian was a willing aplice to my mission.


    It¡¯s Damian who¡¯s touching me. These words yed like a mantra in my head until I lost myself in his


    touch.


    Gently, Damian guided the straps of my dress down my shoulder. He tossed the shredded fabric over his


    shoulder and pushed my legs apart, spreading them wide, exposing mepletely.


    The cool air sted my pu ssy as a new gush of my excitement rushed down my center.


    Damian lifts his knuckles up to his mouth, biting down on it.


    Holy f uck.


    Eyes wide. I watched, mesmerized, as Damian grabbed my trembling hands, lifting them up towards my


    breast.


    ¡°Show me what makes you feel good,¡± he groaned.


    11


    Panting, I swallowed hard and pinched my nipples, toying with them like I would when I was alone.


    Though my hands were shaking, I plucked and pulled my pebbled buds, moaning as a dizzying


    sensation washed over me. It was the way Damian watched me, devouring me with his gaze.


    Smirking, he lowered his face between my legs, eyes still glued on mine.


    ¡°Oh sh it,¡± I whimpered at the first stripe his tongue drew on my slit, sending my head back against the


    backrest of the couch, my toes pointing towards the cold floor. ¡°Damian.¡±


    His hands pushed my thighs further apart, his tongue plundered my p ussy like a miner searching for


    gold. He pushed and pulled, licked and slurped, invading and exploring relentlessly until I was moaning


    and whimpering his name like a prayer.


    I love the way his fingers dig on the inside of my thighs. They would surely leave marks there, but I¡¯d


    dly bear his marks like a prize. I love the feel of his mouth on me. My head tossed side to side. Hips


    bucking as my fingers moved against my nipples, pinching and tugging.


    From the first time Damian touched me, I knew he was different. This man had skills. His expert hands


    knew where to touch me, and now his tongue¡­ G od. I can¡¯t even put into words the skills he¡¯s


    bestowing upon me. He¡¯s sending me skyrocketing towards the finale without mercy. And the noise he¡¯s


    making, he sounds like a man tasting his first meal after a long period of starvation. His grumble of


    pleasure vibrated through my entire body. I wasing. There was no controlling this anymore. Though I


    wanted this moment tost, I couldn¡¯t hold it in. I came hard. Fast. ck dots danced on the back of


    eyelids, and my world spun.


    It was a beautiful ending that had me seeing gxies whirling around me.


    He didn¡¯t stop until I was shuddering in pleasure. My body copsed on the couch; his name was the


    only thing running through my dizzy head.


    Damian lifted his face, studying me. Iy sprawled on the couch legs spread wide, wanton and riding the


    waves of his intoxicating touch.


    He exceeded my expectations, and I could barely remember my name.


    I barelyprehend what happened next. Damian gathered me in his arms and walked us inside the


    room,ying me on the bed. He disappeared on the ensuite and came out with a damp towel. I blinked


    up at him, frowning.


    ¡°What about you?¡± I pushed up on my elbows, sitting up straight.


    ¡°I¡¯m drunk,¡± he murmured, sliding the towel on the inside of my thighs. I bit my lip when he patted my


    well-ravished pu ssy. I was still sensitive. ¡°When I take you, I want to be sober.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± my mouth parted.


    |||

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    -DAMIAN-


    I woke up to the sound of the hairdryer from the ensuite. With half-shut eyes, I left the bed and padded


    across the room, freezing by the ensuite door. Millicent stood in front of the vanity in the se xiest pair of


    whitece underwear I had ever


    seen


    Her skin glows against the overhead lights, her lithe fingers running through her damp hair while the


    other follows with the hair dryer.


    Teeth mped on my lower lip. I leaned against the door framemitting to memory how she shifted


    her weight on her tippy toes, angling her head side to side to check her hair and how her as s looked f u


    cking fantastic in that barely there underwear. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, eyeballing her


    breast. My c ock stirred to life. I remember the way she yed with her t its while I ate her out.


    Bing aware of my watching eyes, Millicent shifted to the side, eyes locking with mine. Slowly, red


    stained her cheeks as she smiled sheepishly.


    So f ucking cute.


    ¡°Hi.¡± I smiled at her, vacating my spot by the door frame.


    ¡°H-hi, she stuttered, throat bobbing up and down as her eyes caressed my bare chest.


    I stood behind her, facing the vanity mirror, rubbing my messy hair. ¡°Have a shower with me.¡±


    She bit her lip. ¡°I just showered.¡±


    I smirked, liking how she was trying to resist this pull between us. She would give in eventually. I went to


    take that shower: my morning wood wasn¡¯t going anywhere, even with the ice-cold water pelleting my


    skin.


    I tried not to think aboutst night. My co ck was raging hard to the point of being painful, but there was


    no denying how much I craved to be buried balls deep in Millicent¡¯s sweet c unt. That wasn¡¯t even a


    metaphor. I could still taste her on my tongue. She¡¯s juicer than peaches in July and sweeter than apples


    freshly picked from the trees.


    I came out of the shower, a towel riding low on my hips. Millicent was now stroking a brush on her


    cheeks; her a ss jutted our as she leaned closer to the mirror. Eyes dropping lower, I groaned at the sight


    of her legs. Had I mentioned she had legs for days? She wore strappy red heels. If she did that on


    purpose, it¡¯s f ucking working.


    One day, I would f uck her wearing nothing but that strappy red heels.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I moved behind her, grabbing my toothbrush and rubbing against her. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    I was anything but.


    She blushed, our eyes locking in the mirror. Keeping my spot behind her, I rubbed against her each


    chance I got, loving how she gasped when my c ock slid against the cra ck of her a ss.


    If she intentionally teased me with this underwear and heels, two could y this game.


    Millicent said nothing, but a small smile yed on her lips. She smooths down a clear gloss over her lip. I


    leaned forward and ground myself against her again, her eyes widening as my c ock jerked against her a


    ss.


    This wasn¡¯t how I pictured things would go between Millicent and 1. After what she went through with


    Rome, this was the


    thing the needed, but I couldn¡¯t help it. She could take me down to my knees just by standing here,


    looking like the goddess that she was


    Pare


    1 should be smart about this. I don¡¯t want Millicent running for the hills again, but the right thing and what


    I want are the exact opposite, so I tested the waters again. ¡°I want your lips around my co ck.¡±


    |||


    Her eyes rounded lips hanging open. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me. I want you on your knees so I could f uck your smart mouth, Millicent.¡±


    Likest night, I fully expected her to p me in the face or sass me off, but she surprised me again. She


    closed the lid of her lip gloss, tossing it on the small bag on the counter. Then she turned, hands gripping


    the edge of the sink.


    ¡°I should help Andrea and Candice make breakfast.¡±


    Caging her with my hands on each side of her hips, I pinned her with a heated stare. Why I¡¯m pushing


    my luck with her was beyond me. But the fact that she didn¡¯t tell me off made my co ck harder than


    diamond and stiffer than a pole. I want to see how far she would let me go this time. I wanted to see her


    riled up until she begged me to f uck her, take her the way I wanted to take her since New York.


    ¡°You¡¯re having your breakfast here. I¡¯m gonna stuff your mouth with my co ck so get on your knees and


    suck, Millicent.¡±


    To my f ucking amazement, she reached between us and grabbed my di ck through the towel. I nearly


    wept with relief at the warmth of her hand. I saw it in her eyes then, how much she f ucking wanted the


    same thing I do. She wanted this, and she liked being bossed inside the bedroom; the dirty talk turned


    her on a f ucking lot.


    She lightly squeezed me. I groaned, lips curling as my eyelids lowered.


    ¡°On your knees, now,¡± I growled, blindly trying to keep a steady footing. Her touch was so f ucking


    intoxicating I see stars dancing around us.


    This towel needed to go. I want to feel her hands around my di ck and that f ucking mouth. G odda mn.


    She gave me an inch, and I wanted to take the mile.


    Bending on the waist, I pressed my lips on her bare shoulder and scraped my teeth up her corbone


    and throat. I loved how she smelled and how she tasted. She shivered as I lightly bit on her earlobes, her


    hands tightening around my c ock.


    A knock on the door startled Millicent, making me groan and lift my head so I could stare down at


    Millicent, growling as she


    loosened her hold on me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you f ucking let go of my co ck. Millicent.¡±


    She giggled, pressing her free hand on my chest, lightly pushing


    ¡°Millie?¡± my step-sister called. I heard her trying to open the bedroom door. ¡°Millie, are you up? We need


    to be in


    ten.¡±


    I frowned at Millicent. She didn¡¯t tell me she nned to leave the house.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a minute!¡± Millicent shot back, and her hands remained holding my di ck in a warm grip.


    We listened for a while, and when Candice didn¡¯t reply, I stared down at Millicent and admired how


    effortlessly stunn looked. Her makeup was light, close to nothing apart from the pink lipstick she had on.


    Her golden hair falls like water over her shoulder. I pushed them back so I could admire her breast up


    close and under proper lightning.


    ¡°You working already?¡± I asked, sliding a finger under the strap of her bra, tracing it up and down. Her


    hands tightened around me the closer I got to her nipples.


    by


    ¡°It¡¯s Georgina. She¡¯sing to Roslin City today about their anniversary,¡± she moaned as I flicked her


    nipples. They pebbled beneath thecy fabric, pushing to be relieved.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I asked, groaning as she released me, fighting the need swirling in her ey


    eyes.


    ¡°I have to be there,¡± she pressed her forehead against my shoulder, both hands pushing against my


    chest. ¡°She¡¯s my client.¡±


    ¡°Take Riggs.¡± I h ooked a finger beneath her chin, giving her no choice but to look me in the eye. I knew


    she would protest, but I beat her to it. ¡°That¡¯s not up for discussion. You won¡¯t even realize he¡¯s there.¡±


    She gnawed on her lower lip, ¡°Except that I do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking any chances, Millicent.¡±


    She nodded, knowing arguing would be futile. ¡°I have to get ready.¡±


    I looped an arm around her waist. ¡°We have time.¡±


    Her eyes lit up. ¡°We don¡¯t. Candice would know what we¡¯re doing in here.¡± She was breathless,


    I reluctantly stepped, eyes feasting on her body. ¡°She knows not to meddle with my business.


    I couldn¡¯t help but pull Millicent for a scorching kiss, groaning at her sweet taste. She moaned, tossing


    her arms around my neck, rubbing her body against mine.


    F ucking hell. She felt so good. I yfully bit her lower lip and let her go. ¡°Go now while I¡¯m letting you.¡±


    Her giggle as she stepped into that white dress was music to my ears.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    -DAMIAN-


    While getting dressed, I thought of how things between Millicent and I shifted from tonic to this vtile


    attraction. It could either make me or break me. Millicent was important to my family; if I am not careful, I


    would lose more than I am willing to risk. And despite all the risk involved, I still wouldn¡¯t change a thing


    aboutst night, the smile permanently etched on my face reveals how this upgrade in our rtionship


    pleased me.


    I didn¡¯t want to ruin the excellent start of my day by crossing paths with Candice, so I took my sweet time


    getting ready for work.


    She¡¯s my sister, and I would always love her even though we didn¡¯t see eye to eye on things, but she


    had been a pain in my a ss. I would never hear the end of it if Millicent had already told her what


    happened between us.


    Girls and their gossip. Tell me all about it.


    When I was sure the girls were gone, I headed to the kitchen and made coffee.


    Riggs walked in while I was filling my mug with coffee. I frowned. I told him to drive Millicent to the city


    and stay with her until she¡¯s back. ¡°Why are you not with Millicent?¡±


    ¡°Gianni Molina picked them up.¡± He rubbed the back of his neck.


    Riggs was a big guy, full-bearded with army-cut hair. His dark gray tee looked about to reap on the


    seams from containing his tanker body. He would pass for a wrestling star, and if this were another


    situation, the sight of him unable to meet my eyes would¡¯ve made meugh, but his news just ruined my


    entire day.


    ¡°Why the f uck didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    ¡°They just left, Riggs exined.


    I clenched my fist, mrs grating.


    Something about Gianni Molina unsettles me. Sure, I hated how he looked at Millicent, it was like he


    wanted to take her home and keep her to himself, and yes, I hated the guy for being close to her, but it


    was the way he looked at mest night. He was clearly taunting me. As if he knew something I didn¡¯t,


    and I hated not knowing who I was up against.


    ¡°Get me everything you can get on Gianni Molina.¡± I took a sip of my coffee just to get busy. My hands


    were itching tond


    strike on the ind.


    ¡°Here¡¯s what I have so far.¡± Riggs pulled out his phone, and an encrypted file shed on my screen.


    I perused the file. He knew Millicent and Candice since college, and the three of them stuck together until


    he began working for their family business about two years ago. Oceanlink Shipping. My lips pursed. So


    he was from old money. Oceanlink Shipping is one of the oldestpanies in Sicily. They¡¯ve already


    prated the import and export in almost all


    continents.


    ¡°He¡¯s clean,¡± Riggs murmured,ing around the ind, helping himself to a cup of coffee.


    ¡°Too f ucking clean.¡±


    ¡°I already have Mon¡¯s guy on him,¡± Riggs sat across from me, plucking the cloche from the ind. Under


    it was a te of English breakfast. Riggs looked at me questioningly. ¡°You gonna eat this?¡±


    I shook my head, and he gobbled up the food like he hadn¡¯t eaten in days.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± Danny asked from the driver¡¯s seat, waiting patiently for my response.


    r


    She gnawed on her lower lip, ¡°Except that I do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking any chances, Millicent.¡±


    She knowing arguing would be futile. ¡°I have to get ready.¡±


    I looped an arm around her waist. ¡°We have time.¡±


    Her eyes lit up. ¡°We don¡¯t. Candice would know what we¡¯re doing in here. She was breathless.


    I reluctantly stepped, eyes feasting on her body. ¡°She knows not to meddle with my business.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but pull Millicent for a scorching kiss, groaning at her sweet taste. She moaned, tossing


    her arms around my neck, rubbing her body against mine.


    F ucking hell. She felt so good. I yfully bit her lower lip and let her go. ¡°Go now while I¡¯m letting you.¡±


    Her giggle as she stepped into that white dress was music to my ears.


    r


    -DAMIAN-


    While getting dressed, I thought of how things between Millicent and I shifted from tonic to this vtile


    attraction. It could either make me or break me. Millicent was important to my family; if I am not careful, I


    would lose more than I am willing to risk. And despite all the risk involved, I still wouldn¡¯t change a thing


    aboutst night; the smile permanently etched on my face reveals how this upgrade in our rtionship


    pleased me.


    I didn¡¯t want to ruin the excellent start of my day by crossing paths with Candice, so I took my sweet time


    getting ready for work


    She¡¯s my sister, and I would always love her even though we didn¡¯t see eye to eye on things, but she


    had been a pain in my a ss. I would never hear the end of it if Millicent had already told her what


    happened between us.


    Girls and their gossip. Tell me all about it.


    When I was sure the girls were gone, I headed to the kitchen and made coffee.


    Riggs walked in while I was filling my mug with coffee. I frowned. I told him to drive Millicent to the city


    and stay with her until she¡¯s back. ¡°Why are you not with Millicent?¡±


    ¡°Gianni Molina picked them up.¡± He rubbed the back of his neck


    Riggs was a big guy, full-bearded with army-cut hair. His dark gray tee looked about to reap on the


    seams from containing his tanker body. He would pass for a wrestling star, and if this were another


    situation, the sight of him unable to meet my eyes would¡¯ve made meugh, but his news just ruined my


    entire day.


    ¡°Why the f uck didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    ¡°They just left.¡± Riggs exined.


    1 clenched my fist, mrs grating.


    Something about Gianni Molina unsettles me. Sure, I hated how he looked at Millicent; it was like he


    wanted to take her home and keep her to himself, and yes. I hated the guy for being close to her, but it


    was the way he looked at mest night. He was clearly taunting me. As if he knew something I didn¡¯t,


    and I hated not knowing who I was up against.


    ¡°Get me everything you can get on Gianni Molina.¡± I took a sip of my coffee just to get busy. My hands


    were itching tond a strike on the ind.


    ¡°Here¡¯s what I have so far.¡± Riggs pulled out his phone, and an encrypted file shed on my screen.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I perused the file. He knew Millicent and Candice since college, and the three of them stuck together until


    he began working for their family business about two years ago. Oceanlink Shipping. My lips pursed. So


    he was from old money. Oceanlink Shipping is one of the oldestpanies in Sicily. They¡¯ve already


    prated the import and export in almost all


    continents.


    ¡°He¡¯s clean,¡± Riggs murmured,ing around the ind, helping himself to a cup of coffee.


    ¡°Too f ucking clean.¡±


    ¡°I already have Mon¡¯s guy on him,¡± Riggs sat across from me, plucking the cloche from the ind. Under


    it was a te of English breakfast. Riggs looked at me questioningly. ¡°You gonna eat this?¡±


    I shook my head, and he gobbled up the food like he hadn¡¯t eaten in days.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± Danny asked from the driver¡¯s seat, waiting patiently for my response.


    |||


    ¡°Things started off, but it ended well,¡± I said, knuckles pressed on my lips, elbows resting on the open


    windows of the jeep.


    ¡°What do you mean it started off?¡± Since I dragged him out of California, Danny knew my n of


    surprising Millicent. Apart from overseeing the turnover of the Belmont Hotel to Silverio, we were in


    California for a crucial matter concerning Millicent as well.


    I told him about Gianni and what Riggs had found out.


    ¡°You worried about the stories surrounding Oceanlink Shipping¡± Danny asked.


    For the longest time, I handled every security matter for ck Holdings. I partnered up with people like


    Mon and a lot more. And in the long run, I ventured into a private security business as well, opening up a


    small securitypany focusing on providing protection for individuals.


    It opened my mind to the dangerous part of the world. Drugs, human trafficking, gun smuggling, gun for


    hire. Although mypany was small, with only thirty men under my payroll, specializing in personal


    security, I had to be armed with knowledge to provide the proper protection for my clients.


    of the


    And the family behind Oceanlink was one of the most dangerous families in Sicily. They were said to be


    one part Sicilian mafia. I didn¡¯t know enough details about them, but most influential people avoid


    confrontations with them.


    ¡°A bit. But Gianni was a Molina, and the Oceanlink is run by the Romano family?¡±


    ¡°Last I checked, yeah¡­¡± Danny murmured, parking the car in front of ck Holdings.


    ¡°Riggs already has Mon¡¯s guy digging on Gianni Molina,¡± I said, sliding out of the car.


    In the office. Mon was already waiting for us in one of the conference rooms. Mon, a retired marine, was


    still in good shape at fifty-five.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you toe here personally,¡± I said, shaking his hand and gesturing for him to remain


    seated.


    Apart from making sure all cameras and security at Belmont were already in ce, I asked Mon to


    investigate Rome Fletcher. What Millicent said to Hunter when he took her statement made perfect


    sense. In her line of business, crossing paths with someone like Rome was highly unlikely. Someone


    paid him to hurt her, and I want to get to the bottom of this; Mon showing up in Roslin City personally


    proves that this matter is crucial.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been to Roslin City,¡± Mon murmured, ¡°so I took the chance of seeing it while doing business.¡±


    I chuckled and settled on my seat across from Mon. ¡°Hitting two birds with one stone, I see.¡±


    ¡°You know me too well,¡± he replied, epting the coffee Ste, the floor secretary, brought in


    ¡°I have another job for you,¡± I informed him.


    ¡°Jon told me,¡± Mon said, dropping a cube of sugar in his cup, gently stirring it. Once Ste left, Mon¡¯s


    jovial front quickly shifted to a business note. ¡°And I wanted to deliver what we found out about this


    Rome Fletcher in person.¡±


    I tried to keep a straight face, hoping that my initial assumptions were wrong. Mon handed over a man


    envelope. I looked inside, and my jaw fluttered when I saw what was inside.


    ¡°That was taken in California,¡± Mon said as I handed the pictures to Danny.


    ¡°You know, I was betting Millie¡¯s ex was trying to sabotage your rtionship,¡± Danny cursed. ¡°I can¡¯t


    believe it was yours. You both have insane exes.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more,¡± Mon frowned as I flipped through more pictures of Rome and Sonja together. ¡°Rome was


    also responsible for triggering the fire rm at the Belmont Hotel.¡±


    ¡°Did you find out when they started working together?¡± I asked, trying to keep my head on the game. All


    the cells in my body wanted to fly back to California and confront Sonja for trying to hurt Millicent. I can¡¯t


    believe she would go this low just to get back at me.


    |||


    ¡°From our investigation, they met here in Roslin City,¡± Mon said, pointing out the picture at the bottom of


    the file. It was taken from a children¡¯s park. The photograph was blurry, but it was enough for me to


    recognize Sonja and Rome.


    ¡°But this won¡¯t be enough to incriminate Sonja for being the mastermind of the attacks on Millicent,¡±


    Danny said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Mon murmured solemnly. Silence swelled inside the conference room. ¡°Well, now that I¡¯ve


    finished my business here, I want to enjoy my little vacation in your city¡±


    ¡°Thank you for putting these pieces together,¡± I stood and walked Mon towards the door.


    Before I could twist the k nob, Mon paused and stared at me with determined eyes. ¡°If there¡¯s anything


    you need, anything at all, Damian. I will be here all weekend.¡±


    There was an underlying danger in his tone. Only the people close to Mon would catch the shift in his


    tone. Mon hated violence, especially when it came to children and women. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to


    read between the lines.


    ¡°111 keep in touch. I said, patting his shoulder. ¡°Thank you!


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Danny asked once I closed the door.


    I have to speak with Sonja,¡± I said, my jaw fluttering in anger. ¡°Prepare the jet.¡±


    Danny pulled out his phone, frowning.


    ¡°What?¡±


    We don¡¯t need to use the jet¡± He showed me the photo on his phone. It was Sonja dragging a suitcase


    out of Roslin City International Airport.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    -DAMIAN-


    Choosing a location for this meeting with Sonja was tricky. The winning nominee was a local coffee shop


    ten minutes¡¯ walk away from Uni, two corners away from the bus station, and in front of the subway. It


    was the busiest one we could find. Sending Sonja the wrong idea was thest thing I needed, but from


    how quickly she responded to my text message, she clearly assumed this was more than a business


    meeting.


    I sat at a table outside the shop, a big white umbre sheltering the table from the heat of the afternoon


    sun.


    Heads turned as Sonja slipped out of her rental car. She stood out in the crowd in her tiny red dress,


    owning the streets like her personal runway. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, shing her signature


    smile.


    That smile caught my attention back in college. That smile trapped me in her ws the second time


    around. It used to make my heart beat faster. It used to put my world in slow motion.


    Under the cacophony of the busy cafe, pedestrians on the walkway, and cars passing through the street,


    I listened for an irregr bump in my chest. I frowned. Even when Sonja stood before me, leaning down


    to kiss me on the cheek, I felt nothing apart from the urge to put a mile distance between us.


    ¡°Damian,¡± she purred, batting her long fakeshes. I put a hand between us, her lipsnding on my


    palm. Grimacing, she red at me, lips pursing as she straightened up. With a huff, she stomped to the


    chair across from me, sinking her bratty


    as s on the seat


    She plucked theminated menu on the table! browsing through the list. ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t stay away


    from me that long she leaned forward, setting the menu down, ¡°but this ce is a bit loud, don¡¯t you


    think? Do you want to go somewhere.¡± She searched for words. I¡¯ve seen this trick a thousand times. I


    bit the insides of my cheeks and let it y. She reached over the ss table, tracing my knuckles with


    her red fake fingernails. ¡°Less loud and crowded?¡±


    I sneered at her, pulled my hand from her reach, and got down to business. I took pleasure in watching


    the emotion supersede Sonja¡¯s perfect poker face when I pped one of the photographs from Mon¡¯s file


    on the table. It was the picture of Sonja and Rome at the yground, the one taken the day she


    surprised me at Lo lita¡¯s.


    Glowering at me, she looked down at the picture, confused. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Stop ying games with me, Sonja.¡± I scoffed, leaning back in my seat. ¡°How could you stoop this low?


    Hurting Millicent? What the hell is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°W..what?¡± she stuttered, ring at the server who came to our table.


    The server opened her mouth and closed it again, spinning on her heels.


    Sonja stared at the picture as if it was the first time she had seen it. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking


    about.¡±


    ¡°Cut the bul ls hit,¡± I spat. ¡°Are you this desperate?¡±


    Her confusion morphed into anger, her nails digging through the photo paper as she crumpled it.


    ¡°Whatever sh it you are talking about, I had nothing to do with it. I don¡¯t even know what this picture was


    about!¡±


    The college students at the table next to ours stopped chatting, their prying eyes pointed in our direction.


    Belching fire through her nose, she stared into my eyes. She was so mad, her nose ring; it would¡¯ve


    made the tabloid headlines if there were pap ara zzi nearby. I wanted tough at how easily she lost her


    nothing. It¡¯s like Sonja had suddenly lost her appeal to me.


    She used to be my world. Now she¡¯s just an eyesore I want to remove from my sight, from my life.


    Keeping my face passive, I searched her face for lies and deceit. I¡¯ve experienced the downside of failing


    to judge her character and have no ns to be her pawn again. Surprisingly, I saw nothing but


    genuine confusion lingering beneath her annoyance.


    O


    Is she telling the truth?


    No. This is Sonja we¡¯re talking about. She would say anything to save herself, to get anyone to believe


    her lies.


    She pushed off from the chair, the metal chair gritting against the cemented floor. ¡°I don¡¯t know what


    games you¡¯re ying. Damian.¡± Her chest heaved, hands balling above the table as she leaned closer.


    She looked like a cobra ready to strike. ¡°I don¡¯t get you. You kept sending me flowers and letters; that¡¯s


    why I am here in Roslin City, and now you¡¯re using me of something I don¡¯t even understand.¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    My eyebrows knitted together. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Gaze sharpening, she red at me through the tip of her nose. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s ying games


    here, Damian. Those flowers, white ca lilies, and the sweet emails I¡¯ve been receiving. You¡¯re the only


    one who knows about those things!¡± She raised her hands in the air. ¡°I thought you were finally ready to


    fix us, and I am here to help you figure things out. That it¡¯s really me you want and not that st upid blond!¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± I raised my hand, gesturing for her to sit down.


    She mulled over her next move, her mind gears shifting loudly. Grunting, she slumped in her seat,


    tossing one leg over the Mother.


    ¡°Back up to the flowers and letters. Do they have my signature, or did ite from my email ount?¡± I


    continued..


    She looked thoughtful for a beat, chewing her bottom lip. ¡°The flowers didn¡¯t have a return address, but


    they were delivered to my apartment, the one we shared. I bought that apartment for us. D. you know


    that¡± Her eyes softened, a memory crossing her mind. ¡°I hadn¡¯t taken anyone there apart from you


    I know that, but that isn¡¯t the issue right now. ¡°And the emails?¡±


    She took out her phone, handing it over. The emails came from s&. And to back up her statement, she


    started receiving emails a month ago. It was nothing but simple messages of I miss you: I miss us: I miss


    our time together, and tons of I love you.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t it ever ur to you that this could be an admirer trying to win your attention?¡± To Sonja¡¯s credit,


    she was good at her job. She had a good following online. A lot of them were young girls dreaming of


    being in her shoes. This wouldn¡¯t be the


    first time some diehard fan of hers tried to do this kind of stunt.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just admit it was you?¡± She scowled. ¡°I would take you back in a heartbeat, D. Just say


    the word, and I would leave Silverio for good.¡±


    I slid back her phone. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me, Sonja. I ended things between us for a reason, and I don¡¯t have


    any ns of gett back with you.


    I am trying to be positive here that this was a diehard fan of hers trying to win her attention. Still, after all


    that happened with Millicent, I fear that someone wanted Sonja to be here in Roslin City, doing what


    she¡¯s doing right now, and she¡¯s ying that role perfectly.


    Hurt flooded Sonja¡¯s face. Without another word, she dumped her phone back in her purse, rising from


    her seat. I followed suit, sna tching her arm before she could walk away, pulling her closer. ¡°Sonja¡­ You


    have to leave this city now.¡±


    She searched my face, glowering. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡± She pulled free from my hold, strutting


    away with her head held high


    In the car, Dantry waited for me with a frown, starting the vehicle as soon as I secured my seatbelt. He


    heard every detail of my conversation with Sonja. Remember when I said I wasn¡¯t taking a chance with


    Millicent¡¯s safety? I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s the detective?¡± Danny asked, driving out of the parking lot.


    ¡°Could be,¡± I said, pulling Sonja¡¯s phone from my jeans Trace that email, and we¡¯ll have the answer¡±

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    -MILLIE-


    nning one of the most influential couples in the US¡¯s golden wedding anniversary was enough


    distraction from this catastrophe 1 called my life.


    Georgina was adamant about two things: the intimacy of the event, that no p apara zzi should be able to


    invade their privacy and the location. She wanted to hold the event in their Malibu mansion. That¡¯s where


    the couples met, and on their first wedding anniversary. Tomas bought the mansion for Georgina,


    Lucky her, right?


    Even after fifty years, Tomas still loved to surprise her. Our meeting was cut short when Tomas walked


    into the restaurant. Georgina couldn¡¯t hide her excitement. He said he¡¯d be in a business meeting, so he


    wouldn¡¯t be able to join our meeting when in fact, he nned a weekend getaway for them here in Roslin


    City.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Before Georgina left, we promised to send our proposal by next week.


    ¡°I hate this job,¡± Andrea murmured. We were brainstorming the theme, food, invitations, guest list and the


    program, ordering refills for our coffee. We decided to finish the proposal draft here instead of returning


    to the office.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± She has been in a sour mood since yesterday. ¡°Is everything alright with you and


    Nick?


    ¡°Nick isn¡¯t answering her calls, Candice butted in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even mention that devil¡¯s name,¡± Andrea groaned, pulling her hair up in a high ponytail harshly.


    That¡¯s a sign she was stressed out. Her hair was her prized possession and she would kill anyone who


    ruins it.


    ¡°Why?¡± I pressed, guilt creeping up my system. I¡¯ve been so caught up with my problemstely and I


    don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with my friend¡¯s life anymore. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Andrea blew a heavy breath, and her fingers stopped hitting the keyboard of her MacBook, her shoulders


    slumping. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it. I¡¯m just so freaking tired of all this drama with his club.¡±¡±


    My brows arched, curiosity slithering through my veins. I locked eyes with Candice. She shrugged. She


    knows very little of what¡¯s going on with Andrea, too.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re ready to talk, you know we¡¯re here for you,¡± I said, my gaze falling on my notes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry


    if I haven¡¯t been aroundtely, but you know you can talk to us about anything, right?¡±


    Andrea¡¯s eyes sl anted. ¡°That statement goes to you as well, you know. How could you hide everything


    from me and Candice?¡± Offended, she put a hand over her chest for dramatic effect, her eyes going


    round. ¡°You went through all that


    alone.


    Silence befell on our table. I understand where they wereing from, but it wasn¡¯t easy for me to tell


    them that a guy had assaulted me twice.


    Then Andrea reached over the table for my hand, squeezing it. I¡¯m mad you kept things from me, but I¡¯m


    always here for you.¡±


    ¡°You know what? Why don¡¯t we go out and have fun this afternoon? Just the three of us,¡± Candice piped


    in. ¡°Since Georgina was satisfied with our initial proposal, let¡¯s finish this tomorrow and spend time


    together.¡±


    Andre and I locked eyes. ¡°No partying,¡± Candice insisted. ¡°Damian would kill me if I took you partying.


    But shopping? Ice cream?¡±


    Andrea squealed, startling us, ¡°Oh, ice cream. I could eat a pint right now.¡±


    We giggled and took our freshly refilled coffee to go.


    |||


    ¡°How about this one?¡± Andrea drew the curtain of the fitting booth, strutting out in a green babydoll, the


    colorplementing her tannedplexion and fiery red hair;


    ¡°Da mn. I loved that color. Too bad it¡¯s not avable in a bigger size Candice murmured, lifting a white


    and yellow mini dress in front of the full-length mirror. ¡°If you made me wear green right now, I would look


    like an avocado. A fat avocado,¡± she huffed.


    Looking at her now, she indeed gained weight. The dress Andrea was wearing was Candice¡¯s first


    choice. Theced, low-cut neckline was S** y, but still conservative. Andrea might be taller than her, but


    they¡¯d been wearing the same dress size.


    ¡°You did gain a few, Can. Imented. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±


    That question tumbled past my lipsnguidly. I mean, she¡¯s married, and it was only high time for them to


    have babies. I looked over my shoulder when Candice didn¡¯t reply, the color draining from her face.


    ¡°What?¡± Andrea asked.


    Candice dropped on the nearest leather seat, clutching the dresses on herp. ¡°Oh my Go d,¡± she


    gasped, pressing a hand on her forehead


    ¡°What?¡± I sat beside her. ¡°You¡¯re making me nervous.¡±


    She put a hand over her mouth, her eyes misting. ¡°I think I¡¯m pregnant.


    Andrea went to Candice¡¯s other side. ¡°You think? You drank to oblivionst night!


    Candice¡¯s eyes filled. ¡°I¡¯ve been so busy I forgot to check my calendar.¡± She looked at me. ¡°But now that


    you mentioned in. 1 should have had my periodst week!¡±


    ¡°Oh sh it.¡± I murmured.


    ¡°What if I¡¯m really pregnant and something happens to our baby?¡± panic swirled in her eyes.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said. ¡°Calm down, okay? First, we need to make sure you are really pregnant


    ¡°But what if


    her voice rose and her lips trembled. I¡¯ve never seen her so terrified. ¡°What am I gonna do?¡±


    ¡°Candice, babe, snap out of it!¡± Andrea cupped Candice¡¯s face. ¡°First, let¡¯s get out of these dresses and


    go to the nearest pharmacy. There¡¯s no point in panicking!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re panicking too.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Listen. Once we assure you¡¯re really with a baby, we will go to


    the doctor and make sure your baby is fine.¡±


    Candice heaved a huge chunk of air in. ¡°Okay. Okay. Get out of this dress. Pharmacy. Okay.¡± She


    ¡°Is it time yet?¡± Andrea asked, her heels tapping against the floor


    ¡°You asked that five seconds ago, Andrea,¡± I groaned, and will you please stop marching? You¡¯re making


    Candice more anxious than she already is


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it!¡± Andrea jabbed back, ring at the two teenagers who entered the malldies¡¯ room.


    They gasped and scurried back out the door.


    Candice e sat on the counter while I stood beside her, the pregnancy test was on my side. Candice kept


    peeking at it like a child waiting for the cookie to be done in the oven, so I had to put myself between her


    and the kit.


    |||


    ¡°I set the rm on my phone, remember?¡± I reminded them. ¡°So we wait.¡±


    ¡°Talk about something,¡± Candice said. ¡°Tell us what happened to you and Nick.¡±


    Andrea paused and faced us with a s harp re. ¡°Why me? Why can¡¯t Millie tell us what really happened


    to her?¡± I stiffened, and Candice pinned Andrea with an a re yo u f ucking serious¡¯ frown.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Andrea raised her hand. ¡°That¡¯s a bit insensitive, but why me? Ugh!¡± She took a deep breath,


    glowering.


    ¡°You guys know that Nick¡¯s in a motorcycle club, right? And motorcycle gang wars are always messy. He


    told me to stay put in Roslin City for now, said it¡¯s for my safety, but he won¡¯t give me details why my life


    would be in danger. I hate all these secrets¡± She walked towards Candice¡¯s other side, her voice turning


    soft. ¡°So I gave him an ultimatum. He needs to tell me everything, or we¡¯re over.¡±


    ¡°And he chose to end it instead of telling you the truth?¡± Candice asked.


    Andrea nodded. ¡°Now I¡¯m feeling sh itty for giving him an ultimatumn. I knew the risk of dating someone


    like him. I just hate that he shuts me out whenever something like this happens. Go d! I¡¯m not some


    fragile Disney princess he needs to keep locked in a tower every time s hit goes down!¡±


    *Secrets do that, I supplied. ¡°But I realize that sometimes we keep secrets from the people we love to


    protect them.¡±


    ¡°I get that, but if this rtionship will be long term, he needs to let me in on all the gory details of his job.¡±


    Andrea sighed. ¡°I needed him toe to me and realize that if he wants to keep, he needs to tell me s


    hit. But waiting sucks. What if he doesn¡¯t really see a future with me?¡±


    Only Nick knows that, Andrea,¡± Candice murmured.


    I hummed a yes. I wanted to tell Andrea otherwise, but what good will that do?


    That¡¯s the most annoying part. The ball is in his court. But I won¡¯t wait forever for him- The beeping of my


    phone cut off Andrea¡¯s next statement.


    Candice and Andrea stared at me. I could hear my heart beating in my ears as I checked the pregnancy


    test, gasping when I saw two lines on the testing window.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    -DAMIAN-


    Apart from that little bump with Sonja, my day went pretty smoothly.


    Millicent had been on my mind all day, I couldn¡¯t wait to see her and continue where we left off this


    morning. For her safety, 1 instructed Riggs to shadow her. She¡¯d be mad if she knew about it, but we


    had to be vignt given the present situation with Sonja and this secret admirer of hers and Rome.


    I was counting the hours until I could see her again, so when she called, inviting me for dinner at the


    mansion. I nearly told her I wanted her for dinner instead.


    Everyone was in attendance, including my brother-inw, Aaron, and that punk Italian, Gianni, I don¡¯t


    know what the f uck he¡¯s doing here, but my mood faltered seeing him on my turf.


    ¡°You¡¯re organizing Georgina Lantz¡¯s wedding anniversary?¡± Nancy¡¯s eyes nearly bulge out of their


    socket, her utensils cluttering against her te.


    ¡°Yup.¡± Candice replied, punctuating the ¡°p¡¯ sound as she yed with the peas on her te. She looked


    up, delight dancing in her eyes. She¡¯d been extra chirpy all evening, it¡¯s f ucking annoying. Whatever


    question was thrown at her, she answered them with a huge grin. I wonder what¡¯s up with her. This


    would be the biggest event we ever handled.¡±


    Dad leaned back in his seat, pride in my step-sister gleaming in his eyes. ¡°Congrattions,dybug,¡±


    he muttered. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be needing a bigger office soon.¡±


    Even though Candice wasn¡¯t his blood, he never treated her differently. Back when we were younger,


    whenever I would pi ss off Candice, he¡¯d take her side and make me apologize.


    ¡°Thanks. Dad,¡± Candice lowered her gaze to her te, ¡°but we still have so much to learn, right?¡± she


    looked at Millicent and Andrea, both humming in agreement.


    ¡°But I think your dad is right, Can.¡± Andrea said, biting down on her asparagus. ¡°Our hands are full with


    Constance¡¯s wedding and Georgina¡¯s anniversary. We need to start hiring more people to work with us


    on a regr basis.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, Millie?¡± Candice asked Millicent, who¡¯s been eating her pot roast silently.


    ¡°We need to check our budget first,¡± Millicent said. ¡°Hiring regr employees will be more costly than


    hiring part-time employees at every event.¡±


    ¡°Awe look at you two,¡± Leonor said, her eyes misting, gazing at Millicent and Candice. ¡°Our girls have


    really grown up. Nancy.¡±


    ¡°You remember when they begged us to take them to the One Direction concert for Candice¡¯s sixteenth


    birthday?¡± Nancyughed, nostalgia stirring in her eyes as she gazed at Millicent and Candice¡¯s picture


    hanging on the wall with longing.


    It was taken on Candice¡¯s sixteenth birthday. Nancy and Leonor taught them how to bake Candice¡¯s


    birthday cake, and they were covered in flour. I remember entering the kitchen that day, swiping a


    finger on the icing on Candice¡¯s cake. She quickly turned into a dragon and threw a bowl of flour in my


    face. She missed, though, but Dad made me apologize for making a


    mess.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Candice groaned. ¡°I want to forget everything about that concert.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t realize we were Directioners too!¡± Leonor said, our momsughing their hearts out.


    Millicent giggled. ¡°You cheered louder than we did!¡±


    Candice rolled her eyes. ¡°And they cried more than we did when Zayn left the group.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind us!¡± Nancy gasped, offended. ¡°I¡¯m


    still nursing my wounded Directioner heart.¡±


    |||


    That made everyone at the tableugh.


    ¡°So Gian, how¡¯s your old man doing?¡± Robert asked. Apparently, he met Gian¡¯s dad on one of his trips


    to Italy, visited his vineyard, and learned a thing or two about wine making from him.


    Gian¡¯s shoulder went rigid. It was subtle and if he wasn¡¯t sitting across from me, if I wasn¡¯t watching


    him the entire dinner. I wouldn¡¯t see how his expression changed from calm to fazed. ¡°He¡¯s still pi ssing


    off a lot of people,¡± he said, and Robert caught the pun in his statement, chuckling.


    ¡°Spoken like a true Romano,¡± Dad piped in, raising his ss of wine toward Gian.


    My brows creased. I was a few minuteste for dinner, and it seemed I missed more than the appetizer.


    This information wasn¡¯t on Riggs¡¯ file. Does that mean Gian was actually rted to the Romanos?


    Gian is a puzzle I needed to solve. There was something off about him, or was it only me? Everyone


    seemed to like him, even Aaron. I overheard they¡¯d be discussing business tomorrow at lunchtime. I


    zoned out from the conversation, sipping my wine quietly.


    The conversation over dinner flowed smoothly from what I could tell until dessert had been served.


    Candice then called our attention. Silence swelled over the dining room. I have some announcements


    to make.¡±


    Millicent nodded at Candice for support, making me frown.


    ¡°More good news?¡± Nancy asked, taking a spoonful of herva cake.


    Candice nodded, her eyes going around the table and finallynding on Aaron. She reached for her


    husband¡¯s hand, her eyes already misting. ¡°Babe¡­ you¡¯re going to be a dad.¡±


    Aaron literally choked on hisva cake. Candice had to m her fist on his back, and I handed him a


    ss of water. Poor guy.


    ¡°What a f ucking good way to announce your pregnancy, pigtails. You¡¯re gonna kill your baby daddy.¡± I


    rolled my eyes at her. I think I was the only one who wasn¡¯t shocked by this news. Everyone was silent.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    It took them ten seconds before cheers flooded the dining table.


    Thedies gushed about baby names, the baby¡¯s gender, and baby showers. The guys and I had to


    remove ourselves from the dinner table, or we¡¯d be deaf before the night was over.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± I asked Aaron. We moved to the lounge and opened a bottle of Macan to


    celebrate the beginning of Aaron¡¯s road to fatherhood and celebrated the goods like regr human


    beings


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m happy and nervous at the same time,¡± he answered honestly. The guy might be a


    goodwyer with an excellent poker face. But I believe he¡¯s telling the truth. He never lied about


    Candice, anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you and Candice,¡± Robert said. ¡°But having a kid is not a walk in the park¡±


    Dad nodded a yes, looked at me, and said, ¡°there¡¯s no manual on how to raise a child. You learn and


    you go and hope that he doesn¡¯t end up in jail.¡±


    I groaned, and everyoneughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the out-of-this-world cravings. Robert piped in, shaking his head. ¡°Man, I remember


    Leonor asking me to buy her the sweetest peach in December in the f ucking middle of the night, or


    she¡¯d kick me out of the room if I didn¡¯t. I went to every twenty-four convenience stores that night.¡±


    hadn¡¯t heard this story before, and I found the horror on Aaron¡¯s face hrious.


    ¡°Did you find one?¡± Gian asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Robert chuckled. ¡°I knew she wouldn¡¯t let me inside the room, so I slept on the couch. Then, in


    the morning, she got furious that I left her alone in the room.¡±


    Sat, Feb


    Aaron slumped back in his seat by the sectional, looking at the ceiling as though that would save him


    from the crazy pregnancy hormones.


    ¡°But being a father to Millicent was the best thing that happened to me, Robert said.


    Dad nodded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have you and Candice any other way. I¡¯m sure your parents would tell you the


    same, son,¡± he directed thatst sentence to Aaroin.


    ¡°I would try my best to keep Candice and the baby safe.¡± Aaron sighed. ¡°Is this real?¡±


    ¡°I f ucking real,¡± Gian butted in, pping Aaron¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Congrattions. I promise to keep my couch vacant specifically for you, brother,¡± I said.


    ¡°Shut up, man, Aaron groaned.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to spoil that kid. I added, and Dad shook his head at me, pinning me with a re. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna spoil that kid together!¡±


    ¡°Count me in!¡± Robert piped in.


    Aaron grunted, grabbed the bottle of Macan, and drank straight from it


    Is something bothering you?¡± I asked Millicent through our drive home. Growing up with Candice. I was


    ustomed to how quickly girls moods could change. Millicent¡¯s eyes had been glued to the window


    the entire time, and she hadn¡¯t said word since we left the mansion.


    ¡°I¡¯m just tired,¡± she sighed, not even throwing me a nce.


    If I hadn¡¯t known Millicent since she was in kindergarten, I would have believed her words. After that


    meeting, her date with Candice and Andrea, and dinner at the mansion, I knew she was exhausted.


    Sadly, I knew better. She was never one toin about being tired.


    At the beach house. I waited in bed while she freshened up. I had bigger ns for us tonight, but if she


    needed to rest. I could wait until tomorrow.


    Wey in bed, and Millicent was still distant. I pulled her for a cuddle, and she wiggled away from my


    embrace; I knew something had happened to her right then.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Millicent?¡± I asked, pulling her closer to me. I buried my face in the crook of her


    neck, her sweet scent making me hard. ¡°I missed you all day.¡±


    ¡°You missed me?¡± she huffed, detaching herself from me. ¡°You missed me so bad that you had to meet


    your girlfriend

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    -DAMIAN-


    In the silence of the night. I could hear the gears in Millicent¡¯s mind shifting.


    Our day started well, and I won¡¯t allow it to end like this. I¡¯ve already made progress with herst night,


    and I wouldn¡¯t let that go to waste just because of Sonja


    F ucking Sonja. I knew that meeting with her would f uck me up, but not this quickly.


    I took courage and gathered Millicent in my arms again. She fought me, but I held her tight. Her muscles


    were tense, and her breathing wasbored, so I whispered into her ears. ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask me


    why I met her?¡±


    She stopped resisting, figuring out whether to let me hold her or punch me in the face. I sighed when she


    blew out a breath and softened in my arms, as rxed as she could be.


    ¡°Did you breach the contract? Something in her tone made me nervous.


    We were treading half-blind in this rtionship, in the end, it was the contract she trusted.


    ¡°What? I didnt-


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me,¡± she cut my exnation off, her voice strained. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I want to sleep.¡±


    She shut me out, withdrawing somewhere I can¡¯t reach her.


    ¡°Talk to me, Millicent.¡± I murmured. This wasn¡¯t part of my ns. I preferred the emotional Millicent to this


    detached version of her. I¡¯d rather she scream at me, demanding an exnation, than give me a cold


    shoulder.


    ¡°I have nothing to say to you. I just want to sleep.¡± She disentangled from my hold, her tone sharper than


    a knife.


    I groaned, forced her onto her back, and stretched on top of her I wanted to see her face, look her in the


    eyes while defending myself. The timid glow of the balcony lights illuminated the anger in her eyes. It left


    me stunned.


    ¡°I can¡¯t read your mind, but I can see you¡¯re mad. Why don¡¯t you ask me what happened so I can exin


    myself?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± She ttened her hands on my chest, pushing me away. ¡°And you don¡¯t have to


    exin anything. I understand things perfectly.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I grabbed her wrist, pinning them over her head. ¡°What is it that you understand?¡±


    She gazed at me with a passive expression, attempting to hide the pain and sadness in the depths of her


    brown eyes. ¡°I understand that I am just a conquest to you, Damian. You got what you wanted, and now


    you¡¯re probably working things out with Sonja.¡± She fought against my restraints. She was a trapped


    wildcat, ready to w my eyeballs out with the first opening she¡¯d get. It¡¯s f ucking turning me on. What


    was wrong with me?


    My c ock grew harder, punching against the fabric of my shorts the more Millicent refused to sumb to


    my control.


    *You understand sh it,¡± I said and removed the distance between our mouths. My bodyes to life at


    the taste of her lips.


    F uck me.


    Howe she tasted better than thest time I kissed her?


    She resisted me at first, groaning and writhing beneath me. Everything she does goes straight to my co


    ck. It was as hard as a steel seconds into kissing her. If Millicent would stop fighting, she¡¯d feel the


    dampness caused by her stubbornness on my c ock.


    I kept her beneath me, kissed her until she was pliant, shivering, and allowed me to take what I wanted.


    My di ck screamed to be free from my boxers. There was no way she couldn¡¯t feel how turned on I was.


    [II


    ¡°You feel that?¡± I rubbed myself on her like a f ucking dog marking his territory. She whimpered, shutting


    her eyes as she bit her lips. Oh, she could feel that right. ¡°When I saw Sonja, my co ck didn¡¯t even twitch.


    But with you, even when you¡¯re being difficult, it¡¯sing to life like a hungry beast.¡±


    Her chest rose and fell rapidly as mine, her nipples straining against her silk top, begging for my mouth.


    And f uck if 1 wanted to give e what her body needed. ¡°Is that supposed to make me feel better?¡± she


    groaned. ¡°News sh, Damian, it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°Hear me out. If you still feel the same way after, then I¡¯ll leave,¡± I said against her mouth, fighting every


    cell in my body to take what I wanted. And talking wasn¡¯t even on that list.


    Millicent¡¯s searching brown eyes roamed over my face. As though she found what she was looking for,


    she nodded. ¡°Fine. exin


    I rolled onto my back, the tent on my boxer not going away. Licking my lips, I started my confession. ¡°I


    went to California and spoke to this guy who could do a background on Rome.¡±


    Millicent¡¯s body stiffened as a pole beside me. I reached for her hand, and to my relief, she allowed me to


    twine our fingers. ¡°And this guy, he came to my office this morning and gave me the documents I


    needed. There was a connection between. Sonja and Rome.¡±


    She looked at me with wide, questioning eyes.


    ¡°We believe Sonja was involved with Rome.¡±


    Fear vibrated through Millicent¡¯s body, but she let me continue,


    I was supposed to pay her a visit in Cali, but we got information that she¡¯s already here in Roslin City¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already here even before you called her?¡±


    ¡°Someone is pulling the strings. Someone wanted her to be here, and I bet that person also wanted you


    to know about my meeting with her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think me knowing about it is part of that someone¡¯s n¡± she muttered, sounding so sure.


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because Gian told me about it,¡± she murmured. ¡°He saw you at the cafe. He didn¡¯t even know who


    Sonja was.¡±


    ¡°The f uck?¡± Now it¡¯s my turn to be mad. ¡°And you¡¯d rather be mad at me before knowing my side of the


    story?¡±


    Gian


    n would never hurt me, Damian,¡± she s natched her hand from my hold, sitting up.


    I don¡¯t know what hurt me more. Millicent sn atching her hand from me as though my touch burned her or


    the reality that she¡¯d side with Cian. It felt like a p on my face.


    ¡°And I would?¡± Her trust issues were one thing, but choosing Gian¡¯s side before she even heard mine


    was even more painful. I sat up, slid a hand down my face.


    ¡°That¡¯s it¡¯s not like that,¡± she stuttered, her voiceing out small.


    ¡°Then what was it like? Because all I can see right now is you trusting Gian¡¯s words over mine.¡± I couldn¡¯t


    hide the pain in my voice. It felt like she betrayed me.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s easier to believe that you only said what you saidst night to get what you want, Damian!¡±


    she cried.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you take my words as it is, Millicent?¡± I took her face in my hand and forced her to look me in


    the eye. ¡°I want nothing to do with Sonja.¡±


    ¡°You know what? It¡¯s really none of my business whether you want her or not. You¡¯re only here because


    of the contract.¡±


    ¡°Will you stop talking about the f ucking contract? I¡¯m here because I want to be here, because I want to


    be with you. Is that f ucking hard to understand?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m nothing like Sonja. I¡¯m nothing like the girls you¡¯ve been with!¡±


    How can she make me want to pull my hair from my scalp and tim me on at the same time? Her jealousy


    drives me f ucking


    crazy.


    My co ck thinks it was hot, yet my mind knew this was f ucked up. Something was definitely wrong with


    me, but who f ucking cares? Right now, my mission was to let this stubborn woman know that she¡¯s


    everything I want and more. I kissed her again. She squirmed, fighting to be free, pushing me away. I


    trapped her wrists together and kissed her until she was moaning into my mouth.


    Pulling away to get some air, I said against her lips. ¡°If my words can¡¯t get through your stubborn head, I


    will f uck my way through it.¡±


    Wh-what-¡±


    I didn¡¯t allow her to say another word, cutting her statement off with another kiss. Weaving one hand


    through her hair, I palmed her a ss and lifted her onto myp.


    ¡°The only thing you¡¯re allowed to say is my name. Millicent. Begging me to make youe.¡±


    O

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    -MILLIE-


    I should be scared of Damian¡¯s deration, but I¡¯m not. Even when the fury vibrated off of him, I felt no


    fear. I was light- headed from the desire glinimer in his eyes, like a lighthouse in the middle of a


    turbulent sea. His touch kindled wildfire under my skin, turning me to writhing and heated mess before


    him.


    He held me hostage on hisp, his big hand guiding my face to get better ess to my mouth. Kissing


    me roughly, he forcibly ground my center over his rigid member. He was as hard as steel, twitching


    each time he¡¯d rub me back and forth over his length.


    His roughness sent my pulse skyrocketing. It drummed against my chest cavity, singing nothing but


    Damian¡¯s name.


    He drank deep from my mouth, growling each time I¡¯d resist and bite his lip. My mind told me to push


    Damian away and hold on to my resolve longer, but my body had already made the decision. As


    Damian¡¯s kisses turned passionate, almost desperate, he forced his tongue between my lips as though


    he was asking for permission.


    My body won the war against my head. This explosive attraction I had for Damian f ucked me up again.


    I gave in and kissed him back, parting my lips, and granted him entry. The bas ta rd smiled against my


    mouth, inviting my tongue for a yful duet.


    It was dizzy, I lost my mind in the bliss of passion until breathing became inconsequential.


    Damian pulled away and growled. ¡°Permission to f uck you.¡±


    The need in his heavy, lidded eyes left me speechless. I swallowed hard, processing what he just said.


    Even when every muscle in his body told me he wanted to get rough and dominate me, he still asked


    for my consent.


    Why does that looked so hot?


    ¡°I want you, Millicent.¡± He pushed my hair out of my face and traced my cheek tenderly, his dark eyes


    dting. ¡°Why can¡¯t you f ucking get that through your thick, stubborn head?¡±


    For theck of response, I could only giggle nervously. Was this his way of f ucking his way through my


    stubborn head? He made me believe that he¡¯d f uck me in a savage way. I¡¯m not opposing that idea,


    but this was even hotter. Does that make any


    sense?


    He¡¯s actual intent was to sweet talk his way to get what he wanted. Maybe I¡¯ve taken his statement out


    of context?


    ¡°And now she¡¯sughing at me,¡± he groaned, grabbing my as s , rubbing my pu ssy over his ramrod c


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ock.


    I moaned, my eyes fluttering shut. ¡°Please let me f uck you. I¡¯d go insane if I go another night without


    marking you.¡±


    ¡°Marking me?¡± I scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not a property you can own.¡±


    ¡°See? Any woman would say yes to me in a heartbeat, but you¡­¡± He chuckled, shaking his head.


    ¡°Only you, Millicent.¡± He pushed me on my back, stretching above me. ¡°Marking you meant the end of


    our contract.


    ¡°And what¡¯s gonna happen, then?¡± I whimpered. Damian chose that moment and buried his face in my


    throat, biting down on my corbone.


    ¡°You¡¯d be mine.¡± He traced the low-cut neckline of my top with his tongue,vishing my heated skin.


    ¡°Mine to protect.¡± He nuzzled my left breast, my nipples turning to stiff points. ¡°Mine to care for.¡± He


    licked my right nipple. ¡°Mine to pleasure.¡± He bit down on it.


    Like a lightning bolt, pleasure shot through my entire body, my back arching off the bed. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± He circled my nipples with the tip of his tongue, leaving a wet patch on the fabric of my


    sleepwear.


    ¡°Yes, f uck me.¡± As though my answer surprised him, he lifted his head from my chest, questioning


    eyes locking with mine. I


    cupped his face and pulled him up so I could kiss him. ¡°Yes to being yours, Damian.¡±


    The sound that came from him was inhumane. Gone was the gentle Damian. He dragged my top


    op over my head, diving forward to take an aching nipple between his lips. I sighed, burying my fingers


    in his hair, his mouth driving me crazy.


    ¡°Damian.¡± I moaned, pushing my chest for his attention. He cupped my breasts and pushed them


    together, licking my nipples back and forth. ¡°Oh sh it, that feels so good.¡±


    ¡°So f ucking good,¡± he murmured, licking a stripe down my stomach. He ripped my bottoms off and


    buried his face between my thighs. ¡°But this is f ucking better,¡± he groaned, I cry out. He grabbed my a


    ss cheeks, his fingers digging into my flesh. ¡°I¡¯d never get tired of eating you out, Millicent.¡±


    His tongueshed onto my cl it, licking, biting and nipping as if it was a third nipple. Then he shoved his


    tongue inside me, wiggling the tip, making me gasp. ¡°Hm.. yes.¡±


    A toe curling sensation spiraled down my spine when he pushed a finger at my entrance and suckled


    my c lit. The sensation was mind-blowing. I dig my hands into his hair and start pulling my body


    squirming at themand of his hand and tongue on my p ussy, my legs falling wider as stars dance


    on the back of my eyelids..


    When I shuddered. tipping over my release, he stopped all ministration,ughing darkly when I cursed


    his name.


    ¡°Patience, baby.¡± He sat up, removed his shirt and boxers, his co ck pping against his stomach. ¡°The


    only time you¡¯re allowed toe is when I¡¯m buried balls deep inside you,¡± he said, fi sting that


    monster between his legs.


    I swallowed, calcting his sizepared to Hunter¡¯s. It must be all the romance novels I¡¯ve read, but


    I¡¯ve never actually seen one that would fit all the author¡¯s description, until now. Hunter wasn¡¯t average,


    but Damian was bigger on girth and size. Like freaking porn star worthy girth and size.


    ¡°The look on your face is a f uckingpliment,¡± he sounded smug.


    I couldn¡¯t form a reply. My heart strummed in my chest as Damian settled between my parted legs,


    kissing me until I was breathless. Holding his weight in one arm, he guides his c ock up and down my


    center, coating the head with my wetness. I held on to his shoulder as our eyes locked. Slowly, Damian


    embedded himself inside me, allowing me to feel every inch until there was no more of him.


    ¡°Oh my G od.¡± I winced, my pu ssy had never been stretched like this before. A pleasurable pain


    coursed through my body I wiggled, searching for afortable position beneath him.


    Damian groaned with each move I made, but stayed as still as he could.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d f ucking feel like heaven,¡± he snarled, eyes ring as his jaw ticked.


    Once my body got ustomed to his side, Damian dragged out and pushed back in, all the air leaving


    my chest. passed out.


    His first thrust made me groan. His second made me cry, and when he started to move on top of me,


    gaining a stea of push and pull, I lost the ability to make coherent sounds.


    All I could feel was Damian. His chest pressed mine, his scent mingling with S** and lust, and the


    sounds he made each he¡¯d hit that magical spot inside me that made me scream his name.


    Everywhere his hand would touch me, wildfire spr beneath my skin.


    I hear a beseeching chant of ¡®please, please, please, in my head. soon realized it was me begging


    Damian to give me more


    ¡°Please, what?¡± Damian squeezed my breast, pinching my nipples


    ¡°Make mee!¡± I couldn¡¯t recognize the sound of my own voice.


    35


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Damian chuckled, sitting on his ankles, sliding one hand under my a ss, and lifting my lower


    body off the bed. My shoulders dug into the mattress, my head spinning at the sudden change in our


    position. Damian reached where our bodies joined, seeking my c lit. He stroked the engrossed bud with


    his thumb, his co ck going in and out of me. I was so wet a squelching sound followed each time he


    buried himself and withdrew from my body.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    -MILLIE-


    I woke to the strange feel of a heavy object pinning me down and a warm breath drawing a stripe down


    my neck. Groaning. I opened my eyes. It was breaking dawn. The soft light from the outside illuminated


    Damian¡¯s handsome face, looming


    above mine


    ¡°Hi¡± He smiled, his eyes alight with a fondness I hadn¡¯t seen before. I was so used to seeing him rough


    and intimidating. smartas s at times, mostly when he¡¯s around Candice. This version of his is new, and I


    like it. I liked it so much that I had to bite my lip to suppress a smile.


    ¡°Hm hey¡± My eyes squinted, forcing the sleep away. As the aftereffect of my slumber wore off, I realized


    how crazy my hair must¡¯ve been and how disarrayed I might have looked. The urge to push him off me


    and run towards the bathroom was the first thing that came to my mind.


    Damian tucked my messy hair behind my ears, his green eyes traipsing over my face as if I were an


    artwork he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off. So I stayed where I was, enjoying his undivided attention.


    ¡°So_¡± Damian said, nudging my nose with his, nting a soft kiss on my lips. He chuckled as I chased


    his mouth, frowning when he pecked at my lips again


    I groaned, palming the back of his head, and forced our mouths together. Damian smiled, kissing me the


    way I wanted him to kiss me until we were both in dire need of filling our chests with air.


    So what?¡± I asked, sliding my hand down his chest, feeling the ridges of his muscles. A squeal fell from


    my lips when he rolled over taking me with him


    Giggling. I wiggled on top of him until I wasfortable. Damian offering his body as my new bed. This


    was probably the best bed leverid on.


    ¡°Last night really happened,¡± he said, his hand sliding slowly down my spine.


    My brows arched. The same question had been on the tip of my tongue, but the soreness between my


    thighs was enough to


    answer mine


    ¡°I think so.¡± I said coyly, tracing his jaw with my forefinger, his day-old stubble tricking my fingertips. ¡°Are


    you regretting it?


    It was a stu pid question, but after I saw that photo of him and Sonja, I prepared myself for the inevitable.


    I came home with him to end this agreement, but the opposite happened. This rtionship was a freight


    train destined to break my heart, but afterst night, I don¡¯t know what this was between us anymore.


    ¡°What?¡± His hand on my spine froze, his eyes going wide. ¡°Why would you even-¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Damian,¡± I said honestly. ¡°What happenedst night was consensual. I won¡¯t


    force you to stay with me if you want to fix things with Sonja¡±


    The fondness in his eyes I was enjoying earlier quickly morphed into anger. He palmed the back of my


    head and a ss, rolling us over, pinning me down with his weight. My world spun. It took me five seconds


    to witness the anger zing in his eyes. It was burning hot. Belching a low growl, he smashed his lips


    down to mine. The kiss was rough, forceful, and possessive. Palming my breast, he pinched my nipples


    and rolled them until they were stiff peaks. Then he nudged my legs apart. The tangled sheets were the


    only barrier between us, but that didn¡¯t conceal how hard Damian was,


    ¡°Last night wasn¡¯t a f u cking mistake, Millicent. He tore the sheet between us. Then h ooked an arm


    under my left leg. held it up, and impaled himself inside me.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Without a preamble, he moved with precision; his hips started snapping, puncturing me with his


    hard c ock. ¡°Damian!¡±


    I wed at his shoulder, feeling each determined thrust of his d ick inside me. Each time he pulled out, I


    heaved a breath and whimpered at the force of his entry


    ¡°You feel that?¡± Damiarr grunted between each punch of his hips, ¡°I will f ck you every time you doubt my


    words, Millicent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, f uck!¡± I wept. He lowered his mouth on my breast, biting down on my nipple, tugging on it with his


    teeth.


    I hissed, my teeth gritting together as he continued to f uck me. His name and a few pleading words in


    my vocabry were the only thoughts swirling in my head.


    My legs were shaking, my body arching off the bed as Damian kept a steady pace; his breath was


    bingbored as 1 tipped off the edge. He could feel every contraction of my walls, but each time I


    was close toing, he¡¯d change position, change his pace. I¡¯d curse him each time, and he¡¯d answer


    with a sinister chuckle.


    ¡°Im sorry! F uck! Please, just let mee!¡± I screamed; the sheets under me were already drenched with


    my sweat.


    ¡°Better f ucking remember that, he groaned, pulling out of me, my pu ssy gaping at his absence. He


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    flipped me onto my hands and knees, lifte d my as s, and slid his co ck inside me again, taking me from


    behind. This position meant he could reach that sweet spot inside me with ease, and he knew it.


    Circling a hand around my waist, he quickly found my c lit, rubbing circles on my sensitive bud. Bending


    over my body, he guided my face to the side and imed my lips. He f ucked my mouth with his tongue


    at the same pace his c ock went in and out of me. My body was his instrument, and he yed me like an


    expert, humming approval each time I¡¯d cry out in cuphoria.


    With his chest pressed on my back, I felt his muscles tensing. He was rearing close to his release.


    ¡°I¡¯ming.¡± I said when he took a breath, my toes curling as 1 st the sheet. I threw my head back, my


    eyes rolling to the back of my head as ck dots danced around me. ¡°Damian!¡±


    ¡°Give me what I want¡± He bit my earlobes, his finger moving frantically over my cli t as his c ock


    thickened and pulsed inside


    me.


    ¡°Oh, f uck!¡± I cried out, my body shivering as I exploded around him. My moans of pleasure and his grunt


    of satisfaction filled the walls of our room.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± Damian rasped, swearing and jerking so hard the bell frame screeched with his frantic


    movements.


    I felt him spill himself deep inside me as I spasmed around him. The aftershock of my release made my


    knees and arms give out, falling face-first on the mattress. Damian chased me, his body quaking behind


    mine as 1 helplessly called out his


    name.


    ¡°Take it, Millicent,¡± hemanded hotly in my ears. ¡°You¡¯ve been a very bad girl.¡±


    A wave of emotions takes over me. I sobbed as he growled in pleasure, my p ussy milking every drop of


    his release.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    -MILLIE-


    Every morning, I woke up next to Damian, and I recounted all the time we shared. It had been two weeks


    since he ended our contract, and I became his. That was the new use of our agreement, if I could


    even call it that.


    I go back to that night he f ucked his way through my stubborn head again and again whenever doubts


    clouded my mind. But no matter how many times I recall everything, I can¡¯t seem toprehend that


    someone like Damian would want to be with me. That¡¯s just not usible in my world, or so I thought. I¡¯m


    happy, don¡¯t get me wrong, but the young Millicent inside me had been screaming at the top of her lungs,


    banging the cage where she¡¯d been locked up as she yelled, ¡°Oh my G od: Damian has finally noticed


    me!¡±


    Despite all these doubts and overthinking. Damian had been good to me, better than Hunter had been.


    He was kind and caring, and he¡¯d go out of his way to show me what being his meant. He drove me to


    work and picked me up after. If he¡¯s out of town. Riggs would be my personal chauffeur. He¡¯d take me to


    fancy restaurants, but most nights, he¡¯d cook dinner while I freshened up.


    Don¡¯t even get me started on our setting behind closed doors at night. One or gasm wasn¡¯t enough, and


    he never got satisfied until my legs were shaking in pleasure. Once I was sated, he¡¯d tuck me as close to


    his body as possible. I love everything he¡¯s done and still doing for me. I love it so much that it scared me


    to wake up one day and realize that everything was just a dream.


    I¡¯m still reeling from the aftermath of my breakup with Hunter. Back then, being with Hunter felt like a


    dream. History was repeating itself with Damian. Although this one with Damian was more than a dream,


    it¡¯s a fantasy I built since I was a teenager. And if there was one thing my rtionship with Hunter taught


    me, it¡¯s that despite all the effort, love, and care you shower them with, they won¡¯t stay in your life


    because you¡¯re only a stopover in their journey, a mere bump on the road. Destiny will y its course.


    And if Damian was only here for a mere stopover. I¡¯d try to enjoy my time with him. At least that¡¯s what I


    wanted to do, but it¡¯s hard to keep my feelings in check because Damian never failed to top what he did


    yesterday, and I¡¯d fall deeper each


    time.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Damian reached over the console,cing our fingers together. He lifted it to his


    mouth. kissing my knuckles.


    For me, it was these small gestures that mattered the most. I couldn¡¯t hide my smile. He could be really


    sweet when he wanted to, and that smile, Go d, he could melt my heart like butter tossed in a hot pan.


    ¡°What?¡± he chuckled, setting our joined hands on top of his thigh, focusing back on the road.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said, brushing the hair out of my face.


    Damian loved driving with his windows down. I used to hate it. The wind ruined my hair, but if I could see


    happy, I don¡¯t mindbing my hair again and again.


    ¡°Uh-huh. Did something good happen today?¡± He asked, driving over to the exit to his ce. We¡¯d have


    dinner mansion tonight. Nancy wanted us over to n our engagement party. Yep. Despite our busy


    schedule and Candi pregnancy, Nancy hasn¡¯t forgotten about our engagement party. She¡¯s a persistent


    one, and Mom was her personal cheerleader.


    ¡°Work was okay. I¡¯ve been busy with the interview.¡± With Candice nurturing a baby in her tummy, we


    decided it would best to hitre a new employee to lessen her traveling outside the city.


    ¡°Did you find an eligible candidate?¡±


    I hummed a yes. ¡°Three applicants passed our initial interview. We¡¯ll be doing a background on them,


    and the final interview will be on Monday.¡±


    Damian let go of my hand, shifting gears, then grabbed it again. Give me their names.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, genuinely confused by his request..


    ¡°I will do a thorough background on them,¡± he murmured nonchntly, as though it was only natural for


    him to have a say in ourpany.


    ¡°And why do you need to do that?¡± My brows arched, unsure why we were even having this


    conversation.


    ¡°Just¡­¡± He nced at me, sighing. ¡°Just let me do it. I just want to be sure whoever you¡¯re hiring is not a


    threat to your safety.


    Bewildered, I slowly caught up with his intentions, Between Rome and Sonja, already have enough to


    worry about, and I refuse to let this hinder how I do my job.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± I said, my voice taking a business-like tone. ¡°We know how things work in


    this field. Besides, this person we¡¯re hiring will be more of a liaison. She will rarely be staying at the office


    with us.¡±


    The space between his eyebrows crinkled, his lips thinning. ¡°I¡¯m not questioning your ability to run your


    business, Millicent. I know how good you are at what you do, but taking precautions isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡±


    Nibbling my lower lip. I stared at the window and considered his suggestion. I could fight him and make


    him understand that this situation cannot dictate my life, but I also know Damian¡¯s persistence. Nancy


    might not be his biological mother, but he sure inherited her determined streak.


    ¡°Please!¡± Damian squeezed my hand.


    I blew out a breath, caving. ¡°Fine. But Candice has to agree to it, and if she does, we¡¯re paying you.¡± it


    Candice has to agree to it, and if she does, we¡¯re paying you.¡±


    He shook his head, ready to bid an argument. I stared at him, eyes narrowed to slits. ¡°That¡¯s not up for


    negotiation. The bill goes to Effortless Events.¡±


    Amused, he chuckled. ¡°Fine. I was thinking of different ways you could pay me.¡± His voice took that


    husky edge.


    Horrified, I gasped. ¡°Damian!¡± I pulled my hand from his hold, but he didn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°What?¡± He asked, shing me a fake innocent smile.


    As soon as he pouted, I giggled, my heart turning to a pile of g od. ¡°Stop that


    Heughed, turning towards the street of the ck Mansion. ¡°Stop what?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I groaned. ¡°Stop teasing me. And don¡¯t you dare do that thing you didst time we were here.¡±


    Last weekend, his hand wandered where it shouldn¡¯t. He made me or gasm while having dinner with our


    fan we were discreet, but Candice knew what we were doing. She wouldn¡¯t let go of the topic until I


    pleaded guil a family dinner. She was horrified, disgusted, and happy for me at the same time and


    insisted she knew this w eventually.


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t do it again,¡± Damian said. I knew him too well to know that a ¡°but would follow that


    sentence. him, a tingling sensation spread on my chest as that knowing smirk stretched his lips. ¡°But I


    promise nothing a bo


    youe.¡±


    ¡°Oh my Go d, Damian!¡± I breathe, pping his shoulder. We were stillughing about that topic when the


    mansion cal into view.


    My shoulders went rigid when I saw a very familiar car parked in front of thewn.


    Hunter.


    The first thought that came to mind was an update about Rome. We were waiting for his trial schedule,


    but isn¡¯t this toote for a business visit? And why here?


    Our parents were speaking with Hunter and ady officer. She wore the same fitted jeans and a ck


    tee as Hunter; her gaze


    |||


    turning razor sharp as Damian and I slid out of the car.


    ¡°Officer Lean,¡± Damian put a hand on the small of my back as we approached their small cluster on the


    walk path. ¡°I can¡¯t say it¡¯s a pleasure to see you tonight.¡±


    ¡°You and me both. Mr. ck,¡± Hunter said, his gaze sweeping over Damian and me, his jaw fluttering.


    Like an agile predator, Hunter¡¯s associate approached us, her hands resting on her sidearm hanging by


    her belt as she spoke.


    ¡°Damian ck?¡±


    ¡°I suppose you know that already.¡± Damian nodded at her co oly.


    ¡°Detective Fraser,¡± the woman replied, her lips thinning, but she did an excellent job hiding her


    annoyance at Damian¡¯s hostile response.


    Behind Hunter and Fraser, Erik threw an arm around Nancy¡¯s shoulder, drawing her to his side. Nancy¡¯s


    lips quivered as she blinked the mist from her eyes. Mom wore that same worried look when I told her I¡¯d


    be residing in New York for good.


    ¡°You¡¯re under arrest for the attempted murder of Sonja nchet-¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I gasped, looking back at Hunter.


    Damian¡¯s hand on my back clenched. He was the epitome of calm and collected as Detective Fraser


    read him his rights.


    ¡°You have the right to remain silent-¡± Detective Fraser continued


    Damian.¡± I held his hand, holding on to him as though he¡¯d vanish into thin air if I didn¡¯t hold him tight.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Millicent¡± He kissed my forehead. Not an ounce of resistance from him as Detective Fraser


    secured his hands with handcuffs.


    My heart lodged in my throat, I watched as thedy detective took him away and guided him towards the


    back of Hunter¡¯s car. Before my ex-fiance hopped on the driver¡¯s side, he looked at me; my chest got


    heavy as he smirked knowingly.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    -MILLIE-


    I don¡¯t remember despising social media like this before. Even when Natalie threw me under the bus with


    that giarized vlog and my break up with Hunter. I still skimmed at my ounts now and then,


    answering questions and epting endorsements. But after Damian¡¯s arrest. I just want to delete my


    ounts and hibernate away from the inte citizens¡¯ prying eyes.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    People these days are so opinionated. They don¡¯t even check the facts before they use Damian of


    being a murderer.


    Avideo of Damian manhandling¡¯ Sonja at the cafe spread like wildfire on social media. Part of the video


    had been removed, and it was at an angle where the viewers wouldn¡¯t make out their facial expressions.


    Whoever took the video was across the street. At the beginning of the recording, Sonja was already


    agitated. She rose from her seat, the chair almost tumbling backward. She said something that made the


    students at the table next to them look in their direction. Then Damian said something that made her sit


    down again. They talked for a bit. Sonja handed her phone to Damian, and then the said manhandling


    urred. She was ready to storm out of there, but Damian chased her. grabbing her arm and whispering


    in her eyes before he allowed her to walk away.


    Then,st night, Sonja had been found in her car soaking in her blood. Detective Fraser said that Sonja


    called 911. She was unconscious when the responders arrived, and they took her to the hospital


    immediately and hasn¡¯t woken up since. The video and the series of messages and calls between


    Damian and Sonja were enough to make him the primary suspect.


    I hated Fraser for arresting Damian and hated her even more for using her authority to make Damian


    look guilty. She was good at ying the good detective act.


    It could just be a coincidence that Damian and Sonja had an argument two weeks back. But Fraser dug


    deeper into Damian and Sonja¡¯s rtionship and discovered their affair. She questioned me if I knew


    about it. I kept my mouth shut as per Danny¡¯s suggestion. Then, Detective Fraser insisted that if Damian


    didn¡¯t try to murder Sonja, her investigation would prove him innocent.


    I don¡¯t believe s hit of what she said. It¡¯s f ucked up, but we couldn¡¯t do anything when Damian willingly


    let Fraser handcuff him and led him to the back of Hunter¡¯s car.


    Negative opinions about Damian flooded thement section of the video. Some spected that


    Damian didn¡¯t want to end his rtionship with Sonja, and things got out of hand. Silverio nchet had


    already released a statement against Damian and his wife. He didn¡¯t even wait for Sonja to wake up,


    insisting he¡¯d do everything in his power to both his wife and her lover pay for their immoral rtionship.


    Reporters were asking for my opinion about Damian. I had enough history with the media to know that


    noe from speaking your mind to them. They would bend your words to make a noise for their


    There were a few who sided with him. It was a war, and the people who favored Damian were on the


    losing em twenty-four from his arrest, and people had already judged him Trial by publicity never ends


    well for either p to their reputation had already been done, even if the court had yet to prove them


    innocent or guilty.


    ¡°Nothing good wille out from watching that video, Millie,¡± Candice said, setting a cup of coffee on my


    table, the bellowing into the air.


    I could deal with the usation against Damian because I know it¡¯s not true. He¡¯s innocent, and whoever


    sent those messages and flowers to Sonja was behind this. Damian¡¯s refusal to see me bothered me the


    most. I¡¯m hurt by his decisio wanted to see him. I needed to see he¡¯s okay.


    Danny and hiswyer were the only people allowed to see him. Lasked Danny to send him a message


    for me, and waiting at the mansion drove me crazy, so I went to work.


    I tossed my phone on my desk, grabbed the cup of coffee with both hands, and let it warm my palms.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t he let me see him, Can?¡± I breathe out.


    Cheaper


    She shrugged Tw


    don¡¯t remember why bede tu?


    mared the sed impe


    (have to look at bet is be


    was the way Thai pe the eat of the nned down south Damian,


    I concealed my die and


    will smile. ¡°I know he will but can be but won about him¡±


    She sat at me, looking deep to my soul, her empat m ong sing ¡°You love him?


    I closed my eyes and bump. This wasn¡¯t how I pictured selling us best frost about thing or her sey bother,


    but she cost read a book, so I achmased no¡±


    pressing a hand on


    ing a web


    ¡°Oh. Millie? She mood and hugged me I never how modest that is chest low Tears tilled m


    yo at Temiraced Candice Does he know


    QD


    I shook my brad no. ¡°I do have se tell us her


    ¡°Why¡±¡± Candice pulled away staring at a hough I sad the rhe has felings for you, you know¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Did he tell you th


    Although Candice might have hated Damian growing up I know how much she¡¯s reving for me and her


    stepbrother Bet opinion, although favoring me was still based Any observatione¡¯s made can be coded


    national


    III


    ¡°No, but I have eyes,¡± she rolled her eyes, sitting her a ss on my desk as I spun around. I plucked the


    document on top of the pile, resting on my desk, browsing through it to keep my hands and eyes busy. ¡°I


    knew this fake rtionship you have with him would lead to something else from the beginning. The way


    he looked at you¡­ I knew it was only a matter of time before someone admits what he feels,¡±


    I took a moment to digest Candice¡¯s observation, but decided not to pay mind to it.


    ¡°How Damian and I feel about each other is the least of our priorities,¡± I reminded her. ¡°We might not


    have to deal with it if this case goes sideways.¡±


    Candice was not yet ready to drop the topic. The ringing of her phone saved me. She returned to her


    desk to answer it, and I focused back on the paper I wasn¡¯t reading when a new notification about


    Damian¡¯s case popped onto my screen.


    ¡°Sonja nchet, missing, the headline of the news update stated

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    -MILLIE-


    ¡°I am on my way to the hospital to get more information on Mr. ncher¡¯s whereabouts, Hunter said


    over a handful of microphones thrust into his face.


    ¡°Is her kidnapping connected to Mr. Damian ck¡¯s attempted murder case?¡± someone from the


    cluster of reporters fired at


    Hunter.


    ¡°We will look at every angle, and rest assured, we will leave no stones unturned until we find Mrs.


    nchet-


    ¡°What are you watching?¡± Done with her call, Candice stood from her seat and circled to mine.


    ¡°Sonja¡¯s missing.¡± I said, eyes glued to the live news streaming on myputer.


    Hunter wasing out from the precinct, and a mob of reporters and p aparaz zi blocked his way,


    trapping him in the middle of the stairs in front of the building. This was Roslin City PD¡¯s first case that


    rang outside the state. Being an international supermodel, Sonja attracted pa par a zzi and


    international reporters to Roslin City. The horde of scope-hungry. reporters waiting outside the doors


    clearly took Hunter by surprise.


    Sonja¡¯s disappearance stirred fear and chaos around the city. The inte had gone wild; spections


    and assumptions of what might have happened to her sprouted like mushrooms after the storm.


    ¡°What?¡± bbergasted, Candice frowned, pinning her full attention to Hunter, trying to phase the


    reporter¡¯s negative. spections against the department. ¡°What the hell is going on?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Fear tightened my hackles as I listened to the news.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Ms. nchet under police protection?¡± Ady reporter asked.


    ¡°She is-¡± Hunter¡¯s reply was cut short by another question.


    ¡°Should the people of this city be worried? You can¡¯t even protect a high-profile individual like Ms.


    nchet, a guy asked.


    Dark clouds loomed over Hunter¡¯s features. Questioning his ability to do his job was a big red g for


    Hunter. His jaw ticked. piercing the guy with a steel-melting re. He took a moment to respond,


    choosing his words carefully,


    ¡°I am on my way to the hospital and will handle this case personally. I assure everyone that whoever is


    behind this will be put behind bars. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have actual work to do.¡± He shoulder-


    passed the guy. The reporter tumbled backward but quickly gained his footing and fired up another


    question, which got lost in the chaos of his colleagues trying to get another statement from Hunter,


    My phone vibrated on my desk; I picked it up when Danny¡¯s name shed on the screen.


    ¡°Did you give him my message?¡± I asked Danny, ski pping pleasantries.


    He sighed. ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± My finger drummed on my desk.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to see anyone yet, Millie.¡± I could hear the frown and resignation in his tone. ¡°He


    refused to see his dad,


    too.¡±


    My shoulders fell. I really need to see Damian. ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± He didn¡¯t need to borate. With Hunter¡¯s grudge against Damian, I fear my ex would stoop


    so low and use his authority to hurt Damian. ¡°Damian has a message for you-¡± Dany grunted. ¡°Get out


    of the f ucking way!¡± he groaned, m uffled car horn blowing in the background.


    ¡°Are you justing out of the precinct?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a mob of reporters in front of the building.¡± he mmed his fist on the steering wheel.


    ¡°What the f uck is going on?¡±


    ¡°Sonja¡¯s missing.¡± I informed him.


    Danny cursed under his breath, murmuring a string of profanities until the chaos finally died.


    ¡°What did Damian say?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He wants you to stay at the mansion for now and have Riggs with you all the time.¡± Danny murmured


    detachedly. He was hiding something from me, but Danny¡¯s loyalty to Damian was as solid as stone.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I huffed, my chest clenching. I can¡¯t put a break on the negative thoughts going around my


    head. The ¡°what ifs are driving me crazy. What if this was the point where Damian realized he didn¡¯t


    want me anymore? What if this was the opening he was waiting to step out of my life? It was easy to


    forget every promise Damian made when he refused to see me.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, Millie.¡± Danny sighed.


    ¡°Great, just great.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my displeasure with this news. Then I realized Danny was a


    messenger and not the one making decisions for Damian. I sighed, losing all the enthusiasm in my


    system. ¡°I don¡¯t get why he won¡¯t see me, Danny.¡±


    ¡°Me either, but he specifically told me to make sure Riggs is with you all the time. He meant


    everywhere you go, Millie.¡±


    I pinched my eyes shut and leaned on my seat: Candice loomed over my desk, browsing through my


    bbering something about suing the department for losing his wife. It seems that the officers watching


    over Sonja were unconscious when the nurses went for their rounds in Sonja¡¯s room.


    ¡°Are you hearing this, Danny?¡± I asked. Although I am hurt by Damian¡¯s decision, we have a crucial


    matter at hand.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll head to the hospital and see what I can gather before meeting Damian¡¯s attorney. Maybe I


    could find something there to help his case.¡±


    It was easy to forget about other people¡¯s struggles when I was struggling to deal with my own feelings.


    I realize the pressure to prove Damian¡¯s innocence rested on Danny¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Keep me updated, Danny. Thank you for helping Damian,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing my job, and Damian is my brother. I will find out who is behind this.¡± The determination in his


    voice was unwavering.


    ¡°Keep me posted.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Remember what Damian asked.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°He still won¡¯t see you?¡± Candice asked, standing tall with her arms folded in the middle.


    I hummed a yes, rolling my shoulders. My muscles were growing rigid with each passing hour Damian


    spent inside the precinct, and Sonja¡¯s disappearance only added to the weight on my shoulders.


    Detective Fraser said she was barely alive. when the responders to her 911 brought her to the hospital.


    And now she¡¯s missing? Did someone really kidnap her?


    ¡°Do you


    think Damian ck has something to do with your wife¡¯s disappearance?¡± one reporter asked Silverio.


    This was a live stream from the airport where Silverio had just arrived. I counted ten in his security


    detail, all tanker-bodied and


    armed.


    I don¡¯t know what I expected about Sonja¡¯s husband, but definitely not this guy. He was old enough to


    be my grandfather, with a balding head and a beer belly. Although he wore a custom-made suit, I still


    can¡¯t picture Sonja falling in love with this guy. He reeked of bad news. He reminds me of those power-


    hungry characters in movies. Rich and famous, yet no one mattered to them apart from themselves.


    Then I remembered what Damian had told me: Sonja had married Silverio for his money. Since they


    were using each other. I guess getting married was a win-win for both parties.


    Sat, Feb


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    27%


    Silverio lifted a cigarette to his lips, lighting it. ¡°They¡¯ve been making a fool of me for years, so I


    wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Damian is behind Sonja¡¯s disappearance. She¡¯s the sole witness who could tell


    what he¡¯d done to her.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel about this situation, Sir? Are you worried about your wife¡¯s safety? Her life could be in


    danger right now.¡±


    He took a long pull of his cigarette, blowing the smoke at the reporter¡¯s face. ¡°Worried?¡± he frowned. ¡°Is


    that even a question? Of course. I¡¯m worried about my wife.¡±


    The reporters surely weren¡¯t expecting his response. Hisst interview contains nothing but hatred


    towards Sonja. Silence fell on their cluster before another one threw a question at Silverio. ¡°In yourst


    interview, you said you don¡¯t care what happens to Ms. nchet.¡±


    Offended, he stared at the guy who asked that question, ¡°I was hurt by what she did, but I love my wife,


    so I¡¯m willing to overlook her mistakes and start over. In fact, I am here to take her home. And with my


    wife¡¯s disappearance, it seems that Roslin City PD couldn¡¯t do their job properly. I will use all my


    resources to find her


    He had no shame. He didn¡¯t even bat an eysh while challenging the police department¡¯s ability to


    find his wife. Looking straight into the camera, his gaze made me shiver in my seat. He appeared


    harmless and caring, but I could see the lingering threat in his dark eves.


    ¡°Sonja, my lovely wife. If you are watching this, I will exhaust all my resources to find you, and to


    whoever kidnapped her. I will find you, and I will make sure you know whose wife you just threatened.¡±


    His security moved to make way for Silverio through the crowd. One reporter tried to ask another


    question, but the nearest guy from Silverio¡¯s entourage gripped his cor and threw the reporter on the


    airport floor like a rag doll. Fear vibrated from the people around them, and no one tried to follow


    Silverio again.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    -MILLIE-


    If Sonja hadn¡¯t gone missing under police protection, I would¡¯ve fought Damian¡¯s insistence on having


    Riggs follow me everywhere. He refused to let me see him, for crying out loud! And he wanted me to


    follow his request like an unbreakable rule? I want to make things difficult for him, too, but then I


    understand it¡¯s for my safety.


    While I was meeting with the catering service for Constance¡¯s wedding, Riggs sat a few tables away,


    nursing a cup of coffee. Riggs easily blended in with the crowd, dressed in a simple vintage gray tee and


    fitted jeans. I¡¯m d he doesn¡¯t carry a gun with him. He said it was Damian¡¯s instruction to make me feel


    less agitated about having a bodyguard. It gave me a sense of normalcy.


    When Ce spent a weekend here in Roslin City, she enjoyed the food at Crave Boulevard, owned by


    Felicity Adams.


    Setting my dislike for Felicity aside, I sat across from her, tasting the food she cooked for this meeting,


    We just finished tasting the ssic shrimp coc ktail, hot artichoke & red pepper dip, and deviled eggs.


    While waiting for the sds, I scribbled my suggestions in my notebook.


    ¡°So, how are you doing?¡± Making small conversations with Felicity about my personal life wasn¡¯t part of


    my n. I still remember how my lies exploded into chaos the night of the reunion. She kept pushing and


    pushing until all I could do was spit lies to save myself from public humiliation.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I answered, eyesser-focused at my notes.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t if I were in your shoes, Imagine Damian and Sonja? I get that she¡¯s pretty and all, but she¡¯s


    married!¡± Scandalized, she pressed a hand on her chest.


    I know she was delving for a reaction, and I should keep my cool. But her tone turned my frown to a


    glower. I focused on my notes, trying to remember what I was writing again. ¡°Don¡¯t believe everything


    you read online, Felicity. None of those people spoke to Damian or Sonja. Their usations are based


    on hearsay, and their personal assumption doesn¡¯t count.¡±


    She leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table. ¡°Did you know about it, though?¡± She pressed,


    hunting for more


    information.


    Lifting my head from my notebook, I met Felicity¡¯s prying eyes. She had her hair in big curls today, her


    lips coated with red lip gloss, and huge gold bangles dangling from her ears. Dressed in gold glittering


    tulle, I recognize it from Chanel¡¯stest runway collection. It costs more than my monthly sry, and I


    just wish that Felicity would ask sophisticated questions like how she dresses up.


    ¡°Whatever his past with Sonja might or might not have been is none of my concern. He never cheated on


    me, Felicity,¡± I said nonchntly. ¡°All I know is that Damian is being used of something he didn¡¯t do.¡±


    Felicity nibbled her lower lip, wanting to press more on the matter, but the servers came with two tes


    of sds.


    ¡°Constance loved your green garden sds,¡± I said, swerving from our current topic and continuing to jot


    down my notes. ¡°Can we proceed with the entrees?¡± I smiled sweetly at Felicity.


    ¡°Sure.¡± She instructed the server to bring out the entrees.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I said, then a familiar face caught my attention as the servers left.


    Natalie. She was at the bar, not as a customer but wiping the counters. I looked away when she turned in


    my direction. I hadn¡¯t seen Natalie since the reunion. I¡¯ve also unfollowed her social media ounts, but


    the drastic physical change in her appearance surprised me. She lost weight, and I could see the trouble


    in her eyes even at this distance.


    ¡°Natalie?¡± Felicity followed my line of sight, waving at her friend She¡¯s struggling with money again.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear it, Felicity,¡± I said bluntly..


    Felicity raised her hand. ¡°Alright¡­ geez, you don¡¯t have to be so pr ickly. I¡¯m just trying to make a


    conversation.¡±


    M.


    I sighed, guilty of Felicity¡¯s usation. Just a pinch, though. She goes with the same tactics she did at


    the reunion. She knows how to push my buttons.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I said and rubbed my temple, allowing Felicity to glimpse what I felt. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to focus on


    work right now.¡±


    my


    fiance is


    Felicity reached over the table for my soda water and handed it to me. ¡°You¡¯re stressed out; I would be


    too if being used of attempting to murder his ex-lover.¡± No matter the situation, I would always be


    cagey around Felicity.


    ~Thanks. epting the water, I took a small sip, looking back at Natalie. She was speaking to a


    customer and started tending to his order. ¡°Why is Natalie working in your restaurant?¡±


    I was both curious and concerned about Natalie. Her mom died when we were in junior year, and her


    dad wasn¡¯t really fond of her. She was alone, and hearing her struggle financially again made me less


    antagonistic toward her. She was in this same situation when she came to me for help.


    ¡°She¡¯s not doing well,¡± Felicity mumbled. ¡°She hadn¡¯t had any endorsement offers for thest two


    months, been living in her car when I saw her two weeks ago, so I offered her a job. She¡¯s staying in one


    of the quarters upstairs.¡±


    ¡°What? What about Hunter?¡±


    Felicity shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know. She¡¯s still wearing your engagement ring, so maybe they¡¯re just fighting.¡±


    My body went stiff, ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised. I know about the ring. I saw it in one of your posts before.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t call her out at the reunion, actually.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no use in making a scene about a ring I throw on my ex-fiance¡¯s face. I threw it away for a


    reason. There was no need to hide that from Felicity now. Was she really that obsessed with me, or just


    a keen observer? I guess I¡¯ll never know.


    Shaking her head, Felicity¡¯s lips pursed. If I were in Natalie¡¯s shoes, I wouldn¡¯t ept someone else¡¯s


    ring. My G od,¡± she lowered her voice, her eyes sweeping on the tables next to ours for eavesdroppers.


    ¡°What kind of life would a man offer you if he couldn¡¯t even buy you a ring?¡±


    She had a point. The price doesn¡¯t matter, but the intention does


    When the server brought the entrees, roasted prime rib, and grilled chicken, Felicity quickly shifted to


    business mode. ¡°What you have is bone-in prime rib. If Constance wants it boneless, we could also do


    that, though this one will be better. It¡¯s our most requested wedding entr¨¦e.¡±


    I cut through the meat and took a small bite; the vors exploded in my pallet, making me moan. ¡°I get


    why,¡± I said, jotting down what Felicity had said.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said and moved to the grilled chicken. ¡°This is fireman chicken. The secret is in the


    marinate,¡± s as I cut through my chicken. It was moist inside, and the vors of the marinate stuck


    through the meat.


    ¡°This is really good, Felicity¡± Although we don¡¯t see eye to eye on things. I am not shy about giving


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m very hands-on with our menu, so don¡¯t hate me if I¡¯m soaking in yourpliment,¡± she


    murmured proudly. She deserved it.


    Our meeting went smoothly after that. At the end of my note, I put down a reminder to tell Candice about


    Felicity cateri for Georgina¡¯s wedding anniversary. I¡¯d say this was a dull, typical day at work until I went


    to thedies¡¯ room to freshen u before leaving


    After doing my business in the cubicle, I was stunned to see Natalie standing by the counter, washing


    her hands. Shutting her presence out of my head had proven to be impossible. She was watching me the


    entire time I was washing my hands.


    I met her eyes in the mirror. She looked thinner up close, her ck Crave Boulevard uniform made her


    pale skin stand out. Her eyes lost their sparkle, and her frown lines were more profound. When the ring


    on her finger caught the overhead lights, I was reminded why I cut all my connections with her.


    Like a butterfly effect, it all came rushing back to me. The sympathy I felt quickly vanished. I sucked back


    to the day I found her f ucking Hunter. The anger, the pain, and the humiliation.


    M.


    Wordlessly, I plucked a paper towel from the rack, dried my hands, and tossed it in the bin. I took out my


    lip gloss and slid it over my lips. Natalie stood beside me as though waiting for me to talk to her first. I


    had no heart to speak to her ever again. Her betrayal still stings, so I continued my business and


    gathered my things.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for any of this to happen,¡± Natalie spoke when I reached for the door handle.


    ¡°What?¡± Then I felt it, the painful flow of current on my body, until I dropped to the floor. My body went


    numb. I couldn¡¯t feel anything, even the floor against my face. Myst memory was of a guy looming over


    me before everything went dark.

 Chapter 55

    ?Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    -DAMIAN-


    "What the hell?" I murmured when Gian walked into the interrogation room.


    My transfer from the holding cell to this isted room was fucking strange from the beginning. They locked me up with seven other people when they took me into custody. Once Detective Fraser uncuffed me and left, the men inside the cell ganged up on me, hence the bruises all over my body.


    It''s the same reason I didn''t want Millicent or any of my family to see me. They''ll worry about my safety. I could handle a beating. I''ve handled more in thest couple of years, but seeing Millicent distraught and worrying for my safety, that''s something I don''t think I could deal with, especially when I''m behind bars.


    "Is that a new trend?" Gian drew a circle over his face, his eyes counting all the purple bruises visible on my arms.


    There was dried blood on my shirt, and from the painful pulsing on my chest, I might have a broken rib.


    "The fuck are you doing here?" The interrogation room had a long table in the middle, two metal chairs, and a huge one-way mirror covering one wall. They gave me water and didn''t secure my hand in cuffs. I prepared myself for the worst, but this was definitely an unexpected plot twist.


    Gian dragged the empty chair from the table and plonked his ass on it; his assertive eyes made me ufortable.


    "Wrong question," he said, taking out a cigarette pack, lighter, and a packet of chewing gum from his jacket pocket and setting it on the table. His leather jacket, ck shirt, faded jeans, and boots reminded me of an undercover spy agent in movies. Even the way Gian carried himself inside the room felt like he''d done this before.


    "It''s past visiting hours, and I specifically requested not to let anyone visit me except for my assistant and attorney," I murmured, refusing to cave under his intimidating gaze. I crossed my arms, my lips curled when pain shot through my left side.


    I definitely have a broken rib. Fucking hell.


    Tongue pressed into the inside of my cheeks, I continued. "You''re not a police officer, not a legal counsel. Again, what the fuck are you doing here?"


    Each encounter I had with Gian made me more intrigued by his true identity. His appearance here shuffled the puzzle pieces I''ve put in ce from Mon''s investigation, generating more riddles I needed to solve.


    He has the influence a regr citizen does not have. He is above thew, or he has someone inside the Roslin City Police Department, but the question still remains: why is he here?


    "You''re not asking the right questions." Stretching his arms forward, he lit a stick from the cigarette pack. Drawing a huge breath, he blew it out, the scent of burning tobo filling the room.


    "I don''t have time for your games," I said dismissively.


    Heughed, trapping the cigarette with his thumb and forefinger and setting it down on the ashtray. Smoke danced upward from the cigarette as Gian''sughter died down. "If you don''t change your tactics, all you''ll ever have is time to digest how you messed up this chance, Damian ck."


    My jaw fluttered. I hate that he was right. He holds the upper hand, and I need to y it cool and y my cards right. "How is Millicent doing?"


    From the look on his face, that was still the wrong question. He looked stunned, amused. I''m d one of us finds this situation amusing, not. "I''m here because of her."


    Agitated, I groaned. I know she wanted to see me. Hell, I wanted to see her. I fucking missed her, but I didn''t expect her to ask for Gian''s help. She knew how much I despised this man. My conversation with him about the photos he gave Millicent was long overdue. Then it hit me.


    "You were at the cafe when I was talking to Sonja," I muttered, my mind gears shifting into overdrive.


    Curiosity flickered in his eyes. "Now you''re getting it, keep going."


    "Why the fuck did you show those photographs to Millicent?" I growled, clenching my fist. If only I knew who he was or how deep his connection was in this police department, I would''ve already reached over this table, grabbed his head, and mmed his face on the table for what he''d done. God knows how badly I needed a volunteer punching bag. Gian was a good candidate.


    "Payback," he shrugged.


    "Payback?" I scowled. "For what?"


    "For sticking your nose into my business," he said tly, plucking a strip from the double mint and unwrapping the gum. He tossed it in his mouth and chewed begrudgingly. He leaned on his seat, threw an arm backward on the chair, and spread his legs wide as though this conversation was boring him to death. "I was tempted to kill that investigator friend of yours; good thing he stopped where I wanted him to."


    My heartbeat gained speed. He knew we''d been doing a background on him? Mon was the best in this field. He had ties in the military, and he even did gigs for the CIA.


    Who the fuck is this man? I have to be mindful of what I say to him.


    "Rx. I promised not to kill anybody for a long time." He rested his elbows on the table, jaw clenching and unclenching. "But I need you to up your game, Damian. You''ve done an excellent job of keeping Millicent safe, but your people fucked it up." My entire body froze. "What do you mean?"


    Extreme, violent thoughts filled my head. Danny got a copy of Sonja''s record from the hospital. It would need a miracle to pull her out of her vegetable state, but Sonja was a fighter. I know she will pull through, but the thought of Millicent in the same situation as Sonja. It fucking scares me to death.


    "Millicent had been taken right under your man''s nose," he said, his voice gruff.


    Shivers slithered down my spine. My bones turned to jelly as I slumped back in my seat. At that moment, my world crumbled beneath my feet. I am here, locked up, and I can''t do anything to save Millicent. I promised I would protect her, and I failed.


    "You love her." Gian broke through my train of thought. I haven''tbeled what I felt for Millicent, but if the idea of not seeing her again scared the shit out of me is called love, then maybe. "Don''t worry. I came here so you could save her.""


    Through my hazy vision, I red at Gian. What game was he ying? Was he recording this conversation to use against me?


    "Time is running out, and it''s all up to you to save her," he said, as if I hadn''t heard him the first time.


    "You want me to escape?" I didn''t hide the incredulity in my voice anymore. I didn''t trust this man, and his endgame was bing an enigma the more time I spent with him.


    "I know you could do that, but I also know you wouldn''t, so I bailed you out." He reached into the chest pocket of his jacket and pped a paper on the table. It was folded in three.


    I stared at him in disbelief after reading the document. Mywyer said the quickest way he could bail me out of here would be two or three days more. Judge Leighright was a hard man to find, and then herees Gian, not even twenty-four hours after my arrest, bailing me out.


    "Why are you doing this?" I asked, still doubtful of his intentions. "Why not save her yourself? You have feelings for her. This would make you look good."


    He tilted his head to the side. "You''re right. But this isn''t about me, is it? This is about Millicent''s safety."


    He picked up the cigarette, lighter, and pack of chewing gum, shoving them back in his pocket, and rose to his feet.


    "What''s the catch?" I pressed, unwilling to let the topic go. "What do you want in return?"


    He stared at me through the tip of his nose, smirking. "Make Millicent happy; that''s enough for me." He walked towards the door and looked at me over his shoulder. "You have to be careful with your next move, Damian. Someone is backing up whoever took Millicent. They also have your ex. If you could save them both, do it. But Millicent is your top priority. That isn''t a request."

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    -MILLIE-


    I couldn¡¯t feel my toes or my fingers. Every muscle in my body felt like it had been coated with cement,


    frozen. I couldn¡¯t move a muscle. Everywhere felt heavy, even my eyelids. I¡¯ve been awake for a while,


    trying to make out my surroundings. I¡¯ve been taken, that much I could remember. Natalie and a bearded


    guy with a heart tattoo on his neck.


    As I tried to recall more before I lost consciousness, the pounding in my head got louder. There was a


    beeping sound across the room and a gentle hissing. My best guess was a heart rate monitor, but it


    wasn¡¯t mine. My heartbeat had been overspeeding since my consciousness returned. Then, I heard


    voices m uffled by the walls before everything went dark again.


    The next time I woke up, there were people speaking inside the room. I stayed still, listening. Their


    voices were garbled, echoing like someone speaking in a canyon. It took me a moment to recognize one


    of the voices. Natalie. She was arguing with a guy


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what we agreed on the agitation in her tone was thick. ¡°If this goes sideways, I would f ucking


    go to jail!¡± She hissed ¡°Everything I worked for will go to waste.


    ¡°Worrying will get you nowhere, sweetheart, the man replied. His voice was rough like sand, and I could


    imagine a smile on his face as he spoke. If I could only trust my senses. I would say he was mocking her.


    ¡°I know a good way to help you rx.¡±


    Natalie groaned, cussing. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood, Aides!¡±


    Aides chuckled. I like it better when you¡¯re not in the mood.¡±


    ¡°F uck you,¡± Natalie huffed. The sound of boots stomping against the cemented floor resounded,


    followed by a metal door mming shut,


    Their footsteps echoed until it was gone. I took the silence to do a body check. First, my fingers. I turned


    my hand. smoothing gently on where I was lying. It was soft and silky. I was in bed. Then, my feet. I


    wiggled my toes. Something kept them from moving. Shoes. I recalled I was wearing shoes when they


    took me. Apart from that, nothing more. They must¡¯ve drugged me.


    Squeezing my eyes, I forced my eyelids to part, the bright overhead lights slightly blinding me. I counted


    to ten, pulling myself together. Running my tongue over my mouth was a struggle. Swallowing down was


    even worse. My throat was parched, drier than a desert. Whatever they¡¯ve given me was enough to keep


    me immobile. Cuffs restrained my hands on the bed¡¯s metal frame. I¡¯m still in my clothes from my


    meeting with Felicity.


    I followed the source of the beeping sound. Sonjay on a hospital bed, wires leading to a heart rate


    monitor attached to her body. The steady beeping sound bounced on the four walls of the room. If I


    hadn¡¯t memorized how she looked, it would. have been impossible to recognize her from the bruises


    covering her face. An oxygen hose was shoved down her mouth, and an IV was inserted on her left


    hand.


    We were in a dungeon-like room. Bricked walls with no windows and nothing could help me tell where we


    were or the time. The alcohol mingled with the smell of wet boxes and newspaper And a metal door was


    across the bed where I was lying


    down.


    Looking up, there were three overhead lights, and a camera attached to the corners of the ceiling.


    Someone was watching over this room. A few minutester, Natalie strutted through the door, looking


    better than when she was at Felicity¡¯s restaurant.


    She still looked unhealthy, but she didn¡¯t look like someone struggling financially. Her brown hair was tied


    in a high ponytail, the curls falling over her shoulder as she sashayed to where I was.


    ¡°Millie,¡± she smiled, gazing at me with uncertainty. Or fear, I couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± She


    stood before me, her rose perfume making my head spin.


    The numbness in my body was going away slowly, but I opened my mouth to speak and then choked on


    air.


    |||


    O


    20%


    Natalie frowned. She walked closer and reached behind the bed. It reclined until I was in a sitting


    position. My head spun as the bed reclined. I had to shut my eyes and calm my head from spinning


    round and round. Natalie filled a ss with water on the bedside table and dropped a straw on it. She


    offered it to me, and I sipped it slowly.


    ¡°Better?¡± Natalie asked, setting the ss back on the bedside table. If we were still on friendly terms, I


    would¡¯ve thanked her.


    ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s going on, Natalie?¡± My expression soured. I¡¯d rather she doesn¡¯t show me her fake


    concern. As the numbness. faded, my anger returned as I recalled everything that had happened


    between us,


    Contemting. Natalie stared at me before she sighed and stepped away from me. Her gaze fell


    towards Sonja and slid back to mine.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t part of the n,¡± she murmured, as if that would enlighten me.


    ¡°n?¡± I looked at Sonja, wondering how the three of us ended up inside this room. These are the


    women whom I didn¡¯t want to associate with, but our lives were intertwined already, whether I liked it or


    not. ¡°Did you do that to her?¡±


    Natalie clenched her fist, and the pulse in her throat quickened. ¡°No.¡±


    I already know I won¡¯t trust anything she says, but for theck of ability to do anything. I indulge myself in


    making conversation with her. ¡°But you know who did that to her?¡±


    When she only stared at me, I huffed and asked her. ¡°Why am there? Am I gonna end up like Sonja?¡±


    ¡°Nothing will happen to you if you do as you¡¯re told,¡± she said.


    It took my poor brain a minute to process her words and figure out what the f uck am I supposed to do for


    them. ¡°What am I supposed to do, then?¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You will know in time,¡± she murmured.


    I made a face, narrowing my eyes at Natalie. ¡°Just cut through the bu lsh it, Natalie. I¡¯m not stu pid. Why


    the f uck am I here?¡±


    Her friendly facade quickly vanished, her eyes turning sharp. ¡°No, you¡¯re not stu pid, and that will get you


    killed. A word of advice: shut your mouth if you want to get out of here alive.¡±


    I have no idea what will happen to me, but I want to understand why my friend would end up like this.


    Natalie had always been ambitious. She dreamed of bing a big social media star and making it to


    Hollywood if the opportunit


    ¡°What happened to you, Natalie?¡± I asked, genuinely curious as to what led her to this situation.


    There was no doubt she was working with dangerous people. She couldn¡¯t do this without help. The


    question why.


    Natalie nibbled her lower lip. Her gaze could melt steel. ¡°You happened.¡±


    My mouth hung open. ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t barged into Hunter¡¯s apartment that day, things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way.¡±


    me.


    Frowning, I tried my hardest to see things from her point of view. ¡°So it was my fault I found my ex f


    ucking you?¡± I sneere


    ¡°He hated me!¡± she screamed, her hand trembling. My gaze dropped to the left hand. She was still


    wearing that st upid wedding ring. ¡°Hunter didn¡¯t want to be with me after you ended things with him.¡±


    ¡°How¡­ How is that my


    fault? That was Hunter¡¯s choice and not mine.¡±


    Natalie shook her head. ¡°You know nothing. I hated being the other woman, but I had to do it. I needed


    Hunter, and whent he didn¡¯t want to be with me anymore, I had to improvise.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Natalie?¡± There seemed to be another story going on here. She needed


    Hunter? What for?


    N.


    Money? Influence? And if she hated being the other woman, why did she stay with him? Why was the


    still wearing my f u cking ring


    The color on her face drained. Like a flip of a switch, she detached herself from our conversation and


    shut me out. ¡°For old Imme¡¯s sake, if you want to live, you¡¯d do as you are told. Millie,¡± she said and


    walked our of the room, leaving me as confused


    avever


    Natalie came back a whileter with a silver tray. In it was a bowl of porridge. Sitting on the edge of the


    bed, she offered me a spoonful and sand ¡°Fat up¡±


    The numbness was no more, but I didn¡¯t move a muscle. My stomach growled. I don¡¯t know when was


    thest time I ate, bur I fear the food might be drugged or poisoned.


    Natalie sighed, lifting the sp ook to her mouth instead, staring at me as she swallowed. ¡°It isn¡¯t poisoned.


    If we wanted you dead, we wouldn¡¯t be giving you food.¡±


    Hesitantly. I opened my mouth and epted the food. My muscles were already trembling from hunger.


    ¡°You know they¡¯d be looking for me. Natalie


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°You think we don¡¯t know that?¡±


    ¡°Then you know you¡¯re not getting out of this unscathed.¡±


    ¡°If they find you, she met my eyes, and for the first time, I could see the hesitation and fear in them. She


    had doubts about their n. I need to hold on to that and buy time, find out more.


    I changed tactics and looked at Sonja. ¡°What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°She should¡¯ve been dead by now, but she¡¯s a persistent one.¡±


    ¡°You you were gonna kill Sonja?¡± I gasped, horrified.


    Natalie narrowed her eyes at me, as though I grazed her ego. ¡°I¡¯m no killer, Millicent. Her death was


    supposed to look like an ident, but she had to call 911. Stu pid b itch. Now we have to keep her alive


    so we can dispose of her body outside Roslin City¡±


    I tried to push away the fear of this discovery. My lips trembled. ¡°What about me. Natalie? Are you gonna


    dispose of t body too? Once you have no use for me?¡± I couldn¡¯t stop the fear from choking me down.


    You know what they say when you¡¯re facing death Your life shes in front of you. The mistakes you¡¯d


    made, the unsas words to the people you love. It¡¯s happening to me right now,


    Natalie smirked and removed the distance between us. I bit down on my lower lip as she set the bowl on


    the bedside table


    ¡°Are you scared, Millicent?¡± she asked, pushing the hair out of my face, amusement danced in her eyes


    as she soaked up on my fear. She leaned forward and whispered in my ears. ¡°ns changed They¡¯re


    going to kill you


    I gasped, freezing when she pressed a de against my throat. ¡°Don¡¯t f ucking move¡±


    In my peripheral, I saw her lift a syringe from my neck, and she emptied its contents into my system.


    |||

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    -DAMIAN-


    Once Gian left. I let ten minutes pass before walking out of the interrogation room. The hallway was


    empty. The flickering lights made me feel like I was in a suspense movie, and someone woulde


    out of nowhere to kill me. When I reached the holding cell, the men who beat me up stared at me with


    wide eyes. I guess they didn¡¯t expect me to walk out of here alive.


    ¡°How are you walking out of here?¡± The guy with a skull tattoo on his neck asked.


    I looked at them one by one,mitting to memory each of their faces. Once this is over, I will make


    sure to pay them at visit and ask them kindly who ordered them to hurt me.


    Wordlessly. I walked away from there. Time is of the essence, and I need to get the f uck out of here.


    Reaching the lobby, the officer manning the front desk didn¡¯t look surprised to see me. In fact, he


    seemed to be waiting for


    me.


    Ross. That¡¯s the name pinned on his chest.


    ¡°Your belongings,¡± he ced a clear reseble bag on the counter, my phone, wallet, and wristwatch


    neatly tucked inside.


    I took my belongings from the evidence bag one by one, confused as to why the precinct was empty.


    ¡°Do you know the guy who bailed me out?¡± I asked Ross, thumbing through my wallet and ensuring


    everything was there.


    Ross shrugged. He was young, probably in his mid-twenties. Too young for the big boy¡¯s job and forced


    to do the paperwork at the most boring time of the day. ¡°Not really.¡±


    I nodded, changing tactics. ¡°Where is everyone?¡±


    They¡¯re searching for your ex-girlfriend,¡± he said without looking at me, flipping over the record book.


    He turned it towards me. ¡°Just sign here.¡±


    Sonja. What the f uck happened to her? She was under police protection. But Gian had already warned


    me to be careful with my next move. Someone was orchestrating all of this, and they have Millicent.


    I scribbled my signature on the logbook, turning my phone back on. Before I left, I threw one more


    question at Officer Ross ¡°Do you know what happened to her?¡± his brows arched. ¡°My ex


    He tilted his head to the side, staring at me, assessing me. ¡°She went missing this morning. The


    officers on her security de were found unconscious in the hospital. Her husband is here, burning the


    chief¡¯s as s, so everyone is looking for her.¡±


    Silverio?


    He doesn¡¯t even love Sonja, so why the f uck does he care what happens to her? Last I checked, he


    was on a Caribbean cruise with two new supermodels under his wing. He¡¯s here for a show. That¡¯s the


    only reason he would cut short his vacation and find Sonja.


    Danny told me Silverio threatened to make me pay for having a rtionship with Sonja. He was


    another issue I needed to deal with after finding Millicent.


    I thanked Ross for the information. It was one in the morning, and the first thing I did was call Danny.


    The fewer people who knew I was already out of jail, the better. Danny came ten minutester,


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    mirroring my confusion when I told him who bailed me out.


    ¡°How the f uck did he do that?¡± Danny shook his head, a frown on his face as we walked into his


    apartment. ¡°You think he¡¯s really in the mafia?¡±


    That one was on top of my list. That, or Gian was a freaking spy. I don¡¯t know which one is the lesser


    evil. As long as he¡¯s not my enemy, I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter right now.


    ¡°Could be,¡± I said, heading to his fridge and taking out a water bottle. Relief washed over me as the


    liquid passed through my


    III


    throat.


    ¡°Millicent is missing.¡± I informed Danny.


    ¡°What?¡± he looked up at me, a series of emotions crossing his face. Surprise, confusion, then worry.


    ¡°Why do you think I epted Gian¡¯s help?¡± 1 ch ugged down the water to thest drop, tossing the


    empty bottle in the bin.


    ¡°I should call Mon,¡± he murmured, pulling out his phone from his jeans.


    ¡°No.¡± I said. Danny pinned me with a ¡®why the f uck not¡¯ look. ¡°Mon ispromised.¡±


    Running a hand through his hair, Danny leaned against his kitchen counter, a crease forming in the


    space between his forehead. ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡±


    I¡¯m d Danny could easily cope with what¡¯s going on inside my head. He¡¯s got questions I do not


    have the answer to, but he knows my priority. He could ask questionster. For now, we needed to find


    Millicent.


    ¡°You got ammunition here?¡± I asked.


    Danny nodded. ¡°I got a few,¡± he walked out of the kitchen towards the basement. The basement was


    Danny¡¯s man cave. The unmade bed indicates this was where he sleeps. He went towards the desk


    with two monitors.


    ¡°Guns are in there.¡± He pointed towards the couch under the stairs.


    While he worked on the tech stuff. I dragged up the couch seat. Danny had a few handguns, knives,


    grenades, and assault rifle hidden under the couch.


    ¡°I can call a friend and ask more,¡± he murmured, his eyes glued on the monitor. He was tapping on the


    camera at Felicity Adams restaurant.


    ¡°Are these safe?¡± I asked. Danny hummed. I don¡¯t need the cops tracing these guns back to Danny.


    ¡°These will do,¡± I said. grabbing the backpack from the shelf and stuffed the assault rifle in it along with


    four grenades.


    ¡°Natalie Bauer,¡± he said, grabbing my attention from c ocking the Glock 19. ¡°She was in thedies¡¯


    room with Millicent.¡±


    ¡°Follow her,¡± I said,prehending why Natalie would hurt Millicent. She had motives. Hunter ended


    his rtionship with Natalie, intending to get back into Millicent¡¯s good graces. But Sonja doesn¡¯t add


    up to the equation. Then I rem Gian¡¯s words. Someone is backing up whoever took Millicent.¡±


    ¡°She finished her shift at Crave Boulevard,¡± Danny announced. ¡°She¡¯s smart. No one would think she


    had anyth with Millicent¡¯s disappearance like this.¡±


    ¡°Not at first,¡± I said and stood behind Danny. He followed Natalie¡¯s car on the highway until she


    disappeared throu Highway 89. There were no street cameras on that route. There was nothing there


    but miles and miles of empty fie bad I grew up in this city and knew where Natalie was going. ¡°Gear up.


    I know where she took Millicent.¡±


    0

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    -DAMIAN-


    It was three in the morning when we reached the abandoned timber mill at the border of Roslin City.


    Luke, Matt, Charlie, and I used to spend our weekends here back in high school.


    The structure stood to this day, a mere reminder of what once was the most sessful business this


    city ever had. But under this wreckage was a different story. There were a series of self-sustaining


    offices and storage facilities. It was sr-powered. and the water source came from the river behind


    the building. Rumors go around that the mill was a front to smugglers decades ago. And when the feds


    identified the corporation¡¯s actual business, they shut it down. Nobody dared to im thend since,


    afraid they¡¯d be the focus of the Fed¡¯s investigation. The building had been abandoned since.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go in with me.¡± I reminded Danny again, tucking a dagger in my socks. We parked


    on the west side of the timber mill: towering trees concealed our location.


    ¡°I know,¡± my assistant replied curtly, loading the magazine onto his Sig and tucking it into the waistband


    of his jeans.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t part of your job description, I pressed. I had been convincing him not to join me on this


    suicide mission.


    We know nothing about our enemy, just that they have Millicent and Sonja.


    Before we left, he called his girlfriend Cecile, telling her he loved her dearly. It was like Danny saying


    hisst goodbye.


    ¡°I know,¡± he said, smirking at me. His stubbornness would get him killed.


    I faced Danny and stared at him. We were behind his car; the backpack stuffed with ammunitionid


    open on the trunk. ¡°Danny, we¡¯re walking on a f ucking trap.¡±


    He lifted his shoulder in a shrug, paying my warning no mind. I know, and nothing you say will change


    my mind. Damian. He addressed me by my name, surprising me. ¡°The life of the woman you love is on


    the line. I¡¯m going in with you. Letting you walk inside that trap alone is not an option.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have it in me to argue with his im that I was in love with Millicent. As the hours passed and


    the chances of losing her became real, I realized that I couldn¡¯t live in a world without her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be alone,¡± I said haughtily and continued arming myself


    Danny frowned at me. Right on time, the headlights of another car shone from the direction we came fr


    Matt, Luke, and Charlie slide out of the car. After introducing the guys to Danny, we informed them of


    wh


    ¡°We are walking into a trap,¡± Matt murmured, gathering his shoulder-length hair in a low ponytail. He


    was w jersey and fitted jeans, where he secured the handgun he pulled from the backpack.


    ¡°We sure are,¡± Luke said, a grin stretched on his lips as he stared at Charlie knowingly.


    Luke was still wearing a dress shirt and dress pants. He came straight from work to help me.¡±


    Charlie shook his head and pulled out the blueprint of the mill. One was for the structure above, and


    the other for the underground offices.


    ¡°What did you tell Maddie?¡± I asked him..


    ¡°Trouble in paradise, and you need a guy¡¯s night out,¡± Charlie chuckled. Matt and Luke hollered. I


    narrowed my eyes on him. ¡°What? It¡¯s either that or I tell her the truth. You called me in the middle of


    the night, Damian.¡±


    I nodded and stared at my friends one by one, hoping they could see how grateful I was for showing up


    here. This wasn¡¯t their fight. They were already risking their livesing here. We don¡¯t even know if


    the enemy were watching us right this moment. ¡°You guys don¡¯t have to be here. We don¡¯t know how


    many people are waiting for us inside.¡±


    |||


    O


    Chapter 58.


    20%


    I called Charlie, asking for the blueprint of the mill we identally stumbled upon back in the day. We


    didn¡¯t know what use it would be to us, but Charlie kept the copy. Thank the f uck he did.


    I thought of lying to him when I called, but I knew he would hear the lie in my voice, so I ended up


    telling him the truth. He was the one who called Matt and Luke.


    ¡°Save the speech forter. Damian. You¡¯ll owe us a drink after this.¡± Matt pped a hand on my


    shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We know this ce like the back of our hands,¡± Luke piped in, studying the map Charlie


    ¡°That¡¯s what our informant said, Danny answered. ¡°She needs medical attention. Even at a proper


    facility, it would take her two to three weeks to recover from the beating she got.¡±


    Charlie¡¯s brows knitted together. ¡°They could be on this side of the mill.¡± he pointed at the west wing of


    the building. ¡°This is where the generators are,¡± he pointed at one room where we located the electricity


    source, ¡°and it¡¯s close to the exit in case they needed to escape.¡±


    The mill was located near the Madison River. It runs through the forest and branches out towards


    Madison Bay. It was an escape route the smugglers used in transporting cargo.


    ¡°You think they discovered the tunnels?¡± Matt inquired at the entire group.


    That¡¯s highly unlikely,¡± Charlie answered. ¡°This seemed like a short-term hideout for them. They don¡¯t


    have time to search the entire building.


    agree with Charlie,¡± I said. ¡°We could avoid being seen if we went through the tunnels.¡± Facing Danny, I


    said, ¡°Danny, you stay here and call Officer Lean.


    ¡°The f uck?¡± Matt and Luke murmured at the same time, looking at me as if they wanted to burn me


    where I was standing


    Danny regarded me as if I grew two heads, but like always, he kept his thoughts to himself and waited


    for an exnation.


    ¡°There¡¯s a big chance Natalie could be working for him, D.¡± Charlie put to words what¡¯s on Matt and


    Luke¡¯s mind.


    ¡°He wille,¡± I said firmly. ¡°The phone call will be recorded, and if Millicent and Sonja are there and


    he doesn¡¯t respond ordingly, he will be in big trouble. And knowing him, he would protect his name


    more than protecting Natalie.¡±


    Charlie, Matt, and Luke still seemed skeptical about my instruction to Danny. ¡°That is a dangerous


    move murmured. ¡°You could be announcing our arrival to the kidnappers by calling Millie¡¯s ex.¡±


    ¡°Ten minutes,¡± I said. ¡°If we¡¯re not out by then, call Officer Lean I told Danny.


    He nodded and didn¡¯t insist oning in with me anymore. The four of us know this ce better, and


    we driver if things went sideways.


    Luke


    Spiders, rats, co ckroa ches, and insects living in the dark greeted us when we jumped down the tunnel


    entry. We ch one closest to where we were parked. Holding the map, Charlie led our entourage, our


    shlights illuminating the


    tunnels.


    My heart drummed as we covered more ground. The foul air mingled with the fear pulsing through my


    veins.


    I¡¯m not afraid of getting hurt or dying. What I¡¯m scared of is not being able to protect Millicent like I


    promised.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost in the hallway,¡± Charlie informed us.


    Each stomp of our shoes against the wet and mossy floor had my heart lurching at my throat. The


    darkness soon faded, the light at the exit of the tunnel prating through the holes of the metal door.


    We halted when we reached the exit; Matt pushed the barrier aside, opening our way out to the


    hallway.


    0


    It was empty, almost abandoned. Insects flew circles in the flickering fluorescent light above.


    Watchful of our surroundings, we nked behind each other on the side of the wall. Matt was in front of


    Charlie, giving directions to where the room was.


    26.


    My confusion grew the closer we got to the room where they were supposed to he keeping Sonja.


    There was not even a trace of soul in sight.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± I announced, reaching our target room.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one here. Man murmured, standing beside me on the other side of the door, our position


    opposing Charlie¡¯s and Luke¡¯s.


    The door was slightly ajar, but we couldn¡¯t see what was behind it. A mu ffled beepinges from


    inside, it¡¯s too loud to be a bomb. but letting our guard down wasn¡¯t an option.


    ¡°On my signal,¡± Charlie said.


    I nodded at him, stepping in front of the metal door and kicking it in Charlie¡¯s signal. The three of them


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    burst inside, their guns raised upfront while I followed behind. I immediately saw Sonja on the bed,


    wedged against the wall, a heart rate monitor connected to her body. Across from her was an empty


    bed, handcuffs dangling from the side, and not a trace of Millicent. ¨C


    ws of fear gripped my throat as I scanned the room. The empty bed had a bedside table next to it, a


    pitcher of water, a ss, and a silver tray with a bowl. I walked towards it, feeling the side of the bowl.


    ¡°I¡¯s still warm. I murmured, growing agitated by the second as reality dawned on me.


    Millicent. She was here, but where is she now?


    I ran outside the room, paying no mind to whatever the f uck Charlie was murmuring about Sonja. She


    looked like a vegetable, but they left her and took my Millicent.


    Matt ran after me. ¡°D. slow the f uck down,¡± he groaned as I kicked all doors, following the bunker room


    where we found Sonja


    ¡°She¡¯s not here,¡± I said each time an empty room bombarded me. My heart drummed in my head, and


    fear of not seein Millicent again clouded my head, but I kept pushing forward, opening each door as I


    shut out Matt¡¯s voice. ¡°Millicen


    ¡°Damian!¡± Matt was still on my trail. ¡°F uck!¡±


    ¡°Millicent!?¡± I screamed at the top of my lungs, my voiceing back at me in the empty hallway.


    Losing his patience, Matt shoved me on the wall, his brawny arms locked under my chin as he pushed


    my face up. I punched him in the chest. ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    I mmed my fist on his cheek, blood dripping from his lip. Matt groaned, clipping me in the face.


    ¡°She¡¯s not here.


    ¡°I need to find her, move, or I¡¯ll f ucking shoot you,¡± I pressed the muzzle of my Glock on his temple.


    Unphased, Matt didn¡¯t let go. His arms even grew firmer against my throat, cutting the air supply to my


    lungs. He stared at me in the eye and said, ¡°Get your sh it together, or we won¡¯t be able to find her,


    Damian.¡±


    That woke me up from my trance. Fear remained locked around my throat, but I realized Matt was


    right.


    ¡°We can still find her, Matt murmured, releasing me. ¡°You are Damian f ucking ck. Block every


    possible exit out of the city. Airports, highways, waterways. Don¡¯t let your emotions get to you.¡±


    I swallowed hard, my eyes dting as I realized how I let my fear rule my rational thoughts. Seeing that


    his words finally sank in, he let me go. I pulled out my phone and called Danny to tell him what Matt


    said.


    ¡°Millicent¡¯s not here. Send Millicent¡¯s picture to all our contacts at the highway patrol and airport-¡±


    M.


    ¡°We found her,¡± Danny murmured.


    I stared at Matt, wide-eyed. Chills slithered down my spine, afraid to ask the next question. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s alive. We found her.¡±

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    -MILLIE-


    Is it weird that I¡¯m already ustomed to waking up feeling nothing? I guess it is. I¡¯ve been taken by


    Natalie and the guy named Aides. Thest I remember was Natalie injecting something into my neck.


    I listened to my surroundings. Sonja¡¯s heart rate monitor beeping wasn¡¯t there. Panic immediately


    coursed through my system. What did they do to Sonja? Or was it me they did something to?


    Did they kill her already?


    F**k.


    ¡®Calm down, Millie,¡® I thought. ¡®Focus on your surroundings. Use your other senses. Panicking will get


    you nowhere.¡¯


    Once my mind calmed down, something felt different. There were no cuffs around my wrist. Instead,


    there were warm fingersced with mine.


    Pinching my eyelids, I forced them to open, the fluorescent lights on the ceiling blinding me. Turning my


    head to the side felt like an impossible feat. It took all my strength andsted like a lifetime before I


    finally made out the silhouette of the man holding my hand. I would recognize him anywhere.


    Damian.


    He sat on a chair beside my bed, his forehead resting on his arm, and soft snores followed his


    shoulder¡¯s rise and fall.


    Is this real? I tried feeling his hands. It took me a while before I was finally able to squeeze his hand


    and relish the roughness and warmth of his palms.


    Slowly, Damian woke up. His disheveled hair framed his beautiful face. The same face that had been in


    my dreams. I didn¡¯t want to forget him. He was in my thoughts every time I closed my eyes.


    He blinked away the sleep in his


    I blinked them away, too. If this eyes, smiling at me. Mist blurred my view of him, and


    real I could die from happiness.


    was a dream, it was a very good dream. Damian felt so


    e murmured, lifting ;


    ¡°Millicent,¡± a*s from the chair to cup my face. He bent over me and kissed


    my forehead.


    I almost sighed in relief. It wasn¡¯t a dream. F**k! He was really here.


    BB


    My time in captivity gave me the chance to ponder on everything that I am grateful for, everything that I


    would regret if I didn¡¯t make it out of there alive.


    There¡¯s a lot I wanted to say, but speaking was impossible when my mouth felt as dry as the Sahara.


    Damian¡¯s green eyes meandered over my face. Catching on my dilemma, he let my hand go and


    reached for a ss of water on the bedside table, offering the straw to my lips.


    ¡°Slowly,¡± he uttered, watching me take one sip at a time until my mouth was parched no


    more.


    ¡°D¨CDamian¡­¡± I whispered, my tears streaming down my cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯m here. It¡¯s okay.¡± He ced the water back on the table and sat on the edge of the bed, his hand


    sliding behind my head until he was cradling half of my body. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe,¡± he whispered


    against my hair again and again.


    The trembling of my body intensified as the numbness faded away. I lifted my hand and gripped his


    brawny one, burying my face in his chest.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again,¡± I murmured, pulling him with what little strength I have closer to


    me.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Damian said, pulling away. He hooked a finger under my chin and kissed me tenderly. It


    was nothing passionate but a mere brush of his lips against mine, yet it was enough to convince me


    that this wasn¡¯t a dream. He¡¯s really here.


    We stayed like that for a while. I didn¡¯t want that moment to end, but as the numbnesspletely


    disappeared, questions formed in my head.


    ¡°What¡­ What happened?¡± I asked, looking up at Damian.


    A dark bag circled his pretty green eyes. His hair was a mess, and his dress shirt was crumpled like he


    hadn¡¯t changed clothes for days.


    ¡°Natalie happened,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°She was the one who took me.¡±


    Damian nodded, repositioning on the bed until I couldy my head on his chest. He had an arm under


    my head, his hand yed with my shoulder. ¡°She was also the one who saved you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He blew out a heavy breath. ¡°They were supposed to transfer you out of Roslin City.¡±


    Fragments of what happened after Natalie injected me in the neck starteding back


    to me.


    -shback-


    ¡°What the f**k, Natalie?!¡± I hissed, moving my neck from side to side.


    ¡°That will shut you up,¡± she murmured, a wicked smile on her lips.


    My eyes widened. Whatever she injected me with was already flowing fast through my system as my


    heart pumped faster.


    ¡°What did you give me, Natalie?¡± I pulled on my cuffs, the metal digging into


    my


    wrist.


    She smirked, tossing the syringe under my bed. ¡°Something to make youpliant.¡± At that exact


    moment, the door opened.


    ¡°Are you done ying with her?¡± this guy must be Aides. I recognized his voice.


    He was thinner than I expected, wearing a leather jacket, rugged jeans, and boots. Tattoos covered his


    neck to his chin, a canvas of abstract art I can¡¯t recognize anymore.


    I was slowly losing focus. My sight became blurry, and my eyelids were already closing.


    Aides stared at me, his eyes nting. ¡°Hey, you good?¡±


    Natalie looked down at me. The wicked smile on her lips was reced with concern. What did she give


    me? I think I¡¯m seeing things because she looked genuinely concerned now.


    I opened my mouth to answer Aides, but Natalie beat me to it, hovering over my body. ¡°Millie?¡± she


    cupped my face, pping my cheeks as if waking me up. ¡°Look at me, Millie. Something¡¯s wrong with


    her,¡± she looked back at Aides.


    ¡°I can f**king see that,¡± Aides shoved Natalie aside. She stumbled back, looking over Aides¡® shoulder


    as he checked my vitals.


    ¡°Is she sick?¡± Aides asked, forcing my eyelids to open, doing what medics do to check my vitals.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Natalie answered. Aides faced her. His shoulders tensed as she loomed over her.


    ¡°Try to f**king remember, Natalie. Does she take some kind of medication?¡±


    ¡°Not that I know of,¡± she murmured. Aides was in her face in an instant, gripping her throat, pushing her


    against the wall.


    I tried to speak and tell Aides what he wanted to know, but my body felt boneless. It¡¯s


    like I was nothing but a pile of goocy.


    ¡°Aides-¡± Natalie held onto Aide¡¯s wrist as he lifted her up, her feet pushed on tiptoes from the floor.


    ¡°If she dies, we¡¯re both dead, so use your f**king head and try to remember if she¡¯s taking any


    medication!¡± He screamed in her face, his saliva drizzling at Natalie¡¯s face.


    Natalie¡¯s lips trembled, tears welling in her eyes. My view of her became blurry, but I heard her say. ¡°I


    think she¡¯s taking insulin.¡±


    Aides let her go. She dropped to her feet, couching.


    Aides quickly walked towards the shelves on the far wall, checking bottle after bottle. ¡°Did we have


    insulin?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. All we have are medications for Sonja,¡± Natalie said, standing on her feet now. ¡°We


    better take her to the hospital.¡±


    By that time, my eyes were already closed.


    ¡°We can¡¯t take her to the hospital,¡± Aides groaned, agitated. ¡°She¡¯s our f**king leverage. If we lose her,


    I won¡¯t get Brian back!¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t get her out of here, we¡¯ll lose her, anyway!¡±


    -End of shback-


    found you


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The cops found


    and Natalie on the river banks,¡± Damian continued.


    ¡°Natalie gave me something that made me lose consciousness,¡± I said.


    Damian hummed. ¡°She gave you insulin.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I looked up at Damian.


    ¡°She¡¯s diabetic, and she gave you enough insulin to make you lose consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Why would she do that?¡± I can¡¯t believe Natalie would save me. This was the same woman who stole


    my fiance, the same woman who orchestrated my kidnapping, and now she saved me?


    No one would me me if I couldn¡¯t believe this shit.


    ¡°To stop them from getting you out of the city, Millie.¡± Damian¡¯s hold on me tightened. ¡°If they were able


    to move you out of the city, it would take days for me to find you.¡±


    ¡°Someone was helping Natalie. A guy she called Aides,¡± Damian didn¡¯t look surprised to


    NGG


    hear that.


    ¡°Natalie already confessed. It¡¯s Aidan Fletcher. Rome¡¯s brother.¡± My entire body went stiff at the


    mention of that surname. ¡°They¡¯re going to use you as leverage to ckmail


    me.¡±


    ¡°ckmail you?¡± I frowned.


    Damian hummed a yes; a frown could be heard in his voice. ¡°They¡¯d ask me to withdraw the case


    against Rome.¡±


    I mulled over his discovery, still unable to believe everything would be this easy.


    ¡°Where is Aidan now?¡±


    With a shake of his head, Damian said. ¡°The f**ker chickened out and let Natalie take the fall. He


    thought you were dying, so he left Natalie with you when he heard the sirens of the cops.¡±


    I nibbled my lower lip. ¡°Why do I feel this story was too good to be true?¡±


    Dad used to remind me that if something was too good to be true, it usually wasn¡¯t true. I¡¯m d that I


    wasn¡¯t the only one feeling that way.


    ¡°It f**king is. Natalie¡¯s story about you might have checked out, but Sonja¡¯s connection to her is still


    unclear. She said that it was Sonja who instructed Rome to hurt you. And when things went sideways,


    Sonja bailed on their deal.¡±


    ¡°So Aidan took his anger out on Sonja when Rome was arrested for assaulting me?¡± I finished his story


    with a question.


    Damian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the story they are going for.¡±


    ¡°Something about this doesn¡¯t feel right, Damian.¡±

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    -MILLIE-


    Would it be strange if I said that I was not as affected by this kidnapping fiasco as I should be?


    Everyone kept asking me how I was doing and how I was dealing with the trauma of being taken.


    I said, ¡®I¡¯m fine,¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m okay,¡¯ but the look on their faces told me they believed otherwise when, in fact, I


    was being honest.


    What were they expecting? I¡¯d be hiding in my room, and I¡¯d stop working, dig a hole underground, and


    hide there, dreading I¡¯d be taken again?


    I was shaken, yes, but mostly, I was just grateful I made it out of there alive. Scared? Maybe a little.


    These couple of days, I get easily spooked. One time, I was reading a book on Kindle inside my room,


    and Mom knocked on my door; I dropped my phone on myp. In my defense, the female lead in the


    book was being haunted by ghosts. There was another instance where a squirrel appeared out of


    nowhere, jumping over my feet as I was getting into my car. I squealed at the top of my lungs. I might


    have woken up the entire neighborhood.


    But these were simple, mundane things. A part of my everyday life even before I was kidnapped.


    What concerned me the most was how my family and friends were treating me like a fragile porcin


    doll.


    It had been two weeks since I¡¯d been discharged from the hospital. I wanted to get back to work the


    next working day, but Candice and Andrea told me I should take the month off.


    How could I even do that when we¡¯re already behind schedule because of me?


    My mom, oh, don¡¯t even get me started with her. She stayed in Roslin City just to take care of me. She


    insisted I stay at their ce for now. Damian didn¡¯t argue with her on the matter, not that I was


    expecting him to. I just thought he¡¯d want to take care of me, just like before. Then, he went on a


    business trip the same day I was discharged without telling me when he¡¯d get back.


    I was a little disappointed because of that. Well, maybe more than a little, but I knew better. That¡¯s the


    downside of spending a lot of time with someone. You get ustomed to their tells, and I knew he was


    lying.


    Now that Natalie confessed, I know Damian won¡¯t rest until he finds Aidan. Natalie¡¯s


    sworn statement reinforced my case against Rome. Yet even with this development, Rome¡¯s lips were


    still sealed on who paid him to threaten me. He stood by his statement that we knew each other.


    Silverio moved Sonja to France, and she¡¯d been radio silent since. Rumor has it that they¡¯re now


    processing their divorce.


    Three weeks. That¡¯s how long Damian had been out of town. I miss him. He hasn¡¯t messaged or called,


    and I¡¯m drowning myself in work just to stop myself from reaching out to him. I kept convincing myself


    he needed space and he¡¯de back when he missed me, but as the days rolled into weeks, those


    thoughts became repetitive and meaningless.


    A dizzying merry¨Cgo¨Cround of why Damian woulde back to me and why he shouldn¡¯t keep circling


    in my head.


    His secret was out. The public learned about his rtionship with Sonja. That was the sole reason he


    had been with me in the first ce. Then our conversation in the beach house woulde forth, a


    reminder that Damian had ended the contract and started a new one. He said I was his to protect and


    take care of, but then, aren¡¯t promises meant to be broken?


    These conclusions were on my mind when I was not busy, hence the overloading myself with work. It


    kept me sane.


    ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± Mom, sporting her purple fluffy robe, stepped out on the deck with two cups


    of coffee at hand. Her hair waszily pulled up in a bun, and her face had no trace of makeup. She was


    beautiful with or without makeup, but this had been an unusual sight for me.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I say I¡¯m not thinking of anything?¡± I said, epting the cup she offered with


    both hands. I sighed in relief as it warmed my palms.


    She regarded me with her motherly eyes, smiling willfully. ¡°I¡¯m your mom. I can tell when you¡¯re being


    dishonest.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I looked back at the street I¡¯d been staring at since I went out earlier. About an hour or so, I¡¯m not sure.


    I¡¯ve counted red cars that passed by, a game Dad and I used to y while eating ice cream until I was


    eight. I totaled five.


    ¡°Mothers,¡± I sighed, then sipped my coffee.


    Mom sat beside me on the wooden swing chair. The chains groaned as they swung gently. This house


    had be our vacation house as soon as I left for college. This swing has rarely been used since


    then. I was worried it would give out with ourbined weight.


    It was a gloomy Friday afternoon. The temperature was starting to drop a few degrees as fall drew


    nearer.


    Silence swelled between us. Mom sat beside me, throwing no questions at all.


    Mom¡¯spany wasforting. I don¡¯t know how she does that. It must be a motherly thing.


    I was brought back to the times she sat here with me and waited for me to stop crying. The reasons for


    my tears became inconsequential as I grew older, but I would never forget Mom sitting here with me,


    apanying me in my sorrows.


    Mom was patient. Sometimes, it would take hours for my tears to run dry, but she¡¯d sat there the whole


    time until I was ready to say my piece.


    My gaze dropped to the dark liquid inside my mug, and I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m really okay, Mom, don¡¯t worry


    about me.¡±


    She replied without missing a beat. ¡°Sure.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes on her. She kept her focus on the street. ¡°Really, mom. You need to stop


    worrying.¡±


    ¡°Alright, honey,¡± she murmured, sipping her drink.


    Her tone made me frown. My brows knitted together. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Her expression softened as she gazed at me, reaching for my hand. ¡°I know, sweetheart.¡±


    Her thumb, rough with all the hard work she¡¯d done when she was younger, skimmed over my


    knuckles. Something in her stare made my lips tremble, and my eyes sting. I blinked away the water


    gathering on my eyelids and focused on the cedar tree on the corner of ourwn. Mom¡¯s thumb,


    skimming over my skin, shot warming electricity straight through my heart. She dragged my defenses


    down with her touch until it crumbled beneath my feet.


    I didn¡¯t realize I was crying until Mom swiped her thumb over my eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom,¡± I sobbed, ¡°why won¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    She smiled at me and said nothing, cupping the side of my head and guiding my cheek against her


    shoulder.


    Her motherly touch was magic. How could anyone exin what Mom did to me?


    We stayed on the swing until darkness overthrew the daylight. She didn¡¯t ask me anything. I didn¡¯t say


    a word, but something changed in me. My chest felt lighter. My


    mind wasn¡¯t as jaded as it had been since the hospital.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see your father tomorrow,¡± Mom said when I detached myself from her embrace. ¡°Why


    don¡¯t youe with me?¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    -MILLIE-


    Ist visited Summerfields Acres in rke Bay on Dad¡¯s birthday in November. Everywhere I looked, a


    thick nket of snow was all I could see. The grape farm was nothing but an endless white field.


    During my entire visit, I was held up inside Dad¡¯s ce.


    Since fall was already knocking on our doors, the vineyard was busy. We drove between endless


    rolling hills lined with rows of ample grape vines. It was green here and there. The sunlight bouncing on


    the vineyard added fall colors to the already picturesque


    view.


    the s


    Dad¡¯s huge figure looked childlike as he stood on the threshold of his humble abode. When I say


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    humble, it was a 468 square meter vi with 10 bedrooms, a gathering hall, and a restaurant. And no,


    he doesn¡¯t live in the vi. Dad was too minimalist to live in such a big house. He turned it into a bed¨C


    and¨Cbreakfast, hence the lines of cars parked in the parking lot.


    This was a busy season for the farm. Mom said there will be a wedding here tomorrow, that¡¯s why Dad


    needed her here.


    ¡°You made it,¡± Dad beamed as I slid out of the SUV¡¯s backseat. He enveloped me in a warm embrace,


    lifting me off the ground and twirling around like he had done since I was a little girl.


    I would never tire of my parents¡® love, but they don¡¯t know when to tone it down. My cheeks burned as


    we gathered attention from the guests mingling in the garden. His employees beamed at us with


    interest.


    ¡°Dad!¡± I red at Dad when he ruffled my hair, swatting his hand away.


    Wasn¡¯t it enough that I wanted the ground to swallow me?


    He chuckled and turned to Mom, greeting her with a kiss on the mouth.


    I made a face. I guess I would never get used to seeing my parents kiss in front of me,


    ever.


    Instead of taking us to the restaurant, Dad prepared breakfast for three in his cabin a few yards behind


    the vi. One look at the cabin, and you¡¯ll know Dad owned it. A chimney jutted out of the roof of the 3¨C


    bedroom log cabin. The deck in front, epassed by a wooden railing, had three chairs around a


    makeshift fire pit. The smaller structure beside the cabin was his garage. He spends more time there


    than inside the house itself.


    4


    This was the first thing he had built after buying the farm. He knew this was where he would grow old


    with Mom.


    Dad was your typical rough on the outside, mushy on the inside. Mom was one lucky girl.


    After breakfast, I made myselffortable in my bedroom here and slept untilte in the afternoon.


    ¡®We¡¯re at the winery,¡® Mom¡¯s note beside the te of honey¨Czed chicken on the kitchen ind said.


    After eating myte lunch, I went out looking for my parents. The winery was across the field. It¡¯s easier


    if I use the motorcycle parked in Dad¡¯s garage. If only I knew how to drive one.


    Halfway through the field, I stopped over to greet the farmers working on Dad¡¯s vineyard about ten


    times. They have nothing but good words for my father. It surprised me how excited they were to meet


    me as well.


    The culture in this ce was a big shift from Roslin City. rke Bay was a small town, and Dad,


    owning thergest vineyard and winery in this area, was kind of popr with the locals. Dad bought


    this ce when it was on the brink of bankruptcy. People were surprised at how he made a dying


    business thrive. Along with the sess of Summerfields Acres was the increase in employment


    opportunities for the people of rke Bay.


    I had just finished talking to Marius, the fifty¨Cseven¨Cyear¨Cold farmer who invited me for dinner so I


    could meet his son, when a horse jumped in front of me out of nowhere. I was startled. I fell on my a*s.


    ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡± a guy came to my side, his warm hand gently gripping my elbow.


    ¡°No,¡± I hissed. There was an ache in my butt. My tailbonended on a huge rock. The pain vibrated


    through my entire spine.


    Looking up, I crawled away like a terrifiedmb when the horse neighed, nudging me with its nose.


    ¡°Easy,¡± the guy chuckled, standing to his full height and rubbing the horse¡¯s nose. It groaned and


    nudged the guy¡¯s hand as if asking for more. Mystery Guy gave it, smiling as he said. ¡°You naughty


    boy, the horse answered with another groan. ¡°Behave now. You scared thedy.¡± As though it


    understood what he said, it sighed and stomped its front foot, whipping its tail side to side, but stayed


    where it was.


    The guy turned to me then, offered his hand, and gently smiled down at me. He had dark skin,


    shoulder¨Clength hair, and sharp brown eyes, wearing a sleeveless gray shirt, jeans, and leather farm


    boots.


    NGB


    When I just stared at his hand, he tilted his head to the side. ¡°Can you stand?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡± I put my hand in his; it was rough and calloused, and I allowed him to pull me up. When


    pain shot through my back, I bit the insides of my cheeks but kept a steady face.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± concernced his tone.


    ¡°My butt hit that rock when I fell,¡± I said, looking down at the golf ball¨Csized rock on the dirt path.


    His brows knitted together. ¡°I would love to rub the pain away, but that would be inappropriate.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°You think?¡±


    Heughed ufortably, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°It usually works with Calix.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s his name?¡± I asked, looking at the horse.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± the guy nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Xander.¡±


    ¡°Millie.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Xander murmured. I frowned at him. ¡°Well, everyone on the farm knows the boss¡® daughter¡¯s


    name.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Ah. So you work here¡­ with Calix?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m the stable guy,¡± he stated proudly, neared Calix and rubbed its nose. Calix sighed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know dad had a stable,¡± I murmured, not that I would know what he¡¯s been doing up here. I


    rarely visit this ce. He¡¯s usually the one who travels to visit me.


    I¡¯m such a bad daughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s new,¡± Xander said, looking me up and down. Since I knew I¡¯d be walking around the vineyard, I


    brought one dress, a lot of shirts and jeans, and three pairs offy boots. There was no reason for


    me to dress up here, anyway. That being said, I was wearing a white shirt, fitted jeans, and boots and


    tied my hair in a high ponytail. I didn¡¯t bother with makeup. Just loose powder and lip gloss, but I put


    tons of sunscreen on my skin.


    ¡°What?¡± I looked down at my body, wondering if I had dirt on me.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Xander said, ¡®suppressing a smile.


    BB


    I narrowed my eyes at him, folding my arms in my middle. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate you making fun of me.¡±


    He stepped back, hands raised in the air. ¡°I¡¯m not making fun of you. I just didn¡¯t expect¡­ this.¡± He


    gestured with his hand over my body.


    I¡¯d put him at six foot one. I would need to leap if I wanted to smack that smile away from his face. Or I


    could just kick him in the balls, walk away, and never look back. That would serve him well.


    As though he had read my mind, he took another step backward and stood beside Calix.


    ¡°What were you expecting? A princess?¡± I rolled my eyes and skirted


    past him.


    He answered with a chuckle, the rumble of his boots against the ground following mine. I grew agitated


    as he trailed behind me.


    ¡°Will you quit following me?!¡± I paused. The winery was within reach.


    Xander and Calix halted. His brown eyes were wide with feigned innocence. ¡°We¡¯re not following you,


    right Calix?¡± the horse answered with a groan.


    Glowering at them, I stomped as fast as I could towards the winery, ignoring the pain in my a*s. Mom


    and Dad were having wine on the table under the huge cedar tree with two other people. Their smiles


    were bright when they saw me.


    ¡°You found her,¡± Dad greeted Xander.


    ¡°It¡¯s Calix who found her,¡± Xander answered and tied Calix¡¯s line on the lower branch of the tree.


    Anger bubbled within me. He intentionally made fun of me and withheld that Dad was looking for me.


    The two other guests they were having wine with were Natasha and Jonah. They¡¯re getting married


    tomorrow, and they extended the invitation to me.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, hun,¡± Mom asked as I sank deeper into the wooden chair beside her.


    ¡°It¡¯s the heat getting on me,¡± I murmured, ring at Xander. He winked at me as he spoke to Dad,


    Natasha, and Jonah.


    Mom followed my line of sight, humming meaningfully. ¡°I think you¡¯ll enjoy your time here in rke


    Bay.¡±


    I groaned and snatched Dad¡¯s ss of wine from the table, gobbling it down.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    -MILLIE-


    A bride walking down the aisle in a princess¨Clike white dress had be an eyesore since my


    engagement with Hunter ended. It¡¯s ironic, I know. Being excited about attending and nning


    weddings was nothing but a distant memory.


    Bitter, that¡¯s what I am. I could hear Andrea saying, ¡®Now you¡¯re getting it. Weddings are nothing but a


    waste of money and time.


    Yet here I was, drinking a ss of wine at Natasha and Jonah¡¯s wedding reception, torturing myself by


    faking a cheerful smile every time Natasha would look my way. The bride was too sweet for me to


    decline her invitation. She almost teared up when I hesitated to answer her request.


    Looking on the bright side, though, I don¡¯t have the responsibility of making sure everything at this


    wedding was spot on. I got endless free drinks, and the food was great, too. That¡¯s the perks of being a


    guest. I have the luxury of enjoying the beautiful arrangement and decorations their wedding nner¡¯s


    team had done with the ce.


    This wedding was blessed with pleasant weather. They were able to execute a garden wedding without


    hassles. Lanterns float above the tables, circling a space in the middle of the garden, which they turned


    into a dance floor.


    The newlyweds were the epitome of a joyous couple. The band yed a rendition of Ed Sheeran¡¯s


    Perfect for their first dance. Then guests approach them one by one, attaching dor bills on Natasha¡¯s


    wedding dress and Jonah¡¯s tux. As the song ended, Benjamin Franklin¡¯s face reced the flower


    embroidery on Natasha¡¯s signature gown. Jonah¡¯s grandma even made a sash out of 100¨Cdor bills


    and draped it over Natasha¡¯s shoulder like a Miss Universe sash.


    ¡°I was thinking of hiring an event organizer for the farm,¡± Dad said as we swayed to ¡°The Way You Look


    Tonight. Natasha was dancing with her father, an arm¡¯s length away from us.


    ¡°Are you asking for my opinion or informing me?¡± I narrowed my eyes on my father, There was a catch


    to his statement. I can feel it.


    He lifted our joined hands and made me spin, catching me like he used to do every time we danced


    since I was three.


    ¡°Both,¡± he murmured, pulling me back into his arms. He lowered his voice and added, ¡°It¡¯s been a


    nightmare working with demanding event nners.¡± He looked at the buffet table. Vivian, the wedding


    nner, was speaking with one server; her hands were parked on her hips, and her mouth moved


    without pause. The server looked like she


    was about to empty the pitcher of water over Vivian¡¯s head,


    A giggle fell from my lips, Dad frowned at me, suppressing a smile.


    ¡°She¡¯s a handful, isn¡¯t she?¡± Imented.


    I don¡¯t personally know Vivian. From what I heard, she¡¯s a frence event nner. But witnessing how


    she¡¯s micromanaging the event from the band to the server, I understood where Dad wasing from.


    I know Dad¡¯s chef, and the food was nothing short of delicious, yet Vivian had so much to say about


    everything.


    ¡°But not all event nners are like that,¡± I mumbled.


    Dad hummed, making me spin again. ¡°I know someone sweet and smart and knows how to work with


    people.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I feigned interest, tilting my head to the side. ¡°She sounds interesting.¡±


    ¡°Yep. She¡¯s my daughter,¡± he chuckled. The vibration rippled through me. The little girl inside me will


    always feel ted to hear Dad¡¯s praises, I guess.


    I sighed, my shoulders falling a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dad. I can¡¯t just leave Effortless Events. Candice


    would kill me. It¡¯s our baby, you know.¡±


    ¡°Your mom said you might say that, but hear out your old man.¡± This sounds more like a business


    proposal than a casual father¨Cand¨Cdaughter conversation. ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave Effortless Events.


    We can be partners.¡±


    I mulled over his words, considering all my options. Dad could be convincing if he wanted to be. How


    else would he win over the heart of this ce?


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how many bookings Sasha had turned down this year,¡± Dad added. Sasha was the


    vi¡¯s manager. ¡°Your mother had scolded me for letting the opportunity pass, said she could do the


    nning herself, but I want her to enjoy her time now. In fact, I was nning on taking her on a cruise


    next year.¡±


    Ugh, he¡¯s not using that card on me, is he? He knew how much I wanted them to enjoy their time


    together. I pushed them to focus on themselves ever since I graduated college.


    ¡°Really?¡± I shriek, excited for my mother nheless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell her yet. I want to surprise her.¡± The song ended, and the guests on the dance floor moved


    back to their seats.


    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Dad asked as we settled back to our table.


    ¡°You told her?¡± Mom asked. The two of them were clearly teaming up against me.


    Dad draped an arm on the back of Mom¡¯s chair. ¡°Yeah. She said she¡¯ll think about it.¡± He winked at


    me.


    I huffed and rolled my eyes at him.


    Mom giggled, reaching over the table for my hand. ¡°This ce will be good for Hun.¡± Concern and hope


    sparkled in her eyes.


    you,


    Dad¡¯s business offer was sincere, but Mom¡¯s words revealed their true intentions. They wanted me out


    of Roslin City.


    I smiled at Mom. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I echoed Dad¡¯s words and extracted myself from our table as soon


    as I got the chance.


    They arranged a minibar in the corner, and I found an empty barstool at the end of the counter. Nursing


    a ss of vodka cranberry, I hid away from the crowd and got lost in my head in the dimly lit corner.


    Will they ever stop worrying about me? I thought this weekend was a break from the constant ¡®how are


    you doing,¡® ¡®how are you holding up,¡® questions back in Roslin City. Mom and Dad¡¯s hidden agenda


    intensified these doubts in my head.


    I know where they wereing from, but do I really have to move cities just to get over everything? I


    am stronger than that, aren¡¯t I? Hesitations slithered down my spine. Will I ever get past the ghost of


    my kidnapping?


    ¡°This was a wedding, right?¡±


    My downcast mood took a tailspin as I heard the sarcasm in Xander¡¯s voice. He inserted himself


    between thedy sitting on the bar stool next to mine and me, ordering a bottle


    of beer for himself.


    ¡°Why does it feel like you¡¯re at a funeral, Princess?¡± he faced me with his bottle of beer at hand, an


    elbow resting on the counter.


    Rolling my eyes, I faced him, stunned to see how handsome he was in his dress shirt and pants. I


    would die first if a word got out of this, but he doesn¡¯t look bad. His long hair was tied in a ponytail. I


    could smell his cologne and aftershave. He looked neat and smelled expensive.


    He frowned at me. ¡°Are you confused? You need help in sorting out your thoughts?¡±


    My eyes nted. If only he could keep that mouth shut. Maybe I could tolerate breathing the same air


    with him for Natasha¡¯s wedding. ¡°I was stunned to see you tonight, is all.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Why? Haven¡¯t seen a handsome guy before?¡±


    BD


    The nerve of this man? My eyes twitched as I returned his taunting smile. ¡°Nope. Just didn¡¯t expect you


    to own a dress shirt. Did you steal that from a grave somewhere?¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    He surprised me byughing so loud; he invited attention in our direction. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve insulted me,


    would you care for a dance?¡±


    This was the second time he offered that hand to me. It looked big and could fit my face in it.


    I glowered at him. People were looking in our direction, waiting and watching us patiently. He


    intentionally drew attention to put me in the spotlight. I could decline his offer. I don¡¯t mind being called


    a snob, but that would also reflect on my father¡¯s image.


    Tossing my drink down my throat, I ced my hand on his. Xander grinned from ear to ear, knowing he


    had won this round again.


    A rendition of Can¡¯t Help Falling in Love crooned in the air. Xander guided me to the middle of the


    dance floor, curled a hand around my waist, and yanked me closer to him, an ump sound tumbling from


    my lips. I ced a hand on his chest, feeling his drumming heartbeat as I pushed him away from me.


    The man was made of pure muscles. He wouldn¡¯t budge and dragged me like I weighed nothing,


    swaying us around.


    ¡°Have you ever heard of personal space?¡± I groaned and pushed him away again.


    He lowered his mouth to my ears. ¡°You look beautiful, princess.¡± I froze and gazed up at him with wide


    eyes. A smirk slowly stretched on his lips. ¡°But I like you better in jeans.¡±


    My cheeks burned. I wore the only dress I brought with me. A floral off¨Cshoulder floor- length dress with


    a long slit.


    This isn¡¯t the first time I received apliment, but it¡¯s the way Xander said it. He was blunt but


    sincere, like he really meant it, so I said, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Through the song, it felt like I was dancing with a different person. No words were exchanged between


    us, but Xander tantly watched me the entire time. I can¡¯t say amfortable dancing with Xander;


    but I no longer feel him crowing my personal space. Just one dance, I thought, so I settled on listening


    to the words the band was singing.


    When the song ended, Xander kept his hold on me.


    ¡°The song is over,¡± I groaned, pushing him away.


    I


    He opened his mouth, a mischievous glint glowed in his eyes, but before he could utter a word,


    someone spoke behind him.


    ¡°Can I have this dance?¡±


    My b*dy stilled. My heart galloped in my chest. I know that voice so well, and my b*dy


    does, too.


    Damian.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    -MILLIE-


    Xander peered down at me, his brown eyes questioning. For someone who took pleasure in pushing


    my buttons, I¡¯m surprised by his assertiveness. No doubt, recognition was written all over my face.


    I had to give this one to Damian. I did not see thising.


    ¡°Thanks for the dance.¡± Xander lifted my hand to his mouth, kissing my knuckles and winking at me.


    I was so fixated on Damian that I didn¡¯t bother glowering at Xander.


    Damian. My God. He looked different but the same. Still beautiful and never fails to take my breath


    away. Everything faded as he stepped closer. The music yed by the band and the people swaying


    around us became inconsequential in his presence. Nothing mattered but the man smiling at me, his


    seeking eyes roaming over my features.


    ¡°Millicent,¡± his voice was low and steady. My name was a sweet sound falling out of his lips.


    My breath got caught in my throat, my heartbeat galloping. He was really here,


    ¡°Damian,¡± I swallowed, pinching myself back to reality. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing here?¡±


    I bite my tongue. ¡®Really, Millicent? That¡¯s all you got for him? What are you doing here?¡¯


    In our month-long separation forced by his absence, I¡¯ve pictured this moment a hundred times and


    rehearsed what I would say to him. ¡®What are you doing here?¡¯ was definitely not part of the script.


    I¡¯ve got questions that demand answers. He ignored me. I was mad and annoyed and aching inside,


    but I knew I had no right to be. How f**ked up was that?


    ¡°I believe I asked for a dance,¡± He shed that same smile that had my heart melting into a puddle of


    goo.


    Pursing my lips, I stood taller, shoulders squared, and leveled him with a stare. ¡°No.¡±


    His eyebrows knitted. ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°No, Damian,¡± my voice was firm.


    ¡°What?¡± He blinked, surprised that I declined.


    Does he think I would be pliant to whatever plot he¡¯s ying again? Not anymore.


    Fist clenched on my side, I turned and forced my shaking legs to move, taking one step at a time,


    careful not to trip and fall as I walked away from him. Weaving through the dancing crowd, I exhaled


    loudly when I made it through, but Damian was on my heels before I could get far.


    ¡°Millicent, wait.¡± His rough fingers circled my biceps. His hold was gentle, loose enough for me to


    snatch my arm back as though his touch burned me.


    ¡°What is it, Damian?¡± my voice was pitchy.


    ¡°Can we talk?¡±


    ¡°Talk? What for? You didn¡¯t bother talking to me for a month,¡± I huffed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no excuse for that,¡± he murmured, looking around. We¡¯re at the corner of the reception, far


    enough to have privacy, but Damian has another idea in mind. ¡°I¡¯m here to clear the air between us.¡±


    I could decline. It¡¯s f**king tempting to deprive him of the right to ever speak to me again and let things


    end this way. We don¡¯t owe each other anything. He made sure I got that message loud and clear in


    thest four weeks.


    If I let him exin, it wouldplicate everything again. My brain and body couldn¡¯t be trusted when it


    came to Damian. But then the fact remained. He will always be a part of my life. I would see him at


    family gatherings and important holidays, and knowing myself, I would always wonder what happened


    and why he suddenly disappeared, so I nodded.


    His tensed shoulders loosened as he sighed, then he tipped his head to the dimly lit walk path circling


    around the vi.


    ¡°Walk with me?¡±


    He steered us away from the reception, away from the glowing lights of thenterns and the chatter


    and music of the celebrating crowd. We walked in silence. Electric pulse zapped my skin each time his


    knuckles would brush against mine as we lumbered under the light of the moon,


    He was in deep thought. I could hear the gears in his mind moving against the cacophony of mine.


    ¡°I went after Aidan,¡± he said once we paused at the banks of theke behind the vi, the moon


    glowing against the waters.


    ¡°Where is he?¡± I asked, dreading the answer he¡¯d give me.


    ¡°He can¡¯t hurt you again.¡±


    Struggling not to panic, I asked calmly. ¡°What did you do to him?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want the answer to that?¡± I sucked in a breath, looking at him with wide eyes. The gray


    moon illuminated his side profile. There was a crumple in his forehead, and his mouth pulled down into


    a frown. He¡¯s brooding. Something dark lurked underneath that calm mask he was wearing.


    Words elude me. Do I want to know? From Damian¡¯s tone, something had happened to him and Aidan.


    Something that would change the way I looked at him.


    He turned to face me, hands tucked in the pockets of his dress pants. His hair was longer now, its ends


    rubbing the cor of his dress shirt, a few strands falling over his forehead. He looked tired and weary.


    Offering a sad smile, he murmured, ¡°I kept my promise, Millicent. That¡¯s all you have to know.¡±


    Oh, no.


    Though fear and panic made my belly clench, I tried to keep my voice controlled, repeating my


    question. ¡°You didn¡¯t-¡± I shook my head, the words trapped in my throat.


    Damian remained perfectly calm, his breathing shallow as he smiled at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him, if that¡¯s


    what you¡¯re asking.¡±


    Relief washed over me. His answer didn¡¯t mean Aidan was unharmed, but at least he¡¯s still alive, right?


    I licked my dry lips, rubbing my hands together as the cold air caressed my bare skin. ¡°Is that the


    reason you didn¡¯t return my messages and calls?¡±


    Gazing into my eyes, he pinned me with a stare that poured loads of bricks on my chest. I prepared for


    this day since I realized I¡¯d fallen in love with Damian. He¡¯s about to end everything. Put a period on our


    story.


    ¡°No.¡±


    I choked on my emotions, staggering back on my heels. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin,¡± I said. ¡°I perfectly


    understand?


    His eyebrows curled. ¡°You do?¡±


    I hummed a yes, facing the waters. ¡°Can I tell you something?¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    I smile at the dimness of the night, remembering how everything started. I never thought this was


    where my drunkenness would lead me, falling for my best friend¡¯s stepbrother.


    ¡°Kissing you at the reunion was the silliest thing I had ever done. And entering that contract¡­¡± I shook


    my head. ¡°I was so scared no one would believe we were together, except everyone did. Even our


    families.¡±


    Damian chuckled. ¡°I had the same thought. It was a desperate move on my part. I pretended I wanted


    to save you from humiliation when you were the one saving me from my mistakes.¡±


    My voice cracked when I said, ¡°I would miss it.¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He nced down at me, his eyes traipsing over my face. ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Damian,¡± I whispered, blinking away the sting in my eyes.


    ¡°I should be the one thanking you, Millicent,¡± he said, pulling his gaze away from me and facing


    forward. ¡°You showed me how it is to be properly loved and cared for.¡±


    There was a crack in my heart that began to grow, creeping through each nook until it burst into a


    million tiny, irreparable pieces. This was it. F*ck it hurst. It took my


    all not to fall back on my a*s and hug my knees. ¡°You were a pretty amazing boyfriend.¡±


    He grinned at me, showing me a glimpse of the man I¡¯ve grown to love the more I get to know him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t gloat.¡± I rolled my eyes, punching him on the shoulder. ¡°You deserve an Oscar, but that was it.


    It¡¯s all for a show. And it came to an end.¡±


    He hummed in agreement. ¡°We were both pretty into it.¡±


    Except that my feelings became real. I¡¯ve fallen without a safety or parachute. Now, I must find the


    strength to pick up the pieces of myself again or what¡¯s left of it. This breakup was different. I already


    knew it was meant to take ce, yet it still f**king stings.


    Hands clenching the fabric of my skirt, I thought of an excuse to extract myself from this conversation.


    ¡°I have to-,¡±


    ¡°I have-¡± Damian said at the same time.


    I didn¡¯t have the strength to continue this ending anymore, so I smiled at him. ¡°I have to go back to the


    reception. Will you be staying the night?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I booked a room at Summerfields and had an interesting chat with your dad.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°With dad?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± His smile was strained. ¡°I kinda had to.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    It took him a while to respond. Dragging a hand over his hair and blowing a heavy breath, he said, ¡°I


    told him about our contract.¡±


    ¡°You what?¡± I winced. No wonder Dad was insistent I take his offer to work here at the farm. ¡°Why did


    you do that, Damian?¡±


    ¡°I had to,¡± he murmured, his gaze piercing. ¡°You deserve better than a fake rtionship.¡±


    My frown deepened. ¡°Yeah. We already established that, but why drag my father into this? He had


    nothing to do with this.¡±


    ¡°He had everything to do with us, Millicent,¡± he stated firmly.


    ¡®Us,¡¯ my brows met in the middle, confused. There was no us. He just ended it. What kind of game is


    he ying?


    I sighed, and my head began to throb. All these push and pull were making my head. spin. ¡°I don¡¯t


    understand what you mean, but whatever. It¡¯s over now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± he pressed.


    I narrowed my eyes on him. Does he have to p that in my face?


    ¡°Fine.¡± I spun around, gasping when he grabbed me by the waist, yanking me to his chest.


    ¡°You look adorable when you¡¯re mad, you know that?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t keep up with this conversation anymore. Sying my hands on his chest, I pushed him away.


    He yanked me closer. ¡°What?¡±


    He lifted his hand to my face, tucking a few strands of my hair behind my ears. ¡°You deserve better


    than a fake rtionship,¡± he murmured, his breath hot on my cheeks.


    ¡°I know. Now let me go.¡± Fist curled, I feebly pummeled his chest with it.


    Ignoring my protest, he pressed his forehead against mine. ¡°You deserve a real one, Millicent.¡± My


    eyes widened. ¡°We need to end pretending and start a proper one.¡±


    ¡°Damian¡­¡±


    NG


    He shook his head. ¡°I want to give it all to you if you let me.¡±


    He had to tell my father about our deal so he could ask for his permission.


    As though he read my mind, he smiled. ¡°Now you understand why I had to tell Robert? I need his


    permission so I can court you properly. Bring you flowers and choctes, ask you out on dates while


    your father threatens to kill me if I don¡¯t take you home before midnight.¡±


    I giggled, tasting salty tears rolling down my cheeks. Damian swiped his thumb over my cheeks.


    ¡°So, will you let me?¡± Hope shone in his green eyes


    ¡°Let you what?¡± I asked coyly, nibbling my lower lip.


    He groaned. ¡°Let me love you properly, Millicent.¡±


    He knew the answer before I even gave it. The bastard was fighting off a smile. How could someone


    break my heart and piece it together like it was brand new? Only Damian ck.


    I nodded, threw my arms around his neck, and pressed my lips against his. A glimpse of our new


    beginning shed before me with each glide and caress of our lips.


    -The End-

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Book 2 || Falling For Damian ck


    -MILLIE-


    Four excruciating weeks¡­ I waited to hear from him, rushing to my phone everytime it pings, hoping it


    was Damian only to be disappointed each time I¡¯d see someone else¡¯s ID on the screen. I was finally re


    ady to move on, and now he¡¯d waltz into my life dering I deserve a proper rtionship and for me to


    let him love me?


    I can hear my pulse ringing in my ears, my body humming under his soul¨C


    piercing gaze and searing touch. But what do I do with the past month that he ghosted me? I can¡¯t just


    delete them from my thoughts.


    Anger rolled through my body, reviving the strength his close proximity sucked out of me.


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head, lifting my hand between us, pushing him away from me.


    Surprised, Damian loosened his hold on me, pain clouding his face as I stepped back. The more space


    I


    put between us, the quicker I regained myposure.


    ¡°Milli-¡±


    ¡°No, Damian,¡± my voice was shaky, but my resolve thickened as seconds ticked by, the memories of ho


    w he abandoned me came rushing back.


    Tears well down my cheeks for all reasons opposite of love and adoration for this man.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just walk back into my life and ask me to let you love me. I¡¯ve already given you that chance,


    and you left! You left without saying anything.¡±


    He pressed his lips together. A storm brewed in those green pools. Veins appeared on his knuckles as


    he clenched his hand, his mrs grounding as his jaw


    ticked.


    ¡°What? You got nothing to say?¡± I asked, the hope of finally understanding why he ghosted me slowly d


    ying down.


    Yes, I still wanted to know what went wrong with us, what I did for him to leave me the way he did. But


    he just stood there, looking at me with those remorseful


    eyes.


    ¡°I did what I did for your own safety,¡± Damian murmured, stepping forward, trying to reach for me again.


    The dimness of our surroundings couldn¡¯t


    conceal Damian¡¯s affliction as I matched his stride with a step backward.


    ¡°I need more than that, Damian¡­¡± I hugged myself, the temperature around me suddenly turning


    arctic.


    Silence swelled between us as I waited for his response. A battle was taking ce inside his head, and


    I helplessly watched as he drew back into the ce where telling me the truth wasn¡¯t his top priority.


    ¡°You hurt me,¡± I murmured. My voice was so small I wondered if he even heard me. The clenching of hi


    s jaws confirmed it. ¡°You broke my heart, Damian, and I don¡¯t know how to get past that.¡±


    Without waiting for his response, I jogged back towards the light of the vi, circling on the side to Dad¡¯


    s cabin to my room, locking the door as tears poured


    down from my eyes in an endless stream. I pressed my back on the door, dropping on the hardwood flo


    or as I hugged myself, wishing I could just unlove Damian with the snap of a finger.


    ¡®Let me love you properly, Millicent.¡¯ Is there a thing calledst words syndrome?


    Although Damian only said those words once, I kept hearing his gravelly voice filled with sincerity in my


    head over and over again. My heart hummed to the soothing sound of his promise words, yet my mind


    would like me to wake up and remember how Damian ghosted me for a month.


    I huffed, forcing my legs to push


    beyond their limits, fighting the strain in my muscles as fatigue settled in. It was the morning after Natas


    ha and Jonah¡¯s wedding. I had been out since four and discovered this piece of paradise on the east si


    de of Summerfield Acres.


    Through the tree line behind the vineyard was ake with ice¨Ccold¨C


    looking water. Fish were swimming and jumping onto the surface, ying and waiting for the sun to rise


    . Small animals crossed the trail, circling theke a few times as I jogged around it, but I hadn¡¯t stumble


    d upon any souls sinceing here.


    Clearing my head of Damian had been impossible.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    One nce at him and all the efforts I put into moving


    on went to waste.


    I got used to having him around, and his sudden absence struck me like a thousand bolts of lightning, b


    urning everything I had, leaving me with nothing but this gaping hole in my chest.


    I was lost without him, waking up each day hoping I would finally forget about Damian. With Hunter, I h


    ad my anger to hold on to while I was moving on, but with Damian, all I had were unanswered question


    s, even to this moment.


    epting his absence, that he won¡¯te back anymore, had been a struggle, and now he and his


    sultry smile and s*xy ass would just waltz into my life and ask me to let him love me properly? As if I


    could just magically forget the past four weeks.


    I threw a pebble toward theke. It bounced three times on the surface before plummeting to the botto


    m.


    There¡¯s something calming about the water


    epassed by


    towering andvish trees. It allows my mind to wander down memoryne and weigh the pros and con


    s of allowing Damian back into my life. I


    could fill a memoir and draw a map of how letting him back into my life would lead to another heartbrea


    k. I could be wrong, though. We could really have a happy ending now. Yet one question lingered in all t


    he chaos going through my mind. ¡®Am I obliged to give him the time of the day after what he¡¯d done?¡®


    My shoulders went rigid when I heard a loud ssh of water in the distance. Gaston, one of the farmer


    s in Dad¡¯s payroll, spoke of sighting a bear in nearby woods two weeks back. Chills coated my skin.


    I have nearly zero knowledge about bears apart from the fact that they are huge, scary, and can rip me


    to pieces with their ws and teeth. Every scenario my mind could think of was me ending in blood and


    not breathing.


    Quietly, I closed my eyes and pressed my back onto the nearest tree, counting all the things I would ma


    ke up for if I made it out of here alive. Then, I heard water sshing, a continuous disturbance on the


    ke as though someone was doingps.


    I frowned. I¡¯ve never seen an actual bear swimming before.


    Swallowing hard, I followed the sound of sshing


    water, peeking from the tree trunk towards theke.


    It wasn¡¯t a bear, but a man swimming across theke. The water looks ice cold. I wouldn¡¯t dare dip a fin


    ger into it at this time of the day. Eyes zooming on the rippling muscles of the man doing breaststrokes,


    I swallowed hard when recognition hit me.


    That back, those shoulders, corded forearms, and ash gray hair had been the encore in my dreams for


    thest four weeks.


    Damian.


    I¡¯d dreamt about scratching my fingers over the tanned skin on his back, leaving my marks as I


    screamed his name. Those forearms caging me as he whispers dirty things into my ears, wicked and


    carnal images he¡¯d do to my body in that gravely s*xy voice. Then I¡¯d wake up berating myself for


    fantasizing about a man who doesn¡¯t want me anymore.


    I was frozen in a trance, gazing


    at Damian as he artfully weaved through the cold water. He maneuvered with such grace like an Olymp


    ic swimmer would. He turned to his front, doing butterfly strokes, focusing back on the banks.


    With a gasp, I hid behind the tree, unmoving, holding my breath.


    Of all the people who would grace me with their presence this morning, why was it the man who was als


    I was ready to move on. I epted that what we had was finally over. Why did he have toe back?


    Inwardly groaning, I looked up at the sky and dropped onto the ground, my ass colliding with the


    pebbles and dirt. I stayed there, listening to Damian doingps with my eyes closed as thoughts of us


    swam in my head.


    Ten minutester, the water sshing finally ended. Like a creep, I peeked from the tree to the banks,


    gasping when I saw him in nothing but his birthday suit, bent on the waist to pick up his clothes from the


    He turned his head to the side, eyeing his boots and socks scattered in the small clearing by the banks.


    he picked his shoes


    1. up.


    I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d been quiet the whole time. He didn¡¯t know I was watching him like a creep, did he?


    Then he waltzed out of the clearing, taking the path back into the vineyard while whistling ¡°Thinkin Bout


    Oh God. Why am I being punished like this? I just wanted some quiet time before I face him tonight and


    celebrating the little show


    Damian unknowingly put on in the banks.


    St*piddy parts!


    I sighed, and rose to my feet, jogging back to the vi, dreading seeing himter at Dad¡¯s birthday


    celebration.


    This is gonna be a long day.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    -MILLIE-


    On my way to the vi for the preparation for Dad¡¯s party, my phone rang. It was Andrea.


    ¡°Where do you need these?¡± Mara, the 52¨Cyear¨C


    old gardener, asked, lifting a bountiful basket of white roses she handpicked for Dad¡¯s birthday celebrati


    on. The sun was bright above us, a pleasant contrast to the fading warmth of summer air as fall drew n


    earer. We were on the paved path behind the vi leading towards the back entrance of the function hal


    l, where the preparation was already taking ce.


    ¡°Give them to Lisa. She got instructions from Mom for the table settings,¡± I said, pouting at the insistent.


    ringing of my phone. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a sec. I just need to get this.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, love,¡± Maria smiled, the roses leaving a pleasant smell in the air as she walked past


    me towards the function hall.


    Answering the video call, Andrea¡¯s gleeful voice


    greeted me. ¡°Look at that view!¡±


    pure wonder


    nketed her face, eyes shining in awe as she stared at


    something on her right.


    ¡°Hello to you, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Millie!¡± Andrea looked down at her phone, Candice peeking over her left shoulder. ¡°My God. I¡¯m in


    love with rke Bay!¡± she sang on top of her lungs. I¡¯m sure the diners at the restaurant could hear her


    .


    ¡°She got dickedst night,¡± Candice pipped in, snatching Andrea¡¯s phone.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s my phone.¡±


    Candice fixed Andrea with a scowl. ¡°You left me in our hotel room for a stranger. I get to do what I want


    with your phone.¡±


    Andrea stuck out her lower lip. ¡°He was a hot stranger.¡±


    ¡°Ok, hold up¡­¡± I butted in, trudging through the paved path towards the front of the vi. Dad¡¯s morning


    routine included checking the restaurant and all his staff. He was very hands¨C


    on with Summerfield and I¡¯m doing the rounds in his stead.


    Andrea and Candice were inside a cab, and I gathered they¡¯d been here at rke Bay sincest night.


    ¡°Can you go back to the part where you didn¡¯t tell me you¡¯re


    here at rke Bay already?¡±


    Candice pursed her lips, a pinch of concern crossing her face, but Andrea answered my question. ¡°You


    can interrogate us after feeding us.¡±


    I heard Andrea¡¯s voice before I saw the cab pull to a stop in front of the vi. Half opening the


    cab door, she barrelled out into the dropping bay, inhaling a lungful of air, then waved at me. Candice sl


    id out of the car after Andrea, shaking her head at our extra- energetic friend.


    Both of them were dressed casually in shorts and colorful tank tops. Candice¡¯s brte hair was tied in


    a messy bun, while Andrea¡¯s scarlet hair was in a half ponytail with a yellow ribbon matching her top.


    Candice and I shared a look. Last I saw her, which was onlyst Friday, Andrea was still in a gloomy m


    ood because of Nick.


    ¡®Must be some good dick she got, huh?¡® I crossed my arms in my middle, d to see my friends,


    nheless.


    Candice answered with an eye roll.


    While the two settled in their amodations, I left instructions to the decorating team at the function t


    hen joined Andrea and Candice for breakfast. Since we sat at our table, Andrea dominated the


    conversation about how hot this mystery one¨Cnight stand guy she had in town.


    ¡°That good, huh?¡± I asked, picking a fry from the red basket in the middle of our table. I already had


    breakfast with mom and dad, so I settled for having my second cup of coffee.


    Andrea moaned through a mouthful of her eggs benedict. ¡°He manhandled me in the best possible way


    . Did I mention there was spanking and handcuffs involved?


    I snickered. ¡°What? Where did he even get the handcuffs?¡±


    Andre shrugged. ¡°He said he had cuffs on his bike. That he wanted to cuff me to a bed, then ravish me


    like I was hisst meal.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did he say this before or after you agreed to have a one¨C


    night stand with him?¡±


    ¡°Before! It was actually the selling part of his. invitation.¡±


    Laughing, I followed up. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear this conversation, Andrea.¡±


    Candice groaned, stabbing me with a pained re. ¡°Can I please be excused? She¡¯d been blowing up


    my ears sinceing back to our room this morning!¡±


    Ignoring her, Andrea¡¯s eyes were dreamy as she said, ¡°So¡­ I just got bored and went to the bar across


    from our hotel for a drink. Since Miss Sunshine here couldn¡¯t drink, bun in her oven and all, I decided t


    o go alone. He was there, alone and brooding in the corner, a storm cloud brewing above him. I got curi


    ous.¡±


    ¡°She was his type, Mr. Dark and Stormy, and oh, did she mention that he also rides a monster bike?¡± C


    andice butted in, sipping her orange juice.


    Andrea red at her, annoyed by her interruption. ¡°Anyway, he¡¯d been staring at me since I walked in.


    It was kind of hot and creepy at the same time. After three sses of margarita, I finally decided to


    save him from his misery and asked him if he wanted to f**k me.¡±


    ¡°You what?¡± Iughed so loud, the guest on our table threw a curious gaze in our direction. ¡°Please tell


    me you are sugarcoating this story.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. But that wasn¡¯t my opening line. It goes like this. ¡®You¡¯ve been staring at me since I walked


    in. Do you want to f**k


    me?¡°¡± Andrea stabbed a bacon on her te. ¡°What?¡± she disregarded my surprise at her boldness to a


    total stranger. ¡°I¡¯m single, and I¡¯m finally ready to mingle. I won¡¯t miss out on life just because I¡¯m broke


    n¨Chearted.¡±


    Candice locked eyes with me, mirroring the concern shining in mine. ¡°Just be careful.¡±


    ¡°Gee¡­¡± Andrea grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m dating Mr. Dark and Stormy. It¡¯s called a one¨C


    night stand for a reason.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    I nodded, trusting Andrea knew what she was doing. ¡°Is there another reason you guys flew early?¡± Th


    ey were supposed toe with Nancy, Erik, and Aaronter in the afternoon.


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Candice chewed on her lower lip, slicing through her pancakes. ¡°I might have mentioned to a


    certain guy that you are here in rke Bay.¡±


    Emergency calls only G


    I narrowed my eyes at Candice. ¡°I knew Mom wouldn¡¯t invite Damian without asking me.¡±


    Candice shrugged, lifting a forked pancake to her mouth. ¡°So, how did it go?¡±


    I leaned back in my chair, resigning from this conversation. ¡°How do you think? He asked for a


    second chance but refused to exin why he ghosted me for a month.¡±


    Andrea stabbed her bacon so hard, the cutlery rattled against the tes. ¡°Men¡­ it should be us ghosti


    ng them, not the other way around.¡±


    Raising an eyebrow, I said. ¡°At least you know why Nick left. On the other hand, I was left wondering w


    hat I did wrong.¡±


    ¡°Still the same!¡± I frowned at Andrea. Is she high on something? She¡¯s taking this antagonism to anothe


    r level. ¡°After we gave them our hearts, they¡¯d discard us like a piece of meat they didn¡¯t want anymore


    ? I won¡¯t wait for a man like that. I¡¯d have a lot of one¨C


    night stands until I forget how beautiful Nick¡¯s cock is!¡±


    ¡°Jesus!¡± thedy on the table next to us gasped, ring at Andrea. Andrea didn¡¯t pay her any mind and


    continued eating her breakfast.


    Candice reached for my hand, giving it a little squeeze. ¡°Give him time. I know Damian. He¡¯d never hurt


    you intentionally.¡±


    ¡°Intentionally or not, the result was still the same. He broke my heart.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Candice, but I¡¯m with Millie on this one. Looking past his ghosting drama is not easy,¡± she tur


    ned to me. ¡°I say you make him grovel on his knees, and if you decide that you want nothing to do with


    him and he still insists on waltzing back into your life, I volunteer to chop off his balls and feed it to the p


    igs.¡±


    Despite Andrea¡¯s threat, I giggled. ¡°Can you tone down on the threats? It¡¯s only eight in the morning. Ar


    e you high on something?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Dark and Stormy had a very, very wonderful dick, is all,¡± she announced.


    Thedy at the next table murmured another curse, doing a sign of the cross. It seemed like she was s


    aying a small prayer to save Andrea¡¯s soul.


    Candice opened her mouth to fire up another Damian¨C


    inspired question, pursing her lips when I cut her off. ¡°I


    had a very interesting conversation with Dad. He wanted to up Summerfield Acres and start. epting


    events, and he would like to partner with Effortless Events.¡±


    Candice blinked, and Andrea perched on her seat. ¡°Wow. Really?¡± they said at the same time.


    Grateful for the distraction, I hummed a yes. ¡°It¡¯s gonna benefit both Summerfield and Effortless Events


    . We¡¯re gonna market this ce, and we will have our own ce for our events.¡±


    Eyes thinned, Candice said. ¡°Why do I feel like there¡¯s a catch to this?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No catch. But he wants me here.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have to exin why Mom and Dad wanted me out of Roslin City. There were too


    many terrible memories in that city, and I was beginning to like this change of scenery, at least before D


    amian showed up here.


    ¡°Oh¡­ can I work with Millie here?¡± Andrea grabbed Candice¡¯s arms, shaking her like a child, asking her


    mom to buy her ice cream. ¡°Please? Pretty please?¡±


    Candice narrowed her eyes at Andrea. ¡°I thought that one¨Cnight stand was nothing to you?¡±


    Andrea gasped. ¡°This is not about Mr. Dark and Stormy with a very wonderful dick!¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ!¡± Thedy on the next table stood, the foot of her


    chair scraping the floor, ring at the three of us. She pped her napkin on the table and called a serv


    loud and clear.


    Liam, the server, looked at me with a frown. I nodded at him, and he quickly assisted thedy to the emp


    Unbothered by thedy¡¯s annoyance, Andrea bugged Candice for the position as my assistant here. ¡°Le


    Andrea and I agreed with Candice, and we jumped into the details of Dad¡¯s birthday celebration when A


    1. me.


    mom to buy her ice cream. ¡°Please? Pretty please?¡±


    Candice narrowed her eyes at Andrea. ¡°I thought that one¨Cnight stand was nothing to you?¡±


    Andrea gasped. ¡°This is not about Mr. Dark and Stormy with a very wonderful dick!¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ!¡± Thedy on the next table stood, the foot of her chair scraping the floor, ring at the thr


    called a server. ¡°I¡¯d like to move to the table


    as far away from these three as possible!¡± She made sure we heard her loud and clear.


    Liam, the server, looked at me with a frown. I nodded at him, and he quickly assisted thedy to the emp


    Unbothered by thedy¡¯s annoyance, Andrea bugged Candice for the position as my assistant here. ¡°Le


    Andrea and I agreed with Candice, and we jumped into the details of Dad¡¯s birthday celebration when A


    1. me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be shitting me,¡± she mumbled, brown eyes blown wide with surprise, confusion, and dread


    Looking over my shoulder, I spotted Xander riding Calix across thewn. He was sporting a sleeveless g


    length hair tied in a messy bun. They¡¯re headed for the grape farm, Calix¡¯s coat shining under the sunbe


    Frowning, I turned back to Andrea. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s your Mr. Dark and Stormy with a very wonderful d


    Her wicked smile grew wider. ¡°Maybe we don¡¯t need to speak with Uncle Robert after all.¡±


    ¡°I changed my mind,¡± Andrea snapped. ¡°You can stay here with Millie. The green scenery is good for littl


    Candice grimaced. ¡°Stop giving pet names for my baby¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off them. They seemed pretty cozy. She was shorter than me, barely reaching D


    Damian was so focused on her, he didn¡¯t even throw a nce in my direction or to the server as he guid


    other side of the


    restaurant.


    ¡°Millie, can you back me up on this?¡± Andrea grabbed my attention from ring at the corner where they


    night stand for a reason. We were not supposed to meet in the real world. So you assigning me here, nu


    uh¡­ I don¡¯t want those kinds


    ofplications.¡±

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    -DAMIAN-


    I could feel Millicent shooting fireballs with her eyes. straight at my face. It took all my strength to resist


    this pull to look her way.


    I missed her. Without her in my life, I was a man drowning in air, and seeing her up closest night kno


    cked all the air out of my body.


    In thest four weeks, I settled for watching her from afar. Witnessing tears rolling down her cheeks whi


    le she stared into the distance unseeing was the hardest part of it all. She was hurting because of me,


    and I


    couldn¡¯t do anything to take away her pain. I helplessly watched as her pain morphed into anger each


    day. She hated me; I already knew that, but f**k if it didn¡¯t hurt hearing her p the truth to my face.


    ¡°This n f**king sucks,¡± I grumbled under my breath, wincing when Ana pinched my arm with her


    stupidly long talons. She could kill me, poke my eyeballs out with those fake nails. How does she even


    do her daily activities with those on?


    ¡°You asked for my help, hmm?¡± She red at me, her


    big doe eyes filled with threat. She meant to intimidate me, but because she was pocket¨C


    sized, she looked like a child trying to scare her father


    off for not giving her an ice cream. Adorable is what she is.


    I suppressed my smile, though, still hating this ¡®make Millicent jealous¡® project of her. ¡°Like I said, you w


    on¡¯t like it. She will hate you, but I¡¯m one hundred percent sure you will get her back in no time. I bet sh


    e¡¯d be all over you before this night ends.¡±


    ¡°How the f**k will I get Millicent back like this?¡± I lowered my voice so only she could hear me. ¡°She


    clearly assumed that we were together. I can feel her shooting fire with her eyes. Those three are


    probably nning my funeral by now.¡±


    Ana was tiny, barely reaching my shoulder, even in her skyscraper shoes. She had strawberry blond ha


    ir, but the dark roots of her natural brte hair were already showing. ¡®Careful what you say about her


    looks,¡® Gian warned me. ¡®She¡¯d throw a tantrum if you told her her blond is


    fading.¡¯ And she always wore thick makeup, especially on her eyes. She said it makes her eyes look bi


    gger.


    Ana was the payment for the favor I asked from Gian.


    He said they were rted. Up to what degree? I don¡¯t have a f**king clue. There¡¯s no resemnce in


    their features, but I had to babysit Ana for Gian.


    Yes, I hate Gian¡¯s guts. I would rather


    walk through a minefield than ask for his help. But for Millicent, I had to swallow my pride.


    Ana patted my chest, smiling as a waiter approached us and asked where we¡¯d like to sit. I groaned wh


    en Ana chose a lounge at the back of the restaurant. I¡¯d like to sit where I can see Millicent. She was ha


    ving breakfast with Candice and Andrea, simply


    breathtakingly beautiful in her denim shorts and fitted white top.


    Settling on our seats, Ana started typing on her phone, her eyesser¨C


    focused on the screen. She¡¯s on her phone twenty¨Cfour¨C


    seven, doing only she knows what. I don¡¯t know much about Ana. Gian thrust her into my care for a we


    ek now, and nothing out of the ordinary has happened, not that I was wishing for it.


    Knowing what I know about Gian now, that guy ate trouble for


    breakfast and walked hand in hand with the dark monsters of this world all day, then slept with a nke


    t of the devil at night. Everything about Gian


    screamed danger. Now I wonder what sweet Ana had to do with Gian.


    The server delivered our drinks. Ana ordered atte while I settled for ck coffee.


    ¡°Why are you always on your phone?¡± I asked just out of curiosity.


    Ana didn¡¯t lift her eyes from her device. ¡°I¡¯m not on Tinder if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering. I¡¯m working.¡±


    ¡°Working?¡± She looked like she was barely out of high school. Well, she was pocket¨C


    sized and all, so I guess I shouldn¡¯t judge her by her size.


    ¡°Yep.¡± She made the ¡®p¡® pop. ¡°Look on the side,¡± she said without lifting her eyes from her phone.


    Millicent was walking through thewn. The sunlight bounced on her blond hair. She was stomping like


    a petnt child, clearly mad about something.


    ¡°She¡¯s annoyed,¡± Ana giggled. ¡°I¡¯d like to see how she¡¯d react when she sees uster at her father¡¯s par


    ty.¡±


    I remember when Sonja confronted Millicent at Tomas Lantz¡¯s event. A jealous Millicent was such a


    turn¨Con.


    ¡°Maybe we shouldn-¡±


    Ana red at me. ¡°Did you already forget our conversation this morning? You asked for my help and pr


    omised to do what I say.¡± Brown eyes narrowing to slit, she resembled a child ready to throw a tantrum.


    ¡°I hate it when Gianni questions my decision and my analysis. Don¡¯t make me hate you, D.¡±


    I raised my hand in surrender. ¡°Alright¡­ alright, small.¡±


    She picked the fry from the tray brought by the server and threw it in my face.


    I chuckled while Ana¡¯s cheeks turned beet red.


    So¡­ Here I am at Robert¡¯s birthday party with Ana hanging from my arms once again.


    As expected, the party was intimate and beautiful. Robert was ecstatic to see all of us waiting for him. L


    enny brought him straight from their fishing trip. He kissed Lenny full on the mouth, adoration oozing fro


    m the two of them as they thanked everyone who


    came.


    Lenny invited close friends and family and made us


    wear Stetson hats, matching the cake presented as we sang Happy Birthday. White roses arranged in


    a beautiful bouquet on each table offset the ck and gold theme. Robert¡¯s baby pictures through his t


    een and adult life yed on a wide screen as the Beatles¡® song crooned from the speakers.


    Wine and food were served. Gifts and greetings were handed to Millicent¡¯s dad, but all I could do all nig


    ht was ogle Millicent. Tonight, she sported a white off- shoulder dress, ankle boots, and a Stetson hat.


    Millicent, riding me like a rodeo bull machine wearing that hat and dress, has cluttered my head since t


    his party started.


    God. F**k. She¡¯d scream my name while she came on top of me. Then I¡¯d wrap her blond hair on my


    knuckles while I f**k her from behind.


    I chugged down my fifth ss of whiskey, the smooth liquid warming me inside.


    She wouldn¡¯t even throw a nce at me. Right now, she¡¯s at the bar talking to the stable guy, Xander. I


    asked around about him. He moved to rke Bay over a year ago and applied here at Summerfield Ac


    re.


    I don¡¯t trust that Xander. He appeared too cozy


    ¡°You¡¯d burst a vein if you don¡¯t rx, D,¡± Ana


    murmured, sipping her vodka lemonade. In her pink. cocktail dress, Ana tied her blond hair with a ribbo


    n of the same color. She looked like a kid at a grownups¡®


    party.


    I answered with a groan, turning away from Millicent and Xander¡¯s direction.


    This was f**king maddening. She¡¯s within my reach, but I can¡¯t touch her? How is this my life?


    ¡°How the f**k is this n of yours gonna work? That guy is all over Millicent.¡±


    She leaned forward on our table, eyes sweeping left to right before speaking. ¡°How are you so


    clueless? You got the beauty but no f**king brains.¡±


    I pinned her with a re. Ana merely shrugged. ¡°See that chick? Millicent¡¯s redhead friend?¡± She was


    pertaining to Andrea sulking at her table with Candice and my brother¨Cinw Aaron.


    ¡°What about her?¡±


    Ana rolled her eyes. ¡°Look closer. Xander is making


    that redhead jealous; that¡¯s why he¡¯s talking to Millicent, and Millicent is making you jealous by using X


    ander. I say that¡¯s progress.¡±


    ¡°How is that a progress?!¡± I hissed.


    She leaned back in her seat. ¡°You know what? I¡¯m tired of you doubting my tactics. Go ahead. Why don


    ¡¯t you just tell Millicent why you avoided her in the first ce? I bet she would understand why you had t


    o keep her at arm¡¯s length. She doesn¡¯t seem shallow to me, D. She¡¯d forgive you.¡±


    ¡°Did you think I hadn¡¯t thought of that?¡± Ana raised an eyebrow, questioning my decision as I did with h


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    er.


    Yeah. It¡¯s f**king annoying.


    ¡°She¡¯d hate me and herself. She¡¯s better off not knowing what happened.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself-¡± Ana got distracted by something, rather someone behind me. ¡°What the f**k is he doing


    here? I told him I didn¡¯t want to see his face!¡±


    Looking over my shoulder, Gian strutted through the function hall¡¯s entryway, smirking at me as he hea


    ded for Millicent.


    Emergency calls onlyG


    098% #13.01


    Like a lion watching its rival, I watched Gian all night. He was gloating, relishing in my misery as I watch


    ed him speak with Millicent so casually while I suffered here in the corner.


    Ana slipped out of the function hall as soon as she saw Gian. That was thirty minutes and a century ag


    o. I¡¯ve chatted with a few people, trying to act as if my heart isn¡¯t karate chopping my breastbone in ang


    er and jealousy, but my brain isn¡¯t where it should be.


    I gave up trying to converse with anyone else, sulking at the corner of the bar where I got eyes on Millic


    ent and Gian. I perched on my seat when Gian whispered in Millicent¡¯s ears. Her back was on mine, an


    d Gian¡¯s eyes sparkled with mischief.


    ¡®What the f**k is he doing? He knew Millicent hated me for ghosting her. Is he making a move on her


    again?¡®


    When Millicent nodded. Gian ced a hand on the small of her back and whisked her out of the functio


    n


    hall.


    Dark thunder clouds loomed over my head. I was not


    going to sit here while Gian worked to take Millicent away from me.


    Tossing the whiskey down my throat, I mmed the rock ss on the counter; it nearly broke into a tho


    usand shards. Eyes zoned in on where they disappeared, I was a bull seeing nothing but red, ready to


    bulldoze Gian for showing his annoying face here.


    The air outside was cold, a stark contrast to this burning rage inside me.


    They rounded the corner to the front of the vi. I only saw a glimpse of Millicent¡¯s white dress. Brisk w


    alking on my unsteady footing, I nearly tripped and fell.


    ¡®How much alcohol did I f**king drink?¡®


    I reached them in the parking lot, standing on the open passenger side door of a Trax.


    Fueled by jealousy, alcohol, and annoyance, I grabbed Millicent¡¯s hand and spun her around. Her eyes


    went round, a squeal tumbling past her lips when I bent to pick her up like a sack of potatoes, throwing


    her over my shoulder.


    ¡°Hey! Put me down!¡± Shended a series of punches on my back. Gian¡¯sughter as I took Millicent wit


    h me was gasoline poured into this outraged wildfire spreading fast through my body. ¡°Damian! You bas


    tard! Put me down!¡±


    I pped Millicent¡¯s ass. She gasped. It was a sound of pleasure and surprise. The sound I fantasied h


    earing every time I jacked off in thest four weeks.


    F**k. My cock was surging to life.


    With every punch shended on my back, I spanked her ass. I don¡¯t know where I was going, nor do I


    f**king care. I kept walking until the music from Robert¡¯s party was no more, and the dimness of the


    night swallowed uspletely. With how drunk I was, it was a miracle I didn¡¯t stumble on the ground.


    Millicent stopped fighting


    me as soon as we crossed thewn. Her body was still rigid, and when I finally put her down, her palms


    immediately collided with my cheek.


    That p sobered me up from the alcohol


    but not from my jealousy. Millicent pped me again, this time on the other cheek.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?!¡± she yelled in my face. ¡°You can¡¯t just act like a freaking caveman throwing m


    e over your shoulder after you parade your new girlfriend in front of me!¡± She was so worked up and we


    both knew what that does to me.


    Her jealousy zapped all the nerve endings in my body to life, sending an electric shock straight to my di


    ck.


    Nose ring, I grabbed her hand when she turned her back on me, aiming to run away again. I pulled he


    ¡°So it worked?¡± I said with a chuckle, securing an arm


    around her waist.


    The night was cold, but Millicent¡¯s body against mine was enough to keep me warm. She lost her Stetso


    ¡°What?¡± she red at me with furrowed brows.


    ¡°You¡¯re jealous,¡± I stated, as a matter of fact, my jealousy waning.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she huffed, lifting her hand between us and pushing against me. ¡°Let go! Why are you even m


    ¡°Oh, Millicent,¡± I sighed, pressing my forehead on hers, her breath caressing my lips.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she groaned, but the tension in her shoulder eased. She was still fighting me, but her resis


    ¡°I do¡­¡± she shivered as I pressed my lips on her pulse, melting into my arms. ¡°¡­ hate you¡­ Damian¡­


    My name was a plea. I smiled, nibbling her earlobes


    and biting down on her corbone. I did this until she squirmed in my arms, unknowingly rubbing her


    body like a feline seeking warmth.


    ¡°Go on a date with me,¡± I said between kissing and biting her neck. The off¨C


    shoulder of her dress allowed ess so I could feast on her skin.


    ¡°No.¡± She buried her fingers in my hair, fisting.


    God. I missed making out with her. I groaned at the pain that shot through my scalp.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at seven tomorrow night.¡±


    dominance.


    If she wasn¡¯t wing on my shoulder and back, I¡¯d think this was still a dream, one that had been in my


    Pulling away for air, Millicent¡¯s eyes were hooded and zed over, lips swollen as she stared at me.


    ¡°Seven, hm?¡± I murmured, cradling her face.


    ¡°No¡­¡± she whispered, like she was having an inner battle.


    ¡°Please?¡± I pleaded, my eyes begging her to give me a chance. She nibbled her lower lip, nodding feebl


    ¡°Thank f**k Ana¡¯s n worked.¡± Those words were out of my mouth before I even realized.


    Millicent¡¯s body went taut, her eyes narrowing at me. ¡°What n?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I tried to backpedal on my words, but her anger was making aeback in full force.


    She was smart¨Cthat¡¯s one thing I liked about her¨C


    and she didn¡¯t need me to exin what I meant by what I said. Dark clouds gathered above us, and her


    ¡°Ugh! I can¡¯t believe I fell for that!¡± She stomped on


    my feet. I hissed. I think she crushed my toe. My


    hold on her loosened. She broke free. Her nose red, and she was breathing fire. ¡°I hate you!¡±


    She turned her back on me. She was a dragon ready to burn down anyone in her path.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at seven!¡± I reminded her, and she answered me with a dirty finger, not even looking


    back.


    I chuckled, still considering this a sess.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    -MILLIE-


    Beating my five am rm was slowly bing a habit.


    As my phone buzzed on my armband, I turned the rm off and ceased running. Wiping the sweat


    from my forehead with the back of my hand, I chased my breath, the fatigue settling on my leg


    muscles.


    I had a restless night, and when four am hit, I gave up trying to sleep and focused on wearing my


    muscles out. It was the only thing I could do to stop my brain from going back to what transpiredst


    night. And here I am again, jumping back on the carousel of Damian¡¯s stupid, s*xy grin, me falling for


    him all over again, and Damian pping to my face how foolish I am.


    I don¡¯t want to think about him anymore, but there¡¯s no switch¨Coff button for my feelings for him.


    My lips still tingle with the memories of Damian¡¯s soft and insistent one. My body knew who owned it,


    and its reaction to his touch was on autopilot. If he hadn¡¯t revealed his diabolical n with Ana,st


    night would¡¯ve gone out of control.


    When he walked inside the function hall, mydy parts kicked my reasoning out the window and took


    over. Images of Damian in that fitted gray tee, dark blue jeans, cowboy boots and hat, unbuckling his


    belt while he stared down at me in his bed, savoring me from head to toe with his eyes had clouded my


    head. Then, in his gravelly voice, he¡¯d ask me if I would be a good girl for him. But it was a mere


    fantasy. Like a bucket of ice¨Ccold water dumped over my head, Ana materialized on his side, hanging


    from his arms like a little doll in her pink cocktail dress.


    For Dad¡¯s sake, I endured the torture of seeing themughing and talking cozily at their table. I¡¯d die


    first before admitting this to anyone, but I was d I had Xander¡¯s annoying face to look at instead of


    ogling them. My night took a lighter phase when Gian showed up. Gian didn¡¯t have to ask. He knew


    something was bothering me. When he offered to take me for a ride, I agreed, d he would me out of


    my misery.


    put


    I thought I could finally escape the torment of seeing Damian cozy with another girl. Like a caveman,


    Damian had to throw me over his shoulder and turn my world upside down. I hated the relief that


    washed over me when he said Ana was only a friend. I almost gave in to his touch and kisses. Then he


    told me it was for a show?


    ¡°Ugh!¡± I groaned, stomping my foot like a child.


    ¡°Rough night?¡±


    My shriek echoed through the treeline and over theke, disturbing the small animals lurking nearby.


    Gian leaned against a tree. Patches of sweat graced his blue¨Cfitted shirt. His short running shorts


    revealed his toned legs. A headphone hung around his neck, and the visor of a baseball cap shadowed


    his watchful eyes.


    ¡°Gian¡­ God, you almost gave me a heart attack.¡± I pressed a hand on my chest, my heart drumming


    against my palms.


    Tilting his head to the side, Gian studied me with those piercing blue eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you¡¯re lost


    in your head, Amore.¡± There was a pinch of disappointment in his tone. You shouldn¡¯t be running out


    alone at this time of the day.¡°..


    Although this was still part of Dad¡¯s property, I get where he¡¯sing from. If he had vile intent, I


    would¡¯ve fallen into a trap¡­ again.


    ¡°I just¡­ have a lot on my mind.¡± Avoiding his gaze, I walked towards the clearing on the side of the


    Shaking the thought of his body out of my head, I stared at the clear water, unseeing.


    With a sigh, Gian abandoned his post on the tree and walked towards me. ¡°How rough was it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I grimaced at his innuendo. His grin was yful. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m not even gonna answer that.¡±


    He chuckled, throwing an arm over my shoulder, pulling me in, and ruffling my hair. ¡°Gian! Not my


    hair!¡±


    ¡°I miss messing with you,¡± he said, releasing me.


    ring at him, I shoved him in the arms. He didn¡¯t even bulge. It was like punching a wall. I almost


    broke my knuckles. Wincing, I shook my hand. ¡°For a moment, I was actually d to see you. I take it


    back.¡±


    Hisugh was pure glee. ¡°I miss you too, Amore. Want me to punch Damian in the face?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d like that, don¡¯t you? I bet Damian would also like to punch you in the face.¡± Crouching, I sat on


    the grass with my knees bent in front of me. Gian followed


    suit, and the silence swelled between us. ¡°Thanks foring to Dad¡¯s party, by the way.¡±


    ¡°I had to discuss, business with him and knew you needed me.¡± He kept his gaze forward as I frowned


    at him. ¡°And to make sure Damian is not making more mess than he already had.¡±


    My forehead crinkled, and I was surprised that he was actually taking Damian¡¯s side. This was being


    sympathetic in Gian¡¯s book. ¡°What do you know?¡±


    He nced at me. ¡°Aside from him being the world¡¯s pi¨´ stupido? He¡¯d do everything to keep you safe,


    Amore.¡± (biggest fool)


    These wordsing from Gian were unexpected. I don¡¯t even know how to respond. He didn¡¯t need


    me to say anything and continued. ¡°Leaving you like he did was f**ked up, but he did it to protect you.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Protect me? From what? Natalie was already behind bars, and Aidan was a wanted man.


    Damian didn¡¯t need to chase after him. That was the job of the police.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, he¡¯s the world¡¯s biggest idiot.¡± He leaned back in his hand, stretching his long legs in front


    of him. ¡°Amore¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Hugging my knees as a cold breeze swept by, I tucked my chin and focused on the lone fish


    swimming near the banks.


    ¡°It¡¯s love in Italian. Everyone in love turns into fools sometimes¡­¡± he murmured, the loneliness hidden


    in the deepest part of his heart slithering its way out. Gian rarely allowed people to see his vulnerability.


    He¡¯d keep to himself and unt his brooding side, aloof and detached.


    ¡°What do you know, Gian?¡± From the direction of this conversation, it sounded as if he knew something


    I didn¡¯t. Knowing Gian, he wouldn¡¯t lie to me, but he¡¯s best at sidestepping topics.


    After a moment of contemtion, Gian let out a breath. ¡°It¡¯s not my story to tell, but trust me on this.¡±


    He pinned me with nothing but honesty in his eyes. ¡°Damian is a fool who¡¯s head over heels for you. I


    wouldn¡¯t let him live if he wasn¡¯t.¡±


    Back in the cabin, Mom was in the kitchen making breakfast. The belt of her purple robe was left


    untied, revealing a id pajama underneath and her blond hair tied up in a messy bun.


    I hugged mom from behind and rubbed my sweaty cheeks against hers. ¡°Morning, Mommm.¡±


    Mom groaned, scrunching her nose as she craned her face away from me. It was futile, though.


    ¡°Morning, honey.¡±


    I giggled and peppered her cheeks with kisses. ¡°What¡¯s for breakfast?¡±


    Releasing her, I went to the coffeemaker and pulled a cup from the cupboards. While filling it with


    coffee, I eyed the ingredients on the counter. There are leftover nachos fromst night, sausages, and


    colew. Mom was on the iron waffle,dling the batter on it. My stomach grumbled as I spotted the


    made waffle te on her side. I plucked one, but Mom pped my hand.


    ¡°Wash your hands!¡± she red at me. Pouting, I did what I was told and took one waffle from the te.


    Her eyes narrowed. I gave her a toothy grin.


    ¡°You¡¯re in a good mood,¡± she said, taking the waffles from the iron anddling another set.


    ¡°You¡¯re making my favorite, so why won¡¯t I be in a good mood?¡± I reasoned. Mom¡¯s waffle nachos


    would lift my spirit any time of the day.


    Without throwing me a nce, she murmured. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to do anything with your date with


    Damian?¡±


    I choked on the waffle I was chewing. Reaching for my cup of coffee, I took a sip and red at Mom


    over the mug. ¡°What date?¡± I deadpanned.


    She turned the waffle iron off and set aside the waffles, then started cooking the sausages. ¡°You just


    missed him. He asked for Dad¡¯s and I¡¯s permission to take you out on a dateter.¡±


    I swallowed hard, my heart galloping as I remembered why he told Dad about our deal: ¡®I need his


    permission so I can court you properly?


    Like butter tossed on a hot pan, my heart melted. In my teenage diary, I wrote countless ways I wished


    Damian would court me. Though I knew Damian¡¯s words weren¡¯t empty, it still surprised me that he


    actually asked for my parents¡® permission.


    Emotions filled my chest.


    ¡®No. Stay strong, Milli¨¦. He just asked for permission. Don¡¯t fall for it again?


    I was saved from answering Mom when someone knocked on the door. ¡°I¡¯ll get it!¡±


    JIL


    I shrieked, startling Mom.


    Her eyes were wide as she watched me skip toward the door. It was my turn to look shocked when I


    saw Andrea¡¯s state.


    She was still in her clothes fromst night: a short denim short, a fitted white sleeveless crop top, and


    ankle boots. A huge pair of sunsses covered her eyes. That wasn¡¯t the shocking part. It was the kiss


    mark on her cleavage that she tried hiding with her messy hair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡±


    Of course, I asked. ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    Groaning, she pushed me aside and headed straight to greet Mom. Candice trudged up the three steps


    of the cabin¡¯s porch, looking well¨Crested and glowing in her lc floral mini¨Cdress.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked Candice as I closed the door, crossing the short distance between the living


    area and the kitchen.


    ¡°The stable guy happened.¡±


    ¡°Xander?!¡± I hissed. Andrea red at Candice, who merely replied with a shrug. Then Andrea turned to


    me. Her eyes were sharp. ¡°What?¡±


    Andrea was by the coffeemaker, filling a cup, while Candice stood beside her, munching down on an


    apple from the fruit basket.


    Last night, Andrea said she wasn¡¯t feeling well and headed to her room halfway through the party. I


    gathered she didn¡¯t want to be in the same space with Xander, but looking at her now, I¡¯m not sure


    what she wants anymore.


    Andrea sighed, leaned back on the counter, and removed her sunsses. Dark bags circled her eyes


    as if she hadn¡¯t had a wink of sleep. ¡°I went to the bar after I left the party. Xander followed me. We


    talked, and the next thing I knew, we were kissing.¡± She groaned, grabbed her coffee, and took a sip.


    ¡°You get the picture.¡±


    ¡°We get the picture, Candice butted in. ¡°But what happened to ¡®We were not supposed to meet in the


    real world.¡± she quoted Andrea, even mimicking Andrea¡¯s voice.


    Andrea¡¯s gaze could melt steel. I bet that re brought men to their knees just to please her. If only


    Candice was affected by her threatening scowl.


    ¡°What? Your words, not mine.¡±


    ¡°Stop judging me.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s judging you?¡± Candice feigned an innocent look. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who said ¡®I¡¯m single, and I¡¯m


    finally ready to mingle. I won¡¯t miss out on life just because I¡¯m broken¨Chearted.¡® Right, M?¡± I hummed


    a yes, smiling as Andrea¡¯s eyes narrowed to thin slits.


    ¡°I think she¡¯d already forgotten about Nick¡¯s beautiful cock,¡± I pipped in.


    Steam bellowed from Andrea¡¯s ears, but Candice wasn¡¯t done messing with her. ¡°And what did you say


    again? ¡®It¡¯s called a one¨Cnight stand for a reason.¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fine. It¡¯s a two night stand with Mr. Dark and Stormy, with a very wonderful dick!¡±


    Mom giggled from the bottom of the staircase leading towards the rooms upstairs. Dad was behind her,


    shaking his head. Andrea¡¯s cheeks were as red as ripe


    tomatoes.


    A


    Before eating breakfast on the deck, I loaned Andrea a decent shirt. It would save everyone from the


    awkward situation of seeing the kiss mark left by his two¨Cnight stand guy.


    We discussed the partnership between Summerfield Acre and Effortless Events. It was a done deal


    even before we got into the details, but talking business with Mom and Dad was a breath of fresh air. It


    was a first time for us.


    After breakfast, Mom and Dad left for their usual routine at the grape farm and wine cer. The three of


    us then finalized the details for Constance¡¯s wedding. Work distracted me from the dreaded decision of


    going out with Damian or not. I could say no,


    but I really wanted to say yes. Until Candice and Andrea left, I was still at 50-50. When six p.m. came, I


    decided I would go and started getting ready.


    ¡®It¡¯s just a date, what could possibly go wrong?¡®


    45


    While getting dressed, I made a mental list of the things I¡¯m going to ask Damian. My conversation with


    Gian was a huge factor in my decision making. I needed to know the truth so I can move forward or


    move on. It was high time to put an end to this limbo of wondering why Damian ghosted me.


    Choosing what to wear wasn¡¯t a struggle since I only brought limited clothes. I was a nerve of taut


    knots, ready to snap as seven pm hit the clock.


    Sneakers bouncing on the floorboard, I sat anxiously on the single couch in the living room, burning


    holes at the door as I waited for a knock¡­ a knock that never


    came.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Emergency calls only O


    020100% 11:32


    -DAMIAN-


    ¡°You good?¡± I asked Ana as we packed thest food container for my date with Millicent.


    After asking Robert and Lenny for permission to take Millicent outter, they allowed me to use the


    kitchen in their restaurant, too. It was past lunchtime. The kitchen staff were lounging after the busy


    lunch hour.


    To Robert¡¯s credit, his business was in a good state. Dad mentioned that this was a good investment


    he¡¯d also been thinking of venturing into. Apart from the wedding, I witnessed the flow of diners in the


    restaurant and guests checking in at The Vi over the weekend. Apart from the wine he already put on


    the market, there¡¯s also a lot of profit potential for Roberts¡¯ vineyard.


    Seeing Summerfield Acre¡¯s beauty and allure, I understood why Robert left Roslin City. It¡¯s an excellent


    ce to retire or start a family.


    Ana shrugged, epting the sd I handed her and stuffing it in the basket I¡¯d bring to my dateter.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I might not know much about Ana but I knew women¡¯s tell. They say one thing and mean


    the other.


    Gathering the vegetable scraps from the counter and throwing them in the trash, I then wiped the


    counter with a white cloth. ¡°Thank you for helping me,¡± I said.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she murmured, letting out a breath as sheid the id pic nket on top of the


    basket.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to town with me, Ana,¡± I insisted. I still had a few things to buy in town for tonight.


    There were still a few hours before I pick up Millicent, but my heart was already galloping inside my


    chest. The wait would kill me if I stayed idle in one ce. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few hours.¡±


    I tried to ignore this giddy feeling in my belly. I¡¯ve never felt this nervous about a date. It¡¯s like I am a


    teenager all over again.


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    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll help, and I never go back on my word.¡± Her tone was sharp.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I sighed. I wanted a distraction? I got a temperamental one.


    We spent the drive to town in silence, but Ana kept blowing out heavy breaths every ten seconds as


    she gazed at the window. This was one of women¡¯s annoying antics. If she was tired or in no mood to


    go with me, I clearly insisted she didn¡¯t have to. Why would she force herself toe and put me in the


    torture of her bitterpany?


    Halfway through the drive, I felt like the vein in my forehead would snap. Even Fight The Power by


    Public Enemy ying on the speaker wasn¡¯t enough to distract me from Ana¡¯s downcast mood.


    ¡°Ana, what the f uck is wrong? You¡¯ve been sighing heavily like you want to blow the windshield away,¡±


    my voice came out firmer than I intended to.


    She whipped her head to the driver¡¯s side, her eyes wide as the wind blew her hair over her face. In


    her pink crop top and skinny jeans, Ana looked like a high schooler that¡¯s about to


    cry.


    I sighed. I didn¡¯t mean for my words toe out like that, but I was already on edge because of my


    date with Millicent. F ucking up this chance was not an option. I¡¯m already walking on thin ice; if I


    messed this up, I might lose her forever.


    ¡°I know something is wrong. Just talk to me. You¡¯d be surprised how good of a listener I am.¡± To lighten


    the mood, I forced a smile.


    Ana¡¯s brows lifted, her lips twitching as she fought a smile. I looked like a disemboweled Cheshire cat; I


    know. I was never good at faking my smile.


    Once again, Ana let out a heavy breath and turned to the open window, watching the scenic view of


    rke Bay. ¡°What is it with Millicent?¡±


    I frowned. Her question just came out of nowhere. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly my question,¡± she said in an irritating tone as if she was tired of talking to an idiot. Ana had


    very little patience for exining herself, but I honestly didn¡¯t understand what she was asking.


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    For the sake of a peaceful conversation, I tried a different tactic. ¡°You mean what I liked about her?¡±


    Ana hummed, brushing her hair out of her face.


    ¡°Millicent is different from all the girls I¡¯ve met before.¡±


    ¡°Different, how?¡± Ana faced the windshield, her brows furrowed.


    11:32


    Thinking for a moment, I realized I didn¡¯t exactly know how to answer her question. Settling with an


    honest answer, I said. ¡°You know that feeling when you already have everything, yet something doesn¡¯t


    feel right, like something is missing? There¡¯s a hole. inside you that¡¯s gaping, and whatever attempt you


    make to fill it up just isn¡¯t enough? When I¡¯m with her, that void goes away. She makes me want to live


    in the moment and make every second count. I am happy just being around her. No worries, no


    apprehension. She makes me feel that being myself is enough.¡±


    Ana stared at me, setting me under her scrutinizing gaze. ¡°If she is that great, why are you hiding the


    truth? Isn¡¯t that ironic?¡±


    I glowered. ¡°I¡¯m protecting her. It¡¯s my choice. What¡¯s with this attack on Millicent?¡±


    ¡°Easy¡­¡± she raised her hand, heaving another breath. I swear if she blew out another one, I¡¯d throw


    her out of this car. It¡¯s f ucking annoying. ¡°I have nothing against her, just wondering why you¡¯d go to


    these lengths just for a date¡­ and for Gian to put this much effort into seeing her.¡±


    My knuckles tightened around the steering wheel. I knew Gian had feelings for Millicent, but what


    surprised me was the bitterness in Ana¡¯s tone. ¡°You sound like a jealous girlfriend. I thought you and


    Gian were rted.¡±


    ¡°Is that what he told you?¡± She blench, then snorted. ¡°G od¡­ Do you even see a resemnce?¡±


    Counting one to five, it was my turn to let out a heavy breath, then focused on driving. ¡°I was in no


    position to ask questions when he assigned me to babysit you.¡±


    That stopped Ana¡¯s giggles. ¡°I¡¯m not a child. I don¡¯t need a babysitter.¡±


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    I huffed. ¡°Those were Gian¡¯s words, Ana, not mine. I¡¯m merely holding my end of the bargain.¡±


    Throwing her a nce, I pressed. ¡°What is your rtionship with Gian, and why do you need someone


    to look after you?¡±


    11:32


    ¡°It¡¯s safer for you if you don¡¯t know shi t about Gian and I, D,¡± she said dryly, ending the conversation.


    But I was tired of ying by their rules. Clearly, something more is going on, and I¡¯m caught in the


    middle of these two. I¡¯m not a docile babysitter under their payroll. And I have this gut feeling that


    babysitting Ana will get me in trouble one of these days.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Safer,¡± I murmured, ¡°so there¡¯s danger around you too, huh?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. Whenever Gian is involved, trouble follows. It¡¯s the same reason he didn¡¯t pursue


    Millicent. Like you, he wanted to keep her safe.¡±


    Brows knitted together, I gritted my teeth. It must¡¯ve been so loud Ana heard my mrs grinding.


    ¡°You¡¯re not blind, right? Gian has a thing for Millicent. He¡¯s been in love with her since they were in


    college.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your point, Ana?¡±


    She smirked. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that Gian has a way of making situations bend to his favor. If he


    wanted to take Millicent away from you, he could do that. So while he¡¯s allowing you to have Millicent,


    better up your game.¡±


    Stepping on the brake as the red light on the intersection lit up, I faced Ana. ¡°Allowing me? We are not


    a puppet in his world, especially Millicent. She can decide on her own if she wanted me or not-¡±


    ¡°D¡­ back up,¡± Ana was staring forward, her eyes narrowed to slits.


    ¡°You can¡¯t talk shi t like that and expect me to shut the f uck up. You¡¯re no different from that f ucking


    Italian-¡±


    ¡°Damian.¡± Ana¡¯s voice fell an octave lower, her demeanor shifting to dangerously calm. ¡°Drive¡­ left


    turn. We need to get to town.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I looked forward and saw a fast-approaching SUV in front of us. Clouds of dust bellowed


    behind the car, charging forward like a rocket, and we were in its line of fire. They¡¯re going over eighty


    miles per hour. Nothing unusual since this highway was


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    practically deserted. Then fear loomed over me when a gun turned up from the passenger side.


    ¡°Now would be a good time to step on the gas, Damian.¡±


    If not for Ana calling me by my name, I wouldn¡¯t understand the panic in her calm facade.


    ¡°F uck!¡± Shifting gears, I stepped on the gas. The tires of my rental SUV skidded as I took a left turn. I


    don¡¯t c


    know where the f uck we were going, but Ana was on her phone,


    giving me directions as though she had an eye on the sky.


    ¡°We need to get out of rke Bay,¡± she murmured. It¡¯s like talking to a different person. She¡¯s not the


    pocket-sized Ana who grunts and groans whenever things don¡¯t go her way. This Ana was the epitome


    of the calm before the storm, her eyes zing with unwavering determination.


    ¡°Yeah? The next town is like two hours away,¡± I said, surprised that I was also keeping my cool.


    ¡°Out of town, not in another crowded ce where innocent people will get hurt.¡± Reaching ¡°Out for the


    phone holder on the dashboard, she locked her phone to it. A map of rke Bay was on the screen.


    Two dots were connected by a broken line. One was at the marina, and the other was us. ¡°Get to the


    docks.¡±


    In the rearview mirror, a man was now peeking on the passenger side, and an ArmaLite pointed in our


    direction.


    This wasn¡¯t the best time to ask what the f uck was going on, so I followed Ana¡¯s instructions. She¡¯s


    confident and precise, as though she was used to being chased by a speeding car with an automatic


    rifle aimed at the back of her head.


    ¡°How good are your driving skills?¡± She asked, reaching under her seat and producing a handgun. She


    co cked it with the skill of a man using a weapon as part of his job.


    When the f uck did I put a gun under the seat? Oh yeah, I didn¡¯t. Which meant this little girl was the one


    who put it there.


    ¡°I fancied illegal racing when I was in New York,¡± I said, the days when I was still a boy whose only


    desire was chasing adrenalineing back to me.


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    She hummed, pleased with my response. ¡°Get creative. Try losing them in town before we get to the


    docks.¡±


    As if on cue, rke Bay gets into view, its famous brick road and brick houses sprawled over the


    Golden Rise Hignds. Because of social media, the magnificent view of the Bay and its white sand


    shore has be a popr tourist destination.


    The marina was on the other side of town. I took a sharp turn and drove through the busy street, almost


    hitting a few pedestrians. With the flowering tourism alsoes the prospect of business. There were


    coffee shops and restaurants at every corner, and the alfresco dining epassed the street side.


    The car was still tailing us, but they seemed to be avoiding gathering attention as well, hiding the gun


    pointed at us earlier.


    ¡°F ucking amateurs,¡± Ana murmured. ¡°Give me your phone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    She red at me. It was her favorite thing now, trying to threaten me with her eyes. ¡°Phone now,¡± she


    pressed, opening her dainty hand, waiting for me toply.


    ¡°There¡¯s your f u cking phone. Why do you have to use mine?¡± I don¡¯t trust women with my phone.


    They could turn to CIA agents digging files I didn¡¯t even know still existed in my device.


    Lips pursed, she said. ¡°To watch porn, you idiot.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to call Gianni


    Squidward Romano.¡±


    ¡°Romano?¡± Taking another turn, I hissed when a child suddenly crossed the street while I overtook


    another car. I almost hit him if it wasn¡¯t for his dad pulling him back. ¡°It¡¯s his surname, Molina?¡±


    ¡°Phone!¡± she groaned, showing me the impatient child Ana I¡¯ve grown ustomed to.


    ¡°No!¡± I protested, taking out my phone, dialing Gian¡¯s number, and putting it on loudspeaker. Ana


    huffed, stabbing daggers in my face with her eyes.


    Gian answered on the second ring. ¡°What do you want?¡± he groaned, annoyance dripping


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    11:32


    ¡°Someone wants to speak with you,¡± I said, tossing my phone on the dashboard.


    ¡°What do you want, Squirt,¡± Gian said in a bored tone.


    I chortled at his pet name for Ana. Cheeks ming red, Ana¡¯s nose red. ¡°Get your as s out of bed and


    do your f ucking end of the deal, Snitch!¡±


    Gian yawned. ¡°I¡¯d rather sleep than listen to your chirping.¡±


    A disgruntled sound rolled from Ana¡¯s throat. If she could spontaneouslybust, this car would¡¯ve


    been on fire by now. ¡°Someone¡¯s following us. Get your men out here and deal with them!¡± She


    grabbed my phone and ended the call, cutting whatever response Gian was about to say.


    Growing up with Candice introduced me to the drastic changes in women¡¯s moods. Ana was in a phase


    where one poke and she¡¯d blow up. I wanted to stay alive for my date with Millicent, so I kept my mouth


    shut and drove around town for another hour until our gas was only enough to get us to the docks. We


    lost the car following us somewhere along the


    market.


    ¡°Just drop me on the marina,¡± was the first thing Ana said after the call with Gian.


    ncing at the time on the dashboard, it¡¯s already six pm. F uck! This was a f ucking disaster, but what


    to do? I cannot just leave Ana.


    Parking at the marina, she slid out without giving me another nce.


    ¡°Ana, wait!¡± I went after her, reaching her by the wooden tforms. Yachts and small boats filled the


    docks. Seagulls gawked above us, and the wind temperature started to plummet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Damian. You¡¯re gonna bete for your date with Millicent. Squidward will be here soon,¡± she


    murmured, stepping up the cabin cruiser with the name An alise scrawled on the side.


    Following Ana, I watched as she moved around the captain¡¯s deck, flicking switches here and there,


    and soon, the lights in the cruiser turned on, the engine humming. Again, she surprised me. Who the f


    uck is this chick? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t be calling her names anymore.


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    ¡°I¡¯ll wait until Gian arrives.¡± A lump grew drastically in my throat. My stomach turned into knots as I


    thought of the distance I needed to cover in an hour to get to Millicent in time. But I can¡¯t just up and


    leave Ana like this. We might have lost the car, but who knows what danger she is in?


    Sitting on the couch avable in the cabin, I let Ana do her thing and gathered my bearings. This day


    had escted quickly to one of the most confusing ones I had ever had in a while. But when Gian was


    involved, I shouldn¡¯t be surprised there were guns and a car chase.


    ¡°What the f uck happened out there, Ana?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. Ana mighte off as


    temperamental, but she sure isn¡¯t dangerous. She doesn¡¯t belong in Gian¡¯s world. ¡°And don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s


    safer if I don¡¯t know sh it. You seemed to know more than you should about me, so even the fields,


    yeah?¡±.


    She sighed and stopped scrutinizing the captain¡¯s deck. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry for putting you in this


    situation. Those men were after me because I am Gian¡¯s fiance.¡±


    Like a golf ball hitting me in the gut, I gaped at her, waiting for any signs that she was ying tricks on


    me again, but she was pensive. She turned towards the endless water of the Bay. ¡°It¡¯s an arranged


    marriage. I love someone else, and Gian is also in love with¡­.¡± she trailed off, careful not to mention


    Millicent¡¯s name.


    ¡°I know about his feelings for Millicent,¡± I murmured,


    Ana swallowed hard, unveiling the loneliness she¡¯d been hiding under that attitude of hers. ¡°Those


    were my father¡¯s men. I ran away from home when I learned about the arranged marriage, and Gian


    was willing to help me escape. That¡¯s how much he hated to be married to me. He¡¯s willing to go high


    and low to hide me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s f ucked up.¡± I learned firsthand the grueling toll of an arranged rtionship. People will


    get hurt one way or the other.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. Your story with Millie is not like mine and Gian¡¯s. We were taught to hate


    each other. Our family¡¯s conflict goes way back to the father of our grandfathers.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you in an arranged marriage?¡±


    ¡°Because there¡¯s a new rival that¡¯s more powerful than each of our families. And there goes


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    the saying the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Our fathers think alike. Hence this st upid marriage


    deal.¡±


    I know nothing about their family. All I know is that we should have a choice about who we should love


    or marry. But who was I to say my opinion on this? My history with Milicent wasn¡¯t a ster one.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your problem, but thank you for taking me in.¡± Ana smiled at me when I offered no response.


    She pulled out her phone, grimacing. ¡°You should go now. You¡¯ll bete for your date.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    She shook her head, handing me her phone. It was a message from Squidward. ¡®I¡¯m five minutes out,


    Squirt. Tell Pretty Boy not to mess up his date with Millie, or I¡¯ll take her away from him.¡¯


    I lifted my gaze to Ana, not because Gian¡¯s name calling offended me -it did, but because I knew how


    Ana felt.


    ¡°You gonna be okay?¡±


    ¡°I will be.¡± She smiled reassuringly. ¡°Go now. You¡¯re alreadyte as it is.¡±


    I nodded and headed out of the yacht.


    ¡°Hey, D,¡± Ana called as I jumped to the docks. ¡°Stop putting other women¡¯s safety before Millie¡¯s. If you


    want to keep her, she shoulde first. And tell her the truth.¡±


    Her words were weighted. She knew why I kept Millicent at arm¡¯s length, and I wonder if herst


    statement was about what happened today or with Sonja.


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 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    -DAMIAN-


    Through the drive back to Summerfield Acre, I rehearsed how I¡¯d apologize to Millicent for my


    tardiness. It was the only thing I could do not to go ballistic, step on the gas, and force my car to a


    hundred miles per hour. I wanted to make it back in time in one piece, not in pieces.


    It was fifteen minutes past nine when I parked in front of The Vi. I jogged around to Robert¡¯s cabin,


    the soft musicing from the restaurant sailing through the air.


    I don¡¯t know what I was expecting. A lot of scenarios yed in my head where I¡¯d be banging on the


    cabin door for Millicent to open up, an image of Robert telling me his daughter didn¡¯t want to speak to


    me again, but not this.


    I stopped in my tracks, chest heaving, as I appraised Millicent sitting on the top step of the cabin¡¯s


    porch. Dressed in a white crop top, jeans, and an oversized varsity jacket with a huge M on the left


    chest, Millicent looked like she had just gotten out of a style magazine. Long blond hair cascading


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    down her shoulder and a baseball cap resting on her left knee, she could wear the simplest clothes and


    still take my breath away.


    Drawing her gaze from staring into nothingness, she perched when she saw me round the corner of


    The Vi.


    She waited for me.


    That¡¯s a good sign, right?


    Yep, I nodded to myself, ¡®it is.


    I¡¯m taking every positive sign I could get and make things right.


    Regaining myposure, I walked in her direction, her eyes watching my every


    move.


    ¡°Hey.. Sorry, I¡¯mte,¡± I said, standing before her.


    Her eyes were puffy with sleep. Or was she crying? I¡¯m not sure. I hope it¡¯s the former.


    Labe


    00%


    Without saying a word, she scooted to the side, inviting me to sit beside her. The peaches in her


    perfume enveloped me as soon as I entered her personal space. I swallowed hard, ignoring the blood


    rushing in my head and my heart pounding in


    my ears.


    This was the first time she allowed me to be close to her without a fight. A ball of uneasiness formed in


    my throat. There were only two reasons a woman would want to have ¡®the talk. It¡¯s either they¡¯re ready


    to fix things or break things for good.


    The lump in my throat drastically grew. I gulped it down, willing my racing thoughts to calm the fuck


    down. point in overthinking things. If here¡¯s 1 Millicent was going to break things for good, I¡¯m not


    backing down without a fight.


    I¡¯ll fight for her, for us.


    Shoving my worries aside, I sat beside her. The muscles in my entire body were a bunch of tension


    wires being pulled on the opposing side. The longer the silence stretched, the stronger the tension


    grew. I was a ticking time bomb about to blow up with one flick.


    Being this close to her brings back a thousand memories of us when things were still as simple as


    ck and white, back when a contract was still binding us. I knew the rules, and my only aim was to


    not break them. Things beplicated when my objectives change when I want our fake


    rtionship to be real.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t be mad,¡± I bumped Millicent¡¯s shoulder with mine, hoping it would ease the strain


    between us.


    She peeked at me, smiling sadly. ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you. I¡¯m mad at myself for getting dressed for this


    date.¡± Letting out a humorlessugh, she shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t actually agree to thisst night. In


    fact, I didn¡¯t agree until it was almost seven p.m.¡±


    I¡¯m such a fucking idiot. I should¡¯ve called her. But like she said, I wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d even let me take


    her out. I was hoping, but I knew my chances with her were low.


    ¡°I got everything nned. Ana even helped me prepare everything, but something happened when we


    were in town to buy flowers,¡± I said,ing clean.


    She hugged her knees and rested her cheek on it, her eyes focused solely on me. Two beautiful smoky


    quartz catching the light of the porch, glowing with


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    uncertainty. My knees turned to jelly under her probing gaze.


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    Was she always this intense? When did she gain this kind of hold on me? One look, and she could


    bring me to my knees.


    My instinct told me to pull Millicent in my arms and tell her what I truly felt. But given the magnitude of


    my past mistakes, I knew a simple apology wouldn¡¯t fix this. I searched my brain for where to even


    begin apologizing.


    Peering up at the starry sky, I pinched my eyes shut, then looked forward to where Millicent was gazing


    earlier. There was nothing in the distance but silhouettes of an endless line of grape fields. Right now,


    this was our rtionship, nothing but a mere silhouette in the dimness of the night. But I know it¡¯s there,


    and a beautiful picture will manifest again when the sunes up.


    Millicent¡¯s eyes were still focused on me, searching my face. ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah,¡± I assured her. ¡°She¡¯s safe. But it turns out there¡¯s more to Gian¡¯s and Ana¡¯s


    rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Gian and Ana have a rtionship?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Family stuff. Seems like they go way back and their family arranged for them to be married.


    They¡¯re trying to buy some time by running for now. But Ana¡¯s dad sent men to take her home. Good


    thing Gian was here. That¡¯s why I was


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy. Forcing someone to marry another. I can¡¯t believe arranged marriage was still a thing.¡±


    Millicent sat up taller, stretching her jean¨Cd legs forward. She picked up her baseball cap and yed


    with the visor.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know their story. Look at us,¡± I chuckled, an attempt to ease the knots on my shoulder.


    ¡°Who¡¯d believe in things like fake rtionships just to get rid of our exes?¡±


    Millicent giggled. It was music to my ears. closed my eyes, savoring this moment.


    I fucking missed her. I missed talking to her. I miss us.


    ¡°It feels like everything just happened yesterday.¡± She stared forward, biting her lower lip, her mind


    gears working.


    ¡°Feels like a lifetime to me. I miss having you around,¡± I said honestly. I couldn¡¯t


    help it. Maybe putting my feelings out will help me win Millicent back.


    ¡°I miss you too¡­¡± she mumbled.


    Shocked, my heart suddenly stopped beating. Hell, my entire world ceased moving. I wanted to freeze


    this moment as Millicent turned to look at me, a small smile on her lips. ¡°So you were serious about the


    date?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blinked at her and shifted in my seat until I was facing her.


    I can¡¯t believe this was happening. There were only a few instances in which life had taken me by


    surprise, and this definitely made the top of my list. ¡°I¡¯m serious about this date. If it wasn¡¯t a life or


    death situation, I wouldn¡¯t miss this for the world.¡±


    ¡°Too bad it¡¯s alreadyte,¡± she heaved a breath.


    ¡°Think, fucker!¡®


    Blowing a sigh, I stood and jumped from the steps, standing before her. Millicent¡¯s eyes were wide,


    glowing under the glowing lights as she looked up at me, blinking.


    This was now or never.


    Holding my palms out for her, I said, ¡°I set the time I¡¯d pick you up, but I didn¡¯t state the duration of this


    date. And Robert didn¡¯t actually give me a curfew.¡±


    Eyes alight with curiosity and excitement, she raised an eyebrow. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Will you go out on a date with me, Millicent?¡± I put on the brightest smile I could muster, my hope


    kindling anew.


    ¡°You know what?¡± She stood, then descended the steps, setting her hand in mine. ¡°Sure. I¡¯d love to go


    on a date with you, Damian.¡±


    Tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, I bit the insides of my cheeks and suppressed the urge to swing


    my fist in the air and scream ¡®hell yeah!¡® at the top of my lungs. This felt better than closing a million¨C


    dor deal for ck Enterprise. I¡¯ve won a lottery, and Millicent was my prize. I just need to make sure


    things go well from this point onward so that I can encash my winnings.


    Yabu


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