DAMIEN’S POV
Damien walked Aria back to the main house in silence, his frustration mounting with every step.
She’d been right there. Right there at the breaking point. He’d given her every opportunity to ask, to confess, to trust him.
And she still couldn’t do it.
How much more could he give? How many more openings could he create? How long was he supposed to wait while her mother died and she stubbornly refused to accept help?
He left Aria at the staff entrance with a gentle kiss and instructions to rest, then headed directly to his office.
It was 4:45 PM. Victoria would be arriving for their "eting" in fifteen minutes.
Perfect. Because he needed to destroy sothing, and Victoria had just volunteered herself.
At exactly 5 PM, there was a knock on his door.
"Co in."
Victoria entered with her usual confident smile, dressed immaculately in a designer dress that probably cost more than most people’s cars.
"Damien, darling. You wanted to see ?" She crossed to his desk, leaning against it in a way that was clearly ant to be seductive. "I hope this ans you’ve reconsidered...."
"Sit down, Victoria." His voice was ice. "And don’t call darling."
Her smile faltered. "Damien, I...."
"Sit. Down."
She sat in the chair across from his desk, her confidence wavering.
Damien remained standing, using the height advantage deliberately. "Let make sothing very clear to you. There is no understanding between us. There never has been. There never will be. Whatever delusions your family has about a union between the Ashfords and the Blackwoods....they’re just that. Delusions."
"But our families have been planning....."
"YOUR family has been planning," he corrected sharply. "Without my consent or participation. I have been clear about this for years, Victoria. I am not interested in marrying you. I am not interested in a relationship with you. I am not interested in you at all."
Her face flushed with anger and humiliation. "That little maid," she spat. "That’s what this is about, isn’t it? You’re obsessed with so common...."
"Do not," Damien interrupted, his voice dropping to a dangerous level, "finish that sentence. Do not speak about her. Do not even think about her. She is none of your concern."
"She’s a maid, Damien! A nobody! You can’t possibly....."
"She is the woman I love." The words ca out before he could stop them, but once they were said, he realized they were true. "And you.....you are nothing to . Less than nothing."
Victoria’s eyes widened with shock, then narrowed with vicious anger. "You love her? A maid? Have you lost your mind?"
"No. For the first ti in my life, I’ve found it." He leaned forward, bracing his hands on the desk. "And here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to finish out your stay....quietly and without incident. You’re not going to speak to Sarah. You’re not going to look at her. You’re not going to acknowledge her existence. And then you’re going to leave and never return."
"You can’t ban from...."
"I can. This is my ho. My estate. And you are no longer welco here." His eyes were hard, unforgiving. "Furthermore, if I hear that you’ve spread any rumors about Sarah....if you’ve said anything to damage her reputation or make her life difficult in any way....I will destroy you, Victoria. Not your family. You personally. I will use every resource at my disposal to ensure that no one in our social circle will ever speak to you again. You’ll be a pariah. Friendless. Alone."
"You wouldn’t...."
"Try ." He straightened. "I have tolerated your presence out of respect for the business relationship between our families. But that tolerance has limits. And you just exceeded them."
Victoria stood, her face contorted with rage. "She won’t last. Whatever little spell she has you under will break. And when it does.....when you realize she’s not worth losing everything for.....don’t co crawling back to ."
"I won’t need to. Because she’s worth more than everything I could possibly lose." He moved to his office door and opened it. "Mrs. Chen will help you pack. Your car will be ready in an hour. Goodbye, Victoria."
"You’re making a mistake...."
"The only mistake I made was allowing you to stay this long. Get out."
She stord past him, fury radiating from every line of her body, and Damien closed the door behind her with a decisive click.
Good. He’d handled Victoria. Now he could focus on what really mattered.
Finding a way to make Aria trust him before it was too late.
He pulled out his phone and sent a text to his contact at the hospital:
Prepare i Chen for Vitalis Radix treatnt. I’m sending the necessary materials tomorrow morning, with or without her daughter’s consent. The patient’s life takes priority over everything else.
If Aria wouldn’t ask for help, he’d give it anyway. Would save her mother and deal with the consequences later.
Even if it ant revealing that he’d known everything all along.
Even if it ant she hated him for the deception.
At least her mother would live.
And maybe.....maybe....eventually Aria would forgive him.
He could only hope.
ARIA’S POV - 8 PM
Aria had spent the last three hours in her room, crying and trying to figure out what to do.
Damien had practically handed her the solution. Had told her the plants were ant to help people. Had given her every opportunity to ask.
And she’d frozen. Again.
She was a coward. A useless, pathetic coward who was going to let her mother die because she was too scared to ask for help.
There was a knock on her door. Soft but insistent.
She opened it to find Damien standing there, looking at her with such intensity it stole her breath.
"Co with ," he said quietly. "Please."
"Where?"
"My quarters. I need...." He paused, his jaw tight. "I need you. Tonight. Please."
She should say no. Should create distance. Should figure out her next move regarding the plant.
But she nodded and followed him through the mansion to his private wing.
Inside his rooms, he locked the door and turned to face her with eyes that were dark with need and frustration and sothing that looked almost like desperation.
"I’m trying," he said roughly. "I’m trying to be patient. To wait for you to trust . But Serah, I’m running out of ways to show you that I’m here. That I want to help. That there’s nothing you could tell that would make turn you away."
"Damien....."
"No. Let finish." He crossed to her, his hands framing her face. "I don’t know what burden you’re carrying. But I can see it destroying you. I can see you falling apart. And it’s killing that you won’t let help. That you won’t trust enough to ask."
Tears spilled down her cheeks. "I want to. I do. But I’m so scared....."
"Of what? What are you scared of?"
"Of losing you," she whispered. "If you knew the truth....if you knew why I’m really here....you’d hate . You’d never want to see again. And I....." Her voice broke. "I can’t lose you. Even though I know I’m going to anyway."
"You’re not going to lose ." His thumbs brushed away her tears. "Whatever the truth is.....I’m not going anywhere."
She wanted to believe him. Wanted it so badly.
But she couldn’t. Not yet.
"Just...." She reached up to touch his face. "Just be with tonight. Make forget everything except this. Except us. Please."
Sothing shifted in his expression. Understanding. Acceptance that she still wasn’t ready.
"Okay," he said quietly. "Tonight, I’ll make you forget. But Serah, we can’t do this forever. Eventually, you’re going to have to trust ."
"I know."
He kissed her then.....deep and consuming and desperate.....and she kissed him back with everything she had.
Tomorrow, she’d figure out what to do. Tomorrow, she’d face the impossible choice.
But tonight, she’d let herself have this. Let herself be claid and cherished and loved by the man she was going to betray.
Even if it destroyed them both.
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