ARIA’S POV
Aria woke in Damien’s bed the morning after her lunch with Julian, her body deliciously sore and her mind clearer than it had been in weeks.
Last night, Damien had worshipped her for hours. Had made her co so many tis she’d lost count. Had held her while she cried from the overwhelming pleasure and the emotional release of finally telling soone.....Julian, about her mother.
She still hadn’t told Damien the full truth. Still hadn’t confessed why she was really here. But after talking to Julian, after hearing him say that Damien probably already knew and was just waiting for her to trust him....she was close. So close to finally being honest.
Maybe today. Maybe she’d find the courage today.
Damien was already awake, dressed in his usual business attire, standing by the window with his phone to his ear.
"....no, I said the rger can wait. I have more important things to handle today." He paused, listening. "I don’t care what the board thinks. Reschedule it." Another pause. "Fine. This afternoon. But no earlier than 3 PM."
He ended the call and turned to find her watching him.
"Good morning," he said, crossing to the bed and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "How do you feel?"
"Thoroughly claid. Completely yours." She smiled up at him. "And maybe a little bit like I can’t walk."
His smile was satisfied, possessive. "Good. That was the goal." He sat on the edge of the bed. "I have etings this morning, but I want you to take the day off. Rest. Use the art studio. Do whatever you need to recover."
"Damien, I have duties...."
"Which Mrs. Chen can reassign for today. You need rest, and I’m not taking no for an answer." His hand cupped her face. "Besides, I have plans for you tonight. And you’ll need your strength."
Heat flooded through her at the promise in his voice. "What kind of plans?"
"You’ll see." He kissed her deeply, then pulled away with visible reluctance. "Now sleep. I’ll check on you at lunch."
After he left, Aria dozed for another hour before finally dragging herself out of bed. Her body ached in the best possible way, proof of everything Damien had done to her last night.
She showered, dressed in comfortable clothes, and made her way to the art studio. Maybe painting would help her organize her thoughts. Help her figure out how to finally tell Damien the truth.
She was halfway there when a voice stopped her cold.
"Well, well. If it isn’t the little maid."
Aria turned to find Victoria Ashford standing in the corridor, looking immaculate in a designer dress that probably cost more than Aria’s entire wardrobe.
Her stomach dropped. Victoria had been banned from the estate. Damien had made that clear. So what was she doing here?
"Miss Ashford," Aria said carefully, keeping her voice professional. "I wasn’t aware you were visiting today."
"I’m not visiting. I’m conducting business." Victoria’s smile was cold, predatory. "Private business. With you."
"I don’t think we have anything to discuss...."
"Oh, but we do." Victoria moved closer, backing Aria against the wall. "You see, I’ve been doing so research. About you. About ’Sarah Mitchell.’"
Aria’s heart stopped. "I don’t know what you an."
"Don’t you?" Victoria pulled out her phone, scrolling through sothing. "Sarah Mitchell. Age 24. Originally from Ohio. Working history at several hotels and private residences." She looked up with a triumphant smile. "Except there’s a problem. The real Sarah Mitchell died in a car accident three years ago. Which ans you....." She pointed at Aria. "....are an imposter. A fraud. Using a dead woman’s identity."
The blood drained from Aria’s face. How had Victoria found that out? The identity had been carefully constructed, verified. It should have been foolproof.
"I—that’s not—"
"Don’t bother lying. I have docuntation. Death certificate. Police reports. Everything." Victoria’s eyes glead with malicious satisfaction. "So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to pack your things and leave this estate. Today. And you’re never going to contact Damien again."
"Or what?" Aria forced herself to stand straighter, even though she was shaking. "You’ll expose ? Tell Damien?"
"Oh, I’ll do more than that, sweetie." Victoria’s voice was sickeningly sweet. "I’ll go to the police. Report you for identity fraud. For infiltrating a private residence under false pretenses. I’ll make sure you’re arrested, prosecuted, and spend years in prison. And your poor, dying mother...." She paused, watching Aria’s reaction with cruel satisfaction. "Yes, I know about her too. She’ll die alone in that hospital while you rot in a cell."
Tears burned behind Aria’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "Why are you doing this? What do you want?"
"What I’ve always wanted. Damien. And you....you’re just an obstacle. A temporary distraction." Victoria leaned in close. "He doesn’t love you. He’s obsessed with you, maybe. Infatuated. But that will fade. It always does. And when it does, I’ll be there. Like I’ve always been there."
"He doesn’t want you," Aria said, her voice stronger than she felt. "He’s made that clear. Multiple tis."
"Only because you’ve been in the way. But once you’re gone....once he realizes you’ve been lying to him from the beginning, using a fake identity to worm your way into his life....he’ll see you for what you really are. A con artist. A fraud. A desperate girl who doesn’t belong in his world."
"And what makes you think you belong in his world?" Aria found her courage, pushed back. "You’re cruel. Vindictive. You threaten and manipulate to get what you want. Do you really think Damien would want soone like that?"
Victoria’s face flushed with anger. "How dare you...."
"I dare because I actually love him," Aria interrupted. "Not his money. Not his status. Him. The man beneath all the control and power. The man who’s capable of tenderness and vulnerability when he lets soone in. You don’t know that man. You’ve never seen him. Because he doesn’t trust you enough to show you."
"And he trusts you? A woman who’s been lying to him since day one?"
The words hit like a physical blow because they were true. Aria had been lying. Was still lying. Every day she didn’t confess was another betrayal.
"I’m not leaving," Aria said, even though fear churned in her stomach. "And you can’t make ."
"Can’t I?" Victoria’s smile turned vicious. "Then I guess I’ll just have to tell Damien the truth myself. Show him the evidence. Watch his face when he realizes the woman he’s been obsessing over doesn’t even exist."
"Do it then," Aria said, calling her bluff even though her heart was hamring. "Tell him. Show him your evidence. See what happens."
"You think he’ll forgive you? Choose you over the truth?"
"I think he’s more complicated than you give him credit for. And I think...." Aria took a breath. "I think he cares more about honesty going forward than lies in the past."
It was wishful thinking. She had no idea how Damien would react to learning she’d used a fake identity. But she couldn’t let Victoria see her fear. Couldn’t give her that satisfaction.
"You have until tonight," Victoria said, stepping back. "Either you leave on your own, or I go to Damien with everything I’ve found. Your choice."
She swept away, leaving Aria slumped against the wall, shaking.
This was a disaster. A complete disaster.
If Victoria told Damien about the fake identity, it would all co out. Not just that she’d lied about her na, but why. Her mother’s illness. The plan to steal the Vitalis Radix. Everything.
And she’d lose him. Would watch him look at her with betrayal and disgust. Would see the love in his eyes turn to hate.
Unless.....
Unless she told him first. Beat Victoria to it. Confessed everything before Victoria could use it as a weapon.
Julian’s words echoed in her mind: I think he already knows what you’re hiding and is waiting for you to trust him.
What if he was right? What if Damien had sohow discovered her real identity and was waiting for her to be honest about it?
It was possible. Damien was thorough. Careful. He ran background checks on everyone who entered his ho.
But if he knew, why hadn’t he said anything? Why the charade?
Her phone buzzed. A text from Mrs. Chen.
Sarah, are you alright? I saw Miss Ashford in the east wing. She’s not supposed to be here. Should I alert Mr. Blackwood?
Aria’s fingers trembled as she typed back: No. Don’t tell him yet. I need to handle this myself.
But how? How did she handle Victoria’s threat and her own deception and the ticking clock on her mother’s life all at once?
She needed to think. Needed to figure out her next move.
But first, she needed to find out exactly what Victoria knew and how she’d found out. Because if Victoria had uncovered her fake identity, what else had she discovered?
DAMIEN’S POV - 11 AM
Damien sat in a board eting, barely listening to the quarterly projections being presented, when his phone vibrated with a text from his head of security.
Victoria Ashford is on the estate. She entered through the service entrance approximately 20 minutes ago. Currently in the east wing, last seen near the staff quarters.
Rage flooded through him, cold and absolute. He’d explicitly banned Victoria from the estate. Had made it clear she was not welco. And she’d dared to co back anyway.
And worse.....she was near the staff quarters. Near where Aria would be.
He stood abruptly, interrupting the presentation. "This eting is over. Marcus, handle the rest. I have sothing urgent to attend to."
"But sir, we haven’t...."
"I said it’s over." He was already moving toward the door, pulling out his phone to call security. "Find Victoria Ashford. Detain her if necessary. I want her in my study in ten minutes."
He stalked through the mansion, fury building with each step. If Victoria had approached Aria....if she’d threatened her, said sothing to upset her....there would be consequences.
Severe consequences.
He reached the east wing and nearly collided with Aria, who looked pale and shaken, leaning against the wall like her legs might give out.
"Sarah." He was at her side imdiately, his hands on her shoulders. "What happened? Did Victoria find you?"
She looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes. "She knows. She found out That I’m....." She stopped, her voice breaking. "Damien, she’s going to expose . She has evidence... She’s going to tell you everything and I...." Tears spilled down her cheeks. "I’m so sorry. I should have told you myself. Should have been honest from the beginning. But I was scared and desperate and...."
"Shh." He pulled her into his arms, his mind racing. So Victoria had discovered Aria’s fake identity. Had done exactly what he’d expected her to do....dig into Sarah Mitchell’s background looking for ammunition.
"She gave until tonight to leave," Aria sobbed against his chest. "Said if I don’t, she’ll go to the police. Have arrested for identity fraud. And my mother.....she said my mother will die while I’m in prison...."
"That’s not going to happen." Damien’s voice was steel. "None of that is going to happen. Do you understand ?"
"But she has proof...."
"I don’t care what she has. She’s not going to hurt you. I won’t let her." He tilted her face up to look at him. "Now listen to very carefully. I need you to go to your room and wait for there. Lock the door. Don’t open it for anyone except . Can you do that?"
"What are you going to do?"
"I’m going to handle Victoria. Permanently." His eyes were dark with fury. "She’s made a serious mistake. And she’s about to learn what happens when soone threatens what’s mine."
"Damien...."
"Go. Now. And trust . This ends today."
She nodded shakily and fled toward her room, and Damien pulled out his phone.
"Marcus. Tell security to bring Victoria to my study imdiately. And call my lawyer. I want him here in thirty minutes." He paused. "And get everything we have on Victoria Ashford. Bank records. Business dealings. Personal communications. Everything. If she wants to play dirty, I’ll show her exactly how dirty I can play."
Then he headed to his study to wait for Victoria, his mind already planning exactly how he was going to destroy her for daring to threaten Aria.
She’d made this personal. And Damien Blackwood didn’t forgive personal attacks.
Especially not against the woman he loved.
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