Chapter Five

Chapter Five

LIANA,

The door slammed behind me, its echo reverberating through the cold, sterile corridor as I walked, each step deliberate, my heart thundering in my chest. I could still feel the flames of anger smoldering beneath my skin, but I forced myself to hold it in check. For now. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing just how close I was to losing control. I'd made that mistake before—showing too much weakness—and it was something I would never do again.

What had I been thinking? Challenging him like that? But it had felt necessary, hadn’t it? My pride had demanded it. There was no way I was going to let him believe he could crush me with his cold, calculated gaze. Not without a fight.

I kept walking, ignoring the stares of the employees, their eyes following me as I passed by, their whispered conversations trailing in my wake. They didn’t matter. None of this mattered except for what lay ahead. The court date. The battle I had been preparing for my entire life. It was the only thing that mattered now.

Damien’s words lingered in my mind, echoing through the stillness of the hall. He thought I was a nuisance. A petty, manipulative woman chasing money and attention. That’s always how he saw me. And nothing had changed. He still played the victim, pretending he didn’t understand why I was so desperate. As if he wasn’t the one who had destroyed everything.

I had to push it all aside. Focus. Focus on what was coming. On the fight ahead. On the battle that I could not afford to lose.

As I reached the elevator, I pressed the button, the doors sliding open with a soft chime. I stepped inside, leaning against the cool metal of the wall, the silence of the small space enveloping me. I exhaled sharply, trying to banish the image of him from my mind—the way he had leaned back in that chair, all predatory elegance and mocking calm. The way his eyes had burned into me, like he could strip me bare with nothing but a glance. It made my skin crawl. And yet, it disturbed me in a way I wasn’t prepared to admit.

I had fought back with everything I had in me. That was what kept me going. I had once been terrified—of losing everything, of being swallowed whole by the chaos he created—but not anymore. Not after what he had done. I would never let him see the fear again.

The elevator doors opened with a soft whoosh, and I stepped out, heading toward the parking garage. Damian’s voice echoed in my mind again, that chilling statement, “I’ll be there.” Like it was a foregone conclusion. Like he was a storm I couldn’t escape, no matter how fast I ran. He was circling, waiting for me to make a mistake, waiting for me to falter. But I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. I would stand firm.

Damien had no idea what he had unleashed. He thought I was bluffing. He thought I was just another woman he could bend to his will. But I wasn’t that. And I would prove it.

I reached my car, sliding into the driver’s seat, my fingers gripping the wheel tightly. I stared at my reflection in the rearview mirror, seeing the woman I had become: hardened, scarred, but still standing. The woman who had walked out of that office without flinching. The woman who refused to be anyone’s victim.

But even as I told myself that, there was a tightening in my chest—a sense that maybe, just maybe, something far darker was beginning. Something I wasn’t ready for.

I glanced at the clock. Time was slipping away. The court date was drawing nearer, and I couldn’t afford to lose. Not now. Not when I was so close to securing what was rightfully mine.

With one last look at the empty building behind me, I pulled out of the parking garage, the sound of my tires on the pavement cutting through the silence.

But even as I drove, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The game I thought I was playing? It might already be slipping through my fingers.

Soon it was the court date.

The cold breeze sliced through the thin fabric of my coat as I stepped out of the courthouse, the weight of the day crashing down on me like a physical blow. I had known the court session wouldn’t be easy, but I hadn’t anticipated feeling like I was already losing. Damien’s lawyer had been ruthless—twisting every word I said, turning me into the villain of my own story. Aubrey had remained quiet, but the icy glint in her eyes told me everything I needed to know—she was in this to win.

I found a quiet, secluded spot behind the courthouse, away from the prying eyes of the public. My legs felt like jelly, and before I could stop myself, tears I had been fighting to hold back began to slip down my cheeks. I wiped them away quickly, but it was no use. The pain—of Damien tearing me apart, of my daughter’s future hanging in the balance—was too much to bear.

I leaned against the brick wall, taking deep breaths, trying to regain some composure. This wasn’t over. I couldn’t let it be over. But how could I fight back when the system was stacked against me? Damien’s power, his influence—how could I stand a chance against that?

I closed my eyes, trying to stop the tears, but they just kept coming. I wasn’t just crying for myself. I was crying for my daughter. For the future she might lose. For the life I might not be able to give her.

“Hey.”

The soft voice startled me, and I quickly wiped my eyes, turning toward the source. Standing a few feet away, his presence immediately demanding my attention, was a man I didn’t recognize at first. Tall, imposing, his sharply tailored suit exuding authority. I blinked, trying to place him, then suddenly, it hit me.

The stranger. The one I had seen yesterday, the man I had mistaken for Damien. The one who had been watching me in the courtroom.

He stepped closer, his eyes fixed on me with a curious intensity. “Are you alright?”

I straightened up, hastily wiping my cheeks. My voice came out shaky. “I’m fine,” I muttered, though the words didn’t feel real. “Just… needed a moment.”

He didn’t move. He stood still, his gaze unwavering, studying me like he could see right through the façade I’d built around myself.

“Doesn’t look like you’re fine.”

I met his gaze, feeling the weight of his words. The air between us was heavy, charged with something I couldn’t quite place. “What do you want?” I asked, my voice wavering slightly.

The stranger didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he seemed to be sizing me up, his eyes piercing through the walls I’d built around myself. “What happened in there?” His voice was almost gentle, though the undercurrent of something more dangerous lingered.

I hesitated. What did this man want with me? Why would someone like him care about my situation? Still, I found myself speaking before I could stop myself.

“Damien wants full custody,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “He has the power, the connections… I don’t know if I can win this. He’s trying to take everything from me.”

The stranger’s expression shifted, narrowing slightly. “I’ve been watching this play out,” he said, his voice calm and matter-of-fact. “You’ve been fighting. It’s admirable. But you’re right. You don’t stand a chance against Damien.”

His words stung, sharp and true. It hurt to hear it, but it didn’t make it any less real.

“What do you mean?” I asked, struggling to keep the frustration from my voice.

The stranger’s gaze softened for a moment, but just as quickly, it hardened again. “I’m offering you a way out,” he said, each word deliberate, measured.

“A way out?” I echoed, my mind still reeling. “What are you talking about?”

He took a slow breath, like he was choosing his words carefully. “A marriage of convenience,” he said simply.

I stared at him, stunned into silence. “What?”

“A marriage,” he repeated, unfazed. “To me. It’ll be legal, official. And I’ll make sure Damien knows you’re under my protection. No one will touch you—not with me involved.”

My mind reeled. A marriage of convenience? To him? What was this? A joke?

“Are you out of your mind?” I snapped, the disbelief finally bursting through. “You think I’m going to marry you? Just like that?”

The stranger’s expression didn’t change. He remained calm, unaffected by my outburst. “I’m serious,” he said. “I’ve been watching Damien’s moves. I know what he’s capable of. I can stop him from destroying you.”

I took a step back, the shock of his words settling in. This man was offering me protection, but for a price. A marriage. To him. Someone who had been lurking in the background all along. Someone I barely knew.

“But… why?” I demanded, my voice shaking with both confusion and anger. “What’s in it for you?”

“I know enough,” he replied, his voice low but firm. “I know Damien. And I know if I don’t step in, he’ll crush you. He won’t stop until he gets what he wants. I can’t let that happen.”

I didn’t know how to respond. His offer was desperate, but there was a catch I couldn’t quite understand. Why would he care? What was his motive?

“I’m not marrying you,” I said firmly, my chest tightening with anger. “You’re insane, and this whole thing is ridiculous.”

His gaze didn’t waver. He didn’t flinch at my rejection. “You don’t have to decide now,” he said, his voice softer. “But think about it. It’s a chance to protect your daughter. To keep Damien from taking everything from you. I can offer you that. You can’t fight this alone.”

The weight of his words hung in the air, but my refusal remained firm. A marriage to him was not the answer. Not now. Not ever.

“I’ll find another way,” I muttered, turning on my heel. “I’ll make sure Damien doesn’t get what he wants. But I’m not marrying you.”

As I walked away, I could feel his gaze burning into my back, but I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. Something told me this wasn’t the last time I’d see him.