Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Two maids stood not far away, their cold gazes just like their master's, quickly approaching where May was sitting.

May was horrified by Damien’s brutal words. Even though she knew he didn’t love her, she was still his wife—how could he be so cold and heartless? What had she meant to him these past two years?

As the two maids got closer, May’s fear reached its peak. She rushed toward Damien, clinging to his legs and crying desperately.

“No, no, no… honey, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong… it was just a mistake, it won’t happen again. I’m begging you, you can’t treat me so cruelly. I’m your wife, I’m your wife… hic…”

Damien kicked May away. Although it wasn’t with much force, it was enough to send her rolling away from him. He was in a terrible mood—if he wasn’t worried about dirtying his clothes, he would’ve made the woman in front of him shut up already.

The two maids began dragging May outside. She couldn’t accept this ending; it was too cruel, too unbearable.

“Thorne, you can’t treat me like this. I… I’m still Emma’s mother. If she comes back and sees this, what will she think? Don’t you care about her so much?” With no other options, May gambled, hoping that bringing Emma into the situation would make Damien spare her.

Damien raised an eyebrow and signaled the maids to stop. He suddenly smiled and walked over. “That’s right, you’re absolutely right. I almost forgot—thank goodness you reminded me. What are you waiting for? Go call the doctor for first aid.”

Just seconds ago, his gaze was as cold as the winter wind, and now it was as warm as summer sunshine. The sight alone terrified May. Though Damien had been cold toward her for the past two years, he had never once spoken harshly to her. That’s what had made her forget the true nature of this twisted, perverse man.

His sudden mood shift left May speechless. The maids who had roughly dragged her just moments ago were now gently helping her upstairs for medical treatment.

May sat in the room, her nails digging into her palms. It was only now that everything became clear to her—Damien had never cared about her. From the very beginning, the one he truly noticed was her daughter. But back then, Emma had only met Damien once, on her first day in Nyxeria. So the luxurious and pampered life she had now wasn’t thanks to herself—it was because Damien had taken an interest in her daughter.

When May had worked as a high-end hostess in Nyxeria, Damien was already infamous as a brutal and perverse boss. Most of the twisted pleasures in Nyxeria—and the fact that the place had become a den of lust and indulgence—were all thanks to Damien.

The more May thought about it, the less she understood what was happening to her.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Damien loosened his tie slightly and leaned back on the sofa, waiting.

A few minutes later, Emma arrived home. The moment she stepped inside, she could feel that something was off. She turned to the butler and asked, “Where’s my mom? Did she go shopping?”

The butler didn’t answer, only said, “Mr. Thorne is waiting for you in the living room.”

“He’s waiting for me?” Emma was a bit confused but still walked toward the living room. Standing outside, she gently knocked on the door and said, “Dad, it’s me.”

“Come in.”

Emma walked in with her backpack and quickly realized it was just her and her father in the room. It seemed like this was the first time they had been alone together since she moved in.

Sensing something odd, she asked softly, “Dad, where’s mom?”

“Emma, how’s school lately? Is there anything you want to tell me?” Damien still used that same gentle, warm tone.

For the past two years, this man had always spoken to her gently, making her feel loved and no longer wary of him.

She answered happily, “I’ve been studying really hard. Look, this is my report card. I’ll definitely be top of the class in the next exam.”

“That’s all? Nothing else you want to say?” Damien kept smiling, but his voice had lost its gentleness.

At first, Emma didn’t understand, but then she realized what he meant. Still, instead of speaking, she chose to keep it to herself. “Nothing else.”

Damien raised an eyebrow, his smile growing wider. “I see.”

The conversation ended in a strange, ambiguous way. But Emma didn’t think much of it—she was too busy being in love with her new boyfriend.

What she didn’t know was that from that moment on, everything began to change—or more accurately, everything returned to its true nature.

Long ago, Emma had always had a strange feeling, as if all the stuffed animals and decorative items in her room were watching her.

But they were just objects—how could they "watch"? Once, to ease her discomfort, Emma put them all in the closet. But just a few days later, the maids brought more stuffed animals, dolls, and expensive decorations, saying they were gifts from her father. Emma had no choice but to accept them.

Tonight was the same. As soon as she lay down, the silence in the room made that feeling of unease even more apparent. But she had been living here for two years, and nothing had ever happened. So she simply thought it was due to academic pressure, and perhaps because she often thought about Logan.

"Maybe I've just been too tired lately," she whispered to herself, then wondered why she hadn’t seen her mother this evening.

The next day, after Damien left the house, May suddenly pulled Emma into her room. At that moment, she seemed to lose control and asked urgently:

“What did Damien say to you last night?”

“Dad just asked how I’ve been lately. He didn’t say anything else.” Emma couldn’t understand her mother’s behavior — or her father’s either. Since last night, she had felt that something was off.

May pressed her lips together and thought for a moment, but didn’t ask further about last night. Instead, she smiled calmly and said, “Emma, how are things between you and Logan? Love without sex is really boring, you know. Men get bored easily and will start looking for someone else. Do you really want to break up with Logan that quickly?”

“Mom, but I—”

“Don’t be so uptight. You’ll be eighteen in a few days. There’s nothing wrong with making love — it brings you a lot of pleasure and satisfaction,” May rambled on, not noticing that Emma’s hands were clenched tightly.

Emma didn’t understand why her mother always brought up this topic. Even if she didn’t fully understand love, she knew that giving her body to someone couldn’t be done so casually in the name of love.

At that moment, Emma slightly regretted telling her mother that she had a boyfriend. But she didn’t dare to oppose her mother’s words and could only pretend not to hear them.

Since that private conversation with her father, Emma gradually felt that the way he looked at her had changed. Although he was still gentle and approachable, there was something dark and sinister beneath it — something hard to describe. Damien’s gaze lingered on her more and more often. In the past, he was rarely home, but now it was the opposite. Whenever she returned home, she would run into him. Emma was no longer the naïve girl from two years ago who thought anyone giving her candy was kind. She began to seriously observe the relationship between her parents.

Her mother seemed very afraid of Damien, even though he didn’t do anything in particular.

When Emma’s birthday arrived, Damien threw a party for her at their moderately sized villa. He allowed her to invite her friends. Most of Emma’s friends were girls since she attended an all-girls school. The only male guest was her boyfriend, Logan.

Emma, the star of the party, wore a dazzling white dress that made her look like a princess. The custom-designed gown hugged her slender figure, made from soft silk chiffon as light as morning mist. Pearls delicately sewn onto the dress sparkled under the lights, enhancing her elegance while still keeping her pure and graceful aura. The skirt flared gently like flower petals — every step she took was soft as a breeze, both radiant and innocent.

May wore a tight, seductive dress that highlighted her voluptuous figure — she always favored clothes that showed off her curves. In front of Emma’s friends, she radiated the aura of a wealthy, elegant lady.

The party went smoothly. While guests were chatting, Emma quietly pulled Logan aside to a secluded spot.

“Emma, you look stunning tonight,” Logan said with a smile, his eyes full of affection.

Of course, Emma knew how beautiful she looked tonight. Her father had specially ordered the dress for her — a surprise gift before the party began.

“So you mean I’m not pretty on normal days?” she teased with a smile.

Logan’s gaze dropped to her full chest. He gently caressed her face and leaned close to whisper in her ear.

“Emma, now that you’ve turned eighteen, and we’ve been together for a few months... I want us to get closer. Is that okay?”

His words were soft and pleading, making Emma’s heart pound wildly. But this first moment of intimacy made her uncomfortable, and she took two steps back.

Since they started dating, Emma and Logan had only held hands and shared warm hugs. They had never kissed. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be close, but every time Logan’s face came near hers, memories of her mother would flood her mind, making her feel uneasy. Still, love often has no limits. At first, Emma might not be used to it, but as time passed and Logan remained gentle and never forced her into anything, she slowly grew more accustomed.

Under the starry night sky, with just the two of them alone in contrast to the lively atmosphere inside, the moment felt more romantic and awkward.

Logan held her waist and pulled her close. The sudden closeness made Emma flustered.

The moment their lips were about to touch, Emma felt both nervous and blissfully happy — this might be one of the most memorable moments of her life.

Yes, the most memorable moment of her life.

“Well, how romantic,” a low, cold voice echoed from the darkness.