Eyes in the Dark

Damien’s POV

The moment I hung up with Liam, I leaned back in my chair, the cool leather creaking beneath me. My office was dimly lit, the shadows of dusk creeping in through the window. The world outside was darkening, but inside, things were about to heat up. I ran my fingers through my hair, letting the satisfaction of the moment wash over me.

Mr. Osmond had no idea what was coming. Liam had given me everything I needed. The fake deals, the offshore accounts, the illegal side agreements Osmond thought were buried deep—Liam had uncovered it all. I picked up my phone again, dialing the secure line to my team.

“Go,” I ordered as soon as the call connected. There was no need for pleasantries. We had a job to do, and it was already in motion.

"Understood," the voice on the other end responded crisply before hanging up.

Every piece was falling into place. Osmond thought he could outmaneuver me in the upcoming stakeholders meeting, but by the time I was done with him, he’d be left with nothing. Mrs. Osmond had been more than willing to cooperate, especially with Liam’s... persuasive charm. She had no idea she was just a pawn, a means to an end.

Carlos Osmond was going to lose everything.

I smirked, imagining the look on his face when the meeting fell apart. But before that, I had a message to deliver.

***

The day of the meeting arrived, and the conference room was filled with the scent of expensive cologne and polished wood. It was a room built for power. Men and women in suits surrounded the large oak table, their faces set in cold, calculating expressions. They were the major stakeholders, the decision-makers, and today, they were about to witness the beginning of Osmond’s downfall.

Carlos Osmond entered the room with his usual swagger. His face twisted into a smug smile when he saw me sitting at the far end of the table, flanked by my team. He was confident, too confident for someone whose house of cards was about to collapse.

“Damien,” he greeted, his voice oozing false cordiality. “I didn’t expect you to show up so early. I thought you’d be nursing that defeat from last quarter.”

I raised an eyebrow, leaning back in my chair. “Defeat? That’s funny, Carlos. But I wouldn’t start celebrating just yet. The game’s not over.”

He chuckled, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from me. “You really think you’re going to win today? My company’s presentation will blow yours out of the water. You should’ve stayed in bed this morning.”

I smiled coldly. “We’ll see about that.”

Osmond leaned forward, his grin widening. “Damien, you’re too young to understand how this works. You think you’re a player, but you’re just a kid pretending to sit at the big boys’ table. I’ve been in this game longer than you’ve been alive, and today, I’ll show everyone just how weak you really are.”

I didn’t flinch. If he only knew how close he was to the edge of ruin. “I’ll give you this, Osmond, you’re good at talking big. But actions speak louder than words.”

He sneered, clearly underestimating me. “You think you can take me down? I built this empire from the ground up, boy. You’re just playing in the dirt. After today, no one will even remember your name.”

I watched him for a moment, then leaned in, my voice low and laced with menace. “You might want to keep quiet till further notice.”

His smile faltered for just a second, his eyes narrowing. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I leaned back, shrugging nonchalantly. “Oh, nothing. We’ll see who’s got the upper hand when the dust settles.”

His face darkened, but before he could respond, the meeting was called to order. The tension in the room was thick as the presentations began. Osmond’s company went first, as planned. His executives strutted to the front, puffed up like peacocks, ready to deliver what they thought was an airtight proposal. They flipped open their briefcases, pulling out folders and stacks of papers. Everything looked polished and pristine.

But I knew better.

As Osmond’s team presented their files, the other stakeholders nodded along, but I could see the uncertainty in their eyes. They weren’t stupid, and soon, they would see exactly what I had prepared for them.

Halfway through their presentation, I signaled to my team. It was time.

One of my lawyers stood up, clearing his throat. “Excuse me,” he interrupted, holding up a folder. “We’ve recently come across some... troubling information regarding the documents being presented here today.”

The room went silent. Osmond’s face paled.

“We’ve discovered that these documents are fraudulent,” my lawyer continued. “They’ve been altered to deceive the board into approving deals that don’t even exist.”

Murmurs erupted around the table as the stakeholders exchanged glances, their faces quickly shifting from confusion to anger. Osmond shot to his feet, his voice trembling with barely contained rage. “This is ridiculous! You can’t—”

“We can,” I said, standing up. I tossed a set of documents across the table. “Here’s the real data. Your little trick might have worked on someone else, but not on me.”

The room exploded in chaos. Stakeholders stood up, their faces contorted with fury. “You thought you could fool us?” one of them shouted. “How dare you!”

One by one, they walked out of the room, leaving Osmond standing there, dumbfounded, his world collapsing around him. His plan had been completely destroyed, his reputation in tatters.

I didn’t need to say anything more. The smug grin on my face was enough as I picked up my phone and left the room, leaving Carlos Osmond to deal with the aftermath of his failure.

***

The adrenaline from the victory pulsed through me as I drove home. My phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen—unknown number. I answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey, handsome,” a sultry voice purred. “You still in the mood to celebrate?”

A smile tugged at my lips. I pulled over to the side of the road, scanning the nearby street corner. There she was, dressed to kill, her eyes gleaming with the promise of a night to remember. I rolled down the window and waved her over.

“Get in,” I said, my voice low.

She slid into the passenger seat, her perfume intoxicating. The drive to my penthouse was a blur, my mind still buzzing from the victory at the meeting. But now, the anticipation of what was to come sharpened my senses.

As soon as we stepped through the front door, I couldn’t keep my hands off her. Her lips were on mine before the door even fully closed, her fingers tangling in my hair as I pressed her against the wall.

The kiss was electric, her lips soft and eager, matching my hunger. I gripped her waist, pulling her closer, feeling the warmth of her body through the thin fabric of her dress. She moaned softly against my mouth, her hands roaming over my chest, and I could feel the fire building between us.

But then, just as I was about to lose myself in the moment, I froze.

A pair of eyes.

Staring straight at me from the dim light of the hallway. Eyes filled with disgust. And fear.

Everything stopped.

My heart pounded in my chest as I slowly pulled away, my breath catching in my throat. The woman in my arms turned, following my gaze.

And there, standing in the shadows, was someone I hadn’t expected to see. But how?

‘Isabella,’ I muttered quietly under my breath.