Chapter 5: The Public Announcement

The next morning met Isla at the well-furnished bedroom Damien had ushered her into the previous night.

She blinked her eyes slowly on the bed, adjusting to the light glow as the events of the previous day came rushing back, she sat up abruptly, the weight of her decision passed down her chest like a stone.

Yesterday, she had arrived here as Isla Carter, a betrayed and bitter divorcee desperate for revenge. Today, she woke up as Isla Blackwood, wife to perhaps the most ruthless and one of the wealthiest men in the city. A stranger. A billionaire whose motive she still couldn't grasp.

The sound of the door opening snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Damian standing in the doorway, his tall, imposing figure framed by the light of the room. His presence seemed to fill the room, the air growing heavier as his gaze met hers. Isla felt exposed and vulnerable and quietly pulled the sheet tighter around her.

For a moment, Damien said nothing, he simply watched, his expression unreadable. Then he stepped inside, holding out an elegant black gown.

"You should get dressed," he muttered coolly. "We have a meeting."

Isla's face was instantly filled with lines making her hesitate as she collected the gown.

Suspicion was in the tone of her voice when she asked, "With who?"

Damien smirked, though it didn’t reach his eyes before he nodded once to say, "The press.”

~~~

At about 2p.m, Damien and Isla stepped out of his black Limousine; cameras flashed with a speed that almost blinded their eyes, capturing every angle.

Isla was still trying to get used to this when she felt Damien’s hand sliding into her own. She bit her lip. Her fingers felt like dried sticks in his own, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he dug further into them, making her hold her breath.

Why was he being too romantic?

“Smile,” Damien murmured, his lips barely moving as he leaned closer. “Let’s give them a show.”

A show? She doubted her skills as an actress but what could she do? This was all part of what she signed.

Isla forced herself to take a deep breath, her chest tightening as she lifted her chin and curved her lips into a small, controlled smile. She could feel the weight of hundreds of eyes on her, the whispers and murmurs growing louder as they approached the red carpet.

"Damien Blackwood… married?!"

"Isn't this Nate Hayes's ex-wife?"

"Mr. Blackwood! Why are you with Mr. Hates ex-wife?"

The questions came rapid-fire, but Damien didn’t stop to answer. He kept moving, his grip on Isla’s hand firm. She could feel the tension in his posture, the way he exuded control even amid chaos.

~~~

Meanwhile, across town, Nate was in the middle of one of his company's quarterly board meetings when the vibration from his smartphone interrupted him. He ignored it at first, focusing on the meeting, but the vibration refused to stop. Finally, with an irritated sigh, he excused himself into the hallway, and Vanessa followed behind.

His new wife, Vanessa, also a member of the board and who was seated right next to him, shot him a questioning look.

“What’s going on?” Vanessa asked, her brow furrowed as Nate pulled out his phone.

The moment he unlocked his phone, his face went pale. The first photograph that appeared was his ex-wife, Isla, standing beside Damien Blackwood, her hand resting on his arm.

Nate’s stomach dropped as he zoomed in, his heart pounding in his chest. There is no mistake, that was Isla, and she was with him.

"Holy hell!" He muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. Vanessa leaned in, her eyes widened as she took in the image.

"No way,” she said, her voice tingling with disbelief.

“There’s no way she moved on that fast. She was at my house just a few days ago. She didn’t look… married.”

Nate wiped the sweat from his temple before zooming the picture just to be double sure.

But there was no mistake.

Nate wiped a hand over his face, his mind racing. “What the hell is she doing with him?” he muttered, more to himself than to Vanessa.

~~~

Back at the event, the chaos showed no signs of slowing down. A bold reporter managed to push through the crowd, shoving a microphone toward Damien.

"Mr. Blackwood, is this marriage real? Why are you with Nate Hayes' ex-wife?" She demanded, her voice cutting through the silence.

The room seemed to hold its breath as all eyes turned on Damien.

Damien glanced at Isla, who was trying hard not to look hit by the question, before turning back to the reporters. Without warning, he wrapped an arm around Isla's waist and pulled her close. Before she could react, his lips were on hers.

“Hun!” Everyone gasped.

Isla’s body went stiff on instinct and her eyes went wide. She could not help but play along however his lips sent a weird sensation through her, making her respond to the kiss in a way that felt dangerously real.

At this point, the cameras were not flashing, they were exploding, a few people even clapped while the others watched through their opened mouths.

And just like that, the world had registered her as Damien Blackwood’s wife.

~~~

Hours later, back at Damien's penthouse, Isla barely waited a second for the door to close before spinning around to face him.

“Why did you kiss me?” she demanded with a mix of anger and confusion.

Damien loosened his tie, looking as unbothered as ever. “You’ll have to get used to it,” he said, his voice low and steady. “This is just the beginning.”

Isla stared at him, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. This wasn’t just a game. It was his game. And she had stepped onto the board with a man who never lost.