Chapter 4

I stumbled into my house. I felt ashamed that Damien saw me so drunk and so desperate. The alcohol still had its effects on me despite him pressuring me to drink lots of water.

"You must think I'm some kind of whore huh?" My voice slurred more than intended.

"I don't think of you as anything." Damien replied and my heart dropped. Why do I even care? Am I so desperate for attention that I'm acting like some cheap whore?

I thought Damien would have been fun but he's sticking to his job regardless.

"R-Right." I mumbled as I took off my heels.

I sank onto the edge of the couch, the room spinning slightly, or maybe it was just me — unraveling. The silence between us stretched like wire, thin and sharp.

Damien didn't move. He just stood there, a shadow near the door, calm and unreadable, like I hadn't just offered myself to a stranger. Like I hadn't almost fallen off the edge of my own self-control.

"You didn't have to drag me out like that," I muttered, fingers gripping the hem of my dress. "I'm not your responsibility."

He didn't respond right away. When he did, his voice was low, controlled. "No, you're not. But your safety is."

A bitter laugh slipped out. "Such a noble bodyguard. You really don't break character, do you?"

His jaw tensed and there was a flicker of something. "You're drunk. Go to bed."

I looked up at him, forcing a smirk. "You know, you're not as cold as you pretend to be."

"And you're not as reckless as you're acting," he said, finally walking past me toward the hallway. "But I get it. Loneliness makes us do strange things."

I flinched.

"You don't know anything about my life," I said, a little too defensively.

"No," he said without turning back. "But I've seen enough."

I scoffed at his words, my lips drawing into a thin line.

I didn't have a response.

My eyes fluttered open, to reveal my bed. I was still clad in my club outfit. I had a disgusting headache and I felt the hangover.

After brushing my teeth, I showed for what felt like an hour. I just let the water run over my body.

My skin was sticky with regret, and no amount of hot water could wash it away. The events of last night came in fragments and flashes of lights. The stranger's hands too close, Damien's voice, cold and cutting.

I leaned my forehead against the tile wall, letting the steam blur everything. I wasn't sure what was worse, the shame or the ache of being so pathetically seen.

Eventually, I got out, towel-wrapped and quiet. I avoided my reflection in the mirror.

Back in my room, I grabbed my phone. No messages from Nico. Of course not. Nico was still on another continent, married to work more than me. And Damien? He was probably already back in his blank-faced bodyguard mode, pretending none of it happened.

Bea told me she hooked up with some guy last night and it was the best sex she ever had. At least one of us got laid.

I sank onto the bed, the towel slipping slightly from my shoulders.

What the hell am I doing?

I forced myself to get dressed and made my way downstairs for breakfast.

"Good morning Aisla, I made your favorite," Melanie beamed as she laid the breakfast spread in front of me—fluffy scrambled eggs, avocado slices, perfectly crisped hash browns, and a mug of strong coffee.

I forced a smile. "Thank you, Melanie. It smells amazing."

She gave me a concerned glance. "You okay? You look... tired."

I nodded, picking up my fork. "Just didn't sleep well."

She hesitated, then quietly left me to eat.

I pushed the food around my plate, appetite absent. Just as I took my first reluctant bite, I heard footsteps. Heavy, measured. Damien.

I didn't look up.

"Feeling human again?" he asked, his tone neutral.

"Barely," I muttered.

There was a long pause. I could feel his eyes on me.

"You don't have to explain," he said at last. "What you do is none of my business."

That stung more than it should have.

I looked up, meeting his gaze. "And yet you dragged me out of the club like it was your job to save me."

"It is my job," he replied simply.

Right. Just the job.

I need to stop embarrassing myself. I'm going to be professional from here on out.

Then, the front door creaked open.

A uniformed delivery man stepped in, holding a massive bouquet of unusual, breathtaking flowers—deep blue petals with pale silver streaks that shimmered like frost.

"Delivery for Mrs. Aisla Reyes," he said with a polite nod, placing the card in my hand before turning on his heel and leaving.

Before I could open it, Nico walked in.

His presence, always commanding, filled the room in a blink. Immaculate as ever in a tailored suit, his jaw freshly shaven and his hair slightly tousled.

"You're up," he said, voice smooth, almost casual.

"I got these..." I held up the bouquet.

"I know," he replied, already pulling something from his coat pocket. "They're called moon orchids. Only bloom once a year in the high valleys of Yunnan."

He placed a small box on the table.

"And this, something I found in a market in Suzhou."

I opened the box slowly. Inside lay a delicate jade pendant in the shape of a phoenix, carved so finely I was almost afraid to touch it.

I stared at it, unsure what to say. The gesture should've melted me. Maybe a few years ago, it would have.

"I thought of you," Nico said, his eyes scanning my face. "I know I've been... absent. But I never forget you, Aisla."

I smiled faintly. "Thank you. The flowers, the pendant. They are both lovely."

I placed it on the table and hugged him.

Nico stepped closer, his voice low and sincere. "I've missed you, Aisla. More than I can say."

Lies!

He was out there with other women and now he’s here pretending.

I glanced over at Damien, who stood silently by the door, his expression unreadable.

"Nico, this is Damien, my bodyguard," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Nico gave a brief nod to Damien. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well."

Nico turned back to me, his tone softening. "I want to take you somewhere. There's a gala tonight. As you can imagine, I need to make some business deals there. Discreetly, of course." He chuckled.

Of course, it's about business. Why would it be any different?

"Sure, I'd love to go." I plastered on a smile.

"Great my darling. I already ordered you 10 dresses to choose from. They should arrive shortly."

"I have a few calls to make. I'll be in the study. It won't take long." He pecked my lips and left the room.