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Chapter 16
publish date:
2026-07-03 16:07:29Chapter 16
Harper
I stared at the envelope taped to the glass door.
The ocean breeze suddenly felt colder.
Beside me, Damian stepped forward immediately. His body shifted in front of mine without thinking. Protective. Always protective.
I touched his arm. “Damian.”
His jaw tightened. “Stay here.”
I rolled my eyes. “We’re on vacation.”
“And?”
“Nobody is trying to kill me.”
“That’s debatable.”
Despite myself, I laughed. The tension eased instantly.
Damian carefully opened the door and grabbed the envelope. A few seconds later he examined it. Then frowned.
“What?”
He turned it around. The envelope wasn’t threatening. It wasn’t mysterious. It wasn’t dangerous.
It was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood.
My stomach did a strange little flip.
Mrs. Blackwood.
I still wasn’t used to that.
Damian looked equally distracted.
Then he slowly opened it.
Inside was a single card.
I blinked. Then blinked again.
“What is it?”
His expression changed. Amusement appeared. Then actual laughter.
“Well.”
“What?”
He handed me the card.
My eyes widened.
A complimentary honeymoon package. Complete with couples massages, private dinners, sunset cruises, and romantic activities.
I immediately started laughing. “They think we’re newlyweds.”
Damian’s eyes met mine. The smile on his face became dangerous.
“We technically are.”
Heat rushed into my cheeks.
The annoying man noticed immediately. Of course he did.
“You blush a lot around me.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You absolutely do.”
I threw a pillow at him. He caught it effortlessly.
“Violence is not the answer.”
“Sometimes it is.”
His laughter echoed through the villa. The sound did strange things to my heart.
Because this version of Damian felt completely different from the billionaire everyone feared. This Damian smiled. Teased. Relaxed.
And somehow I liked him even more.
The realization was becoming impossible to ignore.
A few minutes later, Damian held up the card again.
“So?”
“So what?”
“Do we accept?”
I narrowed my eyes. “The honeymoon package?”
“Yes.”
I pretended to think about it. “Hmm.”
“Harper.”
“Hmm.”
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little.”
His expression became patient. The expression he used whenever he was waiting for me to stop being difficult.
Unfortunately for him, I enjoyed being difficult.
Finally I smiled. “Fine.”
The victory in his eyes was ridiculous. “You said yes.”
“Don’t make it weird.”
“Too late.”
The next afternoon we found ourselves on a private yacht sailing across crystal-blue water.
I leaned against the railing. The ocean stretched endlessly around us. No phones. No meetings. No responsibilities.
Just peace.
I could get used to this. Dangerously easily.
Damian appeared beside me carrying two drinks. “Here.”
I accepted one. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
For a few moments we watched the waves together. The silence felt comfortable. Natural. The kind of silence that existed between people who genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.
Not strangers. Not enemies. Not people trapped in a fake marriage.
A married couple.
The thought startled me. Because lately it felt true. More true every day.
“You look happy.”
I glanced at Damian. “So do you.”
His smile softened. “Maybe this was a good idea.”
I laughed. “Maybe?”
“Fine.” He sighed dramatically. “It was a good idea.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t get used to being right.”
“I’m always right.”
His eyebrow lifted. “Always?”
“Always.”
“Interesting.”
I immediately regretted that answer. Because Damian suddenly stepped closer. Very close. Close enough to make my pulse jump.
“Then tell me.” His voice dropped lower. “What am I thinking right now?”
I swallowed. The ocean. The yacht. The sunshine. None of it helped. Not when he was looking at me like that.
“I don’t know.”
A victorious smile appeared. “Exactly.”
I hated how attractive he looked.
A few hours later we returned to shore.
The resort had prepared a private dinner on the beach. Candles surrounded the table. Soft music drifted through the air. Everything looked ridiculously romantic.
I sat down and laughed. “This is insane.”
Damian pulled out my chair. “You’re complaining?”
“No.”
“Good.”
The evening passed easily. We talked about childhood memories. Favorite foods. Travel. Dreams. Normal things.
For the first time, I felt like I was learning who Damian really was. Not the billionaire. Not the CEO. Not the Blackwood heir.
Just Damian.
The man beneath everything.
And I liked that man far more than I should.
At one point he reached across the table and took my hand. Naturally. Like it belonged there.
Neither of us commented on it. Neither of us pulled away.
The moonlight reflected across the ocean. The atmosphere felt almost magical.
Then Damian suddenly spoke.
“Can I ask you something?”
I looked up. “Sure.”
“If there had been no scandal…” His thumb brushed my hand. “No fake marriage.”
My heart accelerated.
“No revenge.” I couldn’t look away.
“No complicated history.” The world seemed to narrow until only he existed.
“Would you have given me a chance?”
The question stole my breath.
For a moment I couldn’t answer. Because the truth terrified me.
The truth was simple.
Yes.
I would have. Maybe not immediately. Maybe not easily. But eventually?
Definitely.
Because somewhere along the way I had fallen for my husband. Completely. Hopelessly. Dangerously.
I smiled softly. “Yes.”
The answer hung between us. Real. Honest. Important.
Damian stared at me. Like he couldn’t quite believe what he had heard.
Then slowly he stood. Walked around the table. And stopped beside me.
My pulse raced. The world disappeared. The ocean faded. Everything faded.
Except him.
His hand lifted. Gently touching my cheek.
“Harper.”
The way he said my name made my heart ache.
“Yeah?”
For a second he simply looked at me. Then his expression softened completely.
And I realized he was about to tell me something important. Something that could change everything.
But before he could speak, a familiar voice suddenly shouted from behind us.
“Well, this is awkward.”
Both of us froze.
Slowly we turned around.
My stomach dropped instantly.
Because standing twenty feet away on the beach was Ethan Blackwood.
Watching us with a smile and holding a hotel room key in his hand.
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