Chapter 6

Damien

The moment the doors of the Grand Palais closed behind us, I tightened my hold around Vivian’s waist and guided her toward the waiting car.

“Keep walking,” I said quietly.

She didn’t answer.

Her breathing was uneven, and I could feel the tension in her body even through the expensive fabric of her dress. The event behind us was still loud. Music, voices, cameras, and the constant movement of wealthy guests followed us toward the entrance, but I wanted her away from all of it.

“Damien.” She called out to me.

“Keep walking, Vivian. We can talk when we get home.”

“No.” She stopped suddenly.

She turned toward me so quickly and searched my face with an urgency that immediately caught my attention.

“Is it working?”

My jaw tightened.

“Vivian—”

“Is the plan working?” she asked again. “Tell me the truth. Did Adrian get the money?”

She was breathing quickly. And her eyes were still fixed on mine, demanding for an answer before she would take another step.

I stared at her carefully.

This was the woman who had walked into that ballroom with her head held high. She had faced Adrian in front of hundreds of people without showing the slightest sign of fear. And had watched him lose control, and then watched me step between them.

Yet now, outside that building, she looked desperate for one piece of information.

Adrian.

Everything inside me tightened. “He didn’t get the money,” I finally said.

Her expression changed immediately. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

She swallowed.

I watched as her shoulders relaxed slightly. “Good.”

I reached for her hand.

“Vivian, breathe.”

“I am breathing.”

“You’re shaking.”

She looked down at her hands and seemed surprised to realize that I was right.

“I just need this to work.”

“It will.”

“You promised me.”

“I did.”

“And you won’t let him recover?”

My expression hardened.

“No.”

She studied me for several seconds.

“Thank you.”

The words were quiet.

I wanted to tell her that she didn’t need to thank me. I wanted to tell her that I would destroy every company that stood between her and the life she deserved.

Instead, I opened the car door.

“Get inside.”

She did.

The drive home was quiet.

Vivian stared through the window for most of the journey. I sat opposite her, watching her reflection whenever the passing lights touched the glass.

She didn’t notice me.

She was thinking about Adrian.

That thought irritated me more than I wanted to admit.

I had spent years searching for her.

Eight years had passed since the night she saved my life. Eight years since I had first seen her standing beside my hospital bed, unaware that the woman who had given me her blood would become the person I could never forget.

When I finally found her again, she was married.

I stayed away.

Then she disappeared.

For five years, I searched.

When she finally returned, she didn’t come back for me.

She came back for revenge.

And I had accepted that because helping her destroy Adrian gave me an excuse to remain close to her.

But tonight, watching her worry about Adrian’s business, I wondered how long I could continue pretending that was enough.

When we reached the house, Vivian stepped out before I could open her door.

She walked inside without saying anything.

I followed her through the hallway until she reached her bedroom.

She turned around.

“I’m going to check the financial reports.”

“You’re going to sleep.”

“I need to know what happens next.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Damien—”

“Tomorrow,” I repeated.

She frowned.

“You’re becoming bossy.”

“You’re exhausted.”

“I can handle it.”

“I know you can.”

My voice softened.

“That doesn’t mean you should.”

She looked at me for a moment.

Then she sighed.

“Fine.”

“Good.”

She stepped into the room.

I waited until she removed her earrings and placed them on the dresser.

“Get some rest.”

“I will.”

“Promise me.”

She glanced at me.

“I promise.”

I nodded and stepped backward.

Then I stopped.

She had already turned toward the bed.

She didn’t notice that I was still standing there.

I looked at her for several seconds.

The room was quiet.

She had no idea how much I wanted to walk back to her, take her in my arms, and tell her that she didn’t have to carry everything alone anymore.

But I didn’t.

Vivian wasn’t ready.

Perhaps she never would be.

I pulled the door almost closed, but before leaving, I looked at her one last time.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, already reaching for her tablet.

Adrian.

Again.

A slow anger settled inside me.

Not at her.

At him.

That man had hurt her so badly that even after five years, his victories could still disturb her sleep.

And what hurt me most was knowing that I could stand beside her every day, protect her, help her rebuild her empire, and still not be the man she saw when she closed her eyes.

To Vivian, I was an ally.

A protector.

A weapon she trusted.

But I wanted more.

I wanted her to see me as a man.

Not just Damien Cross.

Not just the billionaire who could destroy anyone who threatened her.

Me.

The man who had loved her for eight years.

I closed the door.

My bedroom was at the opposite end of the hallway.

We slept in different rooms.

Every night, I returned to my room alone.

Tonight was no different.

I changed into a black shirt and trousers before sitting on the edge of my bed.

For several minutes, I stared at the floor.

Then I laughed quietly at myself.

I had built an empire.

I had survived assassination attempts.

I had negotiated with men who believed they could control me.

I had watched competitors lose everything without losing sleep.

Yet one woman could make me question everything.

I lay down.

The room went dark.

I closed my eyes.

Sleep came slowly.

Then I heard screaming.

My eyes opened instantly.

“Vivian!”

I was out of bed before I could think.

The sound came again.

A desperate scream.

I ran into the hallway.

Her bedroom door was open.

Something crashed inside.

“Vivian!”

I pushed the door open.

The room was in complete disorder.

A lamp had fallen onto the floor. Cushions were scattered across the carpet. A drawer had been pulled open, and clothes were everywhere.

Vivian stood near the dresser.

She was crying.

Her hair was disheveled, and her breathing was so rapid that she could barely speak.

“No.”

She grabbed another drawer and threw it open.

“No, no, no.”

I crossed the room.

“Vivian, stop.”

She pushed past me.

“I need to find it.”

“Find what?”

“My phone.”

“It’s right there.”

She looked toward the nightstand.

Her phone was lying on the floor.

She rushed toward it.

I caught her wrist.

“Stop.”

“Let me go.”

“Vivian.”

“Let me go!”

She struggled against me.

I pulled her into my arms.

“Enough.”

She hit my chest with both hands.

“Damien, let me go!”

“No.”

“I need to check something.”

“You’re not thinking clearly.”

“I need my phone!”

“You have it.”

She stopped fighting.

Her body suddenly lost its strength.

I held her tighter as her knees gave way.

We sank to the floor together.

She covered her face with both hands and began crying.

I had never seen her cry like that.

Not when she returned.

Not when she faced Adrian.

Not even when she spoke about the night she believed her marriage had ended.

This was different.

“Vivian.”

She didn’t answer.

“Look at me.”

She shook her head.

“Please.”

Slowly, she lowered her hands.

Her eyes were red.

Her face was wet with tears.

“What happened?”

She looked at the phone lying beside us.

“Take it.”

I picked it up.

The screen was still open.

A financial report filled the display.

I read the figures.

Then I read them again.

My expression changed.

“Adrian?”

She nodded.

“What happened?”

“He was going to lose the deal.”

Her voice broke.

“He was supposed to lose it.”

I stared at the report.

Lancaster Enterprises had been minutes away from a serious financial crisis. The funding Vivian had blocked was supposed to leave Adrian unable to proceed with the expansion.

But another company had stepped in.

Julian Ford’s company.

They had provided emergency financing.

I looked back at Vivian.

“How much?”

She gave me the figure.

I calculated quickly.

It was enough to keep Lancaster Enterprises alive.

For now.

“You knew about this?”

“I received the report tonight.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to ruin the evening.”

I stared at her.

“You almost destroyed your room because Adrian survived a financial attack.”

Her eyes filled with tears again.

“He was supposed to lose.”

“I know.”

“I planned everything.”

“I know.”

“Five years.”

Her voice became quieter.

“Five years, Damien.”

I said nothing.

“I spent five years preparing for this. I watched him destroy my marriage. I watched him take everything I thought was real from me. I lost my daughter for years because I had to disappear. I gave up my old life.”

“You didn’t lose your daughter.”

“I know.”

She looked down.

“But he thought she was dead.”

“And that was necessary.”

“I know.”

She pressed her hands against her face.

“I just wanted him to feel helpless for once.”

I sat beside her.

“You’ve already made him feel it.”

“Not enough.”

I frowned.

“Vivian.”

“He still has a company.”

“He won’t have it forever.”

“He found another way.”

“Because Julian Ford helped him.”

“That shouldn’t have happened.”

“It did.”

She looked at me.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

I understood then that her reaction wasn’t only about money.

It was about control.

Adrian had controlled her life for years.

Now she needed to control the ending.

Every time he survived, some part of her believed she was losing again.

I reached for her.

“Come here.”

She didn’t resist when I pulled her closer.

Her head rested against my chest.

I stroked her hair slowly.

“You’re safe.”

She closed her eyes.

“I hate that he can still affect me.”

“He doesn’t control you.”

“It feels like he does.”

“He doesn’t.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because you’re here.”

She opened her eyes.

“You’re here with me,” I continued. “Your daughter is alive. Your grandfather left you everything he built. Your empire is growing. Adrian is fighting for survival. You have already taken back your life.”

She swallowed.

“But I need to finish this.”

“You will.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

She became quiet.

I continued stroking her hair until her breathing slowed.

Eventually, her eyes closed.

“Try to sleep,” I whispered.

She nodded.

I helped her onto the bed and pulled the blanket over her.

“Damien?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t let him win.”

My chest tightened.

“He won’t.”

She closed her eyes again.

I remained beside her for another minute.

Then I stood.

I walked toward the door and looked back.

She was already asleep.

For several seconds, I simply watched her.

The anger returned.

Not because she wanted revenge.

Because Adrian had managed to reach her even from a distance.

I stepped into the hallway and closed the door quietly.

My expression changed.

I took out my phone.

“Call my assistant.”

The call connected almost immediately.

“Sir?”

“Ethan.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Wake up your entire financial intelligence team.”

There was a pause.

“Now?”

“Now.”

“What happened?”

“Julian Ford.”

Another pause.

“Sir?”

“I want everything on his company.”

“Financial records?”

“Everything.”

I started walking down the hallway.

“Find out why Julian’s company suddenly financed Lancaster Enterprises.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And I want to know exactly what deal was brokered in that short period.”

“Understood.”

“Don’t give me assumptions, Ethan. Give me facts.”

“Yes, sir.”