LOGINB I A N C AForty eight hours later, Damian still hadn't woken up. The swelling in his brain had gone down, but he was still in a coma. The doctor said it was a good sign, that it gave his body time to heal, but it was small comfort to me.I hadn't left the hospital. I slept in a chair next to his bed, my hand never leaving his. I talked to him, told him about my day, about our families, about how much I loved him. I read to him, my voice hoarse from constantly crying. It didn’t look like he was getting better despite the doctor’s reassurance. He has not given any sign of waking up. In fact, he looks paler and more fragile than before. And that scared me to my core.The only reassurance that he was still here with me was the beeping of the heart monitor, the only sound that told me he was still alive. Chloe and my family had been taking turns bringing me food and clean clothes, but I barely touched them. My appetite was gone, replaced by a gnawing fear that coiled in my stomach. The
B I A N C AMy heart broke at the sight of him. This wasn't my Damian. My Damian was full of life. This was a shell of the man I loved.I took a deep breath and pushed open the door, the smell of antiseptic hitting me. I walked over to his bed, my legs feeling like they were going to give out at any moment.I took his hand, it was cold and limp. "Hey," I whispered, my voice cracking. "It's me. I'm here."I looked at his face, at the cuts and bruises that marred his perfect features. A wave of anger washed over me. Who could have done this? Who could have wanted to hurt him so badly? I leaned down and kissed his forehead, my tears falling on his skin."You have to fight, Damian," I whispered, my voice filled with desperation. "You have to come back to me. We have a deal, remember? You promised me forever. You can't break your promise."I sat there for a while, just holding his hand and talking to him. I told him about my meeting with Julian, about how I was excited for our future. I to
B I A N C AI drove blindly, tears streaming down my face and blurring my vision. But I didn’t care. The nurse’s words replayed in my head, unconscious… surgery… critical condition… shot.All I could think about was him. My Damian. The man I loved more than life itself. The man who had promised me forever just this morning. Was he going to break that promise? Was our forever going to be cut short?I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t.I finally arrived at the hospital, screeching into a parking space and not even bothering to lock my car. I ran into the emergency room, my heart pounding in my chest."I'm looking for Damian Moretti," I said, my voice trembling. "He was brought in. He was shot."The nurse at the desk looked up at me, her expression sympathetic. "Are you family?""I'm his wife," I said, my voice breaking.She typed something into her computer, her brow furrowed in concentration. "He's still in surgery," she said, looking up at me. "The doctor will be out to speak with y
B I A N C AA smile on my lips, I walked back to my office after saying my goodbyes and promising to update him on our progress. Things were starting out pretty well, and I was confident that the business venture would go ahead smoothly.I dialed Damian's number as I settled into my chair and waited for him to pick up."Bianca." His voice was deep and soothing."It's me," I replied, smiling."How did the meeting go?" His voice was eager, but there was an edge to it."It went great." I said happily. "We went over the numbers, the projections, the whole works."I told him the details and what had happened. I wanted him to be excited, wanted him to be proud of me, but instead, all I got in return were one word answers. It was getting under my skin, especially after our conversation."Do you want me to forward the agreement?""No."I pursed my lips together, wondering if there was more."Ok," I whispered, slowly leaning back in the chair.There was silence on both ends, a silence that was
B I A N C AI arrived at my office a short time later, feeling more energized and confident than I had been in a long time. I greeted the receptionist and headed up to my floor. I was anxious to get to the meeting room and go through the pitch one last time before Julian arrived.When I got there, my assistant, Sophia was waiting for me. She had organized all the materials that I'd need and I quickly went through them, making sure I had all my facts and numbers straight.As I worked, I thought about what I was going to say to Julian. I knew I needed to show him why his company should be the one working with the Salvatore Enterprises, not the other way around.I had been researching the market and there was nothing like what we had to offer on the market yet. With the right distribution and marketing strategies, we could become the premier luxury brand in Europe.There was a knock on the door and Sophia stepped in, followed by Julian."Mr. Vance is here," she said, a smile on her lips.
B I A N C AThe next morning, I woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon. I opened my eyes and found Damian's side of the bed empty.I got up and went downstairs. He was in the kitchen, standing at the stove, shirtless and wearing a pair of sweatpants that hung low on his hips. He looked good."Morning," he said, turning to look at me. "I'm making breakfast.""I can see that," I said, walking up to him and wrapping my arms around his waist from behind. "It smells amazing.""I wanted to make it up to you," he said, covering my hands with his. "For last night.""You don't have to make it up to me," I said, resting my cheek against his back. "We were both at fault. I'm just glad we're okay.""We are," he said, turning around in my arms to face me. "More than okay."He leaned down and kissed me, making my toes curl. When he pulled away, I was breathless."Breakfast is almost ready," he said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Why don't you go set the table?""Okay," I said, reluctantly letting
B I A N C AThe car ride home was silent. Damian drove with his white knuckled grip on the steering wheel. He was staring straight ahead, the muscle in his jaw ticking. I wanted to say something, to break the suffocating silence, but I couldn't find the words. I was still angry, and I knew that any
B I A N C AI was finishing up some paperwork when I heard a soft knock on my office door."Come in," I said, not looking up from my computer.The door opened and closed quietly. I looked up, expecting to see Sophia, but instead I saw Damian standing there, leaning against the doorframe with a smug
B I A N C AMy next meeting with the marketing team went just as well. They were excited about the new direction for the company, and we spent the rest of the meeting brainstorming ideas for the new campaign.By the time I was done, it was almost 2. I grabbed my purse and headed to the restaurant wh
B I A N C AThe next morning, I woke up in Damian's arms. The morning sun was filtering through the curtains and I snuggled closer to him, enjoying the feeling of his body against mine."Morning," he murmured, his eyes still closed."Morning," I said, kissing his chest.We lay in silence for a while







