One Night, One Baby, One Billionaire Mess

Damian’s Point of ViewI didn’t believe in fate. I believed in logic, control, and carefully calculated decisions. But the second I stepped into that gala, something inside me shifted—like an unseen force had changed the air around me. It was a familiar venue, filled with familiar people, yet suddenly, I felt… off-balance.I ignored it, brushing imaginary dust off my cuff as I walked inside, flashing the occasional nod or polite smirk. This was routine. These events meant nothing. A place where egos clashed, power was measured by the price of a suit, and fake smiles stretched under crystal chandeliers.And yet, in that sea of wealth and vanity, my eyes landed on her.She was standing near the grand piano, a half-empty champagne flute in her hand, her posture tense—too tense. She was stunning, but it wasn’t her beauty that caught me. It was something else. It was either a pull or a warning, but it was like my body knew something my mind didn’t.Her deep green eyes locked onto mine, and

Damian’s Point of ViewI had been restless since that night I saw that boy. Something about him had burrowed into my mind, refusing to leave. I couldn’t explain it, but the moment I had looked at him, a strange feeling had settled deep in my chest—familiarity. Like I had seen him before, somewhere, in a dream, in a past I couldn't quite grasp.I had told myself it was nothing. That it was just my mind playing tricks on me. But the nagging feeling wouldn't go away. Neither would Ava.I had spent the past few weeks carefully studying her, searching for cracks in her carefully curated facade. I had seen how she smiled for the cameras, how she clung to me when the press was near—yet, behind closed doors, she was distant. Cold. Angry.But there were moments—fleeting moments—where I caught something else in her eyes. Pain. Regret. Longing.And then, there were the flashes.They started small. A scent, a sound, a fleeting touch. Then came the images—fragments of a past that didn’t quite fit

Ava's Point of viewThe air swelled with anxiety the instant Rachel went further into the ballroom. The cameras hadn't quit flashing from our planned photo-op yet, but now they had a new target. Damian's ex-fiancee. The woman the city once imagined he'd marry. The person who had disappeared almost as mysteriously as I had. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding against my ribs like a war drum. Her smirk was not just haughty; it was poisonous. And worse? It was intended directly at me. "Well, this got interesting," I said under my breath, forcing a slight smile as I leaned closer to Damian for effect. His jaw clinched. "She wasn't supposed to be here, why is she here?""Clearly," I said, still smiling but these questions are in my heart as we turned to greet her. Rachel arrived with all the grace of a queen reclaiming her lost kingdom. She donned a crimson silk gown with her black hair wearing over one shoulder and a diamond choker that sparkled like poison around her neck.

Damian’s Point of ViewThe next morning arrived before I could fully understand the weight of the decision I’d made.I want to meet him.My son.Even the word felt foreign on my tongue, my first time. Son. A whole life—his life—existing without me in it. A boy I didn’t know, a name I hadn’t spoken, a laugh I’d never heard… but he was mine.Ava hadn’t slept. I could tell by the stiff set of her shoulders as she paced across the penthouse, her phone clutched in her hand. She kept glancing at me, uncertain, as if waiting for me to change my mind.I didn’t.“I told Olivia we’re coming,” she said finally. Her voice was soft, like the words might bruise if spoken too loud. “She’ll have him ready.”Ready. Like this was an interview. A reveal. But it wasn’t a surprise party. It was a reckoning.And I wasn’t sure who I’d be when it was over.Ava’s Point of ViewThe drive to Olivia’s upstate estate felt longer than usual. Damian barely spoke. I couldn’t blame him. What do you say before you mee

Damian’s Point of ViewThe city lights blurred into streaks as I sped the car toward St. Jude’s Medical Center. My knuckles bled from gripping the steering wheel; each red light felt like a betrayal of time I couldn’t afford to lose.“Sophia?” I rasped, already dialing her number. No answer—just voicemail. My phone slipped from my hand as the car jolted over a pothole. My heart pounded like thunder in my ears. If Rachel had hurt Sophia… I didn’t even want to imagine it.Ava’s hand on my arm jolted me back. “Damian, breathe,” she urged, voice trembling. She steered my gaze to the dashboard—98, 102, 88—my pulse racing. “What happened?” she asked, eyes wide with panic.I swallowed, trying to steady my voice. “I don’t know, but she sounded terrified.” Sirens wailed in the distance as we pulled up to the emergency entrance. Parking the car on the curb, we sprinted inside.Hospital CorridorFluorescent lights illuminated the sterile hallway as we ran past reception. I barreled toward tria