Masuk"M-Mr. Blackwell, I-I really..." The woman could see her situation clearly. Even if this man killed her right here and right now in front of everyone, no one would even shed a tear for her sake out of fear of him.
In desperation, she lunged forward and grabbed his leg.
Everyone was shocked. His subordinates were even more speechless.
People who knew who Damian was were aware of his mysophobia.
They silently thought: If this woman had any chance to survive before, now she has lost it too.
Yet the woman didn't know it.
"Step away." A cold voice resonated on the second floor. People's hearts jolted into their throats. Some of them wanted to secretly escape, yet none dared to move. As if they were terrified of attracting any sort of attention toward them.
The woman was terrified to the point where her sanity was ruined. She didn't listen.
"I said step away." His voice grew colder than the coldest winter. His hands tightened slightly.
The woman still didn't listen.
It happened so quickly that none of his subordinates could interfere.
Suddenly, Damian raised his hand. It appeared as if he were going to hit the woman. She shrank back on the floor. However, before his hand could strike down, another slender and delicate hand grabbed his wrist and blocked his attack.
Damian's nonchalant expression faltered for a second. A look of surprise flashed across his face. But in the next moment, the surprise faded. His gaze followed that slender hand up to its owner's face. Once his eyes landed on those fierce, rosy cheeks and dazed eyes, his calm pupils shrank slightly.
Her sharp eyes were like a pair of mystical jade that could capture one's soul. Her jawline was sharp and well-defined. Her thin, plump lips were painted red. Despite wearing minimal makeup, she was undeniably the most beautiful woman in the club that night.
"I think that's enough." Luna's voice was resolute. It resonated in the pin-drop silence. It was funny how not a single person made a sound. It was as if there were only Luna and Damian in that place. The rest didn't matter.
"Y-You insolent—" His subordinate rushed forward. But with a slight wave of his other hand—the one not held by Luna—Damian shut him up. The subordinate knew not to interfere. Stepping back, he stood silently, cautious in case his boss wanted him to teach that girl a lesson.
Damian tilted his head slightly. A corner of his lips curled up. His eyes were still cold, yet there was a hint of amusement in them. "What reason could you possibly have to suddenly come forward and hold my hand like this, little girl?"
Luna blinked. Only then did she realise she was still holding his hand. She quickly let go and stepped back.
Little girl?
He didn't look older than 25. Calling her little, was he devaluing her?
So what if she was younger? She knew what self-respect and a woman's honour meant!
Everyone was stunned by this development.
Until now, no one had ever stepped forward to intercede. People had assumed no one would either. Any sane person who knew what kind of man Damian was would stay fifty steps away from him. Even someone unaware of his identity would be kept away by his dangerous aura.
People thought: Either the girl is insane, or she's deliberately doing this to attract his attention.
"You do not have the right to abuse anyone just because you have power," Luna said firmly. Her fierce gaze held his without wavering.
That was new. No one had ever maintained eye contact with him for more than twenty seconds. Yet this girl not only didn't shy away from his cold eyes—her gaze was fierce.
With his slight smile becoming more pronounced, Damian slowly rose from his spot.
People knew that since this man—who had been calmly seated from the beginning—finally stood up, something big was about to happen.
Just after a few steps, he stopped in front of Luna.
"Little girl, this matter has nothing to do with you. If you insist on stepping into it rashly, I'm afraid you won't be stepping out of it so easily." His voice and words could freeze someone's blood. There was a clearly hidden threat in his tone.
Although she felt a heavy gloom loom over her as he approached, Luna stood her ground firmly. She didn't step back or cower.
"You assume your threat would scare me?" Luna still had alcohol in her system, numbing her caution. She spoke whatever came to mind. "Guess what? I don't want to step out of this matter either."
He could have expected the girl to tremble in fear at his warning. He could have expected her to retreat while apologising. But he couldn't have expected her stance to become even more unwavering.
"I wonder," Damian leaned closer, "do you actually feel bad for that woman..."
"What do you mean—"
"Or are you this bold because you're interested in warming my bed in her place?"
Luna was shocked speechless. She couldn't believe he would say something like this, especially in front of a hall full of people. A wave of whispers spread instantly. Damian kept his calm gaze fixed on her face, silently observing her.
"You!" Luna's hands trembled with anger. In a spur of the moment, she raised her hand—making the gravest mistake of her life.
She slapped the man in front of her. Slapped the man who had never been spoken to in a raised voice before. Slapped the man known for making those who offended him suffer in the worst ways. Slapped the man whose very name could make the hearts of seven continents shake.
That was the sort of man her drunk self offended one year ago.
"What a beautiful golden cage," Luna remarked as she strolled through the resplendent garden, its lush greenery and vibrant blossoms stretching as far as the eye could seeShe took a spot under a small tree. She could not remain in that beautiful room. Her eyes stared aimlessly at the lush greenery that stretched ahead as her mind put the events of last night on a loop.Once the haziness subsided, a sharp look surfaced within her eyes. Her lips tilted into an insightful smile."I am not going to trust you. Not so easily."After he had kissed her, she had been shocked. Too shocked to think or say anything."This is the reason you are here." His voice was devoid of emotion. The kiss was nothing more than a small peck. No feelings. Nothing. Just cold lips touching. But perhaps he didn't know. It was her first kiss. She had been with Ethan for years, but their relationship never exceeded the point of holding hands. When it came to physical stuff, she was still a clueless teenager.Firs
Once those words and that voice landed in her ears, her heart rate spiked.Luna had never been asleep. Since the moment he had taken his first step into her room, she had been alert.However, she had instantly started to pretend to be asleep upon confirming it was him.It wasn't because she was afraid of him. She wanted to know how he would act when her guard was down.He was the man who had her fate, her life, in his hands. He was the one she had to fight. Only by knowing how he would behave when her guard was down would she understand what he truly wanted.Inside the blanket, her tiny fists tightened. But because they were hidden, Damian couldn't notice her nervousness. She forced herself to maintain a calm facial expression and continued to pretend."There is no use for it. I already know that you are awake." His powerful voice landed on her ears once again, sending a shiver down to her core.However, this time it wasn't his voice alone. His hand reached out and took the liberty to
As Damian approached the specific room, he slowed down. Outside the room, three maids were lined up, waiting. When they saw the master of the house approaching, they became alert after exchanging knowing, fretful looks. Before he even asked, one stepped forward to explain."Ms Hart said we were being an inconvenience by making her uncomfortable. She said she was tired and needed a nap. She insisted on being left alone.""Is she asleep?" He asked as his eyes wandered to the door."Mr Blackwell, it isn't nine pm yet. We intended to go in and wake her up at eight-thirty."After that, the maid stepped back, falling back in line and perfect silence.Damian glanced at them briefly. "Did she readily accept your assistance?"Another maid stepped forward, speaking with her head down and without making eye contact, "No, Mr Blackwell.. Ms Hart had been insistent on doing everything herself.. She didn't take kindly to our attempts at helping her. She outrightly rejected us and asked us to leave"
"Make sure she doesn't lack anything." In the spacious office, after relaying his message to Harlan, Daimen put back the phone. He intertwined his fingers and fell into deep thoughts. One could sense a peculiar emotion in his eyes. His lips were slightly tilted into a smile.His thoughts were masked from the world. "Is this Luna Hart, that girl who slap-" Elias coughed mid-sentence once he felt an icy look from Damien. He adjusted his tie and restated. "I mean, Daimen, why are you giving her such good treatment? Aren't you supposed to punish her?""What is the worst treatment? It depends on what that person perceives to be the worst treatment." Thinking about that girl, something dark twinkled in Damien's usually cold eyes. Elias caught the emotion. "And yes, she will get her due punishment.""Punishment?"Damien leaned back in his chair as he said."She can't be forgiven for what she did out in public..." Damien trailed off and fell into a contemplative silence.Elias listened eager
An extravagant black car was waiting outside. Luna dragged out her belongings. She greeted her Aunt Maggie and Cousin Evan with a smile, exchanging kind words. Only once she was outside did her smile fade, and her true expression surfaced.She wanted to speak to Brianna. But she neither had the time nor the heart. After hearing her words the previous day, Luna couldn't help but blame herself for bringing this burden onto her family.The driver seemed solemn and serious. He didn't utter a word from start to finish. Perhaps he wasn't allowed to. Were all the staff in Damian's manor so strict?Silence pressed heavily throughout the journey. Luna leaned back against the seat, contemplating what lay ahead.As they neared their destination, she slightly opened her eyes and peeked outside the window.The roads widened. Lush trees lined the sides, and expansive grounds stretched on either side. No other vehicles were in sight. The area was secluded, exclusive to the Blackwell family. The car
And exactly the same time the next day, Luna was in her room, packing the few things she had decided to take with her. There wasn't much—just a small collection of items that reminded her of her family and the fleeting moments of happiness she had managed to salvage over the years. A locket from Aunt Maggie, a photo of Evan and herself smiling before life had grown so complicated, a few books she had cherished—all carefully placed in a small suitcaseAt that moment, Brianna, Luna's cousin and Evan's younger sister, silently walked to her room. She stood leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, a deriding smile playing on her lips."I don't get it," Brianna said coldly.Luna looked up to find her standing there."What's up, Bree?" Luna asked, confused."You're going to be the woman of such a powerful man. You could literally have anything you want if you pleased him," Brianna said, her eyes void of the warmth that Aunt Maggie and Evan always had. "But you still act so unhappy and p







