CHAPTER 07

OPHELIA COLE

Grandma’s health had gotten worse over the past few days, enough that Damien had to take her to the hospital. He asked me to come keep her company since he was spending most of his time at the office, and I honestly didn’t mind. The only reason I’d been away was because my mother wanted to talk, and the rest of the days I’d just been trying to help in whatever ways I could.

I had planned to return to the company soon, to get back to the work I actually majored in.

Grandma stirred slightly, her fingers twitching where my hand held hers. Even in sleep, she looked fragile, as though the wrong gust of wind could make her disappear. It scared me more than I wanted to admit.

Damien had been in and out all morning, dropping files, making calls, apologizing each time he rushed off again. He’d grown quieter these days,exhausted, stretched thin, carrying the weight of the company, his family, and whatever mess Luca had left behind. I could see it in his eyes every time he glanced at me, like there were questions he wanted to ask but couldn’t bring himself to say aloud.

I’d thought things would remain awkward between us, but somehow they hadn’t. I had even forgotten about the kiss—or what I thought was a kiss—because apparently it never happened. It had all just been in my head. The more I remembered that, the more foolish I felt for ever imagining it. And every time the thought crossed my mind, I couldn’t stop the heat from rising to my cheeks in embarrassment.

With Grandma admitted in the hospital and fast asleep, Damien suggested he drive me home since I was exhausted and desperately needed a shower. I didn’t hesitate. Rest was something I’d been craving for days. Everything had been draining lately, and today was the first day I’d managed to escape thinking about the loveless marriage waiting for me or the fact that my father’s legacy was slowly crumbling right in front of me.

I scrolled through my phone while sitting in the car, waiting for Damien to finish assigning a night nurse to stay with Grandma. When he finally got in and started the car, silence fell between us. I kept my eyes fixed on the window, watching the city lights blur past, doing everything in my power not to look at him.

There was always something about Damien that drew me in,something quiet, steady, and dangerous in a way that made me want to understand him, to know him, more than I should. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t fighting whatever this was. I didn’t know when these overwhelming feelings started… only that they were becoming harder to ignore.

Funny how I’d forgotten what it felt like when it was just the two of us.

I guess things will never stop being a little awkward.

"I heard about your father's company," he said, and I was surprised,first, that he was the one starting a conversation, and second, that he even knew what was going on with our schedule. I wasn’t sure how to respond, and he must have sensed that because he spoke again.

"I hope you haven’t been too hard on yourself over the news."

"I'm alright…" was all I managed.

Silence settled again, but this time I found myself stealing glances at him and somehow, not looking at him was the harder task.

"I’d stare back at you too, but I’m driving. We both can’t die," he said casually.

Oh God. My face burned instantly and I whipped my gaze away.

"Great. Just great," I muttered under my breath, pinching myself.

"So, you and Luca, huh? You still love him enough to marry him?"

It felt like a slap. For the first time in my twenty-two years of life, I actually questioned my love for Luca Dawson. Had I ever truly loved him? Or had I merely been in love with the idea of loving him?

The thought of marrying him terrified me now, more than it excited me. I’d tried convincing myself that I was overreacting when he told me about Charlotte Sky, maybe it was just a fling, right? And even if it wasn’t, he would still have to come home to me.

But none of those thoughts brought comfort anymore. Something had shifted inside me, something I couldn’t name, and it made me wonder if we had simply grown apart without noticing.

When I finally turned to Damien, I answered quietly, “I don’t have a choice. I’m going to marry him.”

He nodded and looked back at the road. His expression was as unreadable as ever, but I could swear there was something there, some emotion I couldn’t identify.

“I believe you do have a choice,” he said softly. “You just don’t want one.”

I stayed silent, not because I was offended, but because he was right. Completely right. And I had nothing to defend myself with.

“Damien…” His name felt strange in my mouth. It hit me then, it was the first time I had ever called him by his name.

He seemed taken aback too, but he answered. “Yeah?”

“Aren’t you bothered that your younger brother is getting married before you? Do you… have anyone in your life that you like? Love?”

The question surprised him, I saw it clearly in his eyes. Honestly, it surprised me too. I didn’t even know where the thought came from.

He let out a low chuckle. “I’m not bothered. And I do love someone.”

My heart raced...and then it ached. A familiar kind of hurt, sharp and unreasonable. I didn’t understand why. Why would that pain spark just because he said he loved someone?

The car slowed to a stop. Damien looked at me, calm and unreadable as ever.

“Just someone I can’t have... Loving her feels wrong.,” he murmured, almost to himself, but I heard it.

I stepped out of the car, his words echoing in my head.

He loved someone.

And it was someone he couldn’t have.

Well… that was definitely not the turn I expected.