SHATTERED

“Boss!”

The two hotel security guards froze with their shoulders stiffening the moment they recognized Damien. The unfriendliness in their eyes evaporated, replaced by absolute fear.

“Boss, we we didn’t realize you were here” one stammered his voice shaking.

Damien’s gaze swept over them like a blade. “Shut up.”

The men’s faces drained of color.

“Get out of my sight,” Damien said coldly each word bitten off. “Before I decide you’re next.”

The guards almost fell over each other as they ran away bowing repeatedly, saying apologies before disappearing down the hall.

The sudden silence was choking.

Mrs. Aurora’s eyes moved between Damien and the bodyguards arranged behind him. Each of those men stood tall, their expressions blank radiating the kind of quiet threat that only came from years of loyalty and violence.

Her stomach strangled. This wasn’t just some rich playboy clinging to Vanessa. Whoever he was, he was dangerous... far beyond her imagination.

“You” she hesitated, her voice trebling before she forced a smile “Sir, I think you’ve misunderstood. This was just a small quarrel nothing serious.”

“Small quarrel?” Damien’s tone filled with disdain.

He stepped forward, casually but with an unmistakable dominance, placing himself in front of Vanessa though to shield her.

“You insult her. Accuse her of theft. Order security to drag her out. And now you call it a misunderstanding?”

Mrs. Aurora’s lips trembled. “I..I didn’t mean”

“Save it.”

The iciness in Damien’s eyes made her heart thud painfully.

Seeing how quickly the situation had gone, Mrs. Aurora panicked she removed the necklace from her own neck with trembling fingers and held it out “Here. She can have it back We do not want trouble.”

But before she could hand it over Clara dashed forward with a sneer.

“Mother don’t you dare!” she snapped she snatched the necklace from Mrs. Aurora’s hand and without a second thought she flung it hard onto the marble floor.

Crack!

The sound rang out like a gunshot.

“If we ca not have it,” Clara proclaimed proudly, chin tilted high “then neither can she!”

The world went still.

Vanessa’s breath hitched. Her eyes dropped to the ground.

There, scattered across the shinning floor lay the pendant her father had left her the last keepsake she had clutch to in prison. It was broken shattered into different glittering fragments.

Her knees clasped. She bent down slowly hands shaking as she reached for the pieces. The sharp edges pricked her skin but she did not notice.

Her lips parted. No sound came out.

Damien’s expression darkened his jaw clenched like stone.

He gave a short sharp nod.

Two of his bodyguards stepped forward immediately, grabbing Mrs. Aurora and Clara and slamming them down to the floor.

“What are you doing?!” Mrs. Aurora screamed, waving uselessly under the grip of a man twice her size

Clara screamed thumping Fiercely. “Do you even know who I am?! My brother is Jacob Wilson... the CEO of Wilsons' cooperation! And my future sister-in-law is Lily James, heir of the James' family! Who dares touch me?!”

Her voice cracked into hysteria. “You’ll regret this! You’ll all regret it!”

Vanessa froze, the fragments slipping from her hands.

Jacob. Lily James.

So that was it. The missing pieces of the cruel puzzle clicked together at last.

Her heart twisted painfully.

Damien’s gaze did not quiver his kick connected with Clara’s side in an instant merciless kick, sending her rolling with a cry of pain.

His voice was razor-sharp. “Those two ‘backers’ you’re bragging about? They’re not even qualified to polish my shoes. If I cripple you here and now, they wouldn’t dare breathe a word.”

“Damien” Vanessa’s voice cracked faintly. But he didn’t turn.

Mrs. Aurora scrambled, dragging herself in front of Clara like a shield. Her tone flipped from arrogance to desperate pleading.

“Please! Please, sir she’s still young, just a child. No matter what happened, we were once family. Vanessa, for old times sake please let her go do not destroy her future over a mistake.”

“Mother!” Clara spat, her face contorting in rage. “Stop groveling! You’re humiliating me!”

She struggled against the bodyguard pinning her. “Why are you begging her? Vanessa’s nothing but trash! A criminal! She doesn’t deserve your pity!”

She twisted her neck toward Damien, baring her teeth. “Go on then! Hit me! I dare you! If you touch me, my sister-in-law will crush you! You won’t survive in this city!”

The air itself seemed to tremble as Vanessa rose slowly her fists clenched tight and her palm bleeding from the necklace shards she still gripped. Her steps echoed as she walked forward.

Then Slap! The crack of palm against cheek cut through the silence.

Clara’s head snapped to the side her cheek blooming red she stared at Vanessa in Doubt, stunned and speechless.

Vanessa’s gaze was ice. Her voice low but sharp, carried through the hall.

“That’s for your brother... for failing to teach you the meaning of respect.”

Her tone cut like a knife. “So young, yet already arrogant. Lying. Bullying. Shamelessly throwing names around. You think your brother’s power makes you invisible huh?”

She leaned closer her lips curving in a bitter smile “It does not.”

Clara’s breath hitched.

Vanessa straightened, her cold eyes scanning them both. “For old times’ sake, I’ll let you off this once. But if I ever see you again…” Her hand tightened on the broken shards. “…I won’t hold back.”

Her words dropped like stones.

Without another glance she turned and walked away, her steps firm even though the sharp piece dug deeper into her palm.

Damien immediately moved to her side falling into step beside her without hesitation.

Behind them Clara finally found her voice again.

“You useless ex-con!” she shrieked hoarsely, her voice cracking. “Acting tough now? Don’t run! Come back and fight me if you have got the nerves!”

Mrs. Aurora clamped a hand over her daughter’s mouth, her face pale with terror. “Shut up, you fool! Do you want to die here?!”

But Vanessa didn’t look back.

Her shoulders remained straight. Her figure grew smaller with each step until she and Damien disappeared around the corner leaving only silence fear and the scattered pieces of the past spread on the floor.