CHAPTER 3

Naomi barely felt the elevator descend. Her pulse thundered louder than the hum of the machinery, her thoughts a chaotic mess of regret, confused desire, and passion to get more, she had to control herself. Whoever made women inferior.

She had meant to walk away and be done for good. But her body still ached for Ethan’s touch, her skin still burned where his fingers had lingered. Worse, her heart still wanted him. What does one do when the spirit is willing, but the heart does not wish to let go?

The doors slid open, revealing the sleek marble lobby of Carter Enterprises. Naomi forced herself to step forward, past the knowing glances of the receptionists who had seen her come and go too many times before.

As she pushed through the glass doors into the crisp morning air, her phone buzzed twice.

She pulled it out, expecting a message from Ethan. But it wasn’t him.

Instead, it was Damian.

Damian: Brunch today? I missed you last night.

Guilt coiled in her stomach, cold and suffocating. She had ignored his calls, ignored the promises she had made to herself. Damian was supposed to be her fresh start, the safe choice, the man who wasn’t Ethan Carter.

Her fingers hovered over the screen.

Naomi: Sure. I’ll see you soon.

She had barely sent the message when another text arrived.

Damian: By the way, I stopped by your place earlier. We need to talk.

Naomi’s breath hitched. Damian never just stopped by. He was calculated, always five steps ahead, and whenever he said we needed to talk, it was never good, she had always known how he acted since her high school days.

A sense of unease prickled at the back of her neck. “Whatever,” she said.

With a deep breath, she hailed a cab, knowing full well that brunch with Damian would be far from casual.

As the cab arrived at her location, she alighted and gave a glance at the building, she had already taken so much time than she realized, until the driver stuck his head out of the window to call her back into reality. “Ma’am, I’m still waiting, he said”.

“I’m sorry, please forgive me. I got caught up in appreciating this place. A nice place for brunch, yeah ”

Without much hesitation, she slipped her hand into her purse, reached out for a couple of dollars, and handed it over to the cab driver before he zoomed off.

The café was elegant, tucked into one of the city’s wealthiest districts. Damian had already secured a table by the window, sipping his espresso like a man who had never once questioned his own power.

Naomi slid into the seat across from him, offering a smile that she hoped masked her turmoil, after walking past several couples chatting over tables.

"You look stunning," Damian said, his smooth voice dripping with approval. His dark blue suit was perfectly tailored, his blond hair styled to perfection, and every detail of him meticulously controlled. "Though I have to say, you’re looking a little… tired."

Naomi’s stomach clenched.

She reached for her coffee, feigning nonchalance. "Long night."

Damian’s smile didn’t falter, but his eyes sharpened. "At your apartment?"

Her grip tightened on the cup. "Where else?" She replied in a swift nonchalant manner.

Damian leaned forward, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass. "I went by this morning. Your bed was untouched."

Cold washed through her veins.

She had forgotten how meticulous he was. How he noticed things.

Naomi forced a casual shrug. "I crashed at Patricia’s."

Damian hummed, tapping his fingers against the table. "Did you ?"

Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken accusations.

Then, Damian leaned back, his lips curving into a knowing smirk. "You were with him, weren’t you?"

Naomi’s heart slammed against her ribs, but she kept her face neutral. "You’re being paranoid, unrealistic even."

Damian chuckled, shaking his head. "I know you, Naomi. I know your habits. And I know that after a fight, you go running back to him like an addict chasing their last hit."

Her breath hitched.

Damian reached for her hand, his touch deceptively gentle. "You promised me, Naomi. You said you were done with him. And yet, here we are again."

She tried to pull away, but his grip tightened just enough to make a point.

"I won’t let him take you back," Damian murmured, his voice soft but laced with steel. "I’ve worked too hard to keep you away from him. I won’t let you ruin everything, I want you to stay with me."

Naomi’s stomach twisted with unease. "Worked too hard? What the hell does that mean?"

Damian smiled, but there was no warmth in it. Only possession. Only control.

"You’ll see soon enough, darling."

Naomi left brunch feeling like she had just stepped into a carefully laid trap which Damian knew. Maybe he had known for longer than she realized.

She needed to talk to Ethan. They had to stop seeing.

With her heart in her throat, she pulled out her phone and dialed his number.

He picked up on the second ring. "Naomi." He spoke up.

Hearing his voice sent an electric jolt through her, and she hated how much she had missed it in just a few hours.

"We need to talk," she said. Trying to lock up her emotions.

A pause. Then, his voice, dark and knowing: "I thought we were done, ehh. What is it this time?"

Naomi exhaled shakily. "It’s Damian. I think he…"

But before she could finish, a new call came through. Unknown Number.

Her stomach lurched.

"Hold on, Ethan," she said, switching over. "Hello?"

A slow, mocking chuckle filled the line.

"Naomi," Damian’s voice purred, smooth as silk and sharp as a knife. "You really shouldn’t be calling your ex-husband when your fiancé is watching."

Ice shot through her veins.

She turned her head slowly, scanning the street.

Then, she saw it.

A sleek black car parked across the street. A familiar silhouette sat in the driver’s seat.

Damian was watching her.

She disliked this so much