CHAPTER 57: JUST DON'T STOPKIMBERLY:I wasn’t sure how my hands moved but before I knew it, my fingers were combing through Damien's hair as he deepened the kiss.I moved my body closer to his and the world behind us fell silent, as though it understood we needed space to breathe. There was no interruptions as his eyes met mine, intense yet soft, flickering with unspoken words and untamed emotion.I didn’t speak. There was no need to say anything. And maybe that was the strange beauty of being with Damien. Sometimes, silence felt more intimate than any whispered confession.He pulled me closer as if he wanted to absorb my body into his.“Kim…” His voice was low, husky, and definitely seductive.“Yes?” I breathed, barely able to form words.His hand reached up and brushed a stray curl behind my ear. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”I tried to smile, but something about his gaze made my chest tighten. “I could ask you the same thing.”He chuckled softly, that deep, velvet soun
CHAPTER 56: THAT STRANGE HUGKIMBERLY:Damien walked slightly ahead of me, his hand resting gently on the small of my back. But even his touch couldn’t distract me from the turmoil in my heart.Whenever I came in contact with my father. James Walker, I always ended up being embarrassed. He made sure to remind me that I was an unwanted child. Him and my mum were very young and didn't plan on having me. But I came, anyway. And I haven't heard the end of it.As we walked into the Carter family living room, I saw my father sitting like he belonged there. Seated beside him were Kelvin Carter, Damien's father, and Barbra, Damien's overly-involved stepmother.I froze.My stomach twisted as if I had just swallowed ice. My dad, the same man who had never visited me without an agenda, was now rising to his feet, arms opening as he approached me with what looked like warmth. That was new. That wasn’t like him.And I couldn't help but frown."Kim," he said, pulling me into an unexpected hug. I
CHAPTER 55: KIM'S BRILLIANT IDEA DAMIEN:I read the email, sighed and continued working. It was nearly 6:15 PM when a gentle knock landed on my office door. I looked up from my laptop, still brooding over the email sitting open on my screen. The subject line alone had been enough to piss me off: "Support Barbra's Initiative – From Your Father, Kelvin Carter."The door creaked open slightly, and Kim's head poked in."Hey," she said, smiling softly. "Mind if I come in?"I forced a half-smile. "Of course not. You don’t need permission to come into my office."She stepped in, closing the door behind her. She had changed out of her blazer, leaving her in a sleek cream blouse tucked into black pencil skirt. She wore minimal makeup which had almost faded away. Her hair was up in a soft bun but she still managed to look like she owned the damn company."You don’t look happy," she said, taking the seat across from my desk.I leaned back in my chair and sighed, raking a hand through my hair."
CHAPTER 54: BARBRA HAS A NEW PLAN DAMIEN:I shut the door behind me with a thud and let out a frustrated sigh. I dropped into my chair and loosened my tie, staring blankly at the phone in front of me. I considered ignoring that call, but it kept vibrating. Reluctantly, I picked it up and answered, trying to mask the irritation still lingering in my tone.“Barbra.”“Oh, good. You finally picked up,” she said quickly, without so much as a greeting. “I’ve been thinking—Carter Corporation needs a Fashion and Lifestyle Department.”I blinked. “A what?”“You know, Fashion. Style. Couture. Every top conglomerate is diversifying. I have someone really talented in mind to run it too. Young, talented. Very passionate.”“And this is something that couldn’t wait until I got home?” I asked, already rubbing the bridge of my nose.“You don’t understand, Damien,” she said, her voice slightly clipped. “We need to move quickly on this. I’ve already set up a few informal interviews and made preliminar
CHAPTER 53: THE HEAD OF ANALYTICSDAMIEN:Kim and I came to the office together as we have been doing these past couple of days. The morning sun filtered through the tinted windows of my office, casting a warm glow on the glass table as I reviewed the presentation notes. Today was a special day for me. Kim was finally going to be introduced as the Head of Analytics in Carter Corporation. I walked to her office and stared at her. She was seated at her desk, eyes focused on her screen, completely unaware of how captivating she looked in that soft lavender blouse tucked into a sleek black pencil skirt. Her hair was pulled into a low ponytail, elegant and understated, just like her."You ready?" I asked, stepping closer to her desk.She looked up, a little surprised. "For what?"I smirked. "Your official coronation. You start today as Head of Analytics, remember?"Her eyes widened. "You're actually serious about this?""Dead serious," I said, slipping a hand into hers and squeezing gen
CHAPTER 52: FIGHT SMART DAMIEN:As we stepped into my office, something felt off. My desk looked untouched at first glance, but I trusted my instincts. I walked around, opened a few drawers, scanned my monitor, and then accessed the company server—only to discover the files had been tampered with.Not just any files. Confidential financial documents and sensitive projections. My jaw clenched as I sifted through the altered data. It was subtle, but I knew my system like the back of my hand. Only someone with malicious intent could've done this, and only one name came to mind.Roland.The nerve of him to try something so daring..I slammed the drawer shut and leaned on the edge of my desk, trying to control the fury surging through me. My fists curled at my sides."Roland is asking for trouble," I muttered.Kim, who'd been standing quietly a few feet away, immediately walked over. "What did he do?"I looked up at her, eyes blazing. "He tampered with sensitive files and financial forec