Chapter 5

Her words lingered long after the silence swallowed them.

Damian's POV:

I wasn’t sure if she meant to tease me or warn me — but either way, I was already in too deep. The way she looked at me, with that blend of mystery and quiet defiance, did something to me. For the first time in a long while, I wasn’t the one in control.

I tried to laugh it off, to push back the weight of what I was feeling, but her eyes held me still. That night wasn’t supposed to mean anything — it was meant to distract me, to make me forget. Yet here I was, remembering every second.

"We'll finish what we came here for" I said giving her a mischievious smile, the demon in me had woken.

In a second, I grabbed Aria to the bed, taking her silver silk gown from her. I could hear her soft breath lightly over her skin.

Her skin stood flawlessly, smooth and perfect, shining bright like glass. Before she should realize it, I grabbed her soft, plump lips into mine. The kiss lingered and left us panting lightly.

"Something is off' I muttered.

"What is it?" She asked her eyes were fixed on me while, hands carressing my skin softly

"The light!"I didn't waste a second I switched it off immediately. Her bare body poured its shape into the whole mattress like a masterpece's work.

 

"You are beautiful " I said brushing her lips intimately.

 

"You are such a fine man, you must have been trained well," She replied, admiring my biceps.

 

"Well, my dad was strict to his bones," I chuckled the tension easing

"Maybe you have his traits" She teased, her grin wide and playful.

I laughed. She had seen through my polished exterior, the CEO title, to the man still scarred by Lila, she was indeed something. No one else had done that. Not in years.

I leaned closer my forehead resting against hers.

"Why do you do this, Aria? You're so...... different. You don't belong here"

"It's just a means to end it" she said quietly.

"College, my family—they need me to keep going.”

“Then why does it feel like you’re running from something?” The question slipped out, bolder than I meant.

Her eyes flickered with something. "You don't know me, Damian," she whispered,but her voice lacked conviction.

"I want to," I said, surprising to myself.

"This doesn't have to be one night"

She shook her head, pulling back slightly. “The agency doesn’t allow it. You know that.”

 

“Rules can be broken,” I countered, my voice firm. “I’m not letting you disappear.”

 

Her gaze softened, she reached out for her gown, slipping it back on with practiced grace.

"The time is far spent," she said. I stared at the clock, realizing that it was five in the morning, and we hadn't done what we had agreed on. That's off. Aria doesn't belong with this rubbish agency. The time i would spend with her is over.

“You’re a good man, Damian. Don’t get caught up in someone like me.”

Before I could argue, she stood, grabbing her purse. A small card fell to the floor, it's her student ID her name printed in bold Aria Hawthorn. She didn't notice but I did

A clue. My heart raced at the possibility.

“Aria, wait—” I started, but she was already at the door"

“Goodbye, Damian,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The door clicked shut behind her.

I stood frozen. My eyes stared at the ID card on the floor, it was my only trace to her. I sank onto the bed, her scent still lingering on the sheets.

Lila’s betrayal had broken me, but Aria… she was a spark I couldn’t let fade.

My phone buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts.

It's Kace, my assistant.

“Sir, we have a problem. The new contract—the board’s panicking. Someone’s leaking our bid details to your rival. They’re undercutting us.” she said panicking.

I froze the ID still in my hands.

"How bad is it?" I asked, trying to control my emotions

“Bad,” Kace said. “If we don’t act fast, we could lose millions. The board’s calling an emergency meeting. Now!”

"I'll be there" I stood on my feet grabbing my shirt.

I stared at Aria's ID.

What could this be? Is this is a setup? My rival, the one Lila married!