Chapter Three: Is she his lover?

Bella 

I followed behind them quietly, though my steps gradually slowed.

By the time I reached the guest room, Damien had already helped Anna onto the bed.

He lowered her carefully, one arm supporting her back while the other remained around her waist. Even after she was seated comfortably, he didn’t move away immediately.

Instead, he crouched in front of her.

His attention never wavered.

His brows remained furrowed as his hands moved carefully around her ankle, checking for injuries with a patience that made my heart ache. 

There was a tenderness in his movements that felt unfamiliar.

Painfully unfamiliar.

Even his breathing seemed restrained, as though he was forcing himself to remain calm for her sake.

Every small sound Anna made drew his attention instantly and when she winced softly, his entire expression tightened even more.

It was such a simple thing. But I couldn’t stop looking because I had never seen him like this before.

A memory surfaced suddenly.

I remembered lying on the floor in pain, struggling to sit upright while tears blurred my vision. I remembered reaching for him.

The way he looked at me could be described in two words.

Cold. Detached.

I could still hear his voice telling me that I was overreacting. Back then, I had accepted it. I had convinced myself that this was simply who Damien was.

Damien was reserved, difficult to read and a man who cared differently.

I had spent years making excuses for him until those excuses became truths I genuinely believed.

But now, watching him fuss over Anna’s twisted ankle as though it were the most important thing in the world, those truths were beginning to crumble.

Because this wasn’t a man incapable of showing concern. This wasn’t a man who struggled with affection.

He was perfectly capable of both.

I simply wasn’t the person he wanted to give them to.

The realization settled heavily in my chest and I swallowed against the lump forming in my throat before clearing it softly.

“What happened?”

My voice sounded distant to my own ears. Neither of them seemed to notice. Damien remained focused entirely on Anna.

“She twisted her ankle.”

His response was brief as though speaking to me shouldn’t require any further effort.

I took a slow breath.

“Let me have a look.”

That finally made him glance at me.

“I studied physiotherapy,” I explained. “I should be able to tell if it’s serious.”

For a moment, he hesitated before standing and moving aside.

I lowered myself down and reached for Anna’s ankle.

The moment my fingers touched her skin, I immediately became confused.

There was no swelling or any visible bruising. I gently rotated her ankle, checking for signs of injury.

Still nothing.

My frown deepened. Had she simply twisted it slightly?

Before I could think further, Anna suddenly let out a sharp cry.

“It hurts so much.”

Damien’s expression darkened and he forcefully yanked me backward.

“You clearly don’t know what you’re doing, did you offer to help just so you could hurt her even more?”

His voice came out harsher than I had ever heard before.

The anger in it stunned me so much that my mouth opened and closed countless times.  I lowered my gaze, chest heaving and silently turned to leave.

When I returned to our bedroom, I sat on the edge of the bed and waited. I told myself Damien would come back eventually.

That once he was certain Anna was alright, he would return. Minutes passed. Then hours.

The silence stretched endlessly around me until exhaustion eventually dragged me under.

When I opened my eyes again, sunlight was filtering through the curtains.

For a moment, I simply stared at the ceiling. Then my gaze drifted towards the empty side of the bed.

The sheets remained untouched and cold. 

He hadn’t come back all night?

Slowly, I climbed out of bed and headed downstairs.

The scent of coffee greeted me before I even reached the kitchen. Damien stood by the counter preparing breakfast.

The domestic sight should have felt comforting.

Instead, it only reminded me of the empty space beside me last night.

“You didn’t come back last night?” I asked calmly. 

He glanced at me, his eyes softer now—softer in a way that made the ache in my chest loosen just slightly.

“I stayed with Anna for a while. By the time everything settled down, it was already late. I didn’t want to wake you, so I slept downstairs.”

A small warmth spread through my chest despite everything.

“I actually didn’t sleep early,” I admitted. “I was waiting for you. You could’ve woken me, I wouldn’t have minded.”

He nodded slightly. And for a moment, I even felt a pang of sympathy for him.

After breakfast, we were ready to leave for the company, when Anna appeared, following us. I wondered why, but didn’t ask any questions.

When we got to the car, she plopped herself directly into the front seat beside Damien.

My brow furrowed. “Anna, that’s my seat,” I said, my voice already edged with frustration. 

Anna blinked innocently. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

Yet there wasn’t a trace of apology in her expression.

She continued sweetly. “I’m used to sitting beside my brother. So I just subconsciously came to sit here. I would have gone to the back but it would be too painful to switch since my ankle hasn’t healed.”

My patience thinned. 

“If your ankle hurts that much, shouldn’t you be resting at home?”

Her smile never faltered.

“Mum asked me to come observe things at the company. But you really don’t want me to sit here then I will go to the back.”

Before I could answer, Damien spoke.

“It’s just a seat.” His tone was flat and impatient. “Stop making a fuss and sit in the back.”

I pressed my lips together. Without another word, I opened the rear door and climbed into the backseat.

The drive that followed was painfully quiet.

When we arrived at the company, Damien was already reaching for his suit jacket.

“Go ahead first,” he said casually. “I’ll come up after.”

Right… we were in a secret marriage so we weren’t supposed to come in together. 

I entered the building alone and headed towards my office. The moment I sat down, I reached for the Vega project files.

But the folder was empty. Confused, I turned towards Lana, a colleague of mine. 

“What happened to the Vega project files?”

She hesitated a bit and her expression turned awkward. 

“Oh. Didn’t anyone tell you?”

A bad feeling settled heavily inside me.

“The project was reassigned this morning. Mr. Damien approved the transfer yesterday.

Before I could fully process that, movement beyond the glass partition caught my attention.

Anna was walking beside Damien. Her arm was looped casually through his. She was smiling and leaning close enough that her shoulder brushed his.

Meanwhile, Damien appeared completely comfortable with the contact. The sight sent something cold through me. A chair shifted behind me.

Lana leaned closer and her voice dropped into a whisper.

“Who is she?” 

Curiosity sparkled in her eyes. Then she glanced between them again.

“Oh my God. Is she his lover?”