Chapter 6

Over the next few days, Clair began to trust Damien more.

What had started with one lunch slowly became something she hadn’t expected.

Whenever she felt overwhelmed, Damien was the person she found herself turning to. Sometimes it was for something as simple as advice, and other times, she just needed someone to listen.

And Damien always listened.

He became a safe space for her.

Someone she could talk to without feeling judged.

Someone who made her feel heard.

It was a feeling she had been missing in her marriage.

With Caleb, she was constantly questioning herself. She wondered if she was too demanding, too emotional, or simply not enough for him. But around Damien, she never felt like she had to prove herself.

She could simply be herself.

Clair began noticing the little things about him too.

His patience.

His kindness.

The way he remembered things she casually mentioned.

The way he always seemed to know when something was wrong, even when she insisted she was fine.

Once, she had mentioned in passing that she hated overly sweet coffee.

The following morning, Damien handed her a cup without sugar.

She stared at it in surprise.

“You remembered?”

Damien shrugged casually.

“You told me once.”

Clair smiled.

“Most people don’t remember things like that.”

“I remember things that matter.”

The words stayed with her longer than she expected.

Without realizing it, Damien had become her comfort zone.

And Damien noticed.

He felt a quiet sense of satisfaction every time Clair came to him.

His plan was working.

But there was nothing romantic behind his kindness.

He didn’t love Clair.

He didn’t have feelings for her.

He was using her.

Every conversation, every comforting word, every moment he made her feel special was part of the plan.

He knew that the more Clair trusted him, the more emotionally dependent she would become.

And that was exactly what he wanted.

He wanted to become the person she ran to whenever Caleb hurt her.

The person she trusted.

The person she couldn’t imagine being without.

Because once he had that place in her life, destroying Caleb would be easier.

At least, that was what Damien told himself.

One afternoon, Clair stood in front of her mirror, struggling with the back of her dress.

She twisted around, trying to reach the zipper, but it wouldn’t move.

“Come on,” she muttered under her breath.

She tried again.

Still nothing.

She sighed in frustration.

Just then, the door opened.

Damien appeared.

“Need some help?”

Clair turned around, slightly startled.

“Oh, yes. Please.”

Damien walked over and carefully pulled the zipper up for her.

“There.”

Clair looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

It was such a small thing, but Clair felt strangely touched by it.

She looked at Damien through the mirror.

“You always seem to show up when I need help.”

Damien smiled.

“Maybe I’m just lucky with my timing.”

Clair laughed softly.

“Maybe.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Clair looked at herself in the mirror, then at Damien standing behind her.

There was something different about being around him.

Something she couldn’t quite explain.

She quickly looked away.

“I’m ready now.”

Damien nodded.

“Good.”

He stepped away and left the room.

Clair watched him disappear through the doorway.

A small smile remained on her face.

She didn’t understand why.

She simply knew that whenever Damien was around, things somehow felt easier.

Damien returned to his room afterward, closing the door behind him.

He sat down on the edge of his bed and thought about what had just happened.

He should have felt pleased.

Everything was going according to plan.

Clair trusted him now.

She was beginning to depend on him.

But instead of feeling victorious, Damien found himself thinking about something else.

The way she had looked at him.

The way she had smiled.

The warmth in her eyes.

For a moment, he wondered what would happen if she actually fell for him.

He immediately pushed the thought away.

This wasn’t about Clair.

It was about Caleb.

Revenge was the goal.

And Damien would not allow himself to forget that.

He leaned back against the headboard and stared at the ceiling.

He had spent years watching Caleb get everything he wanted.

Their father’s approval.

The company.

The freedom to make mistakes without consequences.

And now Caleb had something else Damien could take from him.

His wife.

Damien’s jaw tightened.

He wasn’t going to let himself become distracted by feelings.

Not when he was finally so close to getting what he wanted.

Caleb, meanwhile, had begun noticing the change in his wife.

Clair wasn’t the same anymore.

She seemed happier whenever she was around Damien.

She smiled more.

She talked to him more.

And whenever something bothered her, Damien seemed to be the first person she went to.

Caleb couldn’t understand it.

At first, he tried to ignore it.

Maybe he was imagining things.

Maybe Clair was simply getting along better with his brother.

But the more he watched, the harder it became to convince himself.

One evening, he finally decided to ask her.

“Clair.”

She turned toward him.

“Yes?”

“Is something going on?”

She frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve been acting differently lately.”

Clair looked away.

“I’m fine.”

“You keep saying that.”

Caleb studied her face.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Clair shook her head.

“No. Nothing is going on.”

Caleb wasn’t convinced.

He watched her quietly for a moment.

There was something different about her.

Something he couldn’t put his finger on.

She wasn’t as withdrawn as she had been before.

She laughed more.

She seemed lighter.

And strangely enough, she seemed happier.

But that happiness didn’t seem to come from him.

Caleb swallowed.

“Is it Damien?”

Clair’s eyes immediately flickered toward him.

Only for a second.

But Caleb noticed.

“What about Damien?” she asked.

Caleb stared at her.

“I didn’t say anything about him.”

Clair’s expression changed.

“I know. I just…”

She stopped.

Caleb stepped closer.

“You just what?”

“Nothing.”

He continued watching her.

For the first time, a disturbing thought entered his mind.

Was there something happening between his wife and his brother?

He immediately pushed the thought away.

No.

That couldn’t be possible.

Damien hated him.

And Clair was his wife.

But then why did it feel like something was changing?

Caleb looked at her again.

“Are you sure there’s nothing you’re not telling me?”

Clair forced a smile.

“I’m sure.”

Caleb nodded slowly.

“Okay.”

But he didn’t believe her.

Not completely.

And for the first time, Caleb began to wonder if there was something—or someone—he didn’t know about.