5

At the club party, Assistant Brown sat not far from Damian. He glanced at his phone.

[Young Lady has arrived and entered the room.]

He slipped the phone back into his jacket.

"Damian, how do you like your wedding party?" asked one of the guests-another young entrepreneur.

Damian raised his glass slightly. The woman beside him hurried to take it and place it in his hand.

Damian didn't drink alcohol. While everyone else downed champagne, his glass held only cold water.

"Why don't you get married too, if you're so curious?"

The group laughed.

Damian reached out, brushing the hair of the woman next to him. She gasped at the unexpected contact.

Her cheeks flushed. She stared at him in awe, full of admiration and longing-but she didn't dare touch him. She didn't have the courage.

Rumors said Damian slept with a different woman every night, but in truth, the women around him rarely got close. They could sit beside him, pour his drinks, laugh at his jokes-but that was all.

And still, they all wanted him.

Laughter still rippled through the luxurious room, blending with the mellow voice of a woman singing on stage. The guests, relaxed and sipping their drinks, chatted idly as soft music filled the air.

Assistant Brown rose from his seat when he heard a disturbance near the door. Before he could take a step, the doors burst open with a loud bang.

A woman stormed in, two bodyguards trailing behind her nervously.

"Apologies, Sir. Miss Clarissa refused to stay outside," one of them murmured, their heads bowed low in apology.

"You two can't even handle a single girl?" Brown's expression darkened as he strode toward them.

"We're sorry, Sir-"

"Get out of the way." Clarissa shoved past them, shooting Brown a disgusted glare before marching straight into the private room.

All eyes followed her as she approached Damian's seat. Her gaze burned holes through the two women sitting beside him. In her mind, she was already clawing their faces.

"You lowly women!" she sneered. "Get away from Brother Damian. You don't deserve to sit next to him!"

Everyone in the room knew who Clarissa was. Once, perhaps, she could have said anything and gotten away with it-but tonight, the air was different. They looked at Damian, waiting for his reaction.

"Miss Clarissa, please step outside," Brown said, his voice firm. "You're disrupting the atmosphere."

"Yeah, Clarissa. Don't make a scene. This is Damian's night," another guest added.

"This isn't the time or place for tantrums."

Clarissa ignored them all. She strode forward and grabbed the arms of the women seated at Damian's sides. "You sit here pretending to enjoy this, but you're not even allowed to touch him! What's the point of you?!"

"Miss!" Brown stepped forward, ready to intervene.

"Everyone out."

The entire room fell silent at Damian's words. Without hesitation, guests stood and began filing out. The women followed quickly, heads down. Only Brown lingered.

"You too, Brown," Damian added coldly.

Brown gave a respectful bow, shooting Clarissa one last warning glare before leaving.

A faint smirk curled on Clarissa's lips as the door shut behind him.

"Get me a drink," Damian said lazily, his voice flat.

Clarissa hurried to pour soda into a glass and handed it to him, then sat close at his side.

Damian took a long sip.

"Don't cross the line," he warned.

"Brother Damian-"

"You know Brown won't hold back next time."

Clarissa's face twisted. "Why did you marry that country bumpkin? You don't love her. You married her to spite my sister, didn't you?"

Damian leaned back and exhaled. "Come here," he said, crooking a finger at her.

Clarissa obeyed. In an instant, Damian's face was just inches from hers. His fingers brushed against her lips.

"Do you want to replace your sister?"

Her heart nearly stopped. She could smell the soda on his breath, feel the heat of his skin. Her eyes fluttered shut, lips parting slightly in anticipation.

"Come in, Brown," Damian said calmly, voice loud enough to be heard outside.

Clarissa's eyes snapped open, her face flushing with shame. Damian had already leaned back in his seat.

The door opened, and Brown entered.

"Take her away."

"No! Brother Damian!" Clarissa cried, grabbing his arm.

"Stop this rudeness!" Brown snapped, his patience gone. He seized her arm firmly.

"Let go, you idiot! Don't touch me!" Clarissa shrieked, but Brown didn't let go.

Damian poured himself another drink and didn't even glance in her direction.

"Let me go!"

Brown shoved her out the door.

"Take her home. She's not allowed back in here," Damian ordered.

"Yes, Young Master." The guards moved swiftly to block her path as she tried to storm back in.

"You'll regret this, Brown!" Clarissa shrieked. "When my sister gets back with Damian, you'll be kicked to the streets!"

"I look forward to that day, Miss," Brown replied with a cold smile, before turning away and leaving her screaming behind him.

...

Meanwhile...

Livia stirred in her sleep, eyes fluttering open. For a second, she wasn't sure if she had been dreaming-someone had shouted her name in the distance.

Still drowsy, she yawned and rubbed her eyes.

Knock knock.

"Young Lady, can you wake up now?"

Livia groaned quietly. 'What time is it?'

She dragged herself out of bed and shuffled to the door. The servant who had led her to the room the night before stood waiting.

"Sorry to wake you, Young Lady."

"What's wrong?" she asked groggily.

"The Young Master has returned. He's at the main gate."

"And...?"

"We must welcome him home."

'What?! Welcome him? At this hour?!'

She wanted to protest, but couldn't. With an inward curse, she followed the servant downstairs, yawning and clutching the railing as if her life depended on it.

At the front door, she leaned against the frame, half asleep again.

SCREECH!

Livia jerked awake at the sound of a car braking. Assistant Brown stepped out to open the door for Damian.

***