All Chapters of BOUND BY DECEIT : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Amaya wasn’t sure why she even bothered going to the drawing room today. She had told herself she would focus on her cases, on her work, on anything but Damian. But somehow, she ended up walking down the long, echoing hallway anyway, her heels clicking softly against the polished marble floors. Every step felt heavier than the last, weighed down by the memories of yesterday and the stupid spark between her and Damian that she was trying so hard to ignore.When she entered the room, she froze.Nancy was already there. Leaning against the table like she owned the place, smiling in that way that made Amaya want to punch something. Her hair was perfectly straight, her clothes perfectly fitted, and her presence perfectly… infuriating.“Ah, Amaya,” Nancy said, voice syrupy sweet. “Just the person I wanted to see.”Amaya’s stomach twisted. She didn’t like this woman. Not one bit. Nancy had this way of looking at her, like she was measuring her, judging her, poking at her insecurities.“I… I

The house felt emptier than usual that evening. Amaya walked through the long hallways, heels clicking softly against the polished floors. Every step echoed, reminding her that despite the warmth of the sun outside, the mansion had a cold, quiet weight to it. Damian had gone into his study hours ago, muttering something about paperwork that could wait for no one, and she wasn’t sure if she should be relieved or more anxious.She paused by one of the tall windows, looking out at the sprawling gardens, the orange glow of sunset washing over the fountains. It should have been beautiful. And part of it was. But her mind was elsewhere. Thoughts of Damian, of Nancy, of everything in between, twisted her stomach into knots.She hated that she thought about him this much. She hated that she wanted his attention, even if it came with his cold, sharp edge. But she couldn’t help it. No matter how much she tried to push him out of her mind, he lingered. Like a shadow she couldn’t shake.Her phone

Amaya woke up feeling unusually tired, but there was a strange lightness in her chest that she hadn’t felt in a long time. She stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, sunlight sneaking through the curtains, and took a slow, shaky breath. The last few days had been a whirlwind—arguments, confrontations, and moments she couldn’t quite process—but today, for some reason, she felt… calmer.Part of her wanted to stay under the covers and hide from the world, to pretend everything was normal and that Damian, Nancy, and all the tension didn’t exist. But another part of her—the part she hated admitting—wanted to face him. Not with anger, not with fear, but with… something else.She dressed quickly, trying not to think too much, and walked into the kitchen. The house was quiet. Too quiet. Normally, Damian’s presence filled every corner, even when he wasn’t around. Today, though, it felt different.“Morning,” she called out softly.No answer. She frowned. He usually would respond immediately, may

Amaya had barely recovered from the morning’s discoveries when Nancy appeared. She didn’t knock. She didn’t wait. She simply walked in as if she owned the place, her heels clicking against the polished floor, her smile sharp and fake, like a blade hidden behind silk.“Good morning, Amaya,” Nancy said, voice dripping with sweetness that didn’t reach her eyes. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”Amaya looked up from her papers, irritation flashing immediately. “You are,” she said bluntly. She didn’t rise from her chair. Nancy’s presence made her chest tighten, reminded her of every time Nancy had undermined her, of every cruel little thing she had whispered behind Amaya’s back.Nancy tilted her head, feigning hurt. “Oh, I see. Still angry, I suppose? I’d be angry too if I lived in such a… tense environment.” She glanced around the room, her eyes landing on Damian’s chair as if he had disappeared. “Is your husband around?”Amaya’s hands tightened around the papers. “He’s busy,” she said car

Amaya had barely settled back into the mansion when the weight of everything hit her all at once. Miguel’s warnings, Nancy’s schemes, Damian’s cold yet unreadable expressions—all of it crowded her mind, making it nearly impossible to think straight. She wandered through the halls, her steps quiet against the polished floor, feeling like a ghost in a house that wasn’t truly hers.Her thoughts drifted to Damian. He had been distant and guarded for so long, yet lately there were moments—tiny flashes—when he seemed almost… human. Moments that made her question everything she thought she knew about him. And now, with Miguel back, she realized just how tangled her emotions were. Confused. Frustrated. Hurt. Yet… a part of her still longed for him, no matter how dangerous he could be.She paused outside the study, listening. The door was slightly ajar, and inside she could see Damian sitting behind the desk, papers scattered around him, his expression unreadable. She hesitated, unsure if she