CHAPTER ELEVEN - THE PROPOSAL

The morning light did nothing to soften the night before.Amara sat at the edge of her bed, fingers clenched around the phone she hadn’t been able to stop staring at. The image of Vanessa - bruised, terrified, and the shadow behind her that looked too much like Damian - had looped through her mind until sleep became impossible.She hadn’t told him. Couldn’t.Every time she thought of confronting him, her chest tightened with something between fear and confusion.A knock sounded at her door.“Miss Amara,” the maid’s voice came softly. “Mr. Cole wants to see you. In the study.”Her stomach twisted.Of course he did.She washed her face, put on the calmest version of herself she could find, and walked down the long corridor that seemed quieter than usual. The house felt different these days - polished on the surface, hollow underneath.Damian was already standing when she entered. His tie was sharp, his sleeves rolled, and the faint scent of his cologne hit her like muscle memory. He did

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CHAPTER TWELVE – THE DECISION

Amara didn’t touch the contract for hours.It sat there on the table like something alive, watching her every move, whispering in the back of her mind each time she tried to walk away. She’d made coffee she didn’t drink, paced the length of the living room, even opened the window just to remind herself the world outside still existed.Nothing helped.The house was too quiet, the kind of silence that hummed under your skin. She caught herself listening for footsteps - for him - but Damian hadn’t appeared since he’d left her standing there.Part of her wanted him to come back.Part of her prayed he wouldn’t.By noon, she found herself in the garden. The sky was pale, the air heavy with the scent of wet grass. She sat on the edge of the stone fountain, staring at her reflection rippling in the water.She thought about Vanessa - about the bruises, the terror in her eyes. About the message that said he’s lying.And then she thought about Damian’s voice the night before. Low. Controlled. Un

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN - SIGNED IN SILENCE

The pen clattered against the table when she finally dropped it.Amara stared at her signature - black ink curling at the bottom of the page, sealing something she couldn’t yet name. Her hand trembled, her chest felt hollow, and a strange numbness spread through her. It was done.She didn’t know whether to laugh or scream.The air seemed to shift, as though the house itself had been waiting for her choice. Somewhere upstairs, she heard footsteps - slow, steady, deliberate. She didn’t need to see him to know who it was.Damian always moved like someone who already owned the ground he walked on.The door opened without a knock.He took in the scene - the contract on the table, the pen beside it, her shaking hands. His expression didn’t change, but something in his shoulders eased, barely perceptible.“So,” he said quietly. “You signed.”She looked up, the words sharp on her tongue. “Congratulations. You win.”He didn’t flinch. “It’s not a game, Amara.”“Could’ve fooled me.”Damian stepp

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Semua Bab IN THE SHADOW OF DESIRE : Bab 11 - Bab 13

CHAPTER ELEVEN - THE PROPOSAL

CHAPTER TWELVE – THE DECISION

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - SIGNED IN SILENCE