Lena couldn't sleep that night.
The words Damien had spoken to You have the ability to destroy everything I've built echoed through her mind like a haunting refrain. What was he really trying to say? Was he warning her? Or was he confessing something darker?
She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing. There was a part of her that wanted to ask him about it, to demand clarity. But there was also a deeper part of her, one she hated for feeling it that was afraid of the answer.
What if she was already in too deep?
The Next Morning
Lena wasn't prepared for the awkward silence that hung between them over breakfast. Damien ate as if nothing had happened, his usual cold composure back in place, but the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Tessa arrived with the day's schedule, handing it over to Damien, who barely acknowledged her presence.
"Anything important today?" Lena asked, breaking the silence.
Damien glanced at her, his gaze guarded. "Nothing you need to worry about."
Lena didn't know why his dismissal stung, but it did.
She sighed and gathered her things to head out, but before she could leave the room, Damien's voice stopped her.
"Lena."
She turned, expecting the same cold tone but there was something different in his eyes. Something softer.
"Are you… okay?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual.
Lena froze. "You're asking me that?"
He looked uncomfortable, like he wasn't sure why he'd even spoken the words. "It's just everything's getting complicated. I don't want you to think I'm… dragging you down with me."
Lena shook her head, her heart hammering in her chest. "Damien, I'm here because I chose to be. I'm not some innocent bystander in your world. I knew exactly what I was getting into."
But the moment the words left her mouth, she realized just how much of a lie they were. She hadn't known. Not really.
Damien didn't say anything. He just nodded, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary before he turned back to the breakfast table.
"Okay," he said quietly.
Later That Day – Blackwood Enterprises
The day dragged on. Lena spent most of it in the office, running through various tasks that had nothing to do with her marriage. She was good at keeping herself busy. It was easier that way.
But as the hours wore on, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming. Damien was acting strange again. He was distant. More than usual. He'd barely spoken to her that afternoon, his eyes constantly fixed on his computer screen or papers, his mind clearly elsewhere.
When the clock struck five, Tessa arrived with an urgent message.
"Damien wants to see you in his office," she said, her voice cautious.
Lena nodded, though her heart rate picked up. What now?
Damien's Office 6:00 PM
Lena knocked softly before entering. Damien was standing by the window, looking out at the city skyline. His posture was rigid, his jaw tight.
"You wanted to see me?" she asked.
He didn't turn around right away. When he finally did, his expression was unreadable, though the tension in the air was palpable.
"I need to go to a meeting with my father tonight," he said, his voice low. "I'll be out for a while."
Lena nodded. "Okay."
She didn't ask about the meeting. She didn't need to. Damien had meetings with his father all the time. But the way he was looking at her like he was seeing her for the first time today was unsettling.
"I'm sorry about earlier," he said after a long silence. "I didn't mean to shut you out."
Lena blinked, taken aback. "It's okay. I get it. You don't owe me explanations."
He was silent for a long moment before stepping closer. His eyes dropped to her lips briefly, but it was enough to make her pulse quicken.
"Damien…" she began, unsure of what she was about to say.
But he cut her off with a single word, his voice so soft it almost felt like a confession.
"Lena…"
And then, without warning, he kissed her.
It was different from any of their previous encounters. It wasn't a kiss born out of duty or public display. It wasn't quick or forced. It was slow. Intentional.
He deepened it, pulling her closer, one hand resting at the small of her back, the other threading through her hair. Her breath hitched as his lips moved against hers, warm and insistent.
For the first time, it felt real.
For the first time, it didn't feel like a contract anymore.
Lena pulled back, her chest heaving. "Damien…"
He stood there, his breathing just as ragged as hers. His eyes were dark shadows of a man she wasn't sure she knew yet.
"I'm not good at this," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "But I'm not pushing you away anymore. I don't want to."
Her heart raced. "Then what do you want?"
Damien met her gaze, his expression conflicted. "I want to stop pretending."
Lena's breath caught. "And what does that mean for us?"
He looked at her for a long moment. "I don't know. But I'm not letting you go."