Aria closed the apartment door behind Damien and leaned against it, her legs suddenly weak. Her heart was pounding as if she'd run a marathon. Did that really just happen? In the span of a single evening, her world had tilted on its axis yet again. Damien Knight had reentered her life, discovered Noah, and she had agreed—agreed to marry him.
She pressed shaking fingers to her lips, which still tingled faintly from where Damien had kissed her hand in a gesture so unexpectedly gentle it left her breathless. The entire encounter felt surreal, like a fever dream. She half-expected to wake up and find nothing had changed.
A soft patter of footsteps drew her attention. Noah peeked around the corner of the hallway, clutching a stuffed dinosaur to his chest. "Mommy? Where did the big man go?" he asked in a small voice.
Aria mustered a smile and pushed off the door. "He… had to go home, sweetheart." She crossed the room and knelt in front of her son, brushing a stray curl from his forehead. His grey eyes—the mirror of Damien's—searched her face with innocent curiosity.
"Are you sad, Mommy? You look like you're gonna cry." Noah's little brows furrowed in concern.
Aria's chest tightened. She hadn't even realized tears were blurring her vision. Quickly, she wiped her eyes and gave a determined smile. "I'm okay. These are happy tears, I promise." It wasn't a total lie—amidst the fear and uncertainty swirling inside her, there was a budding hope, fragile and cautious, that maybe she wouldn't have to shoulder everything alone anymore.
Noah tilted his head. "Is he your friend? He was nice. He knew about dinosaurs!" A hint of excitement laced his tone. It was true—Damien had spent a good fifteen minutes asking Noah all about his dinosaur toys and listening with genuine interest as Noah babbled about T-Rexes and triceratops. Aria had watched them from a few feet away, marveling at the sight of Damien Knight—imposing CEO and consummate control freak—patiently engaging with a toddler. The image had warmed her in places she didn't know existed.
Aria swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yes, honey… he's a friend. And actually…" She took Noah's small hands in hers, bracing herself. He has a right to know. "Remember I told you a long time ago that your daddy wasn't around? Well, that man—Damien—is your daddy."
Noah's eyes went round. "My daddy?" He looked toward the door as if expecting Damien to walk back in at that very moment. "Really?"
"Really," Aria whispered, her voice thick. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I… I only just found out myself, today." She cupped his cheek, searching his face for any sign of distress.
But Noah's surprise quickly melted into pure delight. A grin spread across his face. "I have a daddy! Is he gonna play with me and stuff?"
A broken laugh escaped Aria's lips, relief and emotion making her giddy. She pulled Noah into a tight hug. "Yes, sweetheart. He wants to spend time with you. He didn't know about you before, but now that he does, he really wants to be here for you."
Noah hugged her back fiercely, then pulled away with an excited bounce. "Can I show him my dinosaur book next time? And my drawings?"
"Of course," Aria said, smiling through her tears now. "I'm sure he'd love that." The pure joy in her son's face soothed some of her own fears. Whatever else happened, she knew Damien genuinely cared about being a father—she had seen it in the awe on his face as he looked at Noah. Despite everything between her and Damien, Noah's happiness was what mattered most.
"Now," she brushed at Noah's unruly curls, "it's way past one little boy's bedtime."
Noah pouted briefly, still energized by the evening's revelations. "Do I hafta?"
"Yes, sir." Aria stood and steered him gently toward his room. "Bedtime, and tomorrow… well, tomorrow is a new day."
She tucked Noah in, listening as he chattered a mile a minute about all the things he wanted to do with his daddy—play catch, see the zoo, build a pillow fort. Aria nodded and mm-hmmed at the appropriate moments, her heart aching with love for her child and a bittersweet longing. She had tried so hard to be enough for Noah. Hearing the innocent excitement in his voice at finally having a father figure to look up to filled her with equal parts gratitude and sadness. Gratitude that Noah would get what she'd always hoped for him—a chance to know his dad. Sadness that it had come about in such a strange, sudden way.
After Noah finally drifted off, Aria stood watching his small chest rise and fall in sleep, the nightlight casting a soft glow. Her mind replayed Damien's parting words hours earlier: "Marry me." A fresh tremor went through her. She was engaged now, wasn't she? Or something close to it. There'd been no ring, no romantic proclamation. Just a fierce declaration of resolve—practically a command. And she had surrendered to it.
Quietly closing Noah's door, Aria headed to the kitchen area and flicked on the kettle, craving the comfort of tea. Her eyes fell on the grocery bags she'd abandoned on the counter when Damien had arrived. With a tired sigh, she put the milk in the fridge and the cereal in the cupboard, her actions mechanical. It all felt oddly normal, these little tasks, when nothing about her life was normal anymore.
As she waited for the water to boil, Aria pulled out her phone. Without fully thinking, she tapped on her messaging app and found her friend Hannah's name.
The text she'd received from Hannah that afternoon still sat unanswered: Good luck with the Knight meeting! Call me after, dying to hear how it went.
Aria let out a breathy half-laugh. Oh, Hannah… you have no idea.
Her fingers hovered over the screen. How could she possibly explain any of this? Her friend had known about her one-night stand years ago in only the vaguest terms—Aria had been too embarrassed to share details beyond that it was a mistake she wouldn't repeat. Hannah had been the one to help her through the pregnancy, after Aria's pride had kept her from crawling back to her family. If not for Hannah's support and the part-time job at the boutique, Aria wasn't sure how she would have managed.
Swallowing, Aria decided a phone call would be better. It was late, but Hannah worked freelance hours too; chances were she was still up.
She pressed the call button. It rang twice before a bright voice answered, "Aria! Hey! How'd it go? Don't keep me in suspense—did they love your designs or what?"
Aria sank onto the couch, drawing her knees up under her. "They did… the meeting was great. I, um, I think I got the project." She ran a hand through her hair, tugging at a knot anxiously.
"That's amazing!" Hannah squealed. "I knew it! We have to celebrate! Maybe this weekend we can—"
"Hannah," Aria cut in softly. Her friend fell silent, immediately attuned to her tone. "There's… more. Something happened at the meeting. Someone was there."
A pause. "Okay… who? Did someone give you trouble?"
Aria barked a short, humorless laugh. "Not exactly. The CEO sat in on the meeting. Damien Knight."
"Holy— Damien Knight, as in the Damien Knight?" Hannah sounded equal parts impressed and concerned. "I didn't realize he'd be directly involved. But wait, why do you sound so shaky? Was he a jerk or something?"
Aria closed her eyes, leaning her head against the back of the couch. The kettle clicked off in the kitchen, but she ignored it. How to even begin? "Hannah… Damien Knight is the guy. From the hotel, four years ago. Noah's father."
She heard an audible gasp through the line. "What?" Hannah's voice shot up an octave. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Aria whispered. "It's him. He didn't recognize me at first, I think, but… we ended up alone after the meeting and it all came out. He knows about Noah now."
"Oh my god… Aria…" Hannah breathed, at a loss. "What did he say? How did he react to finding out he's a dad?"
Aria's lips twitched in a wry smile. "He hired a private investigator to dig up info on me before he even confronted me, I think. By the time he showed up at my place, he was certain. And he… well, he demanded to be in Noah's life. And then he proposed."
Silence. Then a burst of static as Hannah nearly shrieked, "He what? Proposed? As in marriage?"
"Yes." The word felt heavy on Aria's tongue. She twisted a loose thread on the couch cushion. "He insisted the best thing for Noah is if we marry and raise him together."
Hannah's disbelief was palpable. "I can't even wrap my head around this… Are you okay? What did you say?"
"I said yes." Aria's voice cracked. "Hannah, I didn't know what else to do. He was talking about custody and doing what's right for Noah, and I… I panicked. I can't risk a court battle with someone like him. And a part of me feels—maybe he's right. Noah deserves a father. And I could give him that, even if it means giving up… so much of what I thought my life would be."
"Oh, honey…" Hannah's tone softened. "You don't have to justify it to me. I know you'll do anything for Noah. I just—I want to make sure you're safe. That this guy isn't going to hurt you."
Hurt her? Aria's eyes drifted to the closed door of Noah's room. "He won't hurt me physically, if that's what you mean. And he seemed genuine about wanting to be there for Noah. But emotionally…" She bit her lip. "It's complicated. There's a lot of resentment between us. And unfinished business."
Hannah scoffed lightly. "Like the fact that he left you money like a john paying off a—" She cut herself off. "Sorry. But I haven't forgotten how devastated you were back then."
"I haven't forgotten either." A familiar burn of humiliation and anger flared in Aria's chest. "We haven't really talked that through. Tonight was all about Noah. Maybe that's for the best."
"Maybe," Hannah allowed. "But sweetie, you're going to marry this man. Even if it's for show or for Noah, you'll be living with him. You'll have to confront those feelings eventually."
"I know." Aria's voice was barely above a whisper.
A gentle sigh came over the line. "Do you still… care for him? In that way?"
Aria hesitated, caught off guard by the question. Do I? When she thought of Damien, it was a confusing tangle—anger, attraction, hurt, admiration. The memory of his kiss at the elevator after hours of heartfelt conversation was seared into her soul. And the way he'd been tonight—resolute yet unexpectedly tender with Noah and even with her at moments—it stirred feelings she didn't want to examine.
"It doesn't matter," she said finally. "This isn't about that. It's about Noah. My feelings have nothing to do with it."
"If you say so," Hannah replied gently, skepticism evident. "Just… promise me you'll be careful. Protect yourself and that little boy. And if Knight ever steps out of line, you call me. I'll bring a pitchfork or whatever it takes."
Despite everything, Aria laughed softly. "I promise." A wave of gratitude washed over her. "Thank you, Hannah. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'll never have to find out," her friend said warmly. "Now get some rest if you can. You have a big day tomorrow, I'm guessing."
"Yeah. He's coming by in the morning to… discuss arrangements." The idea of "arrangements" for a marriage made her stomach flutter with nerves.
"Alright. Call me tomorrow, let me know how it goes, okay?"
"I will. Goodnight."
After hanging up, Aria padded to the kitchen to pour her tea. The night had grown quiet; even the city sounds outside felt muted. She sat by the small window overlooking the street, blowing gently on the steaming mug.
Marry Damien Knight. Move into his world of wealth and power. It was a far cry from the humble, independent life she had built. She thought of the past four years—the late nights stitching designs, the early mornings with a toddler, the constant worry over bills and Noah's future. She had been so alone in those struggles.
Now, suddenly, she wouldn't be alone. It was a relief, in a way, but it was terrifying too. Because depending on someone again—especially someone like Damien—meant opening herself up to potential heartbreak and disappointment. He said they would build trust and affection in time, but trust was exactly what Aria found hardest to give. Not after her family had turned their backs on her, and not after Damien had treated her like a disposable fling all those years ago.
Can I really do this? she wondered, gazing at the faint reflection of herself in the dark window. In a few short days, she could be Aria Knight. Wife of a billionaire CEO. How absurd would that have sounded just one day ago?
Her thoughts drifted to Damien's face—how it had looked when she agreed to his proposal. The intensity in his grey eyes had given way to something almost like relief, even gratitude. It was clear he was doing what he thought was right. Beneath his anger, she sensed a real fear of missing out on his child's life. That vulnerability… it made him more human. It chipped at her defenses just a little.
Aria sipped her tea, now lukewarm. No matter her misgivings, one truth grounded her resolve: Noah would finally have a father present. She would ensure her son felt loved by both parents, even if she and Damien had to fake certain feelings at first.
Setting the empty cup aside, Aria stood and made her way to her bedroom. She paused by Noah's door again, the shape of him a small lump under the blankets. A swell of fierce love and determination filled her.
She would do this. For Noah, she would marry Damien Knight. And she would make the best of whatever came after, even if it meant guarding her heart every step of the way.
With a deep breath, Aria turned off the light. Tomorrow would dawn with new challenges, but tonight at least, she had hope that perhaps she wouldn't have to face them alone.