Damian's brow lifted
His steps were silent as he approached, but what he saw inside made him stop.
Elena sat at the round wooden table, a plate of pie before her. Her fingers clutched the fork like it was her last lifeline.
She wasn't just eating—she was sobbing between bites, her shoulders trembling violently.
"Why did you leave me here?" she whispered to no one, her voice breaking. "Why am I alone?"
She pressed her forehead against the table, pie forgotten, tears dripping onto the wood.
Damian stood there, unseen, his jaw tightening. Something twisted in his chest, unfamiliar and unwelcome.
He finally stepped forward, and the sound of his shoes against the marble floor made Elena jerk up, startled.
Her eyes widened. "You…" she gasped, wiping furiously at her face. "What are you doing here?"
Damian leaned against the doorframe, his dark gaze locked on her. "I should be asking you that, Elena."
"I—" She looked down at the pie, at the crumbs sticking to her fingertips. "I just wanted… something normal.
For a long moment, Damian said nothing, only studying her. The tracks of her tears. The redness in her eyes. The quiver in her lip.
And then, quietly—so quietly it almost didn't sound like him—he asked, "Whose name were you crying?"
Elena froze.
Her heart thudded. "N-no one."
"Don't lie to me." His tone sharpened, though his eyes stayed unreadable. "Was it your aunt? Your mother?"
Her lips trembled as fresh tears slipped free. "she's all I have," she whispered.
"And I can't even be there for her. I hate this. I hate you."
Damian's smirk returned, but it didn't quite reach his eyes this time. He walked closer, each step heavy, until he stood right beside her chair.
"You'll get used to hating me, cupcake," he said softly, lifting the fork she'd abandoned and taking a bite of the pie. His brow arched slightly as he chewed.
"Not bad. Sweet. Just like you."
Elena's breath caught, her chest aching with anger and shame.
And yet… she couldn't look away from him.
"My mother used to make this for me, then when she died, my aunt learnt how to make it for me"
she said not knowing why she just told her biggest enemy her story and he stared at her as he listened.
"You made this yourself? He asked.
. "Yes," she admitted, then her face blanched in realization. " he wasn't meant to know she used the kitchen.
No.,.
"I'm not a fool, Elena," he said, and those three words felt like a verdict.
"You disobeyed the rules of my house. You went into places you were not permitted, and you lied about it."
"I don't want you stressing yourself on those stuffs when I have servants I pay, you focus on what you are meant to do"
Her stomach dropped. She had expected an argument — a scolding at worst — but hearing the sentence land made her knees weak.
"Please," she whispered, voice shaking. "They only let me in the kitchen because I asked. They were kind.
If you fire them, I'll—" She didn't finish the sentence. There were no words that could explain the debt she would feel if they lost their job because of her.
I begged them to let me use the kitchen. It was only for a little while. Please don't do anything to them."
"If you don't want me to punish them, then I will have to punish you he said smirking.
She stared at him, mouth open. "I don't understand.
Really, he said stepping closer to her, she shifted back till her back hit the wall, he took his face closer and captured her lips passionately, this time she responded.
He slipped his hands underneath her skirt, and she sighed, his lips moved from her lips down to her neck, her collarbone, he made sure his lips touched all of her body.
Damian' she called worried that someone might see them.
He looked at her and knew instantly, "Don't worry, no one will see us"
He placed her on the table, standing between her legs, he slid his fingers into her and she winced.
He kept stroking her, and sighs kept escaping her mouth.
He took his fingers out and licked it seductively as he kept staring at her, he lowered his head to her wet entrance and took her at a full playing with her clit.
Damian took out his trousers and slid into her entrance.