The next day he drove them toward the estate, and as the car glided through the wrought-iron gates, Sarah watched wide-eyed. The house stood within Whispering Pines, a wealthy, well-guarded community tucked away on the highest point of the city. The air here felt cleaner, insulated from the city's frantic energy. Damien had secured this private sanctuary the moment he realized he was falling in love with Sarah. He had bought it with the sole intention of offering her a safe place, a fresh start, and a future.
He turned to Sarah, her face still slightly pale from the journey but glowing with anticipation. He kissed her hand. "Welcome home," he whispered. "Your new life begins now." She looked at the place in awe.
"It's not just a house, Sarah," he explained, squeezing her hand. "It's a sanctuary, a place no one can touch. I bought it for you."
He had arranged for a small, trusted household staff. Mrs. Blue, the kind, no-nonsense woman who had cared for him after his parents passed, would manage the domestic affairs. Her presence alone guaranteed warmth and stability. Johnny, his trusted driver, would handle transportation and ensure the estate's high security remained impenetrable. Only Sarah, Mrs. Blue, and Johnny would reside there permanently. Damien himself would only visit, carefully maintaining distance to protect her privacy and comfort.
He didn't want her to feel pressured, like a kept woman, or doubt his honesty for a second. His ultimate goal was her happiness, and he knew that rushing their relationship now would shatter the fragile trust they'd built. He would give her all the time she needed to adjust to being the mistress of the house—not just its resident, but its heart—and gradually, she would accept him fully into her life. He wanted this magnificent, quiet house to transform into their home: a safe, warm, and loving place built on mutual respect. He envisioned evenings spent talking by the massive stone fireplace, mornings where she could paint in the sunlight flooding the studio, and the simple, quiet life they both deserved.
A Warm Welcome
Just then, Mrs. Blue showed up at the door and waved to them. "Damien, my dear, you two have finally arrived!" She ran toward them and took Sarah's hands into hers. "You must be Sarah. Damien told me so much about you. This boy never brought a woman home before, so I know you have an important place in his heart."
She warmly smiled at Sarah. Sarah smiled back at the older lady, saying, "Mrs. Blue, it's lovely to meet you," then glanced at Damien. Her eyes filled with inexplicable gentleness and warmth.
He placed his arm around her shoulders. "Mrs. Blue, you'll have to take good care of Sarah from now on, she's your responsibility."
Mrs. Blue started laughing. "You brat, have I ever not done what you asked from me?"
Damien laughed. "I remember asking for chocolate when I was five years old, but you refused, saying it's bad for my teeth."
Mrs. Blue: "Was I not right? Look at that beautiful smile of yours twenty-five years later." She pinched his cheek proudly.
They started laughing, and Sarah felt like she was home for the first time since she woke up at the hospital. Mrs. Blue prepared a grand feast for them. They chatted and afterward, Damien gave Sarah a tour of her new home.
When they entered the bedroom, he opened the closet, and it was full of clothes and jewellery. Sarah opened her mouth when she saw it. "Wow!"
Damien: "See if you like it. If not, just a word from you, and we can replace everything."
Sarah: "This is for me?"
Damien laughed and said, "Do you see any other beautiful woman living in this house?"
Sarah: "Damien, this is all too much..." She nervously played with her fingers, biting her lower lip. "I can't accept this."
Damien took her hands and placed them on his chest. She adverted her gaze. He then, in a demanding voice, said, "Look at me, Sarah Walker."
She reluctantly lifted her head. When their eyes met, something flashed in his, a sudden intensity that made the air thicken. He dismissed the overwhelming feeling, focusing on her eyes. He came an inch from her face and spoke, "You deserve all of this and more." She stared at him.
He stepped away, amused by her frozen expression. Sarah managed to whisper, "Why?"
Damien, his voice low and firm, replied, "Because you are mine, and I will give you the best of everything." He came closer to her and saw her face flush, the way she worried her lower lip. His mind went into a delicious frenzy of longing. He suddenly swooped her into his arms and kissed her lips eagerly.
He then moved his lips to her neck, and a soft sigh escaped her mouth, just by his ear. The sound was intoxicating, and he lifted her up, holding her tightly as he sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her onto his lap. His heart pounded with a demanding need, and he let out a low, guttural sound. Sarah's hands instinctively tangled in his hair.
The phone rang.
He ignored it, but Sarah whispered, "Damien..."
He broke the kiss and answered the phone, his voice strained.
Penelope: "We're having dinner with my parents tonight. Be at the Wellington mansion at 7. Don't be late. Grandpa Don said he'll be late because he's got some appointment with his doctor, so he'll join us later."
Damien: "Got it." And he hung up.
Sarah heard the female voice and her face slightly fell, but she managed to mask it. Was I just jealous? She thought. Damien noticed her deep in thought and kissed her lips. "What are you thinking?"
She just smiled and started getting up from his lap, but he gently pulled her back, his arm tightening around her waist. "Are you running, kitten? I'm not done playing with you yet."
She opened her eyes widely and parted her lips slightly. He laughed, the sound deep and husky. "Sarah Walker, do you want me to continue?" He was teasing to get a reaction from her.
"I..." She was speechless. He didn't press her. Instead, he got up, still holding her, and placed her onto the bed gently. He lay down next to her, pulling her close. "I'm afraid of hurting you, so I'll hold back today, but if you look at me again with those wide kitten eyes, I swear I will eat you alive." He kissed her forehead. "Let's sleep a little." He closed his eyes while his strong arm rested on her hip.
She was looking at the man sleeping next to her—the way his face relaxed, his high nose bridge, thick eyebrows, full lips. This man was too handsome, like he came out of a storybook. She smiled and drifted off to sleep.
When she woke up, it was already 7 in the evening, and he was nowhere to be found. Only a dent in the pillow remained, and she felt a lonely tug at her heartstrings.
She went down to the kitchen, took a glass of water, and sat on the chair by the island, placing her elbows on the cool surface, deep in thought...
The Shadow of Duty
When Damien pulled up to the sweeping drive of the Wellington mansion, the image of Penelope—his so-called fiancée—flashed in his mind, immediately followed by the face of his grandfather.
It was his grandfather, his only living family and the man who raised him, who had personally arranged the engagement. It was meant to be a capstone to a decades-long business relationship and a debt of honour owed to the original head of the Wellington family. Penelope, while beautiful, was a rich, spoiled girl, more interested in social manoeuvring than partnership. She wanted to be his wife solely for the Sterling name and the power it commanded, and Damien felt nothing for her. Breaking the engagement would be a painful business battle, but that wasn't what truly terrified him.
His grandfather's health was already fragile; he had suffered a major heart attack prior. Damien knew with chilling certainty that the shock, the scandal, and the potential public feud from calling off the wedding could send his grandfather's health spiralling. He had already been the cause of one health crisis due to his firm refusal of this marriage alliance, and the guilt was a constant, heavy anchor. He couldn't be the cause of his grandfather's death.
"I have to handle this right," he resolved, his jaw tightening. He needed a plan—a meticulous, watertight strategy—to break the engagement cleanly, minimize the damage, and ensure his complete freedom without delivering a fatal blow to his grandfather. Until he found that way, Sarah would remain protected and sheltered. He wouldn't risk her safety or their future while that immense, fragile loose end remained.