Chapter 19 – Exposure
Aria barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, the image flashed again — her own face, tilted toward Damien's, his lips claiming hers in a kiss too intimate for denial.
The photo had spread like wildfire. By morning, her phone was a battlefield.
47 missed calls. 123 unread messages.
Her best friend: Aria, what the hell?
Another: Is this real?? That's Damien Blackwell…
And her mother's message — sharp, unforgiving: We need to talk. Now.
Her chest tightened as she scrolled, the words blurring. Screenshots, gossip sites, Twitter hashtags already trending.
Damien Blackwell wasn't just any man. He was the man — billionaire heir, ruthless businessman, the kind of figure people whispered about in bars and classrooms alike. And now she was the girl at his side.
The girl in his bed.
The girl plastered all over the internet.
Her head spun as she stumbled out of bed. Damien was already awake, standing by the window in his dark suit, phone in hand, his expression stormy but controlled.
"They're tearing me apart online," she whispered, her voice shaking.
His gaze flicked to her, sharp and unyielding. "Let them. None of it matters."
"It matters to me!" she snapped, her hands trembling as she clutched her phone. "My mother… my friends… my life—"
In two strides he was in front of her, his hands gripping her arms. "Aria. Look at me."
She forced herself to meet his eyes, those dark, commanding eyes that seemed to burn straight through her.
"Let them watch. Let them talk. You're mine. They'll learn to accept it."
Her lips parted, her breath catching at the force of his words. He kissed her hard, possessive, sealing his claim as though daring the world to pry them apart.
But when they broke apart, her phone buzzed again.
Her mother's name flashed across the screen.
Aria's stomach dropped.
Damien glanced at the caller ID, then back at her. His jaw tightened. "Answer it."
Hands trembling, she swiped to accept. "Mom… I—"
"Aria." Her mother's voice was cold, measured, the kind of tone that carried disappointment like a blade. "Is it true? Are you with him?"
Tears stung her eyes. "It's not what you think—"
"Then come home," her mother cut in sharply. "Bring him with you. If you expect me to believe this isn't a mistake, I want to meet him. Tonight."
The line went dead.
Aria stared at the phone in horror. "She wants to meet you."
Damien's lips curved — not in amusement, but in a dark, determined smile. "Good. Let's give her exactly what she asked for."