The black luxury car moved silently through the city streets.
“It’s raining a little outside.
Rain drops moved sluggishly down the tinted glass as the city lights blurred into gentle, rainbow-like smears.
Between Amelia and Damien, silence fell like a heavy blanket in the car.
Amelia sat without speaking looking out the window.
Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap.
Her head still rang with the ballroom the cameras, the yelling and Her father’s voice.
Walk out that door with him, don’t come back.
Her chest hurt painfully again, Damien sat beside her and made a show of resting one arm against the seat.
In the half-light his face was inscrutable.
As if none of tonight had even touched him, Amelia envied that peace.
For her,It all seemed like a storm, Danger and Broken out of control, raging.
The driver was quiet, looking straight, For several long minutes no one said anything then at last.
“Have you changed your mind already?”
Damien’s voice was calm and sure.
Amelia blinked slowly, and looked at him, “No.The answer was quick, Damien noticed.
“You hesitated.
Amelia turned her back again, the rain tapped against the glass like little fingers.
“Tonight I just burned my whole life down,” she said in a whisper.
Damien reclined a little.
“No,” he corrected calmly.
“Your father did.
Amelia swallowed a dry swallow.
The words should have been good for her.
Rather, they hurt more, because a little part of her still wanted to defend Richard Laurent, for all he did.
Damien said nothing as he watched her.
“You still need his approval, Amelia laughed softly.
A hollow, bitter laugh.
I’ve spent my whole life working for it, Her fingers pressed tighter together.
“When I was sixteen years old, I three nights helping to set up an international deal for Laurent Group.” Her voice remained soft and low.
“After that I fell asleep in a meeting.”
Damien listened without interruption.
“My father looked at me and said ….
She swallowed, once.
“Weak people don’t survive in business.
The memory burned still.
Years on, even now.
Amelia stared at her hands.
“I thought if I worked harder… he would finally see me.”
The car was silent again.
Damien’s eyes remained on her face.
“And tonight?” he asked gently.
Amelia’s lips quivered, then she still pressed them.
‘Tonight he’s replaced me with the son he’s been hiding for years.
Her voice cracked a little on the last, very tiny and quite human.
She quickly turned back to the window humiliated.
Damien saw the movement.
“You don’t have to hide it.
Amelia frowned a little.
“Hide what?” “That he hurt you.”
That simple sentence nearly broke something loose inside her.
No one had ever said it because of it.
Not about loneliness, not the stress, not about the never-ending disappointment.
For years, she’d pretended she was okay.
Hard do not approach.
But tonight everything had fallen apart.
Amelia’s lips pressed together.
“I hate crying,” she whispered.
Damien looked at her face in silence.
‘You haven’t cried yet.
“‘Cause I’m tryin’ awful hard not to.”
Tonight, for the first time, a small amusement flickered through Damien’s eyes, tiny, Gone in a heartbeat, but it’s true.
Finally the car slowed, near a large modern building, with tall security gates.
Amelia slowly turned her head to look out.
Behind the gates was a large private estate.
COLORED GLASS.
Stone black walls.
Tall windows admit softly glowing cold white lights.
It looked pricey and Untouchable like the house of a man who no one dared challenge.
The gates opened immediately, The car was in.
Suddenly, Amelia became aware of the situation again.
She was going home with Damien Vale, her heart began to beat irregularly.
The car pulled up at the door, one of the staffers was right there and opened the door, Damien was the first one to go out.
He turned to her.
It was a light rain on his black suit.
Amelia hesitated a moment, then took his hand and stepped out gingerly.
Immediately she felt the cold air on her skin.
The silver dress suddenly seemed very flimsy.
Damien saw it right away.
Without a word he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
Warmth immediately wrapped around her.
Amelia blinked, surprised.”You don’t have to”
“I know that, He spoke in a level voice.
But still he tenderly arranged the coat about her shoulders.
That little thing gave her chest a strange sensation, no one had looked after her for a long time.
They slipped into the mansion, Inside looked modern and elegant.
Black marble floor.
Warm golden lights.
Oversized windows overlook the city skyline.
Everything was clean and Controlled Just like Damien, himself.
Several of the staff bowed their heads respectfully as he passed.
But Amelia saw something strange, no one seemed surprised to see her.
It was like Damien had somehow already predicted this chaos.
A woman in formal dress approached cautiously.
“Mr. Vale.
Damien gave a single nod.
“Get a guest room ready.
The woman knew immediately.
“Yes, sir.
Amelia lingered awkwardly near the entrance.
Tired all of a sudden.
Her feet hurt from the heels.
Her head ached.
Her body was heavy, the anger draining from her now.
Damien loosened his tie a little as he looked at her.
“You should rest.
Amelia looked at him in silence.
“You’re not going to ask me if I mean it about marriage?”
Damien strolled slowly to the living room.
“Are you?
Amelia trailed behind him warily.
Compared to the insanity earlier, the large room felt peaceful.
Near the center wall a fireplace glowed gently.
Damien poured himself a glass of water, then finally looked at her again.
“Well?”
Amelia folded her arms slowly.
“I kissed you in front of the whole city.
You were insane.
I am still.
Damien took a quiet sip and put the glass down.
“And revenge?
Amelia’s eyes hardened slightly.
“My father took everything from me tonight.
Damien moved forward slowly, close enough for a tension to develop between them again, like a rope being pulled.
“Do you know what will happen if we go along with this?
Amelia met his eyes, “War.
The word was sure but soft.
Damien gave a single nod, “Yeah.
Silence, nearby a fire was crackling gently.
Suddenly Amelia realized just how near he stood.
Again her pulse went irregular.
Damien’s gaze never left her face, Steady and Pointed.
‘Afraid of you?’ he said gently.
Amelia answered honestly.
“I think I ought to be.
A faint smile flickered on his lips.
“But?” She swallowed, once.
“But you, you were the only one that stood by me tonight, It was very quiet in the room. Damien’s face altered slightly, Very, tiny and almost unnoticed. But she saw it. Then all of a sudden” the phone on the table began buzzing loudly.
Damien took it away.
He looked at the screen and his eyes darkened at once, Amelia instantly noticed the change.
“What’s wrong?
Damien answered the call calmly.
“Yes.
(Silence) His jaw tightened slightly.
“I understand then he hung up the phone.
Suddenly the air around him turned cold, Amelia moved forward without a thought.
“What’s that?”
Damien looked her straight in the eye.
‘Your father has already begun.
Her stomach fell.
“What do you mean?”
Damien threw the phone down on the table.
“All of the news agencies in the city have just received anonymous reports accusing you of leaking Laurent Group secrets to me.”
Amelia froze solid.
“What?”
“He’s destroying your reputation before the real story can get out.” She went completely white.
“No. no I would never” I know.
But panic was already rising in her chest like floodwater.
She rushed in with her phone from her purse.
The screen was flooded with hundreds of notifications immediately.
Messages, Breaking News, No Response.
Headlines already covered the business pages.
LAURENT HEIRESS CHARGED WITH CORPORATE BETRAYAL
WAS THIS EVENING PLANNED?
SECRET RELATIONSHIP WITH DAMIEN VALE REVEALED
Amelia’s breaths came in short gasps.
Her fingers shook as she held the phone.
“He’s blaming me for this already…”
Damien observed her closely.
“He’s controlling the narrative.
Amelia shook her head slowly.
“He’s trying to do me in,” she said.
Now the reality hits harder, this was more than family anger now.
Richard Laurent was burning her good name.
Absolutely,In public Amelia suddenly dropped heavily onto the couch, Her body was weak, as if all the bones had melted to water.
Damien came toward her slowly.
“You need to chill,She laughed bitterly.
“Calm down?
Now her eyes were glassy.
“My father just declared war on me.”
Damien crouched a little in front of her, His voice fell lower, “Look at me,Amelia slowly raised her eyes.
“You’re not in this alone anymore.
The words felt like a warm blanket around her chest.
Dangerously hot.
And that frightened her worse than anything, to trust Damien Vale was like stepping toward another cliff.
But this moment, he was the only thing solid still standing near her.
‘Why are you helping me?’ Amelia whispered.
Damien held her gaze for a few seconds, silent.
And then, “Because I know how to use love as a weapon when family makes it one.
Pain flickered briefly in his eyes Off quickly, But genuine.
Amelia stared at him in silence.
Tonight for the first time, Damien Vale knew how it felt to be lonely, she knew, and then suddenly another phone chimed.
This time it was Amelia’s turn, Sophia, Amelia answered at once.
“Sophia?
Sophia sounded frightened.
“Amelia, where are you?!
“I’m with Damien.”
“Now you got to be careful. Sophia’s breathing was hot and shallow. Your father is crazy. His security people have been looking all over for you.”
Amelia felt it in her stomach.
“What?
Sophia hesitated.
“And Edward Kane ,” “He’s telling people that Damien got you to do it.”
Beside her’s, Damien’s face tightened a bit.
Sophia went on hastily.
“There’s more.
Amelia sat up straight at once.
“What happened?”
Sophia lowered her voice.
“I overheard Victor talking to your dad.
Amelia’s chest, cold water rising slowly, creeping up.
“What was his answer?”
A ragged breath hissed across the line.
“They’re up to something. A beat skipped in Amelia’s heart. ‘What sort of something?’ Sophia said in a low voice, I heard your dad say,” Her voice trembled.
‘If Amelia will not come home of her own volition… bring her home by force.’
Quiet and cold the sound of nothing.
Slowly, Amelia put the phone down from her ear.
Her face was white as snow.
Damien saw immediately his eyes went sharp, dangerous.
“What did she say?”
Amelia looked slowly at him, her voice was flavored with fear for the first time tonight.
‘My father’s coming to get me.’