Damian had a weird expression on his face. It looked somewhere between pity and fear, and his wide-eyed stare made me uncomfortable. I could feel the weight of his attention, the way his gaze lingered on me longer than necessary, and it sent a strange shiver down my spine.
I knew he was trying to find someone else to replace me, but that faint, barely hidden affection he kept showing made me weak. I wanted to push it away, to remind myself that I could not let myself fall for his charm-not now, not when my mind was fixed on revenge.
We never even had anything between us in the first place. Heck, we barely knew each other...so why was I feeling disappointed at this notion of being replaced.
It did not even occur for me to ask him why he was so fixated on ’me’. It did not feel like love, more like an obsession. But whether it was for ’me’ as a person or as an item he could use, that I had desire to know about.
Before I could fall for any more of his false promises, I turned my attention to the food in front of me.
It looked appetizing, and after almost a week of not eating proper meals, I felt a greed I could not ignore.
Damian noticed, but instead of scoffing like I expected, he pushed the plate of cookies toward me.
"Help yourself to anything you need on this floor. Just make sure not to come to the upper floor, no matter what happens. As long as we respect each other, I am sure we will have a wonderful partnership,"
He said, his voice even, but there was an edge to it, like a challenge I could not ignore. The way he spoke made my pulse quicken-I could feel the subtle tension between us, like an unspoken test of will.
I nodded, agreeing silently, though my mind was already racing-my plan, my revenge, every step of it entwined with the people around him.
Rose had humiliated me at every turn, getting too close to my former fiancé and flaunting her power. Now I had the chance to strike back, and I could feel the fire in me rising.
It was not long after that someone knocked at the door before opening it. The lady walked in, her designer heels clicking sharply on the floor as she neared us.
She ignored me completely, adjusting her glasses and standing primly in front of Damian.
She clutched her binder to her chest in the classic way meant to accentuate her figure, but when she noticed Damian’s impatience, she quickly adjusted her posture and addressed him directly.
"Boss, I have brought you the stuff you needed. Have you decided on the model yet? Do you need me to recommend one?"
Her hair, her outfit, even the shape of her bangs-something in her reminded me far too much of myself. I caught myself staring, realizing the similarities and wondering if I was reading too much into it. The head injury had left me unsteady enough to second-guess my perceptions.
"You have brought what I asked you to? Good. Jenna, try the clothes on and check your size. The wardrobe in your room was prepared in a free size, so adjustments will have to be made later. For now, use what my secretary has brought you."
Damian addressed me, and I could feel the secretary’s attention snap toward me. I noticed the smile freeze on her face. Her eyes widened slightly, then narrowed, and I read the silent question in them perfectly:
Who the fuck are you?
"Boss, she is-?"
"The lady I have chosen to be my partner. Her name is Jenna Lorance. Treat her and her words with the same respect you do to mine."
Damian cut her off, his voice sharp and final.
Her expression fell instantly, her eyes burning with anger and jealousy. And yet, she forced herself to speak.
"I see. So she’s the ’special lady’ in your life? I don’t think she would be...this plain. Master, do you want me to take care of her?"
Her tone dripped with venom, and I could feel the hostility radiating off her. My foot tapped lightly on the floor-an old nervous habit I had trained myself out of, but now resurfaced. I clenched my jaw and straightened my posture.
I could feel the tension between me and Damian tighten, like a wire pulled taut-he was watching every reaction, and I had to keep my focus on my goal.
’Tsk. Being unconscious for god knows how long has made me lose all my hard-earned habits. Not a problem. I’ll train myself soon enough.’
I breathed in, pushed my shoulders back, and lifted my chin. In that moment, I looked nothing like the scared, small girl from before. I looked like a confident young lady who had reclaimed her place. The fire for revenge burned quietly in my chest, coiled tightly under my calm exterior.
The secretary’s mouth opened and closed once, twice, then finally froze. But it was Damian’s look that burned into my head.
He was staring at me with an intensity that made my chest thrum. His gaze seemed to pierce straight through my composure, trying to gauge if I could hold my ground against both him and the world.
’What...does he want from me? Is he trying to see if I’m bluffing? Or testing if I can hold my ground?’
I could not ask. Every instinct told me I was not in a position to do so, especially with the secretary looming over me like a predator. I had to remind myself: focus, Jenna. Revenge first, anything else later.
"Don’t cross your limit here, Emma. Just focus on assisting Jenna for now and make sure she has everything she needs. I will be attending Kyle Hanson’s party tomorrow with Miss Jenna as my partner. So make sure she has the perfect dress and accessories to match," Damian’s order left no room for negotiation.
Emma gritted her teeth, eyes still burning with something unspoken, before she bowed her head. She turned toward me, her hostility still simmering beneath the surface, but when her eyes flicked to Damian, they softened immediately.
"Of course, boss. I shall do as you have asked and inform you of Miss Jenna’s schedule. We should immediately head out if we want to secure a dress and have it altered in time," she said.
I swallowed, feeling the tension in the room like a physical weight. Emma might have had the skills to challenge me, but with Damian in the room, I had an unspoken ally.
Or at least, that was what I had to convince myself of. But the fire for my revenge against Rose, and reclaiming what was mine, simmered underneath it all, ready to explode at the right moment.
At the same time, Damian’s gaze lingered on me a fraction too long. There was a spark there I could not ignore-an undercurrent of something dangerous and intimate, something that made my pulse quicken despite myself.
I had bigger things to think about than how I felt about him.
With Damian here and Emma watching, I would need every ounce of composure to step into this next phase of my plan, and I could feel that every glance Damian gave me was a test of both my resolve and my ability to play my part.
At least I had Damian on my side...right?