I had been in the room for what felt like days, sleeping in fear. My chest carried a heaviness I couldn't shake, the pain from what Damian had done to me gnawing at my heart. I locked myself in, refusing to let anyone through the door. I wasn't ready to explain, to relive anything.
The only exception was Melinda. She was the closest thing I had to comfort in this house. She brought me food, checked in on me, and respected my silence. Not once did she force a conversation I wasn't ready to have. Days passed, yet Damian never showed his face, never sent a word. The silence stung. I couldn't believe my first kiss, something I had always dreamed about, happened the way it did. And though I didn't regret it, the memory made my heart ache.
When morning came, blinding sunlight slipped through the curtains, dragging me out of sleep. Melinda's voice followed soon after, sweet but persistent, reminding me of our grocery shopping plans. She had insisted the night before that I come along. I reluctantly agreed, tired of feeling like a caged bird.
A cold shower helped me shake off the dread. I slipped into a pink crop top, high-waisted jeans, and matching sandals. My hair was tied into a high ponytail, and I skipped the makeup. Somewhere between leaving home and ending up here, I had changed. My skin glowed, my body had filled out in ways that made me feel beautiful, and for the first time in forever, I dared to call myself that. All because a ruthless billionaire had found me… worthy enough to purchase.
By the time I headed to the garage, Melinda was already waiting. The officer drove us to the mall, and soon we were buried in shopping bags, groceries upon groceries, until I could barely carry myself. Just as I thought we were done, Melinda pulled me toward a lingerie store, urging me to pick something. My brows shot up in confusion. Lingerie? For what? For who?
I was still rattled when it happened. On our way out, I bumped into someone, stumbling, but strong arms caught me....Zack, the officer escorting us. Relief flooded me… until I looked up and froze.
My sister.
Her eyes widened, her lips parted in disbelief. She gawked at me like I was a ghost. I knew what she saw: me, glowing, dressed well, nothing like the broken image they probably imagined when they sold me off.
"Watch where you're going next time," I said sharply, steadying myself.
"Ariana? Is that you? You look—"
"What? Good?" I cut her off with a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I look good. Shocking, right? You and Dad didn't expect me to, did you? I mean… you did sell me off to a billionaire. Guess what? Best decision ever. Be sure to tell Dad I said hi."
I walked away, fists clenched tight, my whole body trembling with rage. Every bone in me wanted to slap that fake nose right off her face. But I held it in. I wouldn't let them see me break.
The ride back to the mansion was silent. I swallowed my anger whole, hiding the storm inside me. If Damian saw me weak, it would crush me.
Back in my room, I dropped the bags Melinda bought and forgot about the door. The moment I was alone, I broke. The tears came hot, unstoppable. Her shocked face haunted me. Did they expect me to be dead? To rot somewhere as a slave? How could a father wish such a fate on his daughter, the same man who once loved me above everyone else? The betrayal cut deeper than any wound.
I dragged myself to the shower, scrubbing the tears from my skin until the water ran cold. Dressed in pajama pants and a white shirt, hair tied back as always, I curled up on my bed. That's when the door opened.
Damian.
He walked in, confident, composed, every step screaming authority. He didn't knock. He didn't have to. This was his territory. I was his territory. His eyes scanned the room before locking on me, and suddenly it felt like the air wasn't mine to breathe anymore.
"Is there anything you need right now, Mr. Carter?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.
His gaze lingered, sharp and unreadable. "I just can't seem to get you off my mind ever since what happened. What kind of spell did you use on me? Because damn, you're all I think about."
The words burned through me like fire, melting my defenses even as I tried to hold them up. His voice was too raw, too genuine, making it hard to tell where the lie ended and the truth began.
I clenched my fists, avoiding his eyes, staring hard at the wall behind him. I couldn't let him see how weak he made me, how much I wanted to believe him.
"Stop," I whispered. "Don't say things you don't mean."
His footsteps drew closer, slow and deliberate, until I could feel the heat of his body hovering just inches from mine. The bed dipped slightly as he leaned in, close enough that his cologne wrapped around me. He tilted his head, studying me with an intensity that made it hard to breathe.
"But I do mean it," he said, his voice lower now, darker. "And that's the problem, Ariana. You're in my head when you shouldn't be."
My breath caught. My pulse betrayed me, racing so loud I swore he could hear it. I hated myself for wanting more, for wanting him.
"Damian…" My voice cracked as I finally looked up, caught in the storm of his gaze.
The moment stretched, dangerous and intoxicating. His hand hovered near my face, not touching, but close enough that my skin tingled with the possibility.
I should've pushed him away. I should've screamed, demanded answers, anything but this silence between us. But my body stayed frozen, caught between fear and desire.
He leaned closer, lips inches from mine, his breath warm against my skin.
"Tell me to stop," he murmured. "And I will."
But the words got stuck in my throat.
******
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