Damian never liked mornings, but this one had a strange stillness to it. The kind that followed a storm—or preceded one.
He sat at the edge of his bed, shirt unbuttoned, tie forgotten on the floor. The whiskey from the night before lingered on his breath, but it wasn't enough to numb the thoughts in his head.
His mother's words echoed.
"You're not getting any younger."
"Who will stand beside you?"
"Optics matter."
It wasn't just family pressure. It was the board. The press. Investors. All of them whispering behind his back, wondering if the young CEO was just another heir who thought power came easy.
But Damian knew better.
Power came with a price.
And he'd paid it—years ago.
He looked toward the window, the city still cloaked in mist. Somewhere out there, Elena was waking up. Probably brushing her hair in that quiet, careful way she did. Probably thinking about yesterday's ride in his car.
He could still hear her voice, soft and nervous. The way she looked at him with cautious wonder, like he was something good in a world that hadn't given her much.
He didn't deserve that look.
Not from anyone.
Two Years Ago – The Price of Trust
Charlotte had been different.
Beautiful. Sharp-tongued. Addictive.
She'd walked into his life like a spark—and he'd let her burn through everything.
He funded her dreams, built her a boutique from nothing. Gave her access to his accounts, his cards, his circle. He'd believed her laughter. Believed the way she clung to him in front of others.
But behind closed doors?
He was nothing more than her stepping stone.
One day she was his girlfriend. The next, she was gone—with half a million dollars and a scathing interview printed in the society column, calling him "emotionally void" and "easy to manipulate."
He hadn't touched love since.
And he didn't plan to.
Present Day – A Pawn in Place
Damian closed the file on his lap—Elena's background check.
She was clean. Almost too clean. No scandals, no secrets. Her only flaw was being too hopeful.
Which made her perfect.
He could offer her the world, and she'd believe it was love. She wouldn't ask too many questions. She wouldn't dig deeper than he allowed.
And when the time came to walk away?
She wouldn't be able to hate him the way Charlotte did.
Because Elena didn't know how to hate.
Not yet.
At the Office – The Calm Before It Begins
His assistant walked in just as Damian reached for his coffee.
"Your schedule's light today, sir. Do you want to fill in a few—?"
"No," Damian said. He didn't even look up. "Cancel the meetings after two."
She hesitated. "Anything you want me to prepare?"
There was a long pause.
Then Damian stood, buttoning his sleeves.
"Pull up Elena Reed's employment file. I want to know everything."
His assistant raised a brow but said nothing. She'd learned long ago not to question the things her boss didn't say out loud.
Damian returned to the window, watching the sun rise over the skyline.
This wasn't love.
This was control.
And love… love was a lie men like him couldn't afford.
Not anymore.