Possession and Power
Though Damien appeared to be nodding at something a businessman was saying, his focus had already zeroed in on Eva and the man holding her. His jaw tightened, his smile faded."What are you doing here, Eva?" Victor's voice was low and seething. "So you turned me down…So you could come with him?"
His grip on her arm tightened painfully. Eva flinched.
"You've got some nerve, Ana how dare you dispose me Iike a gabbag and throw me on the side for him!" He gnashed his teeth.
"After I spend so much buying you that dress and jewelrys, but you toss it aside only to wear his? Do you intend angering me to death? Don't make me squash you Ana, don't make me crunch you!" he hissed. " How dare you chose him over me? Are you trying to provoke me? I am warning you Ana. Don't make me destroy you."
His tone was poison, his teeth clenched in barely restrained rage. Eva winced, his hand was now like a clamp on her flesh.
And then,
""Is anything the matter? May I understand what you are doing with my PA?" Damien's voice cut through the noise like a blade.
Though calm on the surface, the fire in his eyes said otherwise.
Eric's heart sank. He rushed forward, alarmed. Never had he seen Damien so visibly on edge. He could not believe his ever, composed boss was about to start a fight in public over a woman. He quickly rushed to his side and whispered in his ears
"Sir, please," Eric whispered, "Leave the rest to me, I'll handle it. Please don't create a scene" But Damien brushed him off and faced Victor squarely.
""When you come to my territory and harass my people, he said coldly, "Then you are challenging me!"
Victor, ever the actor, offered a tight-lipped smile.
"There's a misunderstanding here. I wasn't bothering your 'staff.' I was speaking to my fiancée."
"I don't care what the hell you two are outside of work. She's here on official duty. And while she's carrying out her role as my employee you don't come close"
Victor scoffed. "What kind of 'official duty' includes showing up in a place like this, dressed like that? That is crossing the line. And yet you say I can't even speak to my woman in public?"
"She's not your anything while she's on my clock," Damien snapped. "And as long as she's here representing me, you don't get a say. So I suggest you back off."
Victor's voice rose. "You think just because you're her boss, you own her?"
"Don't make this worse," Damien warned, stepping closer.
"Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how she is to me? You an ordinary boss is trying to come between me and my woman?"
"I repeat, I don't care about what you two are, outside the work base. She is working now, and as long as I fricken pay her, you cannot mix my business with your pleasure"
"Oh, I see. This is about money," Victor sneered. "Name your price. I'll refund every dime you've paid her. Happily. With immediate effects " At that, he yanked Eva closer, gripping her arm so tightly Eva wanted to cry.
Damien's eyes blazed. ""Who do you think you are, to talk to me about returning the money I pay to my employees? Are you out of your mind?" he said in a deadly tone. "I don't give a damn who you are, but am going to warn you for the last time. Let. Her. Go. Now. Or I'll personally have you thrown out of this event, and blacklisted from every room I step into."
The heat in his words scorched the space between them. A hush fell over the area as a small crowd began to gather, murmuring in shock.
Victor finally released her arm with a huff and turned to Eva, his tone bitter.
"It is your fault that I am being humiliated today babe," he spat. "And for humiliating me like this. You'll pay, babe. I swear it. I'll make you pay"
He turned and glared at Damien before storming off into the crowd.
Boos followed him. Some guests even jeered at him openly as their eyes fell on the red imprint his fingers had left on Eva's arm. Sympathy flooded toward her. Outrage toward him.
Eric stood frozen, wishing the floor would just open up and swallow him whole. This was not what he imagined when he suggested Eva attend.
Damien looked at Eva, his brows still furrowed, then he turned and walked away in silence, tension radiating off of him like a storm about to break.
Damian's Office
Damian slammed into his chair, the weight of fury darkening his expression. His fists clenched against the polished mahogany desk, teeth grinding as though trying to crush the fury boiling in his chest. Eric stood silently before him, tense, waiting for the storm to hit.
"Tell me now, Eric," Damian barked, his voice sharp as a whip. "How the hell does a savage like that show up at such an exclusive event? And Eva, God! Stupid as ever, chose to be with a man that clearly abuses her. How frustratingly stupid!"
He shot up from his chair and paced like a caged animal. The veins in his neck pulsed, his breath ragged.
"Sir..." Eric began carefully, "I just received the intel. A few days ago, Mr. Victor Lawson finalized the acquisition of Larvae Group. He's now their highest shareholder, and officially, their new CEO."
Damian froze mid-step. A slow, bitter scoff escaped his lips.
"Larvae Group... of all companies, he had to choose that one."
Eric nodded gravely. "I think he's taking this fight beyond the boardroom. If he's chosen to head Larvae Group, then he's playing for blood.He is going all out against you. I saw this whole thing coming. That's why I suggested we send Eva far away. She's talented, yes, but she can also be replaced, before things gets out of hand. We don't need distractions when war is on the horizon."
""The larvae group hun. Perhaps he just wants to express his dominance for a while. It's probably just some petty show of power?" Damian said.
""I don't think so sir, I think he got that position only to fight you" Eric replied calmly, though his heart thumped against his ribs. "I think Victor's vendetta is personal. Because the first thing he did when he became their CEO was to target our transport Corp project, I think he is going all out against you this time. All of this over a misunderstanding, isn't just worth it sir"
"Isn't it?" Damian growled, taking a threatening step forward. "He wants to go all out against me? Let him."
Eric's brows furrowed. "Sir, are you even listening,?"
"I am listening," Damian snapped. "And I don't need a weakling for a PA. Keep up this cowardly talk and I'll have you replaced, Eric. Don't test me."
Eric bit down hard on his tongue, swallowing back a curse.
"Can't you see this fight is beyond a jealous man flexing his muscles? Damian hissed. "Are you stupid or something? He definitely has something against me. And you expect me to brush him aside? Someone just declared war. And in war, you don't play defense. You strike, first and hard. A warrior who wants a peaceful kingdom would have all his foes being removed first" He said as he walked to the window.
"Larvae group just made the biggest mistake of their life by making that imbecile their CEO. I have been overlooking all their gimmicks all this while because I believe the business world is like an animal jungle, where only the winner rules. I thought we were playing business, not vendettas. But they have proved yet again that they are not focusing solely on business but on their stupid grudge against me, so I guess it's high time I take them seriously "
He reached for his phone.
"I'll need my AVS tools tonight."
Eric's heart dropped. AVS tools?
He paled, running a hand over his face in dread.
He knew what that meant, Damian was about to launch a silent digital assault, probably targeting Larvae's shares, maybe their entire infrastructure. And for the first time in a long while, Eric genuinely feared for them... and for his boss.
He was also surprised to see this version of Damian, he was always too calm, too focused, didn't have time for distraction or anyone, but seeing how he was about to put everything aside to deal with issues regarding Vic, and how he was suddenly burning down kingdoms over a woman.
Damian was changing. His usual calm was gone, replaced by a man who seemed haunted, unbalanced.
Eric became worried. Worried about his boss getting unstable.
Worried for what the retaliation would be from the larvae group.
Worried for himself and what Mrs Eleanor would do to him when she eventually learned of all of this.
Worried that his boss's heart may now be with Eva.?