Aria's heart pounded in her chest as Damien's declaration hung in the air between them. You mean more to me than just a contract. She stood frozen, scarcely able to breathe. Did he really mean it, or was it something said in the heat of protectiveness?
Damien stepped closer, concern and longing etched on his face. "Aria," he said softly. "I meant every word." He reached up as if to touch her cheek, then hesitated, hand hovering inches away. The warmth from him was intoxicating. Aria's first instinct was to lean into his palm, to accept the comfort he offered. But years of guarding her heart held her back.
She wrapped her arms around herself. "You...you don't have to say that," she whispered, voice trembling. Her gaze dropped to the floor, unable to meet his intense grey eyes. "I know you want to protect Noah and me. I appreciate that, Damien. But—"
"But you think I'm just doing my duty," he finished gently. He closed the distance and gently tipped her chin up. The simple touch sent a tremor through her. "This isn't about duty. Not anymore. I care about you, Aria. Not just as Noah's mother or my...contractual wife. I care about you."
A soft gasp escaped her. The urge to collapse into his arms—to let someone else share the weight she'd carried alone—was so strong it hurt. Aria's eyes brimmed with tears. "Damien..." she breathed, her defenses wavering. How long had she secretly yearned to hear those words? Yet now that he'd said them, she was terrified—of believing him, of losing him if her past blew up in their faces.
A tear escaped despite her efforts. Damien caught it with his thumb, brushing her cheek. "No more hiding," he murmured, voice rough with emotion. "Whatever's haunting you—whatever you're afraid of—I want to help. Let me in. Please."
His plea undid her. Aria felt a crack in the walls around her heart. She had vowed to handle her problems alone, to never burden Damien with the ugliness of her past. But here he was, practically begging her to share it, telling her she meant something to him beyond their agreement.
"I...I want to," Aria admitted shakily. Her fingers twitched at her sides, aching to reach for him. "You have no idea how much I want to forget the contract, forget the past, and believe you..." Her voice broke, and Damien edged even closer, as if ready to catch her if she fell. "But my problems—they could hurt you. They could hurt Noah. I couldn't live with myself if—"
"Nothing you say will make me turn away," Damien interrupted, gentle but firm. "Don't you know by now? We're in this together. You, me, and Noah. We're a family."
A family. The word wrapped around Aria's heart and squeezed. Family was what she had always dreamed of for Noah—and secretly for herself. She swallowed hard, hope and fear warring inside her. Maybe she didn't have to face her demons alone. Maybe Damien's strength could bolster hers; he had already shown he'd stand by her against the world. Maybe I can tell him...
Before she could speak, a buzz cut through the quiet room. Her phone, vibrating on the coffee table. Both of them flinched at the intrusion. Aria's stomach knotted—only one person would message her so late. She pulled away from Damien's touch, hastily wiping her damp cheek as she snatched up the phone. One glance at the screen and her heart plummeted. The number was unknown, but she knew who it was: Victor.
Her blood turned to ice. With trembling fingers, Aria opened the text. Damien hovered at her shoulder, concern deepening on his face. "Who is it?" he asked quietly.
Aria's eyes raced over the message: Time's up. If you don't give me what I want by tomorrow, everyone will know your secrets. A soft gasp escaped her lips. Tomorrow. Victor was going to expose everything tomorrow.
"What is it?" Damien pressed, noticing her blanch.
Aria clicked the screen off, her mind reeling. Panic roared back to life inside her chest. She couldn't tell Damien—not like this, not tonight when everything felt so fragile and new between them. If he knew how imminent the threat was...would he regret opening his heart? Would he look at her with disappointment or anger?
"It's nothing," she lied weakly, her voice scarcely above a whisper. "Just a—just a spam message."
Damien's brows drew together. He clearly didn't believe her. "Aria, don't shut me out now," he pleaded, a hint of frustration lining his words. "After everything—"
"I'm not," she interjected quickly. Forcing a brittle smile, she added, "I promise, I'm not. I'm just...tired. It's been an emotional day, and I think it's catching up to me." That at least held truth—suddenly, Aria felt utterly drained. Fear and longing and panic all warred within her, leaving her exhausted.
Damien studied her face for a long moment. The urge to confess nearly overwhelmed her—she hated the flicker of hurt she saw in his eyes. But in the end he nodded slowly. "Alright," he said softly, though his tone was laced with concern. His hand slid down her arm in a gentle caress. "We can talk in the morning. Get some rest, Aria."
Guilt twisted in her chest at the worry she was causing him. "Thank you... for understanding," she whispered. Summoning her courage, she rose on her toes and pressed a soft, grateful kiss to his cheek. His skin was warm under her lips. She felt him inhale sharply at the contact, and her own heart skipped. As she pulled back, their eyes met—Damien's widened slightly in surprise—and Aria offered a timid smile. "Good night, Damien."
His eyes shone with a mix of emotions, but he mustered a reassuring smile for her sake. "Good night, Aria."
She turned and headed up the grand staircase, the phone clutched in her hand. Each step felt heavy, her legs shaky with the aftermath of adrenaline and unresolved tension. She could feel Damien's gaze following her until she disappeared down the hall.
Only when Aria was alone in the sanctuary of her bedroom did she let her facade fall. Closing the door, she leaned against it and released a shaky breath. Her hands were trembling. With dread, she looked at the phone again and reread Victor's ominous words. A fresh wave of fear crashed over her. He was truly going to do it—tomorrow he would shatter the new life she'd built. The secret she had guarded so fiercely would be blasted into the open for all to see. And Damien... How would Damien feel when he learned the truth from sordid headlines? He might never forgive me.
A quiet sob rose in her throat. Aria pressed her fist to her mouth, sliding down to sit on the floor. This was supposed to be a moment of hope—a turning point for her and Damien. Instead, it was all about to come crashing down.
"No," she whispered harshly into the dark. She refused to let Victor destroy everything. She'd find a way to stop him, somehow. If it meant meeting his demands, whatever they were, she would do it. She'd beg, bargain, pay any price to protect the people she loved.
Swiping at her tears, Aria pushed herself to her feet. She couldn't afford to fall apart. Not when Noah's future and Damien's reputation hung in the balance. Crossing the hall on silent feet, she eased open the door to Noah's room. The soft glow of a nightlight bathed the nursery in gentle light. Noah was fast asleep in his toddler bed, one tiny fist curled around Mr. Bear. He looked so peaceful that Aria felt both heartbreak and resolve crash through her.
She knelt beside the bed and lightly brushed a curl from Noah's forehead. "I'll keep you safe," she murmured, voice hitching. "I promise, my sweet boy."
Noah slept on, oblivious to his mother's tears. Aria leaned down and pressed a kiss to his soft cheek, her resolve hardening. For Noah's sake, for Damien's, she would weather whatever storm came. If she had to confront Victor Hayes head-on, if she had to sacrifice her pride or even her happiness to secure their safety, she would.
Aria stood, drawing in a steadying breath. She cast one more long look at her sleeping son. "Sweet dreams, my angel," she whispered. In the doorway, she paused, setting her jaw with determination.
I won't let him hurt us, she vowed silently. Even if I have to face this alone.
With that final promise burning in her heart, Aria stepped into the darkness of the hallway. Tomorrow loomed uncertain and frightening, but for her family, she would stand strong—no matter what it cost her.