He was so frightened he nearly stumbled. The look on his face—neither crying nor laughing—was utterly awkward and pathetic.
"Mr. Xavier, what are you doing here?"
Damian Xavier's gaze was cool. "What? Am I not welcome?"
Colin Sterling rushed to deny it. "O-of course not. Is there anything you need, now that you've come by so suddenly?"
Damian Xavier glanced at the others in the room. The chill emanating from his stern face intensified, but he addressed Colin Sterling.
"Do I need to inform you of my visits now? Your company's directors clearly have too much time on their hands, doing nothing all day but gossiping and causing trouble. If the media got wind of this, they'd be fighting over who gets to report on it first, wouldn't they?"
He strolled nonchalantly to an empty sofa and sat down. His posture was elegant and refined, and he looked as comfortable as if he were in his own home rather than someone else's office.
The director who had spoken so arrogantly moments before was now deathly pale, not a trace of color left in his face.
With trembling lips, he said,
"Mr. Xavier, I… I spoke out of turn just now. Please don't take it to heart. I meant you no disrespect whatsoever."
Damian Xavier glanced up at him, his handsome, almond-shaped eyes filled with scorn.
"Out of turn? Is that all it was? This is the first time I've ever met a director with such a lack of breeding. If I were Aria Sterling, I would have thrown you out of The Sterling Group by now!"
As the others watched in terror, he added,
"Let me correct the record. Aria Sterling and I have no 'improper relationship.' I was the one who proposed marriage. And yes, I was also the one who later proposed divorce because things weren't working out for various reasons. Do any of you have a problem with my decisions?"
They all shook their heads vigorously.
"No, no problem at all."
Damian Xavier's lips curled into a smirk. "It was only out of respect for her that I gave The Sterling Group a chance to work with The Xavier Group in the first place! This had better be the last time I hear such words. Otherwise, don't blame me if I decide to clean house on Aria Sterling's behalf!"
Colin Sterling's face was a wonderful, bruised shade of purple, and the others were terrified.
'Who could have imagined Damian Xavier would overhear them?'
'And on top of that, the relationship between Damian Xavier and Aria Sterling wasn't at all what the rumors claimed.'
'Damian Xavier was clearly protective of Aria Sterling.'
'They all knew a corporation like The Xavier Group was in a completely different league than the Sterling Family. The fact that The Xavier Group was willing to partner with The Sterling Group was a stroke of luck they couldn't have earned in eight lifetimes. It was all thanks to Aria Sterling!'
"Mr. Xavier, you must be joking. How could we possibly mistreat Aria? We're completely sincere about wanting to work with The Xavier Group. Please, you must give us a chance."
Damian Xavier snorted.
'No matter how annoying or unbearable Aria Sterling was, she was still his ex-wife. What right did these wastes of space have to bully her?'
"The opportunity was given to Aria Sterling, not to The Sterling Group."
Having said his piece, Damian Xavier rose and strode coolly out of the room.
After Damian Xavier left, Kevin Keane scanned the remaining people in the room.
"I'd advise you all to watch what you say. After all, it wouldn't look good for outsiders to hear an uncle speaking about his own niece in such a manner."
The directors exchanged awkward glances.
...
Meanwhile, Aria Sterling had been busy all day, giving a factory tour to three people from the Zentex Group.
It wasn't until evening, after she had seen to Victor Lawson and his colleagues' accommodations, that she finally had some time to herself.
The resort was huge. After leaving the villa where Victor Lawson and the others were staying, Aria Sterling began a leisurely walk toward the private courtyard she had booked for herself.
She hadn't gone far when she heard a familiar voice.
"Mr. Hayes seems to be in high spirits."
Aria Sterling froze. Turning around, she saw Damian Xavier's car parked on the side of the road. The window was rolled down, and he was lounging in the driver's seat, his head tilted as he watched her.
Aria Sterling frowned.
"What are you doing here?"
Damian Xavier pulled a cigarette from a pack nearby, placed it between his lips, and lit it.
"I'm on vacation. Is that a problem?"
Aria Sterling rolled her eyes.
"You're insane."
She muttered the word under her breath and turned to walk away.
But Damian Xavier just drove slowly, keeping pace with her.
"Get in."
Aria Sterling shot him a cold glare.
"I have legs. I can walk back on my own."
"I'll say it one more time. Get in the car."
Aria Sterling was speechless.
"Are you out of your mind? If you've got nothing better to do, go spend time with your fiancée. Stop trying to pick a fight with me."
Damian Xavier said nothing more. Just as Aria Sterling thought he'd gotten angry and was about to leave, he stopped the car and strode toward her.
Before she could react, Damian Xavier swept her up into his arms, his hands around her waist.
Aria Sterling yelled furiously,
"What do you think you're doing?! Put me down!"
Damian Xavier unceremoniously deposited her into the passenger seat and started the car.
The car wasn't moving fast. The night breeze drifting in through the open window should have felt pleasant on Aria Sterling's face. But with Damian Xavier sitting beside her, she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
She turned her head to ask,
"Is there something wrong with you?"
Damian Xavier frowned, looking slightly annoyed.
"So ungrateful."
"Hah…"
She gave a short, derisive laugh. "I don't need your help. This is my family's resort; of course it's safe."
Damian Xavier snorted coldly and said nothing more.
Soon, they arrived at Misty Creek, the villa where Aria Sterling was staying. She got out of the car and entered her private courtyard, but Damian Xavier didn't drive away.
'Aria Sterling had no idea what he was playing at, or what he wanted.'
All she knew was that his car remained parked outside for a long time. It wasn't until after she had showered, dried her hair, and glanced out the window again that she saw Damian Xavier's car was finally gone.
On his way back, Damian Xavier got a call from Mya Walsh.
"Mya, what's wrong?"
Mya Walsh's voice was thick with hurt and worry.
"Damian, where have you been? Why aren't you back yet?"
Damian Xavier glanced at the time, only now realizing it was already ten o'clock at night.
"Sorry, I got held up. I'm on my way back now, but it might be a little while. You should go ahead and sleep."
Mya Walsh had wanted to ask Damian Xavier to a movie that evening. When he didn't answer his phone, she had called The Xavier Group directly.
The person at The Xavier Group told her that Damian Xavier wasn't in the office—he had gone to The Sterling Group.
Hearing this, Mya Walsh felt her heart drop as if struck by a boulder.
"Where were you today? I couldn't reach you when I called, and I was getting worried, so I called your office. They said you weren't there."
Damian Xavier pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I had to go out for a bit to discuss a partnership. Don't worry."
Hearing Damian Xavier so casually brush aside his private meeting with Aria Sterling, Mya Walsh couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
'If there was nothing going on between him and Aria Sterling, why would he hide it from me?'
Without realizing it, her nails dug into her palm.
"Mya?"
Mya Walsh snapped back to reality, hissing as a sharp pain shot through her palm.
"It's nothing. I just bumped my hand. It hurts a bit."
"Are you hurt? I can have Nathan Walsh come take a look."
Nathan Walsh was his personal physician, an excellent doctor. Usually, whenever Damian was ill, he'd have Nathan come directly to his home.
"No, it's fine. I just bumped it. The pain is already fading."
"All right, then."
Mya Walsh grabbed a tissue from the table and pressed it into her palm, trying to stanch the bleeding. Her heart, however, was overflowing with pain and hatred.
"Damian… you'll always be by my side, won't you?"
Damian Xavier was caught off guard. He paused for a moment before answering,
"Of course. I'll always be by your side. Don't overthink things. Get some rest."