that refusing the ring would be a declaration of war, but accepting

to put on the ring. Damon slipp

. It felt heavy on her finger, a symbol of the complicated web she was now entangled in. And he kiss

t a part of her wondered what it would be like to truly be Damon's partner, to stand by his

skip a beat. For a moment, she forgot about the danger, the contract, and the lies. All she saw was

ty snapped back into place. Damon's ex

" he said in a cold voice,

d, and the guest room had al

star in the sky. The marriage wasn't love; it was not

bbed in the chest with a sharp object, which broke her heart. The contract marriag

r mind still remembered what happened yesterday, as if she was in a dark dream and her subconsci

ess photos, fake smiles, and champagne. The headlines would be displayed by morning: The

Too quiet. Damon had disappeared into his office immediately aft

personal. Dust floated through the golden rays of sunset coming between velvet drapes. The wa

in her chest, a mix of emotions swirling within her. It was her. Her younger self when she was sixteen,

de the photo. Her notebooks from school, little messages she'd long forgotten she'

ce of her life. A gasp caught in her throat as realization bloomed-he hadn't just wa

doorway. Damon stood there, his jaw was tight, and his eyes darkene

ot to come in

n your desk like I'

t them

didn't say a word? You let me live in fear and make me struggle with life while yo

m. "But I couldn't touch you without destroying you.

me with the truth." Damon's expression stuttered. He looked at her like he wa

have become dangerous. Heartless. Cruel. Ru

tears. "But you let me s

I did... I did it because of yo

I never even got to hold?" There was a long silence b

past him. Damon didn't stop her. And f

rapped her arms around herself. Did he love her? Or something like it. But love wasn't sup

amon stood in a study full of memories of them that he was never brave enough to share w