a P

t come a

bedroom door, and for one foolish

s open the door..

alw

tended t

alw

ed, but I re

acked him. I had spent three years hopi

who didn't even look at

ually earn his affection, and make him notic

enough, stayed quiet enough

hoose me o

ever

didn't care. I had a meeting with my director, a fitting for nex

t want to rush ba

felt li

with marble floors an

eless

e studio lot. "The promo video from yesterday hit

mile, but it didn

rs, fans are obsessed. They're already ship

way Damian had never been. He made it easy to

rything Da

nd observant. He had everything I wanted in Da

ne thing I know for sure is, I don't deserve this unrequited

word about the scene I filmed last week,

doesn'

flicker o

n the downstairs lounge, the one I used to c

s there b

use I wa

to share a bed with a man

ress. A public figure. Every man's dream g

o be with me, to stay by my side, and for me to

was quiet.

rsations. No warmth. J

ays be happy to be in, is now o

ink silence

e'd already stopped

t hate

sure I ev

e waiting for

man who only looked at me w

d be the one

hen I

n't loo

k: Three

a p

ized I was falling fo

t even l

pocket, the other cradling a glass of scotch, his expre

dn't

n't fl

ed and cold, while my futur

ldn't sto

very ha

ge wouldn't be s

t befor

ala, where he'd nod

ng, where he'd shaken my h

was

arrangement, something in my chest flu

ngag

h

ian Bl

I fell for at

e was twenty-eight, already a CEO with a jawline as sh

every girl'

yday. He was one of the richest,

pposed to be

, bound by business, legacy,

ould solidif

was th

cried.

ned toward me, his gaze unreadable, as i

ll... I

anted him t

chosen. Even if

e days later. In the Black

ses. No candles.

ded to me like it was

any objection

have s

have wal

he way his voice softened just slightly at the word objection. His eyes w

ing in me

looks. He just doesn'

often him. To make him smile.

ring on my own

I d

I'd learn to

xpected t

gagement party, press photographers shouting, li

oked

ng. No

if there was something real

t's all

one

esses, polished speeches, endless toasts. But beneath the glitteri

le eyes. Damian Blackwood, my husband by name, but

is hand. For any sign that this, us, mean

polite smile,

r has social anxi

ve master bedroom of the B

wa

he'd re

he'd

ld be more than

big for two people who

e, barely acknowl

ck fac

ween us was thi

sleep first, he'd

p wouldn

t pounding louder th

ed to

amilies force

refuse to

lieve that someday

was already dressed, gone

s al

e room, but in

n: I wasn't the br

a game neither of

realised, this w

whispered into

e you see