Chapter 2: Cracks in the Armor

With the skyline of the city stretched out behind him, Darius Knight sat at the head of the table in his spacious office. He was known as a man of steel to his business partners and the general public because he was steady, cool, and always in charge. Emotions were only instruments to be employed wisely. However, something had begun to shift inside of him recently, and he was certain of the culprit.

Greene Aurora.

Though he would never acknowledge it, the term alone was enough to make him uneasy. She had swept into his life like a tempest, fierce, unforgiving, and completely unanticipated. Aurora wasn't someone he could write off lightly because she was the daughter of a wealthy family. She fascinated and enraged him with her quick wit, keen intelligence, and unwavering spirit. For the first time in years, Darius felt uneasy as she consistently questioned his authority and refused to be coerced.

Women had been easier to control in the past. They all followed his rules because they were attracted to his riches, power, and influence. But none of that piqued Aurora's interest. Darius wasn't sure he liked what he saw as she peeled back his exterior and revealed the real him.

His thoughts kept returning to their last exchange as he sat there, looking blankly at the papers in front of him. They had been by themselves in his penthouse office; it had grown late. Aurora had accused him of hiding behind a wall of emotionlessness and chilly disengagement. For an instant, Darius wanted to tell her everything since she had spoken so passionately and her green eyes were flaming with rage.

However, he hadn't. He was unable to. It was unacceptable to be vulnerable.

Rather, he had proceeded as usual and shoved her aside.

1. The Opposition Dance

He couldn't stop thinking about that night, and it kept him restless. Unlike the previous ladies who had entered and left his life, Aurora stayed. She had no desire for his name, fortune, or power. She desired him—the true him, the man concealed behind the armor. And that was rather awful.

He tried, but it was difficult to ignore the unease she left him with.

The weight of her presence was still there when he sat in his office. The buzzing of his phone startled him out of his reverie. It was one of her messages.

"Meet me at eight at the gallery. We must have a conversation.

Darius gazed at the television, his heart racing due to the suspense in just two short phrases. Whatever talk was ahead of him, he knew it would not be easy. Small conversation was not Aurora's style, so "talk" could only indicate that she was looking for clarification. Responses he was unsure he was prepared to provide.

But he had to consent for some reason that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

2. The Truth Gallery

When Darius came, the art museum was nearly empty, the gentle warmth of the lights lighting the wall murals. With her arms folded, Aurora stood close to the middle of the space, staring up at an abstract painting. He knew she was aware of him even though she didn't turn when she heard his footsteps.

"You're late," she stated in a composed yet strong tone.

Darius said, "I had business," even though they both saw it was a pretext. In an attempt to allow himself more time to get ready and put on the emotional fortification that had worked so successfully for him in the past, he had purposefully delayed his arrival.

Aurora looked up at him, her gaze piercing and inquisitive. "Business, of course."

They stood silently for a minute, their gap filled with unspoken words. Darius detested the way he was uncomfortable because of how much her glance touched him. Aurora wasn't the kind to follow orders, despite his desire to dominate the circumstances and the dialogue.

"Why did you invite me to this place?" He inquired in an impartial tone.

Aurora stepped forward, her eyes unblinking. "Darius, I'm sick of playing this game with you, so I asked you here." You seem as though nothing bothers you, but I know better. You keep me at a distance. I can tell when you believe I'm not paying attention by the way you stare at me. The tension between us is palpable. I'm sure you feel it too.

A wave of wrath washed over Darius along with something else, maybe dread. She was, of course, correct. Although acknowledging it would require giving up control, something he couldn't afford to do, he did feel it. Not right now. Never.

"I'm not sure what you're discussing," he falsely said, seeming distant.

Frustration flared in Aurora's eyes, but she refused to back down. "You're afraid," she mutely remarked. You fear showing yourself to others because you believe it will make you weak. However, you are mistaken. Darius, letting people in doesn't make you weak. You become human as a result.

He was surprised by how strongly her comments struck him. He parted his lips to reply, to counter, but nothing came out. It was the first time Darius Knight had been silent for a long time.

3. The Weakness Aurora

Stepped even beneath, he felt the warmth of her body as she drew nearer. Reaching up, she put a palm squarely over his heart on his chest. Darius felt as though the ground was moving beneath his feet, despite the gesture's simplicity.

She said, "You don't have to do this alone." "The world doesn't have to weigh all of this on your shoulders."

Darius gritted his teeth, resisting the want to back off. However, he didn't. He was unable to. His well-built walls surrounding himself were coming apart as a result of Aurora's touch, words, and presence.

"Darius, I've seen you," she said in a calm, quiet voice. "I've observed your concern for others around you, even if it's not demonstrated. You're not as icy as you'd have everyone think. You are not unbeatable.

Darius closed his eyes, feeling the effect of her words. She was accurate. He was not unbeatable. He was not the heartless, ideal guy he had strived to be. And Aurora had known all along that he was phony.

His voice was almost heard as he murmured, "I don't know how."

With a soft grin, Aurora's face became warmer. "You don't have to know how. All you need to do is be open to trying.

4. The Armor Broke

Something inside Darius cracked at that very instant. The gaps in his defense that he had battled so valiantly to conceal were now visible to the world—for Aurora: to observe. He was raw, exposed, and completely unprepared for what was about to happen.

However, Darius chose to face it head-on for the first time in his life. He did not push Aurora away. Rather, he gave himself permission to truly experience the feelings he had been suppressing for a very long time.

It was simultaneously horrifying and thrilling.

Heart thumping in his chest, he opened his eyes and met Aurora's gaze. He said, his words tasting strange on his mouth, "I'm scared."

With a wider smile, Aurora grabbed his hand in hers. "Yes, I am," she muttered. "But together, we can overcome it."

Darius gave himself permission to consider the possibility that perhaps, just possibly, he didn't have to handle things by himself. With Aurora by his side, perhaps he could confront the worries that had been plaguing him for so long.

And just like that, as they stood there in the calm of the museum, Darius Knight's neatly built world started to fall apart, but he wasn't scared this time.

Whatever was ahead, he was prepared.