thully

Sienna had always been able to keep her emotions in check, always keeping a calm demeanor, always being the one in control. But when she met Damian Laurent, everything changed. At first, it was intoxicating—the way he looked at her, the way he held her, the way he made her feel like she was the only one in the world. Their chemistry was undeniable, and the physical attraction was undeniable too. They became tangled up in each other’s sheets, letting passion take over as they indulged in a dangerous, yet irresistible, fling.

But everything changed the day Sienna found the wedding photo.

That single image shattered the illusion that Damian was just a man who lived for the moment. In that photo, he was with a woman—someone who looked so much a part of his life, so undeniably connected to him. It raised questions Sienna wasn’t prepared to confront, and they gnawed at her. Had he been married? Did he have a past? And if so, where did that leave her in his life? She wasn’t foolish enough to think that this was anything more than a casual fling, but still, the weight of that photo settled in her chest.

Unable to ignore the constant unease that grew inside her, Sienna decided to distance herself from Damian. It wasn’t just the photo. It was everything. The possessiveness that crept into his actions, the way he seemed to always be watching her, the way he made her feel safe and wanted but also, inexplicably, trapped. She couldn’t deny how much she needed him, but she feared how easily she could lose herself in him if she wasn’t careful.

The decision was clear. She needed to walk away before she lost herself entirely.

But walking away from Damian Laurent wasn’t going to be as easy as it seemed.

Sienna knew that quitting her job at Velvet Noir was the only way to truly escape him, to cut the ties that bound them together. So, with a heavy heart and trembling hands, she handed in her resignation. It was the only way she could think to break free, to remove herself from t

OWNED BY OBSESSION

Sienna slipped into her black, velvet halter dress, adjusting the hem as she checked herself in the mirror one last time. Her makeup was minimal—just enough to hide the fatigue beneath her eyes, but not enough to conceal the ache that lived in them. A week hadn’t healed her pain, but she knew staying home wouldn't either. Her heart still mourned her grandfather, the man who raised her like his own, whose absence felt like a permanent chill in her bones. 


At exactly 8 p.m., she grabbed her purse and headed downstairs, her heels clicking lightly against the wooden steps. Damian stood in the living room, arms crossed casually, leaning against the wall. His eyes lit up the moment he saw her. 


"Ready for the madness at Velvet Noir?" he asked, a teasing smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 


Sienna gave a soft chuckle, nodding. "More than ready." 


CHAPTER 40