Whispers of Damien Cross

Ryan Hastings had always been a man of contradictions.

On the surface, he had it all—charm, good looks, and the effortless confidence of someone born into wealth. People gravitated toward him, drawn to the easy smirk and devil-may-care attitude he wore like a second skin.

But beneath that polished exterior was a man at war with himself. A man burdened with choices that never seemed to align with the person he wanted to be.

Chloe had once been his anchor. The one thing in his life that felt honest, untouched by the weight of his family name and the shadows that came with it.

With her, he had been different—softer, maybe even better. And yet, he had ruined it. Ruined her.

Ryan had never been the kind of man to dwell on regrets. At least, that was what he told himself.

Yet, as he stood across the street watching Chloe step out of the coffee shop, the weight of his choices pressed against his chest like an iron fist.

His gaze followed her as she moved, gripping a cup in one hand, her phone in the other, her brows drawn in the way they did when she was thinking too much. Something was on her mind. Something heavy.

And Ryan had a sickening feeling he knew exactly what it was.

The same thing that had been gnawing at his gut for days.

Damien.

He had overheard Sienna mention it in passing—how Chloe was preparing for a high-profile meeting with Damien Cross.

Sienna had tried to sound indifferent, but Ryan had caught the flicker of resentment in her eyes. Jealousy. Their father had once again trusted Chloe with something significant, something that could change everything—while Sienna was left on the sidelines.

However Ryan said nothing to Sienna, because how could he?

Telling Sienna that he knew exactly who Damien Cross was would mean exposing things he wasn't ready to share.

Things he would rather have Chloe hear from him first?

Ryan ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.

He had been preparing for this moment, rehearsing what to say and how to say it. He knew Chloe wouldn't want to hear from him. She despised him—barely wanted to breathe the same air as him.

But he couldn't let her walk into this blind.

And despite everything, despite the pain he had caused her, Ryan still wanted to protect her.

Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was something more twisted, something he didn't want to name.

But the truth was, he knew exactly what kind of danger Chloe was stepping into.

And despite her hatred for him, even though she would probably tell him to go to hell—he had to warn her.

He saw it then—the way her shoulders tensed, the way her fingers tightened around the coffee cup. Her breath quickened.

She was sensing something.

Her instincts had always been sharp. She reached for her car key, her steps quickening, as if running from something - or someone.

Until she felt a presence behind her. A shadow looming over her.

She turned—and her gaze landed on him.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Her eyes widened slightly before narrowing into something colder.

Then she finally broke the silence. "What are you doing here, Ryan? Are you following me?"

"Yes… I mean no….no." He stuttered.

Something about her always made him feel like the ground beneath him wasn't steady.

His words failed him. His knees grew weak. His palms are sweaty.

However, this was his chance and one he couldn't afford to lose.

"I need to talk to you."

Chloe scoffed, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."

Ryan felt something tighten in his chest.

"Chloe, listen—"

She picked up her pace again, walking toward her car.

"Please." His voice was lower this time. "It's important."

She stopped but didn't turn around.

A sharp inhale. Her jaw clenched.

Then finally, she spun to face him, her eyes burning with fury. "You lost the right to talk to me the second you chose her."

Ryan flinched. He deserved that. He could hear the hurt in her voice, and behind the fury in her eyes, he saw something else. Something raw.

Pain.

Anger.

And beneath it all, a wound that hadn't quite healed.

He forced himself to meet her gaze. "This isn't about Sienna."

Chloe let out a bitter laugh. "Then what is it about, Ryan? What?"

"I know about Damien Cross" Ryan blurted.

Chloe froze.

For a moment, she didn't move, her hand still hovering over the car door handle. Then, slowly, she turned to face him.

"Everyone knows about Damien Cross." Her voice was calm but edged with wariness. "What makes you different?"

Ryan took a step forward, lowering his voice.

Ryan clenched his jaw. "Not like I do." He paused.

"Chloe, Damien is powerful. Dangerous. He doesn't make deals—he traps people in them. Once you step into his world, there's no way out."

Something flickered in her gaze, but she quickly masked it.

Ryan pressed on. "You think this is just another business negotiation, but it's not. Damien doesn't work like that. He doesn't trust. He doesn't play fair. And once he has leverage over you, he never lets go."

Chloe's expression remained unreadable, but her eyes—those sharp, piercing eyes that had once looked at him with nothing but warmth—were laced with suspicion.

Her gaze sharpened. "And how exactly do you know all this?"

He hesitated.

The truth was heavy on his tongue, but he couldn't say it. Not yet.

"I just do." His voice was firm. "And you need to listen."

Chloe let out a dry, humourless laugh. "That's not suspicious at all."

"Come on Chloe, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't serious."

She scoffed. "Ryan? You follow me around like a stalker—"

"Chloe, please."

"And tie me down just to tell me this? Really?"

"I'm telling you this because I care, not just about you but about Bennett Industries."

She let out a bitter laugh, her eyes flashing with something between fury and disbelief.

"You don't care about me or anything else, Ryan. You're selfish. A self-centred son of a bitch."

Her words pierced him like a blunt dagger.

She took a step back, gripping her car door.

"I don't need warnings from you, Ryan." Her voice was as cold as ice. "Not anymore, now do me a favour and stay away from me."

Ryan knew she would say that.

He had expected it.

But it didn't make it any easier to hear.

As she slipped into her car and pulled the door shut, Ryan watched her go, his hands clenched into fists.

He exhaled slowly, his pulse hammering.

He had to be careful. If he told her too much too soon, she would shut down.

But he had to find a way to make her listen.

Because whether she realized it or not, Damien Cross was about to change her life.

And not in the way she expected.