Chapter 8: Unraveling Secrets

The ride back to Damien's penthouse was thick with tension. The city lights blurred past the car's tinted windows, but Elena barely noticed. Her thoughts were tangled with everything that had happened tonight—Richard's cryptic words, Isabella's warning, and most of all, Damien's sudden shift in demeanor.

He hadn't spoken since they left the gala.

His fingers drummed lightly against his knee, his expression unreadable.

Elena stole a glance at him, frustration simmering beneath her skin. "Are you going to tell me what that was about?"

Damien didn't respond right away. Instead, he exhaled slowly, as if debating how much to say.

Finally, he turned to her, his gray eyes darker than usual. "Richard isn't someone you should be concerned with."

She frowned. "That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting."

Elena crossed her arms, irritated. "You can't just drag me into this world, have people throwing warnings at me, and then expect me not to ask questions, Damien. What is going on between you and Richard?"

His jaw clenched. "That's none of your concern."

She let out a short laugh, incredulous. "None of my concern? I'm pretending to be your girlfriend, Damien! If this arrangement is supposed to work, I need to know what I'm up against."

His gaze flickered with something unreadable before he sighed.

"Richard was my father's business partner. A long time ago," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "After my father's death, he tried to take over Blackwood Enterprises. It didn't work, but he still has connections. He likes to remind me of that every chance he gets."

Elena processed his words carefully. "So he's a threat to you."

Damien's lips pressed into a thin line. "He wants to be. But I don't let him."

She studied him, noticing the way his fists had clenched slightly, the tension coiled in his frame. This wasn't just about business. This was personal.

"Does he know about… us?" she asked cautiously.

Damien smirked, but there was no real amusement in it. "He knows enough to be suspicious."

Elena hesitated, her mind racing. Richard had been testing her at the gala, prodding at the cracks to see if she would break. And the way he spoke—like he knew something she didn't—unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

"Damien," she said carefully, "is there something you're not telling me?"

His gaze locked onto hers, and for a brief moment, she thought he might actually answer.

But then the car pulled up to his building, and just like that, the moment was gone.

"We're here," he said, stepping out without another word.

Elena exhaled sharply, frustration gnawing at her. She followed him into the lobby, past the doorman who greeted Damien with practiced respect, and into the private elevator that led to his penthouse.

As soon as the doors slid shut, she turned to him.

"You're deflecting."

Damien glanced at her, unimpressed. "And you're persistent."

"You're damn right I am," she shot back. "You hired me to play a role, and I agreed—but I won't do it blindfolded. If Richard is a problem, I need to know how deep this goes."

The air between them grew heavy, thick with something unspoken.

Then, finally, Damien spoke.

"He doesn't believe I do anything without reason," he admitted. "Which means he doesn't believe that I'd be in a relationship unless there was something to gain from it."

Elena blinked. "So he thinks I'm a pawn in some business move?"

Damien's lips curved slightly. "Something like that."

She scoffed. "Well, he's not entirely wrong, is he?"

The smirk faded.

For a second, silence stretched between them.

Then, Damien stepped closer, closing the distance between them in a way that made her pulse jump.

"You keep saying this is just a job," he murmured, his voice low, almost teasing. "But I think you're starting to forget that."

Elena's breath caught.

His nearness was distracting, intoxicating. The way his eyes flickered over her, the way his presence felt like gravity itself—dangerous and inevitable.

She swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. "I know exactly what this is."

"Do you?"

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

Then, as if sensing she was dangerously close to something she couldn't take back, Damien took a step back.

"Get some rest, Elena," he said, his voice unreadable once again. "You'll need it."

And just like that, he turned and disappeared into his room, leaving her standing there—breathless, frustrated, and more confused than ever.

---

The Next Morning

Elena barely slept.

She had spent hours staring at the ceiling, replaying the night's events, trying to make sense of Damien, of Richard, of the strange tension that had settled between them.

By the time she finally got up, the sun was already high.

She wrapped herself in a robe and stepped out of her room, heading toward the kitchen in desperate need of coffee.

To her surprise, Damien was already there, dressed in his usual crisp suit, a fresh cup of coffee in his hand.

"Morning," he greeted, as if nothing had happened last night.

Elena eyed him warily. "You're up early."

"Some of us have businesses to run."

She rolled her eyes, grabbing a mug and pouring herself some coffee. "Right. The all-powerful CEO routine."

He smirked. "Jealous?"

"Of the sleepless workaholic lifestyle? Not exactly."

Damien chuckled, but then his expression turned more serious. "I have a meeting today, but I need you to stay out of sight for a while."

Elena frowned. "Why?"

"Because Richard is watching," he admitted. "And I don't want him finding a reason to dig deeper into us."

She hesitated. "You think he'll try to use me against you."

Damien's jaw tightened slightly. "I know he will."

Elena exhaled. "So what's the plan?"

His gaze darkened. "I handle Richard. You stay out of the way."

She didn't like it.

But she also knew this was bigger than she understood.

"Fine," she said. "But don't think this means I'm done asking questions."

Damien smirked. "I wouldn't expect anything less, Miss Carter."

As he grabbed his keys and walked toward the door, Elena couldn't shake the feeling that she had just stepped into something far more dangerous than she had signed up for.

And the worst part?

She wasn't sure if she wanted a way out.

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