CHAPTER 5

Confrontation with Damian

I stormed into the grand ballroom, my pulse a hammer against my ribs. Laughter and the clinking of champagne glasses filled the air, but all I could hear was the deafening roar of betrayal in my head. My hands curled into fists as I spotted him—Damian, standing at the bar, his usual smirk playing at the corners of his lips. His tailored suit fit him too perfectly as if even fabric refused to betray him.

I didn't hesitate. I marched straight to him, heels clicking against the marble floor, each step slicing through the air like a blade. He turned just as I reached him, his eyes flashing with something—amusement? Annoyance? It didn't matter.

"Celeste," he drawled, raising his glass as if he were toasting me. "You look—"

"Don't." My voice was sharp, cutting through whatever charm he planned to wield. "No more lies, no more games. I want the truth."

His smirk deepened, but there was something cold behind it. "Truth?" he mused, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "And what truth are you looking for, darling?"

"You used me." The words tasted bitter on my tongue, but I forced them out. "Everything—every whispered promise, every look, every touch—it was all just a stepping stone for you, wasn't it?"

A slow chuckle rumbled from his throat, and I hated how smooth, how unaffected he seemed. "Well," he said, setting his glass down with an elegant click, "at least you're not completely naive."

My breath hitched. "So it's true."

Damian leaned in, so close I could smell the faint trace of his cologne. "Of course, it's true, Celeste." His voice was low, almost gentle, as if he pitied me. "You were useful. Beautiful, ambitious, eager to please. But I never needed you."

The words landed like a punch, knocking the air from my lungs. The room spun for a moment, the music, the laughter—everything blurred into the background. My heart pounded against my ribs, each beat screaming at me to run, to leave before I shattered completely.

Then, laughter. Not just his.

I turned, and there she was—Bianca, leaning against the bar, her lips curved into a knowing smile. Her eyes glowed with triumph as she took a slow sip of her drink, watching me unravel. She had won. She had known all along, and she had let me walk right into the fire.

Rage burned through my veins, hot and unrelenting. I turned back to Damian, my voice shaking but strong. "You are nothing but a coward."

He arched a brow. "Careful, Celeste. That fire in you—that's what made you interesting." He reached out as if to brush my hair from my face, but I slapped his hand away.

"You will regret this," I whispered my voice deadly calm. "One day, when your empire crumbles, when everyone you've stepped on rises against you, you will remember this moment. You will remember me."

He tilted his head, considering my words. "Perhaps." Then, with infuriating ease, he straightened his cuffs. "But until then, I'll enjoy the view from the top."

I should have turned away then. I should have walked out with my dignity intact. But something inside me refused to let him have the last word. My body moved before I could think—I grabbed his glass and, with one swift motion, threw the remaining whiskey in his face.

Gasps echoed around the room. Damian flinched, his composure slipping for the first time.

I stepped closer, lowering my voice just for him. "Burn in hell."

For the first time, his mask cracked. His jaw tightened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. But I didn't wait for a response. I turned on my heel and walked away, head held high, ignoring the whispers and stares that followed me.

Bianca's laughter trailed after me, but I didn't look back. I wouldn't give her—or him—that satisfaction.

As I stepped outside, the cool night air hit me, but it did nothing to extinguish the fire inside. I lost something tonight. Innocence, perhaps. A dream. But I had also gained something far more valuable—clarity.

Damian had played his game. But the next move?

That would be mine.

And I was just getting started.

As I walked down the marble steps, a sleek black car pulled up beside me. The window rolled down, and a familiar voice, smooth and laced with intrigue, spoke.

"I have an offer you might be interested in."

I turned, my heart skipping a beat.

Game on.