Dangerously Yours

CHAPTER 2-DANGEROUS INTRODUCTION

The next morning, I woke up to one thing. My name was everywhere. Not because I had won an award.

Not because I had done something extraordinary.

But because Damien Blackwood had called me his fiancée in front of an entire room full of reporters.

ELENA RIVERA: THE MYSTERY WOMAN BESIDE DAMIEN BLACKWOOD

BLACKWOOD HEIR FINALLY ENGAGED?

WHO IS THE WOMAN WHO CAPTURED THE HEART OF THE COLD-BLOODED BLACKWOOD?

I stared at my phone in disbelief.

“Captured his heart?”

I scoffed bitterly.

“If only they knew.”

My phone vibrated again.

Another notification.

Then another.

Then another.

I threw it onto my bed.

“Great.”

Three days ago, I was nobody.

Now, apparently, I was the woman everyone wanted to know.

And the worst part?

They didn't even know I was already married to him.

I walked into school wearing my usual uniform, hoping—praying—that everything would feel normal.

It didn't.

The moment I stepped through the gate, heads turned.

Whispers followed me.

“That's her.”

“That's Elena Rivera.”

“She's the one from the news.”

“She's Damien Blackwood's fiancée.”

“Grabe, ang swerte niya.”

“Have you seen Damien? He's insanely handsome.”

“I heard he's ruthless.”

“I don't care. If he looked at me like that, I'd marry him too.”

I rolled my eyes.

If only they knew what it was actually like to live with a man like Damien Blackwood.

I hadn't even reached the main building when someone grabbed my arm.

“Elena!”

I turned.

My best friend, Sofia, was standing there, looking like she was about to explode.

“What?” I asked, startled.

“You're engaged?”

I blinked.

“Good morning to you too.”

“Don't change the subject!” she exclaimed dramatically, pointing at her phone.

“You're engaged to Damien Blackwood?”

I sighed.

“It's complicated.”

“Complicated?”

She stared at me suspiciously.

“You disappeared yesterday, and now you're on every news site!”

“I didn't disappear.”

“You literally vanished with Damien Blackwood!”

I lowered my voice.

“Keep your voice down.”

She immediately covered her mouth.

“Wait.”

Her eyes widened.

“Does this mean it's true?”

I hesitated.

“Yes.”

Her jaw dropped.

“OH. MY. GOD.”

“Sofia.”

“You're marrying Damien Blackwood?”

I looked around nervously.

“Technically…”

I stopped myself.

No.

She couldn't know.

Nobody could.

“Technically what?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

Before she could interrogate me further, the loudspeaker suddenly crackled.

“Attention, students and faculty. Please be informed that there will be an emergency assembly at ten o'clock this morning. Attendance is required.”

Sofia frowned.

“That's weird.”

I nodded.

“It is.”

I didn't know why.

But somehow, I already had a bad feeling.

---

At exactly ten o'clock, the entire student body gathered in the auditorium.

The principal walked onto the stage.

Beside him stood several members of the faculty.

And then—

The entire room went silent.

A man in a black suit walked onto the stage.

My heart stopped.

Damien.

I stared at him in disbelief.

“What is he doing here?” I whispered.

Sofia looked at me.

“You know him?”

I immediately looked away.

“No.”

She frowned.

“You just made the weirdest face.”

“I did not.”

“You did.”

Damien stepped toward the microphone.

His expression was calm, professional, and completely emotionless.

“Good morning.”

His voice echoed through the auditorium.

The girls around me immediately started whispering.

“Oh my God.”

“He's even hotter in person.”

“Look at his jaw.”

“Is he really engaged to Elena?”

I wanted to disappear.

The principal stepped forward.

“We are pleased to announce a new partnership between Blackwood Holdings and our university.”

The auditorium erupted into murmurs.

I stared at Damien.

A partnership?

Why would he suddenly invest in my school?

The principal continued.

“This partnership will provide scholarships, new facilities, internship opportunities, and funding for several academic programs.”

Everyone applauded.

I didn't.

Because I knew Damien.

And Damien never did anything without a reason.

The principal turned toward him.

“Mr. Blackwood, would you like to say a few words?”

Damien took the microphone.

His eyes scanned the crowd.

Then they stopped on me.

For one second, everything else disappeared.

“Young people deserve opportunities,” he said evenly.

His voice was calm, but there was something strangely deliberate about every word.

“Blackwood Holdings intends to provide those opportunities.”

Polite applause filled the room.

Then his gaze returned to me.

“And sometimes, those opportunities begin in places that matter personally.”

My heartbeat skipped.

What the hell did that mean?

He stepped away from the microphone.

The principal smiled.

“Thank you, Mr. Blackwood.”

Damien walked off the stage.

As he passed our row, his eyes met mine again.

His expression barely changed.

But I knew that look.

He was telling me to follow him.

I shook my head.

Absolutely not.

He continued walking.

I remained seated.

Then my phone vibrated.

I discreetly looked at the screen.

Damien: Office. Now.

I clenched my jaw.

Me: No.

His reply came almost immediately.

Damien: Five minutes.

I stared at the message.

Me: You're unbelievable.

His response was simple.

Damien: I know.

I wanted to throw my phone.

---

Five minutes later, I stood outside the principal's office.

I knocked.

“Come in.”

I opened the door.

Damien was standing near the window, his hands in his pockets.

The principal was sitting behind his desk.

“Elena,” the principal greeted warmly.

“Sir.”

“Please sit.”

I sat down.

Damien remained standing.

I looked at him irritably.

“Why are you here?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“You were summoned.”

“You summoned me.”

“Same thing.”

I glared at him.

“You can't just enter my school and announce a partnership without telling me.”

“I own the company funding it.”

“That doesn't answer my question.”

“It wasn't supposed to.”

I inhaled deeply.

“Are you always this irritating?”

His lips twitched.

“Only with you.”

The principal looked between us.

“You two seem comfortable with each other.”

I nearly choked.

“Not at all.”

Damien looked amused.

“Very comfortable.”

I shot him a warning look.

He ignored it.

The principal smiled.

“Well, since you're engaged, I suppose—”

“We're not—”

“She's shy,” Damien interrupted smoothly.

I turned toward him.

“I'm not shy.”

“You're blushing.”

“Because you're annoying me.”

“Same thing.”

I clenched my fists.

The principal laughed softly.

“I'll leave you two to discuss the partnership.”

He stood and walked out.

The moment the door closed, I turned toward Damien.

“What are you doing?”

“Protecting you.”

“By turning my school into your business?”

“By making sure no one can touch you.”

My anger faded slightly.

“What?”

He stepped closer.

“The media is watching you now.”

“I know.”

“Your family is vulnerable.”

“I know.”

“And there are people who would use you to get to me.”

I stared at him.

“What people?”

His expression hardened.

“That's what I'm trying to find out.”

I swallowed.

“You're saying there's a threat?”

“I'm saying you should be careful.”

I folded my arms.

“Then why announce our engagement?”

His eyes darkened.

“Because hiding you completely would make you more suspicious.”

I looked away.

“You're complicated.”

“So are you.”

Before I could respond, the door opened.

The principal returned.

But he wasn't alone.

Someone stood behind him.

Tall.

Athletic.

Wearing a university jacket.

His hair was slightly damp, as if he'd just come from training.

I knew him before I even saw his face.

My heart stopped.

Lucas.

Lucas Santiago.

He walked into the room.

And then he saw Damien.

His steps slowed.

Damien turned.

Their eyes met.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Neither man spoke.

But something passed between them.

Recognition.

Tension.

Challenge.

The principal smiled, completely unaware of the storm forming in front of him.

“Mr. Blackwood, I'd like you to meet one of our most promising student-athletes.”

Lucas didn't look away from Damien.

“Lucas Santiago.”

Damien's expression remained unreadable.

“Damien Blackwood.”

They shook hands.

But it wasn't a friendly handshake.

Lucas's grip tightened.

Damien's eyes narrowed slightly.

I stood frozen beside them.

Lucas finally looked at me.

His expression softened.

For a second, I saw the boy who used to run toward me through the rain.

The boy I had loved.

The boy I had broken.

Then his eyes dropped to my hand.

There was no ring.

Because our marriage was secret.

But he already knew.

He had known from me.

From that rainy night at the swimming center.

From the moment I told him I was marrying Damien.

From the moment he kissed my forehead and said goodbye.

His jaw tightened.

He looked back at Damien.

“So you're him,” Lucas said quietly, his voice carrying restrained anger.

Damien studied him.

“You've heard of me.”

Lucas gave a humorless smile.

“Everyone has.”

Damien's gaze sharpened.

“Apparently.”

I stepped between them.

“Lucas.”

He looked at me.

There was hurt in his eyes.

But he quickly hid it.

“You look well,” he said softly.

I forced a smile.

“So do you.”

“Still swimming?”

“Still breathing,” he replied with a faint smile.

The familiar humor almost broke me.

Damien watched us carefully.

Too carefully.

Then Lucas turned toward him.

“I heard about the engagement.”

My stomach tightened.

Damien didn't react.

“Yes?”

Lucas's eyes remained cold.

“Congratulations.”

The word sounded nothing like congratulations.

Damien smiled faintly.

“Thank you.”

Lucas nodded.

Then he looked at me.

“Are you happy?”

I froze.

Damien's expression changed.

Just slightly.

But I noticed.

Everyone in the room seemed to disappear.

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

Lucas waited.

His eyes silently begged me for the truth.

I swallowed.

“Yes.”

The lie tasted bitter.

Lucas looked at me for several seconds.

Then he smiled.

A sad, broken smile.

“Good.”

He turned away.

And somehow, that hurt more than anger ever could.

He walked toward the door.

But before leaving, he stopped beside Damien.

Without looking at him, he spoke quietly.

“Take care of her.”

Damien's eyes narrowed.

“I intend to.”

Lucas finally looked at him.

“You better.”

The door closed behind him.

Silence.

I stared at the empty doorway.

Damien remained still.

Then, unexpectedly, he spoke.

“You loved him.”

My heart stopped.

I slowly turned toward him.

“That wasn't a question.”

“No.”

His eyes met mine.

“It was an observation.”

I looked away.

“That's none of your business.”

He stepped closer.

“It became my business the moment you signed the contract.”

I glared at him.

“You don't own my past.”

“No.”

His voice softened.

“But I own your present.”

I froze.

Before I could answer, his phone rang.

He looked at the screen.

His expression immediately changed.

“What is it?” I asked nervously.

He didn't answer.

He read the message.

Then looked at me.

And for the first time, the coldness in his eyes was replaced by something far more dangerous.

Concern.

“What happened?” I whispered.

He slowly locked his phone.

“Nothing.”

“Damien.”

He stared at me.

Then he said the words that made my blood run cold.

“Someone just sent me a photograph of you and Lucas.”

My breath caught.

“What?”

His voice dropped.

“And they want something in exchange for keeping it private.”

I stared at him.

“Who?”

Damien's jaw tightened.

“We're about to find out.”

And somewhere outside that office, my phone vibrated.

One message.

One photograph.

One threat.

I know you're not really engaged.

I stared at the screen.

Then another message appeared.

I know you're already married.

My blood ran cold.