Crashing into your life

EpisodeTwo

Chapter Two: Bed of lies

Author’s pov

Damian arrived just as dusk settled over the estate, the sky washed in muted shades of amber and gray. The mansion rose before him like something pulled from another century—grand, old-fashioned, and heavy with history. Ivy crept along stone walls that had witnessed decades of power, secrets, and family wars. The iron gates closed behind his car with a low, final clang, as though sealing him back into a world he had never truly escaped.

Before he could even cut the engine, several staff members hurried forward with practiced efficiency. One of them opened his door while another reached for his travel bag.

“Welcome, sir,” an elderly gentleman said with a polite bow. His hair was silver, neatly combed back, his posture rigid despite his age. “Your grandfather is in his study.”

“Thank you, Mr. Tee,” Damian replied, stepping out of the car. His voice was calm, but his jaw was tight. Being here always did that to him—made him feel like a child again, standing before judgment.

The butler nodded and gestured toward the main entrance. Damian walked in alone.

The interior of the mansion was just as imposing as the exterior. High ceilings, dark wood panels, portraits of stern-faced ancestors lining the walls. Men who had built empires, broken families, and expected the same iron resolve from those who came after them. Damian barely spared them a glance as he headed straight for the study.

He knocked once before opening the door.

“So,” a deep, aged voice spoke before Damian could say a word, “you finally decided to pay your old man a visit.”

His grandfather sat in a rocking chair by the large window, a blanket draped over his legs, a cane resting against the arm of the chair. He looked close to eighty now—older than Damian liked to admit. Time had curved his back slightly, carved lines into his face, but his eyes were still sharp. Too sharp.

“I’m sorry, Grandpa,” Damian said, stepping fully into the room and closing the door behind him. “I’ve been busy with work.”

A soft scoff escaped the old man’s lips. “Work,” he repeated, as if tasting the word. “That excuse has followed you since you were twenty.”

The grandfather placed his hands on the arms of the chair and began to rise. Instinctively, Damian rushed forward.

“Let me—”

A hand lifted, firm despite the tremor in it. “I’m not helpless yet.”

Damian stopped immediately, stepping back as his grandfather stood on his own. Slowly, deliberately, the old man began walking out of the study. Damian followed a step behind, the silence between them thick and familiar.

They moved through long corridors and out toward the garden, where the air was cooler and carried the faint scent of trimmed hedges and old roses. The sun was nearly gone now, the last light stretching thin across the lawn.

As they walked, his grandfather spoke again, his tone casual in the way that always preceded an order.

“The daughter of the Arnold Group just returned from studying abroad,” he said. “Take her on a date. Discuss marriage plans. I’ve already spoken to her father.”

Damian’s steps faltered, just slightly.

“She is the only one,” his grandfather continued, “you haven’t embarrassed yourself in front of in this society.”

“That’s why I came to see you, Grandpa,” Damian said, his voice tightening despite his effort to keep it steady. “I can’t marry her.”

The old man stopped walking. Damian stopped too.

“You don’t have a choice,” his grandfather said without turning around. “This isn’t up for debate. You need to marry soon so I can retire.”

He resumed walking, slower now, until they reached a shaded part of the garden where a wooden bench waited. With care, his grandfather lowered himself onto it, exhaling softly. Damian dragged a nearby chair closer and sat opposite him, elbows resting on his knees.

“I am getting married, Grandpa.”

The words landed heavier than Damian expected.

His grandfather looked up sharply, disbelief written plainly across his face.

“Damian,” he said slowly, “I am not falling for your lies again. Make sure you go on that date.”

“I’m serious,” Damian insisted. He leaned forward slightly, meeting his grandfather’s gaze head-on. “I asked my girlfriend to marry me. I didn’t want to introduce her until I was sure about us.”

For a long moment, the old man simply stared at him, searching his face for cracks, for the telltale signs of deception he had learned to spot over the years.

Then, gradually, his expression softened. His eyes brightened, and a rare smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “You’re not lying to me?”

“Of course not, Grandpa.”

The old man let out a low laugh, shaking his head. “You nearly gave me a heart attack,” he muttered. “All this time, you were planning something like this?”

Damian said nothing, only nodded.

“Which family is she from?” his grandfather asked eagerly. “The Jang Group? The Smiths?”

“No,” Damian replied smoothly. “She’s from a wealthy family in the west. Very low-key. They don’t like attention.”

His grandfather hummed thoughtfully. “And what does she do?”

“She studied law abroad.”

At that, the old man’s eyes lit up even more.

“A lawyer?” he repeated, clearly pleased. “Good. Very good. A woman with a backbone.”

He leaned back against the bench, satisfaction settling over his features. “Bring her to me tomorrow.”

Damian’s heart skipped, but his face remained composed. “Tomorrow?”

“Yes,” his grandfather said firmly. “I want to meet the woman bold enough to finally pin you down.”

Damian forced a smile. “Of course.”