Married by deception

THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK

"Why did you choose me?"

Elena's question hung between them.

Damian didn't answer.

For the first time since she had met him, the arrogant confidence in his eyes seemed to disappear.

He looked at the photograph on his desk instead.

Then at her.

"Because our families needed this marriage."

Elena's expression hardened.

"That's not what I asked."

"I know."

"Then answer me."

Damian walked toward the windows.

The city stretched beneath them, thousands of lights shining through the darkness.

"You want the truth?"

"Yes."

He turned around.

"I chose you because I knew you would never accept being controlled."

Elena frowned.

"That doesn't make sense."

"It does to me."

"Why would you want a wife who argues with you?"

"Because I don't need someone who agrees with everything I say."

She stared at him.

"You're saying you chose me because I'm difficult?"

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Among other things."

Elena rolled her eyes.

"That's the strangest compliment I've ever received."

"It wasn't entirely a compliment."

"There he is."

She folded her arms.

"The arrogant CEO is back."

Damian walked toward the desk.

But before he could say anything, Marcus entered the office.

"Sir."

Damian looked up.

"What?"

"We found something."

Elena immediately turned toward him.

"What?"

Marcus placed a tablet on the desk.

"The person who accessed the archive used an employee's credentials."

"Whose?"

Marcus hesitated.

"Daniel Cross."

Damian's expression changed.

"Daniel?"

"He works in the legal department."

"I know who he is."

"He disappeared about twenty minutes ago."

Elena's eyes widened.

"Disappeared?"

"His phone is switched off, and security can't locate him."

Damian picked up his phone.

"Find him."

"We're trying."

"No."

Damian's voice became colder.

"You're going to find him."

Marcus nodded.

"Yes, sir."

He turned to leave.

"Marcus."

He stopped.

"Don't involve the police yet."

Elena looked at Damian.

"Why not?"

Damian didn't answer immediately.

Marcus nodded.

"Understood."

He left.

Elena stared at Damian.

"Why wouldn't you call the police?"

"Because we don't know what we're dealing with."

"Someone is threatening me."

"I know."

"They accessed your company's security system."

"I know."

"They've been sending messages to my phone."

"I know."

"Then why are you acting like the police can't help?"

Damian's eyes met hers.

"Because whoever is behind this may have connections inside the police."

Elena went silent.

That was not an answer she expected.

"How powerful is this person?"

"I don't know."

"But you have an idea."

Damian looked away.

"Possibly."

She sighed.

"You're impossible."

"So you've said."

Elena picked up the photograph.

She studied it again.

The younger Damian standing beside her looked nothing like the man in front of her.

There was something almost gentle in his expression.

She pointed at the picture.

"That's not the Damian I know."

"What do you mean?"

"You look different."

Damian glanced at it.

"I was younger."

"That's not what I mean."

He said nothing.

"You look..." She paused. "Happy."

His eyes remained on the photograph.

"I was."

Elena looked at him.

"Until what?"

Damian's expression darkened.

"Until I learned how quickly people can change."

She wanted to ask what had happened.

But something told her not to.

Not yet.

Instead, she asked, "Did you speak to me that night?"

"No."

"Then why were you standing beside me?"

"I don't remember."

"You just said you remember everything."

"I remember seeing you."

"That's not the same thing."

Damian looked at her.

"There are parts of that night I don't remember either."

Elena's expression softened.

"You don't?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I was told there was an incident."

"What incident?"

"My grandfather refused to discuss it."

"That makes no sense."

"It didn't to me either."

"Then why didn't you investigate?"

"I did."

"And?"

"I found nothing."

Elena stared at him.

"Nothing?"

"Every record from that night was incomplete."

Her eyes widened.

"Just like the file that was deleted today."

"Exactly."

A chill moved through her.

Someone had deliberately erased parts of the past.

And now that same person was trying to frighten her.

"Damian."

He looked at her.

"What if the person sending these messages knows what happened?"

"Then we'll find them."

"And if they know something you don't?"

His expression became serious.

"Then we'll find that out too."

Elena nodded slowly.

She wanted to trust him.

She really did.

But trusting Damian felt like stepping into a room with the lights turned off.

She never knew what was waiting in the darkness.

Her phone suddenly rang.

Unknown number.

Damian immediately reached for it.

"Don't answer."

Elena looked at the screen.

The call ended.

A message appeared.

**You're asking too many questions.**

Then another.

**Stop before you lose everything.**

Elena stared at the messages.

Damian took the phone from her hand.

"This is enough."

"What are you going to do?"

"You're coming with me."

"Where?"

"Home."

"My home?"

"Our home."

Elena blinked.

"What?"

"The wedding isn't for several weeks, but we're announcing the engagement tomorrow."

"I know."

"You're moving into my house tonight."

She stared at him.

"Absolutely not."

"Elena."

"No."

"It's safer."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know."

"Then stop deciding things for me."

Damian stepped closer.

"I've spent the last few hours watching someone get inside my company, access confidential files and threaten you."

His voice was controlled, but Elena could hear the tension beneath it.

"I'm not taking chances."

She stared at him.

"You care that much?"

The question escaped before she could stop it.

Damian's expression softened.

"More than I should."

Elena's heart skipped.

She quickly looked away.

"That's not an answer."

"It is."

She didn't know what to say.

Damian walked to the desk and picked up his keys.

"We're leaving."

"You really don't know how to ask, do you?"

"No."

"At least you're honest."

He almost smiled.

Almost.

They left the building together.

Outside, security officers were already waiting.

Elena noticed the unusual number of them.

"Do you always have this much security?"

"Not usually."

"Then tonight is special."

"Unfortunately."

Damian opened the car door for her.

She hesitated.

"I can open a car door myself."

"I know."

"Then why did you?"

"Because I wanted to."

Elena stared at him for a second before getting inside.

Damian walked around to the other side.

The drive was quiet.

Neither spoke for several minutes.

Elena watched the city through the window.

She couldn't stop thinking about what Damian had said.

*More than I should.*

She glanced at him.

He was focused on the road.

His face was calm again.

Closed off.

As if the vulnerable moment in his office had never happened.

"Damian?"

"Hm?"

"Do you regret choosing me?"

"No."

"Not even a little?"

"No."

"Even though I'm stubborn?"

"Especially because you're stubborn."

She smiled.

"I knew there was something wrong with you."

"Probably."

For the first time that evening, Elena laughed.

Damian glanced at her.

A small smile touched his lips.

Neither of them noticed the black car following them from several vehicles behind.

When they arrived at the Blackwood residence, Elena stepped out of the car and looked up.

The house was enormous.

It looked less like a home and more like a private estate.

She turned toward Damian.

"You actually live here?"

"Yes."

"It's huge."

"You'll get used to it."

"I'm not sure I want to."

"You'll have time."

He led her inside.

The entrance hall was elegant and quiet.

A housekeeper approached.

"Welcome home, Mr. Blackwood."

Damian nodded.

Then he looked at Elena.

"This is Elena."

The woman smiled warmly.

"Miss Sterling."

"Elena is fine."

"Of course."

Damian continued toward the staircase.

Elena followed.

"Where's my room?"

"Second floor."

"Good."

"You'll have your own private sitting room."

"Even better."

"And a private office."

She stopped.

"You're actually giving me an office?"

"I told you I'd keep my word."

She looked at him.

"Maybe you're not completely terrible."

"Don't spread that around."

She smiled.

They reached the second floor.

Damian opened a door.

The room was beautiful.

A large bed.

A sitting area.

A dressing room.

A balcony overlooking the garden.

Elena walked toward the balcony doors.

"You prepared this already?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Before you arrived."

She turned around.

"How did you know what I liked?"

Damian didn't answer.

Her smile disappeared.

"Damian."

He looked at her.

"How did you know?"

He walked toward the door.

"I had someone find out."

"Who?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

He paused.

Then said quietly, "I told you. I know you."

Elena watched him leave.

The door closed.

She stood alone in the room.

Something about this house felt strange.

Not because it was unfamiliar.

Because parts of it felt as if they had been prepared specifically for her.

She walked into the dressing room.

Her clothes were already there.

Not all of them.

But enough.

Her favorite books sat neatly arranged on a shelf.

Even the perfume she used was on the vanity.

Elena froze.

She hadn't told Damian what perfume she wore.

She hadn't told him which books she liked.

She hadn't told him anything.

Her phone buzzed.

She pulled it out.

Unknown number.

**Now you understand.**

Her stomach tightened.

Another message appeared.

**He has been watching you for years.**

Elena stared at the screen.

A third message arrived.

**Ask him about the photograph in his bedroom.**

She looked toward the hallway.

Damian's bedroom was on the floor above.

Elena slowly stepped toward the door.

She didn't know whether she wanted to discover the truth.

But she knew one thing.

She was done waiting for Damian to tell her.

If he wouldn't answer her questions...

She would find the answers herself.