CHAPTER 10: 88 DAYS TO FALL
1001 Words
87 days left.
Today I meet Damian’s mother.
And I have 0% chance of surviving this.
---
The invitation came at breakfast.
Rina handed Damian a card. Cream. Gold lettering.
*Sunday Brunch. Voss Estate. 11 AM. - Mrs. Eleanor Voss*
Damian stared at it for 10 seconds. Then put it down.
"We're not going," he said.
"You're invited," Rina said carefully. "Both of you."
I choked on my coffee. "Me?"
Damian looked at me. "You don't have to."
But we both knew we did.
After the leak. After the board vote. If we skipped this, it would look worse.
So at 10:30 AM, we were in the car. Heading to Voss Estate.
"Rules," Damian said. "Don't talk about the contract. Don't talk about money. If she asks about Lily, let me answer. And if she’s rude, we leave."
"Got it."
"And Maya." He turned to me. "Hold my hand."
I blinked. "What?"
"For show. So she believes us."
I nodded. And took his hand.
It was warm.
---
Voss Estate was not a house. It was a palace.
Gates. Fountain. 20 staff lining the driveway.
Mrs. Eleanor Voss was waiting at the door.
Pearls. Chanel suit. Smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
"Damian," she said. Kissed his cheek. "And this must be Maya."
"Mom. This is my wife."
Her eyes scanned me. Top to bottom.
"Pretty," she said. "Come in."
---
Brunch was in the garden.
10 people. All Voss family. All staring.
Victoria was there. Sitting next to Eleanor.
"So," Eleanor started, pouring tea. "Maya. Tell us about yourself."
"Um. I... I worked as an accountant before."
"For who?"
"My sister's clinic. And freelance."
"And how did you meet my son?"
Damian squeezed my hand. "Hospital. Maya's sister was sick. I helped."
Eleanor hummed. "How generous."
Victoria smiled. "And the wedding? It was so... quick."
"We didn't want a big thing," I said. "Just family."
"Right." Eleanor set her cup down. "Damian, can I speak to you alone for a moment?"
"No," Damian said flatly. "Whatever you have to say, say it here."
The table went silent.
Eleanor's smile tightened. "Fine. I just want to know if this marriage is real. Because the internet says otherwise."
I felt my face burn.
Damian answered before I could. "It's real."
"Then why did you sign a contract?" Victoria asked sweetly.
Damian stood up. Pulled me with him.
"We're leaving."
"Damian, sit down," Eleanor snapped. "This is my house."
"And she's my wife." He looked at her. "If you can't respect her, we won't be here."
We walked out.
No one stopped us.
---
In the car, neither of us spoke for 10 minutes.
"I'm sorry," Damian said finally. "That was--"
"Don't." I cut him off. "You did good."
He looked at me. "You okay?"
"No. But I'll be fine."
He reached over and tucked hair behind my ear. "Thank you. For coming."
"Thank you. For choosing me in there."
We drove in silence. But it was comfortable.
---
Back at the penthouse, it rained again.
We ended up on the floor. Not the sofa. The floor. With blankets and takeout.
"No staff," Damian said. "Just us."
"Just us," I repeated.
We ate in silence. Watched the rain.
"Can I ask you something?" I said.
"Sure."
"Do you ever think about... after? After 87 days."
Damian was quiet. "Yes."
"And?"
"And I don't want to go back to how it was before." He looked at me. "Before you."
My heart did something stupid. "Me neither."
He set his food down. "Maya."
"Yeah?"
"Come here."
I moved closer.
He didn't kiss me. He just rested his forehead against mine.
We stayed like that until the rain stopped.
---
Monday.
Work was normal. Except it wasn't.
Rina walked in. "Sir, Mrs. Voss is on line 2."
Damian groaned. "Put her through."
I heard Eleanor's voice from the speaker. "Damian. We need to talk. About the girl."
"Her name is Maya."
"Right. Maya. I want to meet her. Properly. Without Victoria."
Damian looked at me. "She wants to apologize."
"She does not," I whispered.
Damian smiled. "She does. Wednesday. Tea. Just you three."
"Fine."
After the call, he turned to me. "You don't have to go."
"I do." I sighed. "For the company."
"For me?"
I didn't answer.
---
Wednesday.
Voss Cafe. Private room.
Just Eleanor, me, and Damian.
Eleanor ordered tea. Didn't look at me for 5 minutes.
Finally: "I'm sorry. For Sunday."
I blinked. "Thank you."
"I was protective. Of Damian. Of Lily's memory." She paused. "Victoria told me things. About the contract."
Damian tensed. "Mom."
"No, let me finish." Eleanor looked at me. "I was wrong. You care about him. I can see it."
I didn't know what to say. "I... I do."
Eleanor nodded. "Good. Because my son hasn't smiled like that in 3 years. Not since..."
She didn't finish.
Damian reached for my hand under the table.
Eleanor saw it. And didn't say anything.
---
That night, Damian took me to the roof of the penthouse.
There were fairy lights. And a blanket. And strawberries.
"Lily's favorite," he said, handing me one.
We sat side by side.
"87 days," I whispered. "What happens then?"
Damian didn't answer right away.
"What do you want to happen?" he asked.
I thought about it. The contract. The money. The fear.
"I want to stay," I said. "Not because of the contract. Because of you."
Damian turned to me. Slowly.
"Maya," he whispered.
Then he kissed me.
It wasn't like the fake ones for cameras.
It was slow. Real. Scared and sure at the same time.
When we pulled apart, he rested his forehead on mine again.
"87 days left," he said. "Let's not count them."
"Okay," I whispered.
We kissed again.
---
Later, in bed, we were closer than ever.
Not touching. But close.
"Damian?" I whispered.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you. For today."
"Thank you. For being you."
We fell asleep like that.
87 days left.
But I wasn't counting down anymore.
I was falling.
- Writer
