Chapter 6: "Soup and Secrets"
389 Words
Aria woke up dizzy.
Fever. Chills. Her head felt like it was full of cotton.
She still went to work.
Because rule #2. Look like his wife.
Because she needed this job.
By 11AM she was pale at her desk. Typing with one hand, holding coffee with the other to stay awake.
Damian walked out. Stopped.
Looked at her for 3 seconds.
“Go home,” he said.
“I’m fine,” Aria lied.
“Go. Home. Now.”
It wasn’t a suggestion.
A driver was waiting.
When she got to the penthouse, there was soup on the stove.
And Damian.
He wasn’t in a suit. White shirt. Sleeves rolled up. Hair messy.
He looked... human.
“You cook?” Aria asked, dropping her bag.
“I googled it,” he said. Blunt.
He poured soup into a bowl. Pushed it to her. “Eat.”
She did. It was terrible. Salty.
But she ate all of it.
“Why are you here?” she whispered. “You have a board meeting.”
“I cancelled it.”
He sat across from her. Watching her like she might break.
Aria frowned. “Rule #1. No complications.”
“This is not a complication.” His voice was low. “This is... basic decency.”
“Liar.”
The fever made her brave. “You cancelled a board meeting for soup.”
Damian didn’t answer. He just took the bowl.
“More?”
“No.” She leaned back. “Why are you being nice to me?”
He was quiet for a long time.
“Because you were pale,” he said finally. “And no one’s been sick in this house in 10 years.”
Aria closed her eyes. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t make me think this is real.”
The room went silent.
When she opened her eyes, Damian was gone.
But there was a blanket on her. And a glass of water on the table.
And a sticky note:
_Rest. - D_
That night, she dreamed of him.
Not CEO Damian.
Just... Damian.
The next morning, the fever was gone.
And so was he.
Note on the counter: _Board meeting. Don’t die. - D_
Aria laughed. And cried.
Because 50 weeks left.
And she was already forgetting it was fake.
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- Writer
