Forbidden Desires: The Cold Billionaire

chapter 9

John couldn’t help but feel bad for Lana. She stood frozen in the same spot for almost a full minute, her hand clenched tight at her side. He sighed quietly. If only there were a way to truly help her. The only comfort he could give was to make her stay in this house bearable, but with Damon around, even that seemed impossible.

Still, he approached her slowly and gave her arm a light tap.

Lana blinked, startled from her daze, and found the older man smiling gently at her. That smile was unexpectedly warm and made her feel just a little better.

“Would you like some dessert?” John asked in a soft voice.

Lana almost laughed out loud. Dessert? At a time like this? Just moments ago, she had nearly choked, and now he was asking if she wanted sweets. She let out a deep sigh. The food is truly not poisoned. The thought came to her, or maybe the poison would take longer to work. The nightmare she was trapped him didn't seem to want to end. It felt too real to be a dream now. This was reality. And Mr. Carson had shown her a harsh one.

She ran a hand through her hair and tugged at it. “You know what… I want some,” she said, surprising even herself. Then she walked back to her chair, determined not to let Damon’s presence ruin her completely.

John was taken aback. He had only asked to lift her spirits; he was sure she would refuse. She was really full of surprise, he thought.

“I’ll be right back,” he said warmly and turned to leave.

Lana watched him disappear through a door at the far end of the dining room. For a moment, curiosity flared. Where did that door lead? she sighed deeply and closed her eyes. Her body was still trembling because of how angry he had made her.

Silence pressed in on her. She tapped her fingers against the table, then folded her arms tight. The poison wasn’t kicking in. That meant he hadn’t poisoned her so far, thankfully. But fear still lingered, cold and sharp.

The house itself felt like a dream, a palace wrapped in wealth and beauty. But Damon’s shadow turned that dream into a nightmare. At any moment, he could walk back in, reminding her whose prisoner she was.

Her thoughts spiralled. How could she possibly escape such a fortress without being caught? If Damon found her trying, she was certain he’d kill her.

Just then, John returned with a tray in his hands.

Lana’s eyes widened. A chance. She could use this moment to escape… but then the tray landed gently in front of her, and all thoughts of running faded.

“Here is your dessert,” John said, still smiling.

Her gaze dropped to the tray, and her throat tightened with longing. A strawberry swirl cheesecake, paired with mini fruit tarts filled with rich cream. She couldn’t remember the last time she had tasted anything so fine. Without hesitation, she picked up a fork and dug in.

The flavour melted on her tongue, and for the first time that day, she felt something close to happiness. Sugar was really what she needed.

John’s smile brightened as he watched her face light up. He chuckled softly, relieved to see her mood lift. Damon must not return, not now. He had to think of a way to protect her, to convince Damon of her worth.

Her smile reminded him of someone he could never forget, her mother. She looked so much like her. If only things had been different back then. If only tragedy hadn’t struck, maybe Damon wouldn’t be consumed by so much anger. Maybe Lana would have grown up free, with joy instead of scars. Her family had been really close to the Carsons. Her mother was once a friend of Damon’s mother, before everything happened.

John sighed deeply. He couldn’t change the past. All he could do was fight to keep history from repeating itself.

Across from him, Lana had lost herself in the sweetness of the desserts. For a few brief minutes, the world didn’t feel so heavy. She even smiled warmly at John, and for that moment, it almost felt like peace. She didn’t want to think about her harsh reality, even though it was for a short while.

But at the back of her mind, she knew better. This peace wouldn’t last. It never did.

What she would give for a normal, quiet life. That was all she had ever wanted. a life free of troubles. That had been her dream for a long time now.

And just as the thought crossed her mind, the faint memory of the once-happy family she had once known crossed her mind. She had once known such peace. A life without loan sharks and trouble. A life that was worth living, and each day felt worth it. Her father had ruined it all, and then he left her to suffer for it. She took another bite from the cake and blinked back her tears. She was tired of these tears.