chapter 19
1034 Words
The black luxury sedan rolled smoothly into the underground parking garage of Carson Global Headquarters.
The moment the engine went silent, Damon stepped out, not sparing a glance at the driver who hurried to open his door. His polished shoes struck the concrete with sharp, purposeful clicks that echoed through the nearly empty garage.
Every employee who crossed his path instinctively stepped aside, no one even dared greet him.
One look at the expression on Damon Carson's face was enough to tell them today was not the day.
His jaw was locked so tightly it ached. His ocean-blue eyes were colder than steel, and the dark circles beneath them betrayed a sleepless night.
Somehow, even after leaving the estate, she was still occupying his thoughts.
The image of her dangling from the makeshift rope flashed through his mind again. i***t.
What had possessed her to attempt something so reckless?
If he hadn't walked past the side of the house at that exact moment...
His grip tightened around the leather briefcase in his hand.
She would have fallen and she could have died.
The thought unsettled him far more than he wanted to admit.
His expression darkened.
Why should he care?
She was Nicholas Miller's daughter.
The daughter of the man who had destroyed everything.
Yet instead of satisfaction at the thought of her suffering, all he felt was irritation... and something dangerously close to relief that she hadn't been hurt.
He hated it, ue hated every second of it.
Without another thought, Damon entered the private elevator reserved exclusively for him.
The doors slid shut and silence enveloped the small space as the elevator climbed toward the executive floor.
His reflection stared back at him in the mirrored walls.
He looked exhausted. when the elevator doors opened, the entire executive floor seemed to freeze.
Employees who had been chatting moments earlier immediately straightened, conversations died and laptops snapped shut. the atmosphere shifted instantly.
Damon barely acknowledged anyone as he strode toward his office.
Outside the large glass doors sat his executive secretary, she had kicked off her heels beneath the desk and was leisurely scrolling through her tablet while sipping coffee.
The sound of approaching footsteps made her glance up casually and her coffee nearly spilled from her hand.
Her eyes widened.
"Mr. Carson!"
She shot to her feet so quickly that her chair rolled backward and bumped into the wall.
She hadn't expected him today. After everything that had happened over the last few weeks, Damon had cancelled nearly every morning appointment, choosing to work remotely from the estate instead.
Seeing him here without warning felt almost unreal and more alarming was the expression on his face. He looked furious.
"No good morning?" Damon asked coolly as he walked past her desk.
His secretary swallowed.
"I...I wasn't expecting you, sir."
"I noticed."
He pushed open the office doors without slowing down.
She hurried after him, quickly smoothing her skirt and grabbing her tablet.
His office was exactly as she'd left it.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city skyline and dark wood shelves lined one wall, while a massive desk dominated the center of the room.
Damon removed his suit jacket and tossed it onto a nearby chair before loosening his tie.
He didn't sit, instead, he stood before the windows, staring at the city below.
His secretary waited nervously and after nearly a minute of silence, Damon finally spoke.
"I want an executive board meeting."
She blinked.
"Today?"
He turned, fixing her with a look that answered the question.
"In one hour."
Her fingers immediately began flying across her tablet.
"Yes, sir."
"I want every department head present."
"Yes, sir."
"I don't care if they're in another city or another country. If they can't attend physically, they'll join virtually."
She nodded rapidly.
"I'll arrange it immediately."
Damon walked toward his desk.
"There are several projects that have been delayed."
"Yes, sir."
"I want full reports."
"Of course."
"The financial audit."
"I'll have Accounting prepare everything."
"The acquisition files."
"I'll have Legal send them over."
"The quarterly projections."
"I'll notify the Finance Director."
She barely had time to finish typing one instruction before another followed.
He was working at his usual terrifying speed, it was almost a relief.
For the past several weeks, Damon had seemed distracted.
Today he looked like the Damon Carson everyone feared.
He finally sat behind his desk.
"Anything else on today's schedule?"
She checked her tablet.
"You had originally cleared the entire day."
"I changed my mind."
"I can see that."
His gaze lifted and she immediately cleared her throat.
"I mean... I'll refill your schedule."
A faint silence followed before Damon spoke again.
"And cancel every personal appointment."
"There weren't any, sir."
"Good."
His secretary hesitated before speaking carefully.
"Would you like me to reschedule your lunch meeting?"
"No."
"Dinner with the investors?"
"No."
She looked surprised.
"You'll be returning home early then?"
Damon's expression hardened.
"No."
The answer came too quickly and almost defensively.
"I'll stay here until the work is finished."
She simply nodded.
"As you wish, Mr. Carson."
After receiving one final list of instructions, she excused herself and hurried out of the office.
The door clicked shut behind her and silence settled once more.
Damon leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a brief moment.
He had come here to work, to clear his head and to forget about the stubborn woman locked inside his estate.
Instead...his thoughts drifted straight back to her.
He remembered the fury in her eyes when she'd called him a monster.
"You're a monster."
The words echoed louder than they should have.
His jaw tightened.Was he?
His gaze dropped unconsciously to his right arm.
The shoulder still ached from catching her the previous night.
He flexed it slowly and a dull pain spread through the muscles, he ignored it.
Instead, he reached for the first file on his desk and opened it.
His eyes scanned the first paragraph, then the second, by the third... he realized he hadn't absorbed a single word.
With an irritated sigh, Damon shut the file.
For the first time in a while... work wasn't enough to silence the chaos in his mind.
- Writer
