THE NIGHT WE RUINED EVERYTHING

chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ariana panicked emotionally the moment Damien’s words settled inside her mind. _I can’t stop thinking about you anymore._

The sentence echoed repeatedly inside her head until she could barely breathe properly. Her heartbeat became uneven. Dangerously fast. Without thinking, Ariana immediately stepped away from him. Then she ran. She didn’t even look back. Damien stood there silently watching her disappear while rain and city lights reflected around him. For once, he didn’t follow.

Ariana quickly entered the nearest taxi she could find and shut the door behind her while breathing heavily. “Miss, are you okay?” the driver asked carefully. Ariana nodded quickly. “Yes… just drive please.”

The ride home felt endless. Her chest tightened painfully while her thoughts completely overwhelmed her. _This can’t happen. I can’t let this happen._ Ariana pressed her hand against her chest while staring outside the taxi window. “Damien Vale never stays with women,” she whispered to herself. “He only breaks them.” And she refused to become another broken girl.

The taxi finally stopped outside her apartment building. Ariana hurriedly searched through her bag, handed some cash to the driver, and stepped out weakly. By the time she reached the apartment door, her legs already felt exhausted. The moment she entered, she saw her mother sitting in the living room waiting for her. “You’re back already?” her mother asked softly.

But Ariana didn’t answer. She quietly walked straight into her room and collapsed onto the bed while hugging her pillow tightly. Then Damien’s voice replayed again inside her mind. _I can’t stop thinking about you anymore._ Ariana immediately sat upright in frustration. “No,” she muttered quickly. She pushed her hair backward while trying to calm herself down.

_Knock._ A gentle knock sounded on her bedroom door. Ariana stared at it for a second before speaking quietly. “Come in.” Her mother slowly entered the room and sat beside her on the bed. “What’s wrong with my child?” she asked softly.

Ariana hesitated. Part of her didn’t want to talk about Damien at all. But her mother waited patiently. Finally, Ariana sighed heavily. “It’s Damien,” she admitted quietly. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately.” Her mother listened carefully. “He’s softer around me now,” Ariana continued. “He doesn’t act cruel anymore.”

A small smile appeared on her mother’s face. “Maybe he realizes his mistakes and wants to make up for them.”

“No, Mom,” Ariana interrupted quickly. “I think… he likes me.” The room suddenly became quiet. Her mother gently brushed Ariana’s hair backward. “My child,” she said carefully, “don’t think too far ahead.” Ariana looked down silently. “He’s the son of a billionaire,” her mother continued softly. “And you…” She paused briefly. “You come from a completely different world.”

Those words hurt Ariana more than expected. But deep down, she already knew that. Still, her mother smiled gently afterward. “But if something is truly destined for you,” she added quietly, “then it will happen no matter what.” Ariana slowly smiled. “Now,” her mother said while standing up, “it’s time to sleep.” Then she kissed Ariana’s forehead before leaving the room.

But even after the lights went out, Ariana couldn’t sleep properly. Fear stayed inside her chest all night. Fear of Damien. Fear of her feelings. Fear of getting hurt.

The next morning, Ariana refused to go to work. She stayed inside her room all day staring blankly at the ceiling. Her phone remained switched off completely. Damien tried calling repeatedly. No answer.

Hours turned into days. And Ariana still refused to return to Vale Corporation. Every time she thought about Damien’s confession, panic overwhelmed her again. Because if she stayed near him much longer, she knew she would fall for him completely. And that terrified her.

Three days later, her mother finally entered the bedroom again. “Ariana,” she called softly and opened the door of Ariana’s room. Ariana slowly sat up from the bed. “Can we talk?” Ariana nodded quietly. Her mother sat beside her carefully. “You don’t have to punish yourself like this,” she said gently. “I can’t stand watching you hide in this room.”

Ariana looked away silently. “This isn’t the Ariana I raised,” her mother continued. “You were always brave. Smart. Strong.” Ariana finally smiled weakly. Her mother held her hand gently. “I know you’re scared,” she whispered. “And I know you probably have feelings for him already.” Ariana froze immediately. “But don’t let fear destroy your dreams,” her mother added. “You worked too hard to enter that company.”

Those words slowly reached Ariana. “You don’t have to love him,” her mother continued calmly. “But don’t run away from your future because of him.” Then she kissed Ariana softly on the forehead before leaving the room again.

Ariana sat there silently for several minutes. She looked at herself in the mirror across the room. “What am I doing?” she whispered. She stared at her reflection carefully. “Why am I hiding in bed because of Damien Vale?” Ariana suddenly groaned loudly. “Oh no,” she muttered dramatically. “I might actually be losing my mind.”

Within seconds, she jumped off the bed and hurried toward the bathroom. If she stayed home any longer, she would go insane. An hour later, Ariana rushed toward the bus stop while still adjusting her heels and holding her work files tightly against her chest.

By the time she reached the station, she was already out of breath. The bus ride into the city felt chaotic as usual. Children cried loudly. People argued. Music blasted from someone’s phone. But Ariana barely noticed any of it. Her mind stayed focused on only one thing. Damien. How was she supposed to face him after disappearing for days?

The moment she arrived at Vale Corporation, anxiety instantly returned. She tightened her grip around the files against her chest before stepping into the building. Employees immediately noticed her. “She’s back.” “I thought she quit.” “I thought Damien fired her.” Ariana ignored every whisper completely and continued walking confidently toward the conference room. She pushed open the large doors. The entire room turned silent instantly.

Damien slowly lifted his head from the meeting table. Then froze. For a second, he simply stared at her. Ariana’s heart skipped painfully. And then a smile appeared on Damien’s face. A real one. Not sarcastic. Not cold. Genuine. “Ariana,” he said quietly.

Everyone inside the room immediately turned toward her. And somehow, seeing him smile because of her made Ariana’s chest tighten again. Damien stood up immediately. “This meeting is over,” he announced suddenly. The executives looked confused. “But sir.” “I still haven’t received the final project files,” Damien interrupted smoothly. “We’ll continue later.”

Nobody argued. Within minutes, everyone quietly began leaving the conference room. Ariana turned around quickly, intending to leave too. But before she could, Damien gently grabbed her wrist. Not tightly. Just enough to stop her. The room became silent once the last employee left.

Then Damien finally spoke. “You think this is easy for me?” he asked quietly. Ariana smiled bitterly. “Men like you don’t struggle.” Those words clearly affected him. She saw it immediately in his eyes. Damien slowly stepped closer toward her. Closer than before. But this time Ariana didn’t move away.

His fingers slowly touched her cheek gently. And for one dangerous second, everything disappeared again. The office. The tension. The world. Only Damien remained. Ariana’s breathing became uneven. Then suddenly reality returned. She quickly pushed his hand away, not harshly, just enough to create distance. And for the first time since meeting Damien Vale— he looked flustered. Actually flustered.

Ariana immediately escaped the conference room and rushed straight toward the restroom. The moment she locked herself inside, she leaned heavily against the sink while breathing hard. “What is happening to me?” she whispered shakily. She stared at herself in the mirror. “Why do I become reckless around Damien?” The truth hit her completely. “Oh no.” Ariana covered her mouth softly. “I think I actually have feelings for him.” Saying it aloud made everything suddenly real. And terrifying. Because people like Damien Vale didn’t fall in love. They destroyed hearts.

That night, Ariana stayed late at the office trying to distract herself with work. Eventually, she entered the elevator alone while holding several files against her chest. The elevator doors slowly began closing. A hand stopped them. Damien stepped inside calmly. Instant tension immediately filled the small space. Neither of them spoke at first.

The elevator jerked violently. The lights flickered repeatedly overhead. Ariana grabbed the railing immediately. “What just happened?” she asked nervously. Damien stayed calm. “Relax,” he said quietly. “I’ll handle it.” Then suddenly, the lights went out completely. Darkness swallowed the elevator instantly.

Ariana’s breathing caught immediately. “Damien?” Silence filled the elevator briefly. His deep voice came softly through the darkness. “Looks like you’re stuck with me tonight.”