Chapter 15
They both laughed together beneath the rain. For a moment, everything felt normal. Simple. Peaceful.
After the laughter slowly faded away, Ariana noticed something she had been trying to ignore for days now. Damien had changed around her. He was softer. Gentler. Less cold. And somehow, being around him no longer felt stressful or exhausting. Instead—it felt comforting.
That realization scared her more than anything else. Because people didn’t accidentally fall for Damien Vale. They got hurt by him.
Damien looked at her quietly while rain continued falling around them. “Can I drop you home this time?” Usually, he expected Ariana to refuse immediately. But this time—she nodded softly. Damien looked genuinely surprised before a small smile appeared on his face. He quickly
