married to the ruthless ceo

chapter 4

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*Chapter 4: Deal.

For 5 days straight, he did it on purpose.

Every evening at 8pm, Damien would walk through the front door with her.

*Alina.*

His hand on her waist. His lips on her mouth. Right in the foyer.

Like I wasn’t standing there.

Like I was the ghost in his house.

Kissing.

Every.

Single.

Day.

Rule #1: Don’t ask where he goes.

Rule #2: Don’t touch his things.

Rule #3: Don’t be in his bed when he’s not.

Rule #4: Don’t fall in love with him.

I added Rule #5 myself: _Don’t go insane._

I was failing.

On the 6th day, I was done playing nice.

If he could bring his girlfriend, then I could bring mine.

*Jack.*

We dated 2 years ago in college. He was safe. Kind. The opposite of Damien.

I texted him: _Can you come over? 8pm. Please._

He didn’t ask questions.

8:03pm. The door opened.

Damien and Alina. Wrapped around each other.

And me. With Jack’s arms around my waist, kissing me in the living room.

It worked.

Damien froze. The mask slipped. For half a second I saw it: *Anger. Jealousy. Raw.*

Then it was gone.

“What is this?” he asked. Voice low. Dangerous.

I pulled back from Jack and smiled. Sweet. “Escorting my boyfriend. Same as you.”

Alina’s mouth dropped open. “You have a boyfriend?”

“Shocking, right?” I said. “Thought you should know. Since you’re here every night.”

Damien looked at Jack. Then at me. His jaw ticked.

“Get out,” he told Jack.

“Damien—” I started.

“I said GET OUT,” he roared. The windows shook.

Jack looked at me, worried. I nodded. He left.

The moment the door closed, I turned on Damien.

“I’m sick of this,” I snapped. “You want to play dirty? Fine. But we make a deal.”

He crossed his arms. “What deal.”

“If I see your girlfriend in this house again, I will fight her. On sight. No warning.”

Damien laughed. It was cold. “You think I’m scared of you?”

“No,” I said. “I think you’re testing me. And I’m done being tested.”

He stared at me. Then walked upstairs without another word.

Alina shot me a glare and followed him.

I thought I won.

I was wrong.

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The next day, Damien wasn’t home. He had a board meeting in Dubai.

At 6pm, I heard the key in the front door.

Alina walked in. Like she owned the place. Red dress. Red lips. Smirk.

“How dare you step inside my husband’s house like you owned it,” I said, blocking the stairs.

She laughed. Loud. Ugly.

“Your husband? Ohhh my God. At this thing do you think he just got married to you because he don’t want to lose his job? Don’t think you really matter to him.”

She walked past me, trailing her fingers on the banister.

“Very soon I will be pregnant for his baby. And you will be our nanny. Hahaha.”

My blood boiled.

“Besides,” she said, looking around. “Where is my fiancé?”

“He’s not around,” I said through my teeth. “Get out before I do something crazy.”

“Haha look at this thing. Wanna do something crazy? Interesting.” She stepped closer. “What would you do?”

That was it.

I walked right up to her. And I gave her a hot slap.

_PAK!_

The sound echoed through the whole house.

She screamed and came at me.

It turned into a fight.

I’d had her bad belle since the day I saw her kissing Damien.

I gave her the beating of her life in the kitchen.

Plates broke. Chairs fell.

When Damien’s car screeched into the driveway 10 minutes later, Alina’s clothes were already torn. Her hair was scattered like she’d been burned by electricity. Bruises all over her face.

Mine was just a little scratch on my cheek. She’d used her fingernails.

“What the hell!” Damien roared, running in.

“How dare you beat my fiancée!”

He didn’t ask what happened. He didn’t ask who started it.

He walked straight to Alina, picked her up, and pushed me out of his way.

I stumbled.

Fell down the stairs.

_CRACK._

My head hit the edge of the 3rd step.

Pain exploded. White. Hot.

Blood. Warm. Running down my temple onto the marble.

“Damien,” I called. My voice was weak. “Damien…”

He didn’t look back.

He carried Alina out of the house and drove to the hospital.

I was lying there. Hopelessly. Bleeding.

Thinking no one would come.

Thinking this was how it ended.

My vision blurred. I dragged my phone closer with shaking hands.

One contact.

*Jack.*

I pressed call.

It rang once.

“Amelia? What’s wrong?”

“Jack… please… come… hospital…”

10 minutes later he was here.

He found me on the floor, scooped me up, and ran.

As the ambulance sirens started, the last thing I thought was:

_He chose her. Over me. Again._

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