married to the ruthless ceo

chapter 2

_Married to the Ruthless CEO

The Hayes mansion had never been this loud.

And that was a problem.

Because Rule #1 was: *Don’t talk to me.*

And right now, there were 4 people talking.

I stood in the kitchen, gripping my coffee mug so hard I thought it would c***k.

Across from me, in my living room, sat Damien’s fiancée.

Ava Sinclair. Blonde. Designer dress. $5000 smile.

And beside her... my fiancé.

Mark.

He looked uncomfortable. Good.

“Steze, right?” Ava said, looking me up and down like I was dirt on her Louboutins.

“Wow. You look... domestic.”

I forced a smile. “And you look... invited.”

Damien walked in from upstairs. Hair wet. Suit perfect. Cold as always.

His eyes flicked to me. Then to Mark. Then to Ava.

His jaw ticked.

“What is this?” he asked, voice like ice.

“My fiancé came to pick me up,” I said sweetly. “And your fiancée came to... what? Drop off dry cleaning?”

Ava gasped. “Excuse me?”

“Enough,” Damien cut in. He looked at Mark. “You. Out.”

He looked at Ava. “You. My office. Now.”

Mark stood up. “Babe, I don’t like this. Why are you living with him?”

I looked at Damien. “Babe, I don’t like this. Why is she in our house?”

For one second, Damien and I made eye contact.

And for one second, we were on the same side.

Hating this.

Then the wall went back up.

“Mark, leave,” I said quietly.

“Ava, go,” Damien said at the same time.

Both fiancés left. Slamming doors.

Silence.

Just me and Damien in a 10-million-dollar house that suddenly felt tiny.

He poured himself whiskey. Didn’t offer me any.

“Rule #4,” he said.

I raised a brow. “There was no Rule #4.”

“There is now.” He turned to me. Eyes dark. Wicked.

*“No bringing your fiancé here. Ever again.”*

I laughed. Cold. “Funny. Because I was about to make Rule #4 too.

*No bringing your fiancée here. Ever again.*”

We stared at each other.

Two strangers. Two contracts. Two people who hated this.

“You first,” he said.

“No, you first.”

Neither of us moved.

Finally he downed his drink and walked away.

But before he went upstairs he muttered:

“...Fine. You win.”

I won?

Then why did it feel like I just lost something?

---

_Author's Note: OOOH THE TENSION 😈 They’re both cold but lowkey protecting each other already. Who do younthink would break the new rule