THE PAST HE BURRIED....
3011 Words
Blackwood Holdings was almost completely dark when Damian arrived.
The building looked different at night.
During the day, it was alive.
Employees moved through the hallways.
Phones rang.
Meetings filled conference rooms.
Damian's presence controlled everything.
But at midnight, the building was silent.
Empty.
Cold.
Just the way Damian preferred it.
Usually.
Tonight, the silence only made the message on his phone louder.
SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT YOU DID.
Damian stared at it again.
His expression didn't change.
But his hands had been clenched since he left Amara's apartment.
The driver had offered to wait.
Damian told him to leave.
Now he stood alone inside his office.
He walked toward the large windows.
The city stretched below him.
Thousands of lights.
Thousands of people.
And somewhere among them—
Someone was watching.
Someone who knew.
His phone rang.
Damian answered immediately.
“Blackwood.”
“Sir.”
Mr. Harris.
“What?”
“We traced the message.”
Damian turned.
“And?”
“The number is disposable.”
“Of course it is.”
“But there was something else.”
Damian's eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“A message was sent to your private security system three years ago.”
Silence.
Harris continued.
“It was archived.”
“Why?”
“We don't know.”
Damian slowly turned toward his desk.
“What did it say?”
Harris hesitated.
“Sir…”
“What did it say?”
“The truth doesn't stay buried forever.”
Damian's face changed.
Only slightly.
But Harris noticed.
“Send it to me.”
“Yes, sir.”
The call ended.
Seconds later, Damian's computer vibrated.
He opened the file.
A video.
Timestamped three years earlier.
Damian clicked it.
Static appeared.
Then a voice.
Distorted.
“You think money can make people forget. But some of us remember.”
The video ended.
Damian stared at the black screen.
His jaw tightened.
Three years.
He had almost forgotten.
Almost.
---
Three years earlier, Damian had been thirty.
He had already been CEO for several years.
His parents had been gone for much longer.
Blackwood Holdings was expanding.
Investors were demanding more.
The board wanted bigger profits.
Faster growth.
More power.
And Damian—
Damian had been willing to do almost anything to get it.
There had been a company called Mercer Development.
Small compared to Blackwood Holdings.
But important.
They owned land that Blackwood needed for a major expansion project.
Damian offered to buy them.
They refused.
He offered more.
They refused again.
Then someone else made a decision.
Someone inside Blackwood Holdings.
A series of damaging reports appeared.
Mercer Development's investors became nervous.
Their financial situation weakened.
Their stock dropped.
Within months, the company had been forced to sell.
To Blackwood Holdings.
Damian had known something was wrong.
He had asked questions.
Not enough.
He had seen the numbers.
He had signed the final documents.
And after the deal was complete—
He discovered the truth.
Someone had manipulated the situation.
Destroyed a company.
Ruined families.
And used Damian's name to do it.
He had been furious.
But the damage was already done.
Damian had removed the executive responsible.
Quietly.
The scandal never became public.
The victims received compensation.
But Damian had never publicly admitted what happened.
Because admitting it would have destroyed Blackwood Holdings.
Destroyed his parents' legacy.
Destroyed the empire his family had spent generations building.
So Damian had buried it.
And now—
Someone was digging it back up.
---
The next morning, Amara arrived at work carrying coffee.
One for herself.
One for Damian.
She had not planned to make it a habit.
But lately—
She had noticed Damian drank too much coffee and ate too little.
Apparently, caring about someone came with strange responsibilities.
She walked into his office without knocking.
“Good morning, dictator.”
No answer.
Amara stopped.
Damian was sitting behind his desk.
Still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.
His eyes were dark.
His hair was slightly messy.
The coffee beside him was untouched.
Amara frowned.
“Damian?”
He looked up.
For a second, his expression softened.
Then it disappeared.
“You shouldn't be here.”
Amara slowly placed the coffee down.
“Good morning to you too.”
“You should go home.”
She stared.
“I just arrived.”
“Then leave.”
Amara folded her arms.
“No.”
Damian leaned back.
“Amara.”
“What?”
“You're not listening.”
“No, I'm not.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Go.”
She stepped closer.
“No.”
The word hung between them.
Damian stood.
“Amara.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You look terrible.”
“Thank you.”
“You didn't go home.”
He looked away.
She noticed his clothes.
Her expression changed.
“You've been here all night.”
“It's not important.”
“It is to me.”
The words made him freeze.
Amara realized what she had said.
But she didn't take them back.
Damian looked at her.
And suddenly, she understood.
Whatever had happened—
He was trying to push her away.
Her eyes narrowed.
“No.”
His eyebrows drew together.
“What?”
“You're doing it again.”
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Yes, you do.”
Amara walked around his desk.
“You're scared.”
Damian's face hardened.
“Stop.”
“You think if you make me angry enough, I'll leave.”
His voice dropped.
“Amara.”
“You think if you push me away, I'll be safe.”
“Stop.”
“But I'm not leaving.”
The room went completely silent.
Damian stared at her.
Amara looked directly into his eyes.
“Tell me what's happening.”
“No.”
“Fine.”
She pulled a chair closer.
Then sat.
Damian frowned.
“What are you doing?”
“Working.”
“You have your own desk.”
“I like this one.”
“Amara.”
“What?”
“Leave.”
She opened her laptop.
“No.”
Damian stared at her.
Then, slowly—
His shoulders dropped.
Amara noticed.
She smiled slightly.
“Progress.”
“Don't.”
“You've said that a lot.”
“Because you don't listen.”
“Correct.”
A small sound escaped him.
Not a laugh.
But close.
Amara looked at him.
“Was that almost a laugh?”
“No.”
“Liar.”
His expression softened.
Then suddenly became serious again.
“Amara.”
“Yes?”
“If I told you something about myself…”
She looked at him.
“And it made you see me differently?”
Her smile disappeared.
“Try me.”
Damian looked away.
“That isn't an answer.”
“No.”
He turned back toward her.
“But I'm still here.”
The words landed harder than she expected.
---
At noon, Damian's grandfather arrived at the office.
Amara was organizing files when Mr. Harris rushed toward her.
“Miss Cole.”
She looked up.
“What?”
“Mr. Blackwood's grandfather is here.”
“Which Mr. Blackwood?”
Harris stared.
“The older one.”
Amara laughed.
“I know.”
“Could you go to Damian's office?”
“Why?”
“He specifically asked for you.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Amara walked toward the office.
The moment she entered, she knew something was wrong.
Damian stood near the window.
His grandfather sat on the couch.
Both men looked serious.
Amara stopped.
“Should I come back?”
“No.”
His grandfather's voice was calm.
“Stay, dear.”
Amara looked at Damian.
His jaw tightened.
She walked inside.
“What's happening?”
Damian's grandfather looked at him.
“Tell her.”
Amara's eyes widened.
Damian stared at his grandfather.
“Not now.”
“When?”
His voice became sharper.
“When I decide.”
His grandfather stood.
“You may have built walls around yourself, Damian, but you cannot build them around everyone else.”
Amara remained silent.
Damian's expression became cold.
“This is not your decision.”
“No.”
His grandfather looked at Amara.
“But she should have a choice.”
The words changed the room.
Amara looked between them.
“A choice about what?”
Damian's eyes closed briefly.
His grandfather sighed.
“Damian.”
“Leave.”
The older man stared at his grandson.
Then finally nodded.
“Very well.”
He walked toward Amara.
Before leaving, he touched her shoulder gently.
“Be careful.”
Amara's eyes narrowed.
That was becoming everyone's favorite sentence.
Her expression hardened.
“I am tired of people saying that.”
His grandfather gave her a sad smile.
“You should be.”
Then he left.
The door closed.
Amara slowly turned toward Damian.
“What was that?”
He said nothing.
“Damian.”
Silence.
“Tell me.”
He stared out the window.
Then whispered—
“There was a company.”
Amara became still.
---
For the next hour, Damian told her everything.
Not every detail.
Not yet.
But enough.
Enough for Amara to understand that Damian Blackwood's perfect empire had been built with more secrets than she had imagined.
She listened quietly.
She didn't interrupt.
Damian explained Mercer Development.
The acquisition.
The manipulation.
The people who lost their jobs.
The executive who had been responsible.
The settlement.
The silence.
When he finished, Amara said nothing for several seconds.
Damian watched her.
Waiting.
His entire body was tense.
“Say something.”
Amara looked at him.
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don't know.”
“That you were right to hide it?”
His expression darkened.
“No.”
“That you are a terrible person?”
He flinched.
Amara noticed.
Her heart tightened.
“No.”
Damian's eyes moved away.
She stood.
“Did you know everything when it happened?”
“No.”
“Did you discover the truth?”
“Yes.”
“Did you stop it?”
“Too late.”
“But you stopped the person responsible.”
“Yes.”
“And you compensated the people affected.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell the public?”
Damian looked at her.
“Because I was afraid.”
The honesty was almost painful.
“Of losing your company?”
“Yes.”
“Your reputation?”
“Yes.”
“Your parents' legacy?”
His silence answered.
Amara nodded slowly.
She understood.
She didn't agree.
But she understood.
Damian waited.
His voice became quiet.
“So?”
“So what?”
“Are you leaving?”
Her eyes widened.
“Leaving?”
“You should.”
Amara stared at him.
“You don't get to decide that.”
His jaw tightened.
“Amara.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“You made mistakes.”
His expression became cold.
“People suffered.”
“I know.”
“And you helped hide it.”
“I know.”
Her voice softened.
“But I also know you were younger. Angry. Alone. And trying to protect the only thing your parents left behind.”
Damian's eyes met hers.
“That doesn't excuse it.”
“No.”
The answer surprised him.
“It doesn't.”
Amara took a breath.
“But it also doesn't mean you can't become better.”
Something in his face broke.
Not completely.
Just enough for her to see.
Damian looked away.
“I don't deserve how easily you forgive me.”
Amara shook her head.
“I didn't say I forgave everything.”
He looked back at her.
“I said I'm willing to see what you do next.”
Silence.
Then Damian whispered—
“What if I fail?”
Amara smiled faintly.
“Then try again.”
His eyes searched hers.
“And if I hurt you?”
Her expression became serious.
“Then I leave.”
The honesty hurt him.
She saw it.
But she continued.
“Love doesn't mean I will accept everything, Damian.”
His face remained still.
“I know.”
“Good.”
Amara stepped closer.
“Then don't give me a reason to.”
---
That evening, Elias called.
Amara almost ignored it.
She had spent the entire day thinking about Damian.
About the past he had hidden.
About the fear she had seen in his eyes.
But Elias deserved better than being ignored.
“Hello?”
“Amara.”
“Hi.”
“You sound tired.”
“I am.”
“Bad day?”
She looked toward Damian's office.
He was still working.
“Complicated.”
Elias sighed.
“Damian?”
Amara smiled slightly.
“Unfortunately.”
“Should I be worried?”
Her expression changed.
“I don't know.”
There was silence.
Then Elias spoke softly.
“You know you can tell me if something is wrong.”
“I know.”
“And if you need help—”
“I know.”
Amara sat down.
“Elias?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For always being…”
She paused.
“Easy.”
Elias became quiet.
Then he laughed softly.
“I don't know if that's a compliment.”
“It is.”
“I'll take it.”
She smiled.
Then her expression became thoughtful.
“You know something?”
“What?”
“Being around Damian is like standing in a storm.”
Elias sighed.
“And that's a compliment?”
She laughed.
“No.”
“Good.”
Amara leaned back.
“But sometimes I think…”
She stopped.
Elias waited.
“Sometimes I think he needs someone to remind him that storms eventually pass.”
Elias's voice softened.
“Amara.”
“Yes?”
“Just don't let the storm destroy you.”
The words stayed with her long after the call ended.
---
At nine that night, Damian finally stopped working.
Amara was asleep on the couch.
He stood at the door of his office.
Watching her.
Her laptop was open beside her.
One of his files had slipped from her hand.
Damian's expression softened.
She had stayed.
After everything he had told her.
She had stayed.
Slowly, he walked toward her.
He removed the laptop carefully.
Then picked up the blanket that had been placed over the couch.
He covered her.
Amara moved slightly.
Her eyes opened.
“Damian?”
“Go back to sleep.”
She blinked.
“What time is it?”
“Late.”
“Did you eat?”
He stared.
Amara immediately sat up.
“You didn't.”
“That's not important.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“I'll order food.”
“You're half asleep.”
“And you're starving.”
Damian sat beside her.
“Amara.”
“What?”
“Why are you still here?”
She looked at him.
“Because you need me.”
The words made him completely still.
Amara's expression softened.
She quickly added—
“Professionally.”
Damian raised an eyebrow.
“Of course.”
She looked away.
“Don't.”
“What?”
“Look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you know something.”
“I do.”
She frowned.
“What?”
Damian leaned closer.
“That you care about me.”
Her heart skipped.
She looked at him.
“You're very confident.”
“I've been told.”
“Too confident.”
“You didn't deny it.”
Amara froze.
Damian smiled slightly.
She pointed at him.
“You're lucky I'm tired.”
“Very.”
The silence between them became softer.
More dangerous.
Amara's eyes dropped briefly to his mouth.
Damian noticed.
Her heart immediately began racing.
He moved slightly closer.
“Amara.”
She looked up.
“Yes?”
“Tell me to stop.”
Her breath caught.
“Stop what?”
He looked at her.
“Thinking about kissing you.”
The world seemed to pause.
Amara stared at him.
His expression had changed.
The cold CEO.
The arrogant billionaire.
The man who always had an answer.
Was waiting.
For her.
She swallowed.
“You're thinking about it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Damian's eyes remained on hers.
“Because I've been trying not to all day.”
Her face became warm.
“That sounds like a you problem.”
“It is.”
She smiled.
Then her smile slowly faded.
“Damian.”
“Yes?”
She looked directly at him.
“If I tell you to stop…”
His expression became serious.
“I stop.”
No argument.
No pressure.
Just certainty.
Amara searched his face.
Then slowly moved closer.
The space between them disappeared.
Damian didn't touch her.
Not yet.
His eyes stayed on hers.
Waiting.
Amara whispered—
“Then don't stop.”
The kiss was brief.
But it changed everything.
Damian's hand came gently to her face.
Amara held onto his shoulder.
There was no rush.
No argument.
No pretending.
Only the quiet realization that whatever they had been avoiding was no longer avoidable.
When they pulled apart, neither spoke immediately.
Amara's heart was racing.
Damian looked at her.
“You're still here.”
She smiled.
“So are you.”
His forehead rested gently against hers.
And for the first time in a very long time—
Damian Blackwood felt something he had spent years refusing to want.
Hope.
But somewhere else in the city, a computer screen flickered.
A new message appeared.
SHE KNOWS.
A reply came seconds later.
THEN IT'S TIME.
The screen went dark.
And neither Damian nor Amara knew that the person threatening them had been waiting for this exact moment.
Waiting for Amara to learn Damian's secret.
Waiting for her to stay anyway.
Because now—
There was only one thing left to do.
Take away the one person Damian Blackwood could no longer live without.
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