THE FIRST STRIKE...
2530 Words
Amara should have known that peace would not last.
Nothing involving Damian Blackwood ever stayed peaceful for long.
Not when his company was constantly surrounded by ambitious people.
Not when his family carried a name powerful enough to open doors.
And certainly not when there were women like Celeste Vane watching from the shadows.
Amara noticed her before lunchtime.
Celeste walked into Blackwood Holdings wearing confidence as if it were another part of her expensive outfit.
Every head turned.
Employees greeted her politely.
Some whispered.
Others watched.
Amara remained at her desk, typing an email.
She refused to look impressed.
Celeste stopped in front of her.
“Miss Cole.”
Amara looked up.
“Miss Vane.”
Celeste smiled.
“Is Damian available?”
“He's in a meeting.”
“I'll wait.”
“Of course.”
Celeste sat in one of the chairs outside Damian's office.
She crossed her legs.
Opened her phone.
And waited.
Amara returned to her work.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Then twenty.
Finally, Celeste spoke.
“You seem very comfortable here.”
Amara looked up.
“I work here.”
“I know.”
“Then yes. I suppose I am.”
Celeste smiled.
“You're very lucky.”
Amara's fingers paused over the keyboard.
“Lucky?”
“To have caught Damian's attention.”
Amara slowly leaned back.
“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”
Celeste's smile remained pleasant.
“Nothing negative.”
“Good.”
Celeste looked toward Damian's office.
“Damian doesn't usually notice people.”
Amara said nothing.
“Especially employees.”
There it was.
The real reason for the conversation.
Amara looked at Celeste.
“Are you trying to warn me?”
Celeste's eyes returned to hers.
“Should I be?”
Amara smiled.
“I don't know. Should you?”
For a brief second, Celeste's expression changed.
Amara had expected anger.
Instead, Celeste laughed.
“You're confident.”
“I try to be.”
“You shouldn't be too confident.”
The smile disappeared from Amara's face.
Celeste stood.
“People like Damian have complicated lives.”
“I've noticed.”
“His world isn't easy to enter.”
Amara folded her arms.
“I didn't ask to enter it.”
“No.”
Celeste stepped closer.
“But you seem to be enjoying the view.”
Amara stared at her.
The air became tense.
Then Damian's office door opened.
“Celeste.”
Both women turned.
Damian walked out.
His eyes immediately moved to Amara.
Then Celeste.
“What are you doing here?”
Celeste smiled.
“Waiting for you.”
“I have a meeting.”
“Not anymore.”
Damian frowned.
She handed him her phone.
“Your meeting was moved.”
He checked the screen.
His expression hardened.
“You moved it?”
“I asked them to.”
“You don't work here.”
Celeste's smile faded slightly.
Amara looked down at her computer, hiding the satisfaction in her face.
Damian handed the phone back.
“Don't do that again.”
Celeste stared at him.
“Damian—”
“What do you want?”
The coldness in his voice returned.
Amara almost felt sorry for Celeste.
Almost.
Celeste took a slow breath.
“The merger documents need your signature.”
“Send them to legal.”
“I wanted to discuss them personally.”
“I don't.”
Her eyes flickered.
Then she looked at Amara.
Damian noticed.
“Whatever you want to say, say it.”
Celeste's lips curved.
“Fine.”
She opened her folder.
“My father wants the merger announcement made at the charity gala.”
Damian looked through the papers.
“And?”
“And both families will be there.”
“I know.”
Celeste smiled.
“Perhaps we could attend together.”
Amara's fingers stopped moving.
Damian looked up.
“No.”
The answer came so quickly that Celeste blinked.
“No?”
“No.”
“It would make sense.”
“I don't care.”
“Damian.”
“No.”
Celeste's eyes moved toward Amara again.
And this time, Amara understood.
Celeste wanted her to react.
To feel insecure.
To feel small.
So Amara smiled.
“Mr. Blackwood's schedule is quite busy.”
Damian looked at her.
Amara continued.
“I'll make sure he arrives at the gala on time.”
Celeste stared.
Damian's mouth almost curved upward.
Celeste slowly closed her folder.
“Wonderful.”
She looked directly at Amara.
“I'll see you there.”
Amara's smile remained in place.
“I'm not invited.”
Celeste paused.
“Oh.”
Amara leaned back.
“But I appreciate the invitation.”
Damian's expression changed.
Celeste noticed.
“Of course you're invited.”
Amara blinked.
“I am?”
Damian looked at her.
“Yes.”
Celeste slowly turned toward him.
Damian's eyes never left Amara.
“She's coming with me.”
Silence.
Amara's heart skipped.
Celeste's face hardened.
“You're bringing your assistant?”
Damian finally looked at her.
“Yes.”
“To the Vane-Blackwood charity gala?”
“Yes.”
Celeste laughed softly.
“Interesting.”
Damian's voice dropped.
“Do you have a problem?”
Celeste immediately smiled again.
“No.”
But she did.
Amara could see it.
And for the first time, she understood that the situation was bigger than a jealous woman.
Celeste belonged to Damian's world.
She understood his family.
His business.
His social circle.
Amara knew how to organize his schedule.
How to argue with him.
How to make him eat when he forgot.
But this—
This world of old money and powerful families—
Was unfamiliar.
Celeste knew it.
And she intended to use it.
---
Later that afternoon, Amara walked into Damian's office.
He was signing documents.
She placed another file in front of him.
“You didn't have to do that.”
Damian looked up.
“Do what?”
“Invite me.”
“You wanted to go.”
“I said I wasn't invited.”
“Now you are.”
She frowned.
“That isn't the same thing.”
Damian leaned back.
“Then don't come.”
Amara stared at him.
“See?”
“What?”
“You make everything difficult.”
“I invited you.”
“Because Celeste wanted to embarrass me.”
His expression hardened.
“She won't.”
“You don't know that.”
“I do.”
Amara folded her arms.
“Why?”
Damian looked at her.
The answer came easily.
“Because I'll be there.”
Her breath caught.
His eyes remained steady.
“And nobody embarrasses you.”
The room became quiet.
Amara tried to ignore the warmth spreading through her chest.
“You can't protect me from everything.”
“I can try.”
Her expression softened.
Then she remembered something.
“Wait.”
Damian raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Why are you suddenly so interested in taking me to family events?”
“It's one event.”
“You brought me to your grandparents' house.”
“They like you.”
“Your grandmother calls me.”
“She likes you too much.”
“You wait outside the building for me.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Are you complaining?”
“No.”
She smiled.
“But I am noticing.”
Damian stared at her.
“Good.”
Her smile faded slightly.
“Damian.”
“What?”
“Are we…”
He waited.
Amara sighed.
“I don't know what we are.”
His expression became serious.
She continued.
“I like you.”
His eyes changed.
Amara swallowed.
“There. I said it.”
A small smile appeared on Damian's face.
She pointed at him.
“Don't look too happy.”
“I can't help it.”
“You can.”
“I don't want to.”
Her heart raced.
Amara looked away.
“I still don't know if this is a good idea.”
Damian's smile disappeared.
“Why?”
“Because you are complicated.”
“I know.”
“Because Elias is…”
“Don't.”
Amara smiled slightly.
“You hate hearing his name.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Damian stood.
Amara watched him walk around the desk.
He stopped in front of her.
“Because he wants you.”
Her breath caught.
“And?”
Damian stepped closer.
“So do I.”
Amara's eyes widened.
The words were low.
Certain.
Different from his earlier hesitation.
Damian looked directly into her eyes.
“I don't know how to do this perfectly.”
Her heartbeat became louder.
“But I am trying.”
Amara searched his face.
“Trying what?”
His voice softened.
“Trying to be someone you don't regret choosing.”
The words stayed between them.
Amara could have made a joke.
Could have teased him.
Could have told him that he was being dramatic.
But she couldn't.
Because for once—
Damian sounded afraid.
And she knew how difficult that admission was for him.
Slowly, Amara smiled.
“That's better.”
Damian's eyebrows drew together.
“Better?”
“Yes.”
“You're impossible.”
“And yet you want me.”
His lips curved.
“Yes.”
Amara froze.
Damian noticed.
“What?”
“You admitted it.”
“Yes.”
“Just like that?”
He folded his arms.
“Do you want me to take it back?”
“No.”
Her answer came too quickly.
Damian smiled.
Amara glared.
“Don't.”
“You're cute when you're embarrassed.”
Her mouth fell open.
“You're getting too comfortable.”
“And you're still standing here.”
Before she could reply, there was a knock.
They immediately stepped apart.
Mr. Harris entered.
“Sorry, sir.”
Damian's face became cold.
“What?”
Harris looked between them.
Amara was suddenly very interested in the files.
“The marketing department needs approval for the gala invitations.”
Damian returned to his desk.
“Send them.”
“Yes, sir.”
Harris left.
Amara waited until the door closed.
Then whispered—
“Your employees are going to think something is happening.”
Damian looked at her.
“Something is happening.”
Her heart skipped.
“Damian.”
“What?”
“You can't say things like that and then expect me to work.”
His eyes remained on hers.
“Then don't.”
She stared.
He smiled.
“Go home.”
“You're firing me?”
“Temporarily.”
“That isn't a thing.”
“It is now.”
Amara laughed.
“You're impossible.”
“Go.”
She picked up her files.
“Fine.”
She walked toward the door.
“Amara.”
She turned.
Damian's expression was serious again.
“For the gala.”
“Yes?”
“Wear whatever you want.”
She smiled.
“Okay?”
“Don't let Celeste make you uncomfortable.”
Amara's smile softened.
“I won't.”
Then she added—
“And you don't let her touch you.”
Damian stared.
Amara's eyes widened.
She quickly opened the door.
“I have to go.”
“Amara.”
“Goodnight!”
She disappeared.
Damian stood silently.
Then smiled.
---
Across the city, Celeste was not smiling.
She sat inside her office, staring at a photograph on her tablet.
It had been taken from the Blackwood Holdings charity committee meeting.
Damian stood beside Amara.
They weren't touching.
But they were close.
Too close.
Celeste zoomed in.
Her eyes moved to Damian's expression.
He was looking at Amara.
Not the camera.
Not the executives.
Amara.
Celeste placed the tablet down.
Her assistant entered.
“Miss Vane?”
“Yes?”
“Your father is asking for the updated merger projections.”
“Later.”
The assistant hesitated.
“Is everything alright?”
Celeste looked out the window.
“Yes.”
She was calm.
Too calm.
But her mind was already moving.
Damian had a weakness.
Amara.
And Celeste had spent her entire life learning how powerful people could be manipulated through the things they loved.
She hated the thought.
But she hated losing more.
Her phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
UNKNOWN NUMBER: I heard you're having trouble with Damian Blackwood.
Celeste frowned.
Then another message appeared.
UNKNOWN NUMBER: Maybe we can help each other.
Her expression changed.
CELESTE: Who is this?
The reply came almost immediately.
UNKNOWN NUMBER: Someone who knows exactly what Amara Cole is hiding.
Celeste became still.
Her eyes narrowed.
CELESTE: What is she hiding?
Three dots appeared.
Then—
UNKNOWN NUMBER: Meet me tomorrow.
Celeste stared at the message.
She should have ignored it.
She knew better than to trust strangers.
But curiosity was a dangerous thing.
And jealousy made it worse.
Slowly, she typed—
CELESTE: Where?
---
That night, Amara stood in front of the mirror in her small bedroom.
Noah sat on her bed.
“You're going to a rich people party?”
“Apparently.”
Noah smiled.
“With Damian?”
Amara looked at him.
“Technically.”
He laughed.
“What does technically mean?”
“It means I'm going to an event where Damian will also be present.”
“That's a date.”
“It is not.”
“Everyone knows it's a date.”
“Who is everyone?”
“Me.”
Amara threw a pillow at him.
Noah caught it.
Then became serious.
“You're happy.”
She stopped.
“What?”
“You've been happier lately.”
Amara looked at herself in the mirror.
Maybe she had.
Damian was exhausting.
Confusing.
Jealous.
Arrogant.
But lately—
He had also been trying.
He apologized.
He listened.
He admitted when he was wrong.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
But he was changing.
And Amara didn't know what that meant for her.
Her phone buzzed.
She looked down.
DAMIAN: Did you get home?
Amara smiled.
AMARA: Yes.
DAMIAN: Good.
She stared.
Then typed:
AMARA: That's all?
A reply came.
DAMIAN: What do you want me to say?
Amara smiled.
AMARA: Nothing.
She waited.
DAMIAN: Goodnight, Amara.
Her heart softened.
She typed back.
AMARA: Goodnight, Damian.
Then, after a few seconds—
AMARA: And Damian?
DAMIAN: Yes?
She smiled.
AMARA: Don't let Celeste touch you.
The reply took longer.
Noah watched her face.
“What did he say?”
Amara read the message.
Then covered her face.
Noah grabbed the phone.
“Hey!”
He read it before she could stop him.
DAMIAN: Jealousy looks good on you.
Noah burst out laughing.
“Give me my phone!”
Amara grabbed it back.
“You are annoying.”
“You like him!”
“Go to bed!”
Noah laughed as he left the room.
Amara looked at the message again.
Then smiled.
But across the city, Celeste stared at the same photograph of Amara and Damian.
And her smile was gone.
Because she had made a decision.
If Damian Blackwood would not walk away from Amara willingly—
Then Celeste would find another way to separate them.
And by the end of the week—
The first strike would begin.
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