BOUGHT BY THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE

Chapter 2

"What!? Damian of all the women in this city, you choose this low life?"

Selene's heart sank. "Good evening ma'am", she greeted politely.

Mrs Eliora didn't even spare her a glance.

"Mom that's enough! At least let her sit."

"I will not not! My own son cannot humiliate me like this!"

"At least let her introduce herself, you don't even know her"

"I don't need to know her" Mrs Eliora snapped. "A woman from an ordinary background is not worthy of the Knight family."

Damian's jaw tightened. "Watch your words mom, she's my wife."

Mrs Eliora let out a cold laugh. "Wife?" Don't make me laugh, this marriage means nothing to me and She'll never be accepted as a member of this family."

Damian frowned and quietly took Selene's hand.

Mrs Eliora's eyes narrowed. "Young lady, Who's your father? Which elite family do you come from?"

Selene hesitated. "I'm not from an elite family ma'am, my parents died in a fire accident when my brother and I were children. It's just the two of us."

Mrs Eliora let out a mocking laugh. "Really? Is this the woman you want to marry? A nobody? She doesn't fit in our family status; she doesn't belong here."

Damian's voice turned cold as he tightened his grip on Selene's hand. "Mom, enough. If she doesn't fit in, then we'll make her"

"You think an orphan can become a knight overnight?"

Damian's gaze met hers without flinching. "Watch what you say, Mom. She's my wife, and whether you accept it or not, she's staying."

"Really?" Mrs Eliora scoffed. "Damian, we're business owners; we're one of the most respected people in this city."

"I know" Damian interrupted.

"You you don't! You're about to ruin everything your father worked so hard to build, I'm sure if he were alive he wouldn't want this either."

She turned around, "Damian, the billionaire heir married an ordinary woman, a nobody........ is this the headlines you want tomorrow?"

Tears streamed down Selene's face.

"Mom, I don't care what the headlines says, you wanted me to get married and I did"

"Really? I asked you to find a bride from an elite family, not......this

Mrs Eliora turned to Selene, "get ou!"

Selene stood frozen.

"I said get out!" Her voice echoed through the entire dining room.

Selene took one step backward, then another, without saying a word she turned and ran out of the dining room.

Damian immediately ran after her, but this mother grabbed his arms.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Mom, let go, I need to stop her."

"Let her go Damian. I'll arrange your wedding to Vanessa."

"Mom enough! I told you before, and I'll tell you again. I'll never marry Vanessa!"

Mrs Eliora's expression darkened. "And you'll never marry that girl; Vanessa is perfect for this family."

"She's perfect for this family. Damian replied calmly, but she's not perfect for me."

Without waiting for another word, he pulled his arm free and ran after Selene.

Outside the street were crowded. Selene had never been to this part of the city before, she had no idea how to find her way back. Overwhelmed, she sank onto the roadside and burst into tears.

Damian searched the busy street, his eyes scanning every corner until he finally found her.

He slowly walked towards her and reached out, wanting to touch her but he stopped himself. Instead, he crouched in front of her.

"Selene?" He called her quietly.

She didn't answer.

"Selene?" He called again

"Go away please" she finally whispered

"I'm sorry about the way my mother treated you, I didn't know she would react this way. I knew she would react but I never knew it would be like this."

Selene slowly looked up. "You knew?" Damian remained silent.

"You knew and you still brought me here?"

"I'm sorry"

"Right..... you're sorry, you brought me here knowing your mother would humiliate me"

Damian lowered his eyes, unable to find the right answers.

"Thank you Damian, today I was reminded of who I am, I'm an orphan, a nobody."

Damian slowly rose to his feet. "I'm sorry, i know I've hurt you and I promise it won't happen again."

"Again?" Selene rose to her feet.

"There won't be a next time Damian, this contract ends here and now. I'll return every penny you gave me."

She turned to leave. Damian quickly reached for her hands.

"Selene....... please, I really need your help, I promise no one will ever treat you like that again."

For a brief moment, Selene's anger faded, the man standing before her wasn't the cold, ruthless, arrogant billionaire everyone feared. He looked broken, she had never seen him like this before.

"Damian....." She softly called his name. "Are you okay?"

She took a step closer.

Without warning, the ruthless billionaire suddenly pulled her into his arms.

Selene froze in shock, her heart began to race.

Damian tightened his grip around her, for a long moment neither of them spoke. This was this same man who barely spoke, the same man whose cold gaze made everyone keep their distance. Yet, now he held her as though she was the only one keeping him from falling apart.

"Damian......." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Are you okay?"

Damian slowly let go of her and took a step back, avoiding her gaze.

"Yes.... I'm fine, sorry about that."

"No...... it's fine, it's just....."

"Just what?" Damian asked quietly.

"No... nothing, it's just that I didn't expect that from you."

"Then stop thinking about it. Let's go."

For the first time, Selene realized there was more to Damian than his cold personality. The man standing in front of her was nothing like a cold, ruthless man.

The journey back to Damian's penthouse was filled with heavy silence. Minutes later, they arrived at the penthouse. Damian got down first without saying a word; Selene followed quietly still unable to shake the memory of what happened earlier.

They walked into the penthouse, Damian headed straight for his room while Selene went to check on James.

James was already asleep, Selene stared at him for a few moment, a soft smile spread across her lips. She closed the door and headed towards Damian's room.

Selene was surprised to find his room empty, he wasn't in the house either.

"Where could he have gone?" She wondered.

She stepped outside of the house and approached one of Damian's bodyguard.

"Have you seen Damian?"

The guard nodded. "He's on the rooftop ma'am"

Without another word, she hurried upstairs. The moment she reached the rooftop, she froze.

Damian was throwing punch after punch at the boxing bag with his bare hands. His fist were already bruised and bleeding, yet he showed no sign of stopping. Each punch was harder than the last as if he was trying to bury the pain inside him.

"Damian!" She called

He ignored her.

"Damian!" Still he didn't stop.

Fearing he would seriously injure himself, Selene rushed forward and stood in front of the punching bag.

Damian's fist stopped inches away from her face.

His breathing was ragged as he stared at her.

"What are you doing?" He growled.

"You'll hurt yourself" Selene said softly.

The anger in Damian's eyes slowly faded, his shoulder slumped and moment later, he dropped to his knees.

Neither of them spoke, after a while, Selene helped him to his feet and led him back into the penthouse.

She opened the first aid box, gently cleaned the blood from his hands and applied ointment to his wounds.

Damian remained silent watching her every move.

No one had ever cared for him like this. Ever since losing his father, he had learned to endure every wound alone. Whether it was pain, loneliness or heartbreak, he had always faced it by himself.

For the first time in years, someone was tending to his wounds instead of telling him to be strong. His gaze lingered in Selene, something deep inside his broken heart stirred.

After tending to his wounds, silence settled between them once again. Neither of them spoke for several minutes.

Selene carefully placed the ointment back into the first aid before breaking the silence.

"Damian.... is everything okay?"

He didn't answer.

She looked at him with concern.

"You've been acting differently since we left your mother's house, if something is bothering you, you can tell me maybe I can help."

Damian let out a quiet scoff without looking at her.

"The only help you can give is becoming my wife just as we agreed."

Selene lowered her gaze. "That's not what I meant" she hesitated before speaking.

"Why do you need a contract wife instead of a real one?" The room fell silent, for a moment she thought he wouldn't answer.

Then he finally spoke.

"I never wanted a contract wife, but after what happened I had no choice."

Selene could see the pain in his eyes.

"What happened?"

Damian slowly lifts his head and looked straight into her eyes.

What he revealed next left Selene frozen in shock.