The Proxy's Possession Chapter 6 by Harrdy😘❤️
1277 Words
By the time evening arrived, my nerves were already frayed.
Apparently, marrying Damien Voss meant becoming public property overnight.
Designers, stylists, makeup artists, jewelers — people had been in and out of the penthouse all afternoon preparing me for the charity gala as though I were some expensive doll being polished for display.
I stood in front of the mirror while the final stylist adjusted the sleek silver gown hugging my body.
The dress was breathtaking.
And completely unfair.
It clung to every curve before falling elegantly to the floor, the back cut low enough to expose smooth skin I was suddenly very aware of. Diamonds shimmered against my throat and wrists beneath the soft lights.
I barely recognized myself anymore.
The quiet girl who lived in oversized sweaters and faded jeans felt very far away tonight.
“You’re nervous again.”
I met Clara’s knowing gaze in the mirror.
“Is it that obvious?”
“A little.”
She smiled softly while smoothing invisible wrinkles from the gown. “You’ll be fine. Mr. Voss doesn’t let people hurt what belongs to him.”
The words shouldn’t have affected me.
But they did.
Far too much.
Before I could respond, movement appeared behind me.
Damien.
The entire room seemed to still when he entered.
Black tuxedo.
Sharp jaw.
Storm-gray eyes fixed entirely on me.
The stylists immediately went silent.
And Damien simply stared.
Slowly.
Intensely.
Like he was taking his time memorizing every inch of me.
The temperature beneath my skin rose immediately.
“Well?” Clara asked with faint amusement.
Damien’s gaze never left mine.
“Everyone out.”
The room emptied almost instantly.
The second we were alone, tension wrapped around the space like silk pulled too tight.
“You’re staring again,” I said softly.
“You’re breathtaking tonight.” His voice was calm, but there was something darker underneath it. “I’m deciding whether I should let anyone else see you.”
My breath caught embarrassingly fast.
“That sounds slightly unhinged.”
“It probably is.”
The honesty startled a laugh out of me.
Damien’s expression shifted instantly at the sound.
Something almost stunned crossed his face briefly.
“You should do that more often,” he murmured.
“What?”
“Laugh.”
The way he said it made my chest ache unexpectedly.
Before I could answer, he crossed the room toward me slowly. His fingers brushed lightly against the bare skin of my back, sending heat skating down my spine.
“You’re tense.”
“There are going to be hundreds of important people there.”
“Yes.”
“They’ll judge me.”
“Yes.”
I glared slightly. “You’re not helping.”
A faint smirk appeared.
Then Damien leaned down slightly, his lips brushing near my ear.
“Let them.”
A shiver moved through me.
“Because at the end of the night,” he continued quietly, “you leave with me.”
The possessive promise in his voice weakened my knees far more than I wanted to admit.
Dangerous.
Everything about this man was dangerous.
---
The gala occupied the rooftop ballroom of one of the most luxurious hotels in the city.
Crystal lights glowed overhead while a live orchestra played soft music beneath the night sky. Politicians, celebrities, billionaires, and social elites filled the room in glittering designer gowns and tailored suits.
The moment Damien and I entered, attention shifted toward us instantly.
Whispers spread.
Cameras flashed.
I instinctively moved closer to Damien.
His hand settled against my waist immediately.
Steady.
Protective.
Mine.
That last thought startled me badly enough that I nearly stumbled.
Damien noticed instantly. “Careful.”
“I’m okay.”
His eyes narrowed slightly like he didn’t fully believe me.
We moved through the crowd slowly while people greeted Damien carefully, respectfully — almost cautiously.
Everyone here feared him.
And for some reason, Damien seemed completely unconcerned by it.
“You look terrified,” a familiar female voice said smoothly behind me.
I turned.
Vanessa Laurent.
Perfect red lips curved into a sharp smile as she approached holding a champagne glass.
She looked stunning tonight in a black fitted gown, elegant and dangerous all at once.
My stomach tightened automatically.
Damien’s expression cooled several degrees beside me.
“Vanessa.”
“Damien.” Her gaze shifted toward me slowly. “Mrs. Voss.”
The title sounded almost mocking from her mouth.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” I admitted politely.
“Of course not.” She smiled lightly. “You’re still learning how this world works.”
The subtle insult landed exactly as intended.
I felt Damien’s hand tighten slightly against my waist.
Warning.
Not for me.
For her.
Vanessa noticed it too.
Interesting emotion flickered briefly across her face before disappearing again.
“I have to admit,” she continued smoothly, “you’ve become quite the mystery.”
My pulse quickened slightly.
“What do you mean?”
She tilted her champagne glass lazily. “No one knew Damien Voss was interested in someone like you.”
Ouch.
Before I could respond, Damien spoke calmly beside me.
“And yet here I am.”
The quiet steel in his voice sliced through the conversation instantly.
Vanessa’s smile thinned.
“I’m simply curious.”
“That’s usually a dangerous habit.”
The atmosphere tightened sharply.
People nearby had begun subtly paying attention now.
Watching.
Vanessa laughed softly, though tension flickered beneath it. “Relax, Damien. I’m not trying to steal your wife.”
His expression remained unreadable.
“Good.”
One word.
Flat.
Deadly.
Vanessa held his gaze for a long second before finally turning toward me again.
“Be careful, Isabella.”
A chill slid slowly down my spine.
“Why?”
Her smile returned, softer this time. Almost pitying.
“Men like Damien Voss don’t love gently.”
Then she walked away.
Silence settled heavily between us.
I stared after her uneasily.
Damien’s voice came low beside me.
“Ignore her.”
“Is she wrong?”
The question escaped before I could stop it.
Damien became very still.
Slowly, he turned toward me fully.
The noise of the gala seemed to fade around us beneath the weight of his gaze.
“I don’t know how to do anything gently,” he admitted quietly.
The honesty hit harder than denial would have.
His fingers tilted my chin upward slightly.
“But I would never intentionally hurt you.”
Something vulnerable cracked open inside my chest.
Because I believed him.
And that felt incredibly dangerous.
Before either of us could say more, a sudden commotion erupted near the ballroom entrance.
Raised voices.
Security moving quickly.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Damien’s posture changed beside me in a way I’d never seen before — subtle but immediate.
Alert.
Sharp.
Predatory.
My heartbeat accelerated automatically.
A tall man in a dark suit was arguing aggressively with hotel security near the doors.
Even from across the room, I could sense the tension rolling off him.
Then his eyes landed directly on me.
Every instinct inside me went still.
Recognition flashed across his face for a fraction of a second before disappearing.
My stomach dropped violently.
I had never seen him before.
So why did it feel like a threat?
Beside me, Damien noticed my reaction instantly.
His gaze sharpened.
“Do you know him?”
“No,” I answered quickly.
Too quickly.
The stranger smiled faintly across the crowded ballroom.
Not friendly.
Knowing.
And suddenly, for the first time since marrying Damien Voss…
I felt like the past I’d buried might finally be catching up to me.
- Writer
