The Wrong Penthouse

Chapter Three: The Last Woman I Expected

Damian's POV

There were many things I expected to find when I returned home that night.

Documents from tomorrow's board meeting.

A dozen missed calls from my assistant. Another message from my mother reminding me about the engagement party.

What I didn't expect was a beautiful stranger sleeping in my bed. Even now, standing in the middle of my bedroom, I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing.

The woman stared at the photograph on my phone as if she'd seen a ghost. The color drained from her face. I frowned.

"You know Chloe?"

Her eyes lifted to mine. Slowly. Carefully. As though she wasn't sure she should answer.

A knot formed in my stomach. "How do you know her?" I asked again.

The woman swallowed. "She's my best friend."

Silence. Absolute silence.

I wasn't a man who was easily shocked. Years in business had taught me how to control my reactions. But for a moment, I forgot how. Of all the women in this city. Of all the hotels. Of all the penthouses.

The stranger sleeping in my bed had to be Chloe's best friend. The universe clearly had a twisted sense of humor. I rubbed a hand over my jaw.

"This keeps getting better."

A nervous laugh escaped her. "Trust me, that's exactly what I was thinking."

For some reason, that made me smile. The smile disappeared almost immediately. Because suddenly, the situation wasn't funny anymore. This woman wasn't a stranger. Not entirely.

She was connected to my future wife.

Future wife. The words felt wrong. Heavy.

Like a suit tailored for someone else.

I glanced toward the engagement photo displayed on my phone. Chloe looked happy. Beautiful. Perfect.

The kind of woman every man should want. The kind of woman my family certainly wanted me to marry. Yet standing here, looking at her best friend, I felt something I hadn't felt in a very long time.

Curiosity. Dangerous curiosity. I turned away from the thought immediately.

"What's your name?"

"Ariana."

The name suited her, Soft, Elegant, Memorable. Unfortunately, because forgetting her would probably be the smartest thing I could do.

"Ariana."

She shifted uncomfortably. I realized she was still holding the coffee mug. Holding it like a shield. As though she wasn't sure whether I would throw her out or call security. Honestly, I wasn't sure either.

I should have asked her to leave the moment I found her here.

Instead, I was having a conversation with her. That alone should have concerned me.

Ariana cleared her throat. "I should go." The sensible answer.

The correct answer. So why didn't I like hearing it? "Probably." Neither of us moved. The silence stretched. A strange tension settled between us. Not awkward. Not comfortable. Something else. Something neither of us wanted to acknowledge.

Ariana looked away first. "I really am sorry."

"You've said that three times."

"Because I broke into your home."

"You didn't."

Her brow furrowed. "The hotel staff practically escorted me here." "Then technically, they broke into my home."

To my surprise, she laughed. The sound hit me harder than it should have. It was genuine. Unforced.

And after the week I'd had, it was the first real thing I'd heard in days. My chest tightened unexpectedly. Dangerous. Very dangerous. The woman was supposed to be leaving. Not becoming interesting.

A sharp vibration interrupted my thoughts.

My phone. I glanced at the screen. Mother. Of course. I declined the call.

The phone rang again immediately. Ariana noticed.

"Important?"

"No."

The answer came too quickly. Because if there was one thing I didn't want to discuss tonight, it was my family. Or my engagement. Or the future everyone else had planned for me. The phone stopped ringing.

A message appeared seconds later. Tomorrow. Noon. Don't embarrass this family again.

I stared at the text. Then locked the screen.

Ariana's expression softened. "Everything okay?"

I almost laughed. Nothing about my life was okay. I had spent years building an empire. Years becoming the man everyone expected me to be.

And somehow I felt more trapped now than when I started. But those weren't things I discussed with strangers. Especially beautiful strangers. Especially beautiful strangers who happened to be my fiancée's best friend.

"I'm fine."

The lie sounded convincing. It always did.

Ariana looked unconvinced.

Before she could say anything, a loud knock echoed through the penthouse.

Three sharp knocks. Then another. Impatient. Demanding.

I knew exactly who it was. My jaw tightened instantly.

Ariana noticed. "What is it?"

I didn't answer. The knocking came again.

Harder this time. Then a familiar female voice shouted from the other side of the door.

"Damian! Open the door!"

Every muscle in my body went rigid. Because that voice belonged to only one person. Chloe.

And she definitely wasn't supposed to be here.