The Life we never Planned

Chapter 59

Chapter 59

DAMIAN’S POV

The first thing I noticed the next morning was the silence.

Angela wasn't answering her phone.

I stared at my screen after calling her for the third time.

Nothing.

That wasn't like her.

She might ignore my messages when she was annoyed with me, but she always answered eventually.

I was about to call again when my secretary walked into my office.

"Sir."

I looked up.

"What?"

"There is something you should see."

He placed a tablet on my desk.

I glanced at the screen.

A headline filled it.

BUSINESSMAN'S GIRLFRIEND ACCUSED OF USING HER BODY TO CLIMB THE CORPORATE LADDER

My jaw tightened.

I scrolled.

There were several articles.

Different media houses.

Different headlines.

Same story.

They were accusing Angela of sleeping her way into contracts.

Calling her a prostitute.

A gold digger.

A social climber.

Some had even referred to her as my mistress.

My fingers tightened around the tablet.

"Who approved these?"

"We're still tracing the original publication."

"Find out."

"Yes, sir."

He hesitated.

"What about the articles?"

I looked up.

"Don't touch them."

He looked surprised.

"Sir?"

"Leave them."

I wanted to know exactly who had started this.

But before I could say anything else, my phone rang.

It was Angela.

I answered immediately.

"Where are you?"

There was silence.

Then her voice.

"I'm fine."

My eyes narrowed.

"That's not what I asked."

"I'm at court."

I stood.

"What?"

"I'm at court."

"Why?"

Another pause.

Then she said calmly,

"I filed a case."

My expression hardened.

"Against who?"

"The media houses."

I stared ahead.

"You what?"

"They published lies about me."

"I know."

"Then you know why I'm here."

I walked around my desk.

"Angela, you should have told me."

"I didn't need to."

That answer surprised me.

"What do you mean you didn't need to?"

"I can handle this."

I stopped.

She had never sounded more certain.

"Stay there."

"Damian—"

"I'm coming."

"No."

My eyebrows lifted.

"No?"

"You don't have to come."

I almost laughed.

"You're telling me not to come?"

"Yes."

"Angela."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

She sighed.

"Fine."

The call ended.

I grabbed my jacket.

My secretary looked at me.

"Cancel everything."

"Yes, sir."

I walked out.

---

The courthouse was already crowded.

Reporters stood outside.

Cameras flashed.

People whispered.

But the moment I stepped out of my car, the crowd shifted.

They knew me.

They always did.

But this time, I wasn't the person everyone had come to see.

Angela was.

I entered the courtroom and immediately saw her.

She was sitting beside her lawyer.

Alone.

No security.

No dramatic entrance.

No attempt to hide behind my name.

Just Angela.

Calm.

I stood at the back of the courtroom.

She looked up.

Our eyes met.

She didn't smile.

Neither did I.

The hearing began.

The media houses had brought their lawyers.

One after another, they tried to defend the articles.

They claimed they were opinions.

Public commentary.

Rumors circulating online.

Angela's lawyer calmly presented evidence.

Screenshots.

Recordings.

Original publications.

Statements from journalists.

Proof that some of the accusations had been published without verification.

I watched Angela throughout the entire hearing.

She didn't flinch.

Not once.

Then one of the lawyers stood.

"Your Honor, this entire case is clearly influenced by Mr. Damian's position."

The courtroom went quiet.

The lawyer looked directly at Angela.

"Without her relationship with him, would anyone even take this case seriously?"

Angela remained silent.

The lawyer continued.

"Everyone knows what happens when powerful men stop protecting women like her."

A few people murmured.

Then another voice came from behind the media lawyers.

"When Damian leaves her, she'll have nothing."

Someone laughed.

Another person added,

"She'll go back to where she came from."

Angela didn't move.

She didn't defend herself.

She didn't argue.

She simply sat there.

Silent.

And somehow, that silence was more powerful than anything she could have said.

Then Benedicta walked into the courtroom.

I turned.

She wasn't alone.

Two influential lawyers walked beside her, followed by a senior legal adviser whose name I recognized immediately.

Benedicta looked toward Angela.

Angela looked surprised.

"Benedicta?"

Benedicta smiled.

"I heard you were fighting alone."

She walked toward her.

"You should have told me."

Angela shook her head.

"I didn't want to involve you."

"You didn't involve me."

Benedicta sat beside her.

"I involved myself."

The courtroom went quiet again.

One of the media lawyers looked uncomfortable.

Benedicta turned toward him.

"You said she would be helpless without Damian?"

He swallowed.

"That isn't what I—"

"Don't."

Benedicta smiled.

It wasn't a friendly smile.

"You have no idea who you're talking about."

Angela looked at her best friend.

For the first time that morning, something softened in her expression.

I watched them.

And I understood something.

Angela had never been as helpless as people assumed.

She simply didn't advertise the people standing behind her.

The judge called the courtroom back to order.

The hearing continued.

And for the first time since I had met Angela, I found myself sitting quietly and watching someone else protect her.

Not because she needed saving.

But because she had chosen to fight for herself.

And I couldn't help smiling.

That woman was going to drive me insane.

After the hearing ended, reporters rushed toward the exit.

Questions came from every direction.

"Angela! Are you using Damian's influence?"

"Are you actually married?"

"Are the allegations true?"

"Will Damian stay with you?"

"Angela, what happens when he leaves you?"

She stopped.

For one second, I thought she would answer.

She didn't.

She simply looked at them.

Then she walked away.

Benedicta followed.

I watched Angela disappear through the doors.

She hadn't said a single word.

Not one.

And somehow, I had never been more proud of her.

Because she didn't need to tell the world who she was.

Her actions had already done it.

I followed them outside.

Angela finally noticed me.

"You came."

I looked at her.

"You told me not to."

"I know."

"And you thought I would listen?"

She smiled faintly.

"No."

I stepped closer.

I lowered my voice.

"Next time someone attacks you, you tell me."

She shook her head.

"I handled this."

"I know."

I looked at Benedicta.

"And apparently you had backup."

Benedicta smiled.

"She always has backup."

I looked back at Angela.

Something about that made me smile.

Maybe the world thought Angela was only strong because she had me.

They were wrong.

And I was beginning to realize that the woman beside me wasn't someone I needed to carry.

She was someone I needed to stand beside.

Because if anyone tried to break her again, they wouldn't just have to deal with me.

They would have to deal with Angela Williams.

And Benedicta.

That was a much more dangerous combination.