Dignity of the Cold CEO’s Wife

Chapter 6

The second half of the planning meeting unfolded with a gentle hum of activity -- papers shifting, soft conversation threads weaving through the room, silver pens gliding across thick cream stationery.

Selene sat beside Damien this time. Not by intention. By accident -- Vivienne had directed everyone to sit according to couple.

Mari poted but sat beside Ethan with an exaggerated sigh.

Damien, meanwhile, made no comment when Selene took the seat beside him. He simply adjusted slightly, giving her enough space without feeling distant.

Their elbows didn't touch. But they could have. And the awareness of that small possibility made Selene's stomach flutter.

Vivienne slid a guest list across the table.

"We'll nned to finalise the seating arrangements," she said. "A balanced table is essential."

Mari snatched up the pen. "Oh! i want to do it!"

Before anyone agreed, she began scribbling names in messy loops, placing herself and Ethan at the main table -- of course -- while shoving back Selene and Damien toward the back.

Damien raised a single eyebrow.

Slene looked down, lips pressed together.

Vivienne watched with a patient, strained smile.

Mari giggled. "I mean... Selene doesn't really need to be front and centre, right? I'll draw attention anyway."

Selene inhaled softly.

Damien spoke before she could.

"No."

Mari blinked. "No what?"

Damien leaned forward, tone sharp but quiet. "No, that will ot work."

Mari laughed awkwardly. "Why? I look better from the centre. And Ethan--"

"This is not about looking better," Damien said flatly.

Mari's face fell.

Damien's voice remained calm but unyielding. "Selene and i will be presented at the main table. As a couple. That is tradition. And respect.

Selene's heart stopped. He was defending her. Openly. Firmly.

Mari scoffed. "Wow. Didn't think you cared where she sat."

He didn't miss a beat. "I care about the family image."

It wasn't romantic. But it wasn't dismissive either.

It was protection.

Ethan cleared his throat lightly. "Damien's right. Let's stick to tradition, Mari."

Mari reluctantly shoved the paper back across the table. "Fine. Whatever."

Vivienne's eyes flicked to Damien.

Approval. Subtle, but unmistakeable.

And Selene felt warm all the way down to her chest.

As the planning continued, Selene worked quietly -- reading, organizing documents, aligning two lists with clean precision. She corrected a misplaced number here, swapped a duplicated name there.

Damien watched her hands.

Her calm movements. Her quiet concentration. Her precision.

She didn't realize he was watching until she felt his stare.

She looked up, startled.

Damien didn't look away. Not immediately.

"You're thorough," he said quietly.

She flushed. "I just... like things accurate."

"You corrected four errors already."

Selene froze. "Did i-- was that overstepping?"

"No." His eyes softened a fraction. "It was helpful."

Her breath eased out slowly.

"Bit i didn't want to seem like i was trying to control anything," she admitted.

Damien's voice dropped. "You work quietly, but effectively. That's not control. That's competence."

The compliment hit deeper than she expected.

But Damien didn't compliment. He only spoke truth.

Mari leaned across the table, voice syrupy sweet but eyes sharpened.

"So, Selene," Mari said loudly, drawing attention, "you're awfully close to Damien today."

Selene blinked, cheeks warming. "We're just working."

Damien didn't even look up. "Focus on your own task, Mari."

Mari's expression snapped into a scowl.

Ethan nudged her gently. "Come one, let's finish our section."

But Mari sulked, glaring at Selene like she'd stolen something precious.

Selene tried to ignore it, but the gaze burned into her side.

The shift had begun. Mari now saw Selen not as her quiet, obedient sister-- but as competition. And competition was something Mari never hadnled gracefully.

After another hour, Vivienne stood gracefully. "I believe we've done enough for today. Thank you, everyone."

Mari threw down her pen dramatically. "Finally. I thought i was going to die."

Ethan laughed softly. "It wasn't that bad."

"It was torture," Mari insisted. "All these rules and traditions. I want a fun engagement, not a funeral."

Vivienne's eyes narrowed -- just slightly.

"Mari," she said softly. "tradition is not restriction. It's identity."

Mari groaned.

Selene spoke gently, offering a softer bridge. "Traditions help people feel connected. Especially at a family event."

Vivienne looked at Selene and actually smile. Warmly.

Ethan looked impressed.

Mari looked furious.

Damien... Damien looked at Selene like he was seeing her differently. Not just a duty. not as a stranger.

But as someone who fit.

Someone who understood the world he came from -- even if she wasn't born into it.

As everyone gathered their things, Damien gestured to the hallway.

"I'll walk you out."

Mari immediately grabbed Ethan. "And Ethan will walk me!"

Ethan blinked, But quietly followed, used to Mari's theatrics by now.

Selene didnt protest this time as she stopped beside Damien. His stride was steady, confident, but strangely unhurried -- as though he wanted the walk to last longer. They moved down the quiet hall lined with dark wood panneling and soft gold sconces.

For a moment they walked in silence.

Then Damien spoke, voice low. "Vivienne was impressed with you."

Selene blinked. "I... I wasn't trying to impress her."

"That's why it worked."

She looked up in surprise.

Damien continued, "My mother respects dignity. Patience. Restraint. You show all three."

Selene wasn't used to being praised -- at least not by him. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, unsure what to do with the warmth blooming inside her.

"I'm glad," she said soflty. "I want to be respectful of your family."

Damien's expression shifted. Still cold at the edges but... thoughful.

"You've handled today better than expected," he admitted.

Selene smiled faintly. "Is that your way of saying i did well?"

He exhaled through his nose, the closest thing to a smirk she'd ever seen from hom.

"I don't give compliments lightly."

She swallowed. "So this one means something?"

A beat of silence.

"Yes," he said quietly. "It does."

Her heart fluttered foolishly.

They reached the foyer, where Mari and Ethan were already waiting. Mari stood with arms crossed, foot tapping in irritation.

"Well, finally!" Mari snapped. "Took you long enough to walk her down a hallway."

Damien barely glanced at her. "We were talking."

Selene stiffenedl, not wanting comflict.

Mari turned to Ethan instead. "Why can't you slow walk with me like that? Maybe you should look at me the way Damien looks at Selen!"

Ethan blinked, confused. "Mari... Damien wasn't--"

But Mari dragged him off dramatically.

"Whatever! Let's go. I'm starving."

She dragged Ethan toward the door with a huff.

Vivienne, passing by, saw the scene unfold. Her eyes flicked to Selene -- calm, composed, dignified -- and then to Mari's flailing dramatics.

A slow, unmistakeable understanding settled over her expression.

Selene was the daughter-in-law she could rely on.

Mari... was a storm.

One Mari and Ethan had exited, Damien paused beside Selene on the front steps of the Ravenson estate. The wind lifted the ends of her hair.

"Selene," he said, his tone unexpectedly softer, "today was difficult, but you held yourself well."

Her cheeks warmed.

"you're not what i expected."

She turned toward him. "Is that good or bad?"

He looked at her fully -- eyes deep, unreadable, but no longer cold.

"Good," he murmured.

A rush of heat crawled up her neck.

The he straightened slightly, stepping back. "I'll have the driver take you home."

She nodded, searching his face for something more.

He gave her a last lingering look -- subtle, but genuine -- before turning away.

And as Selene stepped into the waiting car, her hear beat with something new and cautious and strange.

Hope.