Chapter 7: A War of Distance
813 Words
The morning after the kiss, Elena woke up feeling like she had made a colossal mistake.
She had kissed Damian Blackwood.
And worse?
He had kissed her back.
She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, reliving every second—the way his hands had gripped her waist, the slow, deliberate way he had responded.
But the part that stuck with her the most?
The moment he had pulled away.
“Won’t happen again.”
The words had been final. Cold. Dismissive.
And yet, here she was, still thinking about it.
She clenched her jaw, throwing the covers back.
Fine. If Damian wanted to pretend last night meant nothing, she could play that game, too.
1. An Unspoken Stand-off
The penthouse was quiet when she stepped out of her room.
She didn’t know what she expected—to feel something different in the air, maybe. To see a shift in the way Damian looked at her.
But when she walked into the kitchen, he was already dressed, coffee in hand, flipping through the morning news on his phone.
Completely unaffected.
Like nothing had happened.
Elena’s stomach twisted, but she kept her expression blank. “Morning.”
Damian barely glanced at her. “We have a press appearance this afternoon.”
No good morning, no mention of last night.
She exhaled sharply. “Great. Can’t wait.”
He set his coffee down, finally looking at her. “I’ll have a stylist sent over.”
She crossed her arms. “I can dress myself.”
His gaze flicked over her, unreadable. “You’re representing my name now. We do this right.”
Elena gritted her teeth. There he was—the cold, calculated businessman. The man who made every decision with precision, every action with control.
And she hated how much it stung.
So she lifted her chin. “Fine. But next time, don’t act like you’re doing me a favor.”
Something flickered in Damian’s eyes. “Be ready by three.”
And just like that, he turned and walked out, leaving her standing there—heart pounding, frustration curling in her chest.
2. The Perfect Couple in Public, Strangers in Private
The press event was a charity fundraiser—one of the biggest of the year. Cameras flashed the second they arrived, and Damian’s hand found her waist effortlessly, like they had done this a thousand times before.
He was completely in control, his expression smooth, his body language unreadable.
To the outside world, they were perfection.
The power couple.
Elena smiled for the cameras, played the role, let Damian guide her through the room.
But inside?
She was screaming.
Because every time his hand pressed against the small of her back—every time he leaned in and pretended to be utterly captivated by her—
She couldn’t tell what was real anymore.
And when he whispered something low in her ear—just for show, just to sell the illusion—her breath still hitched.
She hated herself for it.
Hated him for it.
And she was sure he knew.
3. A Silent Collision
By the time they got home, Elena was at her breaking point.
She barely made it through the front door before whirling around to face him.
“What the hell was that?” she demanded.
Damian loosened his tie, completely unaffected. “That was us doing exactly what we agreed to.”
She let out a sharp laugh. “Oh, really? So that whole night of pretending I was the most fascinating woman in the room—that was just business?”
He arched a brow. “What else would it be?”
Something inside her snapped.
She marched toward him, closing the distance between them before she could stop herself. “You really feel nothing?”
Damian didn’t move. Didn’t blink.
“Elena—”
“No,” she cut in. “I need to hear you say it.”
She was too close now, her pulse hammering, her breath uneven.
But Damian Blackwood was a fortress, his walls locked so tight she wasn’t sure anything could break through.
So when he finally spoke, his voice was calm. Controlled.
“I don’t do feelings,” he said. “You knew that when you signed the contract.”
Elena’s chest tightened.
That was it, then.
Her biggest mistake hadn’t been kissing him.
It had been thinking, even for a second, that he might actually kiss her back for a reason that wasn’t calculated.
For a reason that wasn’t a lie.
She swallowed hard, stepping back.
“You’re right,” she murmured. “I did know.”
Damian’s expression flickered—something almost uncertain flashing across his face.
But it was gone before she could catch it.
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
And this time, she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to stop her.
- Writer
