CROWNED BY HIM

Chapter 4: She Laughs in His Face

The text message sat on Damien Ashford's screen for less than three seconds before he replied.

Name the time and place.

Aria's response came almost immediately.

Tomorrow. Ten o'clock. Bennett Dynamics. My office.

Damien looked at the message for a moment before slipping his phone into his pocket.

Ethan, standing across the office, raised an eyebrow.

"Good news?"

"The negotiation has begun."

"I thought she already rejected you."

"She did."

"And now?"

"Now she's curious."

Damien walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.

"Curiosity is far more valuable than interest."

---

The following morning...

The atmosphere inside Bennett Dynamics was noticeably different.

Executives hurried through the hallways with tense expressions.

The news of the mysterious shareholder had spread through senior management overnight.

Aria entered the boardroom wearing a cream-colored pantsuit that projected calm confidence despite the storm brewing beneath the surface.

She looked around the table.

"No panic."

Everyone fell silent.

"I built this company from a rented office with two employees and one client."

She rested both palms on the polished table.

"If someone believes they can scare Bennett Dynamics into surrendering..."

Her eyes hardened.

"They've underestimated us."

The room erupted into determined applause.

Only Mia remained quiet.

After the meeting ended, she followed Aria into her office.

"He's here."

Aria didn't ask who.

She already knew.

"Five minutes."

Mia nodded and left.

Aria walked toward the window overlooking the city.

She hated the fact that Damien had been right.

She hated it even more that she needed information only he seemed to have.

A knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in."

Damien entered alone.

No assistant.

No security.

Just him.

He wore a navy suit today, his expression as composed as ever.

"You came."

"You invited me."

"I invited you yesterday."

"And I accepted today."

Aria gestured toward the chair opposite her desk.

"This isn't social."

"I assumed as much."

Neither of them sat immediately.

For several seconds, they simply studied one another.

It was strange.

Every previous meeting had taken place across negotiating tables surrounded by lawyers and executives.

This was different.

Personal.

Finally, Aria broke the silence.

"You knew someone was buying shares."

"Yes."

"How?"

"I pay attention."

"That's not an answer."

"It is."

"It isn't enough."

Damien regarded her calmly.

"If our positions were reversed..."

He stepped closer.

"...would you reveal your sources?"

Aria hesitated.

"No."

"Exactly."

She disliked agreeing with him.

Almost as much as she disliked admitting he had a point.

She took her seat.

"So why are you helping me?"

Damien remained standing.

"I already answered that."

"I don't believe your answer."

"You think I have another motive."

"I know you do."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"I always have another motive."

"There."

She pointed at him.

"That's the Damien Ashford everyone talks about."

"The ruthless billionaire?"

"The man who never gives without expecting something bigger in return."

He considered her words.

"They're not entirely wrong."

Aria folded her arms.

"So tell me."

"What do you really want?"

His answer came without hesitation.

"You."

Silence.

Not awkward.

Not comfortable.

Simply...

Heavy.

She stared at him before shaking her head.

"You really don't know how to flirt."

"I wasn't flirting."

"I noticed."

"I'm telling the truth."

She stood again.

"You barely know me."

"I know enough."

"No."

Her voice sharpened.

"You know my balance sheets."

"My market value."

"My public interviews."

"My victories."

She took another step toward him.

"But you don't know me."

For the first time since entering the office...

Damien had no immediate reply.

Aria noticed.

A tiny victory.

"So let me make something clear."

She held his gaze without blinking.

"I am not a business acquisition."

"I know."

"I'm not another company you can merge with."

"I know."

"And I'm certainly not marrying a man because his grandfather wrote it into a will."

Damien nodded once.

"I understand."

"No."

She smiled coldly.

"I don't think you do."

Her office phone buzzed.

Mia's voice came through the intercom.

"Sorry to interrupt, Ms. Bennett, but the board has arrived."

"I'll be there shortly."

She ended the call and looked back at Damien.

"This meeting is over."

He reached into his jacket.

Instead of another contract...

He placed a thin black folder on her desk.

"What is this?"

"The names of the investment firms purchasing your shares."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You said you didn't know."

"I said I didn't know who was behind them."

She slowly opened the folder.

Every page contained dates.

Transactions.

Holding companies.

Offshore accounts.

It was the kind of intelligence most governments would struggle to obtain.

She looked back up.

"Why give me this?"

"Because you'll need it."

"You're making this very difficult."

"For whom?"

"For me to decide whether you're manipulating me..."

She closed the folder.

"...or actually trying to help."

Damien's expression softened just enough to be noticeable.

"Perhaps I'm doing both."

Before she could answer, someone knocked sharply on the office door.

Without waiting for permission...

The door swung open.

A stunning blonde woman strode confidently inside.

She stopped the moment she saw Damien.

Then smiled.

"There you are."

Her eyes shifted to Aria.

The smile vanished.

"I didn't realize you were busy."

Damien's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

"You shouldn't be here, Vanessa."

Vanessa ignored him.

Instead, she walked directly toward Aria's desk.

"So..."

She looked Aria up and down.

"You're the woman everyone's whispering about."

Aria met her gaze calmly.

"And you are?"

Vanessa extended a perfectly manicured hand.

"Vanessa Sinclair."

She smiled again.

"Damien's former fiancée."

Aria's eyebrows lifted ever so slightly.

Interesting.

Vanessa glanced affectionately at Damien before looking back at Aria.

"I came because I heard an absurd rumor."

Her smile turned sharp.

"That Damien intends to marry you."

She laughed softly.

"As if he'd ever marry a woman he couldn't control."

The room fell silent.

Aria slowly leaned back against her desk.

Then...

She smiled.

"Oh."

"So you're the woman who couldn't."

The room became so quiet that even the ticking of the antique clock on Aria's office wall sounded loud.

Vanessa Sinclair's smile faltered.

"...Excuse me?"

Aria tilted her head, her expression calm and almost pleasant.

"I said, you're the woman who couldn't."

Vanessa's eyes narrowed.

"I don't appreciate riddles."

"Neither do I."

Aria folded her arms.

"So let's speak plainly."

She glanced at Damien before looking back at Vanessa.

"You just implied I'm a woman Damien can't control."

"I did."

"And judging by your choice of words..."

A faint smile curved Aria's lips.

"...you seem to know what it's like to be controlled."

Vanessa's face hardened.

"You know nothing about me."

"Correct."

Aria's voice remained even.

"But I know confident women don't introduce themselves by mentioning they're someone's ex."

The words landed like a slap.

Damien remained completely silent.

Watching.

Vanessa forced a laugh.

"You're clever."

"I've been called worse."

"You won't keep his attention."

Aria shrugged.

"I'm not trying to."

"That's not what the media says."

"The media also thinks we're secretly engaged."

Vanessa looked toward Damien.

"Tell her."

He met Vanessa's gaze.

"Tell her what?"

"That this ridiculous marriage idea is over."

Damien's expression never changed.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because it isn't over."

Vanessa stared at him.

For the first time since entering the office, genuine shock crossed her face.

"You can't possibly be serious."

"I've never been more serious."

"You don't even love her."

"No."

The answer came without hesitation.

Vanessa laughed triumphantly.

"You see?"

She turned back to Aria.

"He just admitted it."

Aria simply nodded.

"I heard him."

"And you're still standing here?"

"I am."

"You have more pride than sense."

Aria smiled politely.

"I could say the same."

Vanessa's composure finally cracked.

She stepped closer to Damien.

"You promised we'd build a future together."

"I promised no such thing."

"You proposed."

"I ended that engagement three years ago."

"You embarrassed me."

"I told you the truth."

Vanessa's voice dropped.

"You're choosing her over me."

Damien's answer was quiet.

"I'm choosing my future."

Silence.

Vanessa looked between them before letting out a bitter laugh.

"You deserve each other."

She pointed at Aria.

"Be careful."

Her eyes burned with resentment.

"He doesn't have a heart."

Then she looked at Damien.

"And when he destroys yours..."

She smiled coldly.

"...don't expect sympathy."

Without another word, she turned and left.

The office door closed behind her.

Neither Damien nor Aria spoke immediately.

Finally...

Aria broke the silence.

"You certainly attract dramatic women."

His eyes met hers.

"I could say the same."

She almost smiled.

Almost.

Instead, she walked toward the coffee machine in the corner of her office.

"Coffee?"

"I don't drink it after noon."

"Tea?"

"No."

"Water?"

"Thank you."

She poured a glass and handed it to him.

Their fingers brushed.

Just for an instant.

Neither reacted outwardly.

Yet something shifted.

Barely noticeable.

But undeniable.

Damien accepted the glass.

"Thank you."

"You've surprised me twice in two days."

"Only twice?"

"You admitted you don't love me."

"It would've been dishonest to claim otherwise."

"And you didn't humiliate your ex."

His gaze remained steady.

"There was nothing to gain from it."

Aria studied him carefully.

She had spent years believing Damien Ashford was exactly what every headline claimed.

Cold.

Merciless.

Arrogant.

Those descriptions weren't entirely wrong.

But they weren't complete.

He wasn't cruel for entertainment.

He was simply...

Calculated.

Every decision served a purpose.

"Tell me something."

"I'm listening."

"If I say yes..."

She caught herself.

"I won't."

"But hypothetically."

"Hypothetically."

"How long would this marriage last?"

He answered without hesitation.

"As long as necessary."

"There it is."

She smiled knowingly.

"A contract."

"Yes."

"No emotions."

"No expectations."

She nodded slowly.

"And after?"

"If either of us wants out..."

His voice remained calm.

"...we walk away."

Aria looked toward the skyline beyond the windows.

A marriage with an exit clause.

It sounded practical.

Safe.

Impossible.

"You've planned everything."

"I try to."

"But you've forgotten one thing."

"What?"

"You assumed I'd eventually negotiate."

"I did."

"What if I never do?"

Damien set the untouched glass of water on her desk.

"Then I'll respect your decision."

She looked surprised.

"You'll stop asking?"

"Eventually."

"When?"

"When I'm convinced you've made your final choice."

She laughed softly.

"So... never?"

For the first time...

A genuine smile reached Damien's eyes.

"I suppose we'll find out."

A knock interrupted them.

Mia entered, carrying a tablet.

"Sorry to interrupt again."

She looked apologetically between them.

"Our cybersecurity team just traced one of the shell companies."

Aria immediately became serious.

"Who owns it?"

"They couldn't identify the owner..."

Mia swallowed.

"...but the money originated from Blackstone Capital."

Damien's expression darkened.

Aria noticed instantly.

"You know them."

"Yes."

"They're dangerous."

"How dangerous?"

"They don't invest."

He looked directly at her.

"They take control."

The room seemed colder.

Mia looked confused.

"What does that mean?"

Damien's voice remained level.

"It means whoever is behind this isn't trying to make money."

"They're trying to erase Bennett Dynamics."

Aria slowly closed the folder he'd given her earlier.

Then she made a decision.

Not about the proposal.

Not yet.

About something else.

She looked at Damien.

"I still won't marry you."

"I know."

"But..."

She drew a slow breath.

"...I will hear your strategy."

Damien nodded once.

"That's all I wanted."

As he turned to leave, his phone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen.

For the first time...

His calm expression disappeared.

"What is it?" Aria asked.

He looked back at her.

"Ashford Global has just been attacked."

"By Blackstone?"

"No."

His voice grew colder than she'd ever heard.

"By someone inside my own company."

He slipped the phone into his pocket.

"It seems..."

"...we're both at war."

He walked out without another word, leaving Aria staring after him.

She had expected a rival.

Instead...

She had found the only man whose empire was beginning to crumble at the same moment as hers.

Neither of them realized that their enemies had already formed an alliance.

And before the week was over...

One betrayal would bind their fates together in a way neither contract nor choice ever could.