chapter three
1379 Words
Lunch hour came to an end—and with it ended his reckless promise to help her sustain her lie.
Damian barely allowed Raven to return to her desk before heading straight toward his office, his thoughts tangled in a way he wasn’t accustomed to. He had made a decision impulsively, something he rarely—almost never—did. Agreeing to pose as her husband, even temporarily, was absurd by every standard he lived by.
Yet here he was.
He hadn’t taken more than a few steps before Marina, his personal secretary, intercepted him. Marina was not a woman who missed details—especially not when they involved Damian Sterling. And she had noticed everything: the unusual lunch, the way his attention lingered on Raven longer than professionalism allowed, and the subtle shift in his demeanor.
Friendship granted her liberties no one else dared to claim.
She followed him down the corridor leading to his office, her heels echoing sharply against the polished floor. Curiosity burned brighter than patience.
— Well?
He glanced at her with visible boredom. He knew that look. Marina would not let this go without an explanation, and it was better to give her something—anything—before she started digging on her own.
— You remember Nova—the woman I told you about?
He exhaled slowly.
— Some things came up for her. She sent her friend instead. Raven.
Marina clutched the files to her chest, staring at him in disbelief, as if he had just confessed to being swindled by a street magician.
— Are you telling me Damian Sterling was conned by a woman?!
The infamous businessman—proud of his intellect, obsessed with control, a man whose life allowed no room for chaos—outplayed by someone younger, less experienced, and utterly unprepared?
— Stop it, he snapped.
— Or I’ll fire you. And while you’re at it, find yourself another groom.
She froze in front of his office door, completely forgetting both her duties and the fact that he was her superior. He was wasting time—his own time—without realizing it. With sudden boldness, she grabbed his arm.
— I had to postpone my wedding to Jones because of you!
Her voice dropped into a dangerous whisper.
— Just because you’re my boss and he’s head of security doesn’t give you the right to control our lives. Watch yourself.
He yanked his arm free and entered his office without sparing her another glance, ignoring the threat entirely. Instead, he returned to the subject that had taken residence in his thoughts.
— She doesn’t know who I am, he said calmly.
— She thinks I work in accounting. So far… she seems kind. Innocent. Very much so.
Marina’s lips curved into a slow, knowing smile. Finally. Someone had managed to slip past his iron walls.
— Then hurry up, she said sweetly.
— So we can have our weddings on the same day.
At the end of the workday, Damian found Raven waiting outside the building.
She waved at him enthusiastically, as though they shared a long history rather than a single chaotic agreement made under pressure. He paused for a fraction of a second before giving Jones a brief nod, signaling him to stay put, then walked toward her without concern for the curious looks of the employees around them.
— Why didn’t you go home?
She pretended to adjust her coat, embarrassment creeping up her neck under the weight of his directness.
— My mother is angry. She’s coming tomorrow.
She swallowed.
— Christmas is a week away, and she wants to make sure everything is… settled before she arrives.
They needed to talk—properly. He knew too little about her, and ignorance could unravel the entire charade. And if he was honest with himself, this was also an excuse to get closer.
— Let’s go somewhere we can talk.
She lifted her head, her eyes darting away from his to avoid the intensity of his gaze.
— My apartment would be better.
She hesitated, then added,
— So you can get used to the place.
He remembered her mentioning Nova earlier.
— You said you and Nova live together, right?
For a moment, she nearly forgot about Nova entirely. Then reality caught up. Nova was away visiting family and wouldn’t be back until after the holidays—maybe longer.
— She’s on a family vacation. She won’t be back for a while.
She glanced at him.
— Do you have a car?
This—this was his chance to step outside his carefully constructed persona. To act like an ordinary man. Perhaps that was exactly what had drawn him to Raven: she was normal. She didn’t chase status or admiration. She moved calmly through chaos, untouched by the hunger for validation.
And that simplicity unsettled him more than luxury ever had.
— No.
He said it easily, as though breaking one of his own rules meant nothing.
He gestured for her to walk ahead, a trace of practiced gallantry in his tone:
— Ladies first.
He waited for her to turn her back, giving himself a moment to breathe, then glanced toward Jones, signaling him to keep his distance. He didn’t want witnesses to this quiet rebellion against his iron identity.
But instead, he found Marina clinging to Jones’s arm, flashing him an infuriatingly bold wink—a declaration of war disguised as flirtation. Marina never missed an opportunity to interfere. Meddling was practically her profession.
He rolled his eyes.
— Idiots.
Raven noticed the shift in his voice and turned, confusion flickering across her face.
— What did you say?
He bit his lip, silently cursing his slip.
— An employee. Misconduct.
He waved dismissively.
— I’ll report her to management.
Raven scanned the area, searching for the alleged misconduct. Before she could ask another question, he grabbed her arm and guided her toward the street to hail a taxi. He hated losing control—and yet, here he was, doing exactly that.
— Ignore them. Your mother arrives tomorrow, doesn’t she?
He spoke quickly.
— We need to talk about ourselves. About the apartment. Maybe take time off work…
He kept talking, filling the air with words to avoid confronting his own unease. That had always been his defense: noise instead of thought.
In his mind, a quiet promise formed—Marina and Jones would pay for this embarrassment. He didn’t know how yet, only that regret would be part of it.
But their foolishness seemed contagious.
They intercepted Damian and Raven, blocking their path like amateur actors desperate for spotlight.
— Hi! I’m Marina, the executive secretary.
She smiled brightly.
— And this is my boyfriend, Jones—head of personal security.
Raven froze.
In that instant, she felt as though she had stepped out of a harmless lie and into a power struggle that had nothing to do with her—yet she stood at its center with no escape.
Damian clenched his fist.
— Why don’t we give you a ride? Jones offered cheerfully.
— The director has work and will be late anyway.
Damian stared at him, stunned by the stupidity. Too much time with Marina had dulled Jones’s instincts.
— That won’t be necessary, Damian said coldly.
— The director would be furious. This is abuse of authority.
The warning was subtle but sharp. Then he turned to Raven.
— Let’s go.
He led her away without looking back. Fortunately, a taxi stopped just then. He ushered her inside and followed, shutting out the voices behind them.
Inside the car, Raven studied him.
— They were rude… but you were harsh.
She frowned.
— They seemed nice. Maybe we could’ve been friends. They didn’t feel fake like others.
He shrugged, unmoved.
— Maybe.
Then added dryly,
— Still. Two walking definitions of stupidity.
They arrived at the building she shared with Nova. Damian paid the fare and followed her inside. The elevator ride passed in awkward silence.
When the doors opened, fate struck.
Nova stood outside the apartment door—travel bag by her feet, clearly just back from vacation.
The world stopped.
— Raven…? Nova’s eyes narrowed.
— Who is this?
To be continued......
- Writer
