Chapter Two:The black Roses Still Bloom
1291 Words
Isla stood frozen, unable to move.
Her trembling eyes remained fixed on Damien as if she were waiting for him to laugh and tell her that everything was just a cruel joke.
A second passed.
Then another.
Finally, she shook her head desperately.
“No…”
Her voice cracked.
“No, Demi… You can’t do this.”
She stumbled toward him, her hands grabbing his arms as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
“Tell me this isn’t real.”
She shook him desperately.
“Tell me it’s all a lie! Please… tell me!”
Her breathing became uneven as panic consumed her.
“Demi… look around.”
She pointed toward the house with trembling fingers.
“This house…”
“We built it together.”
Her voice grew louder with every word.
“Look!”
She pointed toward the large glass windows.
“Our swimming pool…”
Then toward the garden outside.
“Our garden…”
“The black roses…”
“You planted them because they were my favorite.”
She looked into his eyes, desperately searching for the man she had loved for six years.
“Have you forgotten everything, Demi?”
“Have you forgotten us?”
She stepped closer until only inches separated them.
“Demi…”
Before Damien could answer, Eva suddenly stepped between them.
Her crimson lips curled into a mocking smile.
“Enough drama, Isla.”
She folded her arms and looked at Isla with complete disgust.
“Stop pretending to be the innocent victim.”
She glanced at Damien before looking back at Isla.
“He is my husband now.”
“So,stop touching him please.”
Something inside Isla snapped.
With a furious shove, she pushed Eva backward.
Eva lost her balance and fell onto the marble floor.
“You stole everything from me!”
Isla shouted through her tears.
“This is my house!”
“My husband!”
“We built this home together!”
Eva remained on the floor for a moment.
Instead of crying…
She smiled.
A cold…
Cruel…
Victorious smile.
“Oh?”
She tilted her head.
“Then tell me…”
She slowly pointed toward Damien’s left hand.
“Where is his wedding ring now?”
Isla froze.
Every word caught in her throat.
She couldn’t answer.
Eva slowly stood up and dusted off her dress.
"And another thing..."
She stepped closer until only inches separated them.
"Stop calling my husband 'Demi.'"
She brushed Isla's hand away from Damien's sleeve.
"Know your place”
“Let go of her!”
Liam rushed forward and forcefully pulled Eva away from Isla.
“Ms. Eva, you have no right to humiliate Mrs. Cross like this.”
Eva stumbled backward in shock.
Damien’s expression instantly darkened.
His voice echoed throughout the mansion.
“Liam!”
“How dare you touch my wife!”
Liam turned toward him without lowering his head.
“Mr. Cross…”
“I have always been your personal assistant.”
“But I am also Mrs. Cross’s personal assistant.”
“You were the one who gave me the responsibility of protecting her.”
“I am only doing my job.”
Damien’s jaw tightened.
His eyes turned ice-cold.
“Then consider yourself unemployed.”
“You are fired.”
“Get out.”
The color drained from Liam’s face.
He had served Damien faithfully for years.
Yet…
One sentence was enough to erase everything.
Before Liam could respond—
“No.”
The room fell silent.
For the first time since the nightmare began…
Isla raised her head.
Her tear-filled eyes met Damien’s without fear.
“Liam…”
“You are not leaving.”
Her voice was calm.
Cold.
Powerful.
“He may have fired you.”
“But I didn’t.”
“You are still my personal assistant.”
She stepped forward until she stood beside Liam.
Never once breaking eye contact with Damien.
Damien didn’t answer Isla.
His cold gaze never left hers.
For a brief second…
He noticed something he had never seen before.
The woman standing before him was no longer the gentle, obedient Isla who had silently accepted every disappointment.
There was pain in her eyes.
But there was something else.
Defiance.
Eva frowned.
She slipped her arm through Damien’s and gently shook it.
“Darling…”
She pouted.
“Are you really going to let her talk to you like this?”
Damien remained silent.
His eyes were still locked on Isla.
Eva’s expression darkened.
Without another word, Damien slowly reached out, lifted Eva’s chin, and smiled.
A smile so cold…
It made Isla’s heart stop.
“Baby…”
His voice was unexpectedly gentle.
“Don’t waste your anger on someone who no longer matters.”
Before Isla could even breathe—
Damien leaned down and kissed Eva.
Not passionately.
Just long enough to make his message painfully clear.
Isla’s fingers slowly curled into trembling fists.
It felt as though every heartbeat inside her chest had shattered into pieces.
Eva smiled against his lips before wrapping both arms around his neck.
“I don’t want to spend our wedding night arguing.”
She brushed the tip of her nose against his with a playful smile.
“Come upstairs.”
“Tonight belongs to us.”
Damien chuckled softly.
“As you wish.”
Without another glance at Isla, he bent down and effortlessly lifted Eva into his arms.
Eva laughed happily, wrapping her arms around his neck.
As Damien carried her toward the staircase, their quiet laughter echoed throughout the mansion.
Each step felt like another knife piercing Isla’s heart.
She stood motionless.
Unable to cry.
Unable to scream.
Unable to breathe.
The bedroom door upstairs closed with a heavy thud.
The sound echoed through the silent house.
Liam slowly stepped closer.
“Madam…”
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“I’m…”
Before he could finish—
The master bedroom door opened again.
Damien walked out alone.
His white shirt was slightly wrinkled, with the top buttons left undone.
A faint lipstick mark stained the side of his collar.
He descended the staircase with calm, measured steps.
Liam instinctively moved half a step in front of Isla.
If Damien intended to hurt her…
He would stop him.
Damien stopped only a few inches away.
Without saying a word, he removed the silver wedding ring from his finger.
For a moment…
He stared at it.
Then he quietly placed it on the coffee table.
Silence filled the room.
Damien looked at her with empty eyes.
“That ring no longer has any value to me.”
“It belongs to you.”
“So I’m returning it.”
Isla slowly lowered her gaze to the ring.
With trembling fingers, she picked up the ring.
She held it tightly in her palm.
Damien continued coldly,
“I can’t force you out of this house.”
“Legally, half of it is yours.”
He glanced around the mansion before looking back at her.
“If you’re smart…”
“Sell me your share.”
“I’ll pay you more than it’s worth.”
His lips curled into a cruel smile.
“But if you refuse…”
“You’ll spend every single day watching Eva and me live happily under the same roof.”
“Our bedroom is directly across from yours.”
“You’ll see us.”
“You’ll hear us.”
“And sooner or later…”
“You’ll leave on your own.”
Isla remained silent.
Her gaze rested on the ring in her hand.
A single tear landed on the silver band.
Then…
She slowly wiped her eyes.
When she finally looked at Damien…
There was sadness in her eyes.
But no fear.
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