Chapter Seven: Cracks in the Ice
770 Words
Damien sat in the backseat of his black Bentley, one hand resting against his temple while the other tapped mindlessly on his phone screen. Meetings, contracts, mergers,everything he was used to. Everything he could control.
Except her.
Liana Hart was an anomaly he hadn’t prepared for.
Ever since she stepped into his mansion, into his life, she had been nothing like the women from his past. No pretense. No manipulation. Just genuine kindness and quiet strength. And it disturbed him.
He glanced at his screen.
It was nearly 9 PM.
He hadn’t seen her all day.
A part of him...a part he refused to acknowledge wondering where she was, what she was doing, and why the mansion felt colder without her moving around in it.
Liana stood barefoot in the kitchen, her silk nightgown clinging gently to her body as she reached up for a jar on the highest shelf. The household staff had retired for the evening, and she had insisted on preparing something warm for herself.
She didn’t expect to hear footsteps.
Or see Damien enter, unbuttoning his coat and looking every bit the billionaire devil the tabloids described him as.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, he froze...eyes scanning her figure, lingering far longer than he meant to. The soft lighting, her effortless grace, the warmth of the kitchen...it all stirred something inside him he wasn’t prepared for.
“You cook?” he asked, breaking the silence.
She smiled, a little breathless. “I try.”
“You don’t have to. You’re not here to serve anyone.”
“I know,” she said softly, turning to stir the pot. “But I like doing things that feel… normal.”
Damien said nothing. He leaned against the counter, watching her move with quiet elegance. The scent of ginger and honey filled the room. Her hair was tucked loosely behind one ear, and she hummed gently under her breath.
“Would you like some?” she asked.
He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer.
Too close.
She felt his presence before she even turned and when she did, her breath caught
He was right there. Inches away.
“I shouldn’t,” he said quietly.
“But you want to,” she replied, just as softly.
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re getting bold.”
“I’m married to a stranger. I think boldness is the least I can offer.”
Their eyes locked, the tension between them so thick it hummed in the air.
And for the first time, Damien reached out… and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Liana froze, heart racing.
“You should be careful, Liana,” he said, his voice lower now. “Playing with fire has consequences.”
She looked up at him, refusing to back down. “Maybe I want to get burned.”
Something flickered in his eyes.
But before either of them could move, Damien stepped back. His walls rose again.
“I have work,” he muttered. “Don’t wait up.”
And just like that, he disappeared.
Liana stood there, her knees slightly weak, the spoon in her hand forgotten.
She had felt it. The shift. The pull.
And so had he.
That night, Damien didn’t sleep.
He tossed in his bed, visions of her haunting his thoughts...the way she smiled, the softness of her voice, the shape of her lips.
He cursed and dragged his hand down his face.
This was a mistake. All of it.
He never should have agreed to this marriage. And now, he couldn’t look at her without wanting something more.
Something dangerous.
The next morning, Liana was in the garden again, sipping tea, when Damien appeared. This time, he didn’t scold her.
He stood beside her, silent for a moment, then finally spoke.
“I’m leaving town tonight. Business trip. Three days.”
She looked up, surprised. “You’re telling me?”
He didn’t look at her. “You’re my wife. You deserve to know where I am.”
Her heart fluttered at those words.
Not because of what he said..
but because he had chosen to say it.
“Will you be safe?” she asked gently.
His gaze flickered to her. “Always.”
“Would you like me to come with you?” she asked, surprised by her own boldness.
He studied her again, lips pressed in a hard line. “You want to?
“I’m your wife,” she said. “Maybe it’s time people start seeing me that way.”
A long silence followed.
Then Damien finally replied, “Pack a bag.”
- Writer
