The Public Execution
924 Words
Lena jerked away from Damian, cheeks burning with humiliation and fear. She wanted nothing more than to get away, but he wouldn't let go. His arm clamped around her waist like steel, refusing to budge.
Victoria stormed into the living room, red-faced and shaking. Her diamond necklace bounced wildly, and her makeup was smeared by anger. "Get your hands off her, Damian!" she screamed. "Marcus called me, told me everything! I didn't believe him at first, but look at you two disgusting!"
Marcus showed up behind her, hands jammed in his pockets, grinning like he'd won some twisted game. "Hey Lena. I always told you you were a disaster, but this sleeping with your boss? Does your mom know her hospital bills are paid with your body?"
Lena shrank, tears stinging her eyes. "Shut up, Marcus!" Her voice cracked as she wrestled against Damian's hold. "Damian, please! Let me go!"
He didn't. Instead, Damian shifted, pulling her behind him, blocking her from the room like a shield. Suddenly, everything felt icy.
Damian turned and fixed Marcus with a look that could freeze blood. No emotion, just those cold, silver eyes. Something dangerous, almost predatory.
"Who gave you permission to come into my home?" Damian asked. His voice was weirdly quiet low enough to make Marcus stop grinning in an instant.
"M-Mr. Knight," Marcus barely managed. He tiptoed backward, stumbling over his excuses. "I was helping Victoria. My dad's on the board, I "
Damian stepped forward, relentless. "I don't care if you're the king of the world. You broke into my house. You insulted my guest. And you dragged your childish drama in here."
He glanced past Marcus, straight at the security guards. They looked like they wanted to disappear. "Why are they inside?"
"Sir, Miss Victoria had a keycard, and she said "
"Fire them," Damian snapped. "The whole night shift. If I ever see their faces again in any of my buildings, they're finished in this business."
The guard swallowed. "Yes, Mr. Knight."
Victoria exploded, stomping her heel hard enough to c***k the marble. "You can't treat my guests like this, Damian! I'm your fiancée, remember? The wedding's next month the families, the companies do you really want to trash everything for her? For some... penniless, gold-digging w***e?"
That word hung in the air like poison.
In a blink, Damian moved. He covered the distance in two strides, his expression twisted with fury. Victoria backed up, her panic obvious.
Now, Damian was in her face. His shadow swallowed her whole. "Listen carefully," he said with a hiss, jaw clenched, his anger barely in check. "This marriage-our engagement-is nothing more than paperwork. Don't confuse business for anything personal, Victoria."
She shrank against the wall. "Damian..."
"We're finished," Damian said. His voice felt cold enough to cut glass.
Across the room, Lena gasped, hand clamped over her mouth. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was he really calling off his wedding-just like that?
Victoria stared, wide-eyed. "You... you can't. The press, the stock prices, the board-they'll destroy you!"
Damian almost smiled. "I am the board," he said. "Take your ring, take Marcus, and leave. If you or your little spy stay one more minute, they'll find you both tossed off my balcony."
Marcus whirled and bolted, barely glancing back. Victoria glared at Damian, her face twisted in hate-and then she turned her venom on Lena.
"You think you've won?" Victoria spat. "You really think Damian Knight could love you? He's a monster. He destroys everything. Enjoy the bed while you can. When he's done, he'll kick you out like yesterday's garbage."
She slammed the doors behind her, leaving silence that pressed down like a blanket.
Lena stood by the sofa, frozen, heart pounding so hard she thought it might break her ribs. Damian stood in the middle of the room, breathing heavily, running a hand through his hair. For a long moment, it felt like nothing moved.
Then Damian turned and walked toward her, slow and steady. He stopped just in front of her, hardly breathing.
"Is it true?" Lena whispered. Her voice broke halfway out. "Did you-did you really end the engagement... for me?"
Damian looked at her, and for once, some of the anger faded from his eyes. "I ended it because nobody gets away with insulting what's mine," he said, rough and quiet. He wiped one of her tears away with his thumb-not gently, not delicately, almost angrily. "I told you Lena-you belong to me now."
She pushed his hand away, shaking her head, desperate. "I don't want to be yours! You don't love me! You hate my father. You're using me for revenge. Please, Damian-let me go. I'll disappear. No one will ever hear about the baby."
Something flickered in Damian's eyes. He dragged her against him, holding her as if he was terrified to let go.
"You're not leaving, Lena. Even if I wanted you gone, I couldn't." His breath was hot against her lips, words barely above a whisper. "Those men tonight-they're not just my enemies. They're the ones who murdered your father."
That stopped Lena cold. Her mouth hung open, everything inside her jolting to a halt.
"What do you mean?" she breathed.
Damian's face twisted into the shadow of a smile, dark and cruel. "Arthur Vance didn't die in an accident, Lena. He was executed. And those men-they're coming to finish what they started. Only now, you're their target."
The room felt suddenly smaller. Lena's world, already shattered, started to fall apart all over again.
- Writer
