Billionaire Damian Lancaster has everything including wealth, power, and a reputation that commands respect. But beneath his cold exterior lies a vow he made long ago, one that has dictated every decision, every calculated move. Love was never part of the plan. When Elena Carter re-enters his life, she threatens to unravel everything. Once the woman he let slip away, she's now stronger, more determined and hiding secrets of her own. Drawn into Damian's world of luxury and deception, she soon discovers that his vow isn't just a promise it's a curse that could destroy them both. As passion ignites and old wounds resurface, Damian must decide: will he honor the vow that has defined him, or risk everything for the one woman he swore to forget?
Chapter 1 The Return
Damian Lancaster never made promises he couldn't keep. Except one. The vow that haunted him every single day. Standing at the floor-to-ceiling window of his penthouse office, Damian stared at the city below. New York never slept, but tonight, the lights seemed dimmer, the air heavier. He rolled the crystal tumbler between his fingers, the whiskey inside untouched. He didn't drink when he was restless. And tonight, Elena Carter was back in town. A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Liam Grayson, his most trusted associate, stepped in, his expression unreadable.
"She's here." Damian's grip tightened around the glass. He had prepared for this moment for seven years-ever since she walked away. He had built an empire, silenced his enemies, and made a vow that he would never let himself be weak again. But as he turned, his breath caught. Elena. She stepped inside, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. The same piercing hazel eyes, the same intoxicating presence-yet she wasn't the girl he remembered. The woman standing before him was stronger, sharper. Dressed in a sleek black dress that hugged her curves, she looked every bit the enigma she had become. She met his gaze without hesitation. "It's been a long time, Damian." His lips curved into a smirk, though his pulse pounded harder than he liked. "Not long enough." She arched a brow. "Still bitter?" He took a slow step toward her, his voice dangerously low. "You left. And now you're back. Should I be grateful?" A flicker of something-regret, maybe-crossed her face, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. "I didn't come here to argue." "Then why are you here, Elena?" He let the words settle between them, heavy with unspoken history. "To finish what you started?" She inhaled sharply, but before she could respond, Liam cleared his throat. "I'll leave you two alone." Damian barely noticed him leave. His focus was solely on Elena-the woman who had shattered him once. She squared her shoulders. "I need your help." A humorless chuckle escaped him. "That's new. You never needed me before." She hesitated, then she said the last thing he expected. "I'm in danger, Damian." His jaw clenched. The vow he had made-to never let her break him again-suddenly felt meaningless. Because no matter how much time had passed, one thing hadn't changed. She was the only woman he could never say no to. Chapter One (Continued) Damian placed his glass on the desk, his movements slow, calculated. "Danger?" he repeated. "That's a loaded word, Elena. Care to explain?" She exhaled, and for the first time, he saw the tension in her frame. She wasn't just here to reopen old wounds-she was truly afraid. "There's someone after me," she said finally. "I don't know who, but they've been following me for weeks. And it's not just paranoia, Damian. Someone broke into my apartment last night." His expression darkened. "Did they take anything?" "No." She swallowed hard. "They left a note." His jaw clenched. "Show me." She hesitated before pulling a crumpled paper from her handbag and handing it to him. Damian unfolded it, his eyes scanning the words scrawled in bold, uneven letters. "You should have stayed gone." His grip tightened around the paper. "And you think I have something to do with this?" She shook her head. "No. But I know you have the resources to find out who does." Damian studied her, searching for any signs of deception. Elena had always been good at hiding the truth, but fear wasn't something she could fake-not with him. "Why come to me?" he asked, voice softer now. "You could have gone to the police." She let out a humorless laugh. "You really think the police care about a woman with no family, no connections? I needed someone who actually has power. Someone who-" She stopped herself. "Someone who still gives a damn?" he finished for her, his voice edged with something unreadable. Elena looked away. "I didn't come here to reopen the past, Damian." "And yet, here you are." He tossed the note onto his desk. "Seven years, Elena. Seven. And now you show up, expecting me to drop everything because you need my help?" "I wouldn't be here if I had another choice." He leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "That's what bothers me." Her lips parted slightly, as if to protest, but then she sighed. "I know I don't deserve this from you. But you're the only one I can trust." The words stirred something deep inside him-something dangerous. Trust. That was a loaded word, too. Damian ran a hand through his hair. "Fine." She blinked. "What?" "I said fine," he repeated. "You'll stay at my penthouse until I figure out who's after you." Her eyes widened. "Damian, that's not necessary-" "Oh, it's necessary," he cut in. "If someone wants you gone, your apartment is the first place they'll return to." She hesitated, clearly weighing her options. Then, with a reluctant nod, she whispered, "Okay." Damian turned toward Liam, who had been waiting just outside the door. "Have someone clear out Elena's apartment. I want everything moved to the guest suite." "Yes, sir." Liam nodded before disappearing down the hallway. Damian faced Elena again, his expression unreadable. "You made a mistake coming back." She held his gaze. "Maybe. But something tells me you're not going to let me leave." His lips curled into a dark smile. "Not until I get the truth." And just like that, the past they had buried came crashing back to life.
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