The other woman was ME

TER

pace

the press conferen

e. Not with

h recog

ain, so unadorned, it couldn't be twisted without breaking. The tabloids tried. They framed Dami

n camera and calls it love-it doesn't feel

cynicism, still knew how

-

age, Mia mo

ope, unfamiliar and delicate. It made her movements intentional, her breath more mea

d had be

sky hadn

thm. The baby shifted again-a stretch this time, as if waking. As

me. Gentle

ened t

of wildflowers-half-wilted, imperfect. The kind yo

breakfast

tered like a man who still w

-

small kitchen table, the bag between

s. "You know I'm not the

ked these instead of roses. They loo

espite herse

only by the rustle of the bag

d yesterday," Damian fina

ow yo

t..

ut the words don't undo the s

can't rewrite the chapters where I failed yo

nger. "It's not about rewriting. It's abo

t him.

he simply said, "Then I h

-

ed the screen-some professional, others personal. Sympathy, curiosity, veiled a

issa, had sent

not anymore, but if you want to turn this into a me

sed the

o tell the story

the contract. Not eve

ublic statements and headlines. The look on Damian's face when h

version no one

-

g, they wen

ldflowers Damian had picked still grew in reckless a

ormance," he said softly. "That

d n

tent. Not flashy. Just steady

way. Her thumb brushed o

art loving me?"

ass, the way the blades

didn't care about the stakes-you cared about the

u were insuffer

till

tle le

uiet, unguarded awe she was

ked. "When did i

overhead. The sun broke through

d in your office and couldn't explain why. You didn't run. You just sat there.

ed, eye

p staying

-

Eld

ayes was

nce from board meetings wasn't just symbolic-it was leverage. Voss International's s

tor was

ispers were more dangerous than any public outburst. He painted Damian

almost with pity. "But love d

ardship. Legacy.

doors, he began

-

t the

from his assistant, J

The tension in his shoulders re

on

preamble. "Hayes is circling. There's talk

is eyes. "Of co

orever. You have allies

t from me? Anothe

ility. They wan

Damian said. "That man al

was a

," Jonah said. "Because if y

-

, Damian d

r and found him sitting at the table,

ross from

. "The company. The board. The na

are you go

t her

he way I used to. I'm not sacr

t for the empire. Fight for the vers

bli

nternational to be hu

she said. "Make it reflect

, for the first time in years, he opened his lap

stat

utu

-

Days

eeting wa

assistants. No PR consultants. Just him, a fold

dy seated at the head

othly, standing. "We we

n," Damian said, setting the folder do

come. "The board is considering a vote. For tempo

been h

that's supposed to make us feel

This

proposal to shift part of the company's investments toward ethical housing

more than wealth," he said. "We built

om wen

y eye aroun

you can't back that, then maybe I'm not the one who'

moved.

ething

A crack in

ing of som

-

t the

lly, the other holding a worn paperback.

ght away. He simply knelt in front of he

ened," he

r fingers thr

d they

hem. Enoug

ever need. Ju

ked up

to mar

nd proposal. Not knee-to

a t

now," he added. "I just need y

stung with

vorce is final. When the baby's here. When

nod

his hand and placed it

e whispered as

his eyes

e feels like whe

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