Chapter 5

Feelings vs Reality

The silence in the penthouse had been unbearable for days. Damien had gone ice-cold after that night, treating me like a business transaction again. Distant nods in the hallway. curt orders about upcoming appearances. No touches. No glances. Nothing. It hurt more than I wanted to admit. The memory of him inside me haunted every sleepless hour, and I hated myself for craving the man I was supposed to despise.

Until tonight.

We’d returned from another stiff public dinner. The door barely closed before the mask shattered.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” I accused, voice shaking with anger and need.

Damien’s eyes flashed with raw hunger...