Chapter 105: Chapter 104: Victoria Returns
ARIA’S POV
The day began like all the others....too early, too exhausting, too full of reminders that Aria was trying to earn back the trust of a man who was determined to keep her at arm’s length.
But at least the physical soreness from whatever had happened days ago had faded. Her body no longer ached with every movement, no longer reminded her with painful clarity that Damien had touched her in ways she couldn’t remember.
Small mercies.
She arrived at the office at 7:45 AM, prepared his coffee with mechanical precision, and settled at her desk to review the day’s schedule.
Board meeting at 10 AM. Lunch with potential investors at 12:30 PM. Conference calls at 2 PM and 4 PM. A full day, as always.
At 8 AM sharp, Damien arrived.
Their routine had become almost comfortable in its predictability. He walked past her desk with a curt nod. She brought him his coffee two minutes later. He thanked her without looking up from his computer. She returned to her desk and began the day’s work.
Professional. Distant. Cold.
Just like he wanted.
The morning passed smoothly. Aria prepared briefing materials for the board meeting with the same meticulous care she brought to everything. Fielded phone calls. Managed calendar conflicts. Made herself indispensable.
It was 10 AM, and she was gathering documents for the board meeting, when the receptionist’s voice came over the intercom.
"Ms. Chen, there’s a Victoria Ashford here to see Mr. Blackwood. She doesn’t have an appointment but says it’s urgent."
Aria’s blood ran cold.
Victoria. The woman who’d tried to destroy her at the estate. Who’d cornered her in the hallway and threatened to expose her to the police. Who’d been banned from the property after Damien had....
Wait. Why was Victoria here?
"One moment," Aria said, keeping her voice steady. She buzzed Damien’s office. "Sir, Victoria Ashford is here to see you. She says it’s urgent."
A pause. Then: "Send her in."
Aria’s stomach dropped. He was going to see her? After everything Victoria had done?
She had no choice. "You can go in, Ms. Ashford."
Victoria appeared moments later, and Aria’s first thought was: she looks even more polished than before.
Designer suit in cream that probably cost more than Aria’s entire wardrobe. Perfect hair. Perfect makeup. Perfect everything. The kind of woman who belonged in Damien’s world....wealthy, sophisticated, completely at ease in places like Blackwood Enterprises.
Everything Aria wasn’t.
Victoria walked past Aria’s desk without even glancing at her. Like she was furniture. Like she didn’t matter.
Like she was nothing.
The dismissal stung more than it should have.
Victoria entered Damien’s office, closing the door behind her. Aria could see them through the glass walls but couldn’t hear what they were saying.
She tried to focus on her work. Tried not to watch as Victoria laughed at something Damien said. Tried not to notice the way Victoria touched Damien’s arm, her hand lingering just a bit too long.
Tried not to feel the jealousy that was eating her alive.
Twenty minutes passed. Then thirty.
What could they possibly be talking about for that long?
Finally, Victoria stood. But instead of leaving, she moved to sit on the edge of Damien’s desk....that casual, intimate position that suggested familiarity. Ownership.
Aria’s hands clenched into fists.
Through the glass, she watched Victoria lean in close, saying something that made Damien’s expression neutral but not angry. Not pushing her away.
Just...allowing it.
Then Victoria’s hand went to Damien’s shoulder. Slid down to his chest. Possessive. Claiming.
And Damien didn’t remove it.
Didn’t push her away.
Just kept talking, like her hand on his chest was perfectly normal. Perfectly acceptable.
Aria couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Could only stare as another woman touched him....touched him in ways Aria wasn’t allowed to touch him anymore.
She stood abruptly, grabbing her bag.
"I’m taking my break," she told the receptionist, her voice shaking despite her best efforts to control it.
She fled to the bathroom, locked herself in a stall, and tried not to sob.
He was letting Victoria touch him. After everything. After telling Aria they needed distance, needed time, needed to maintain professional boundaries.
But Victoria got to touch him. Got to be close to him. Got to sit on his desk and put her hands on his chest like she had every right.
The unfairness of it was crushing.
Aria’s phone buzzed. A text from Emma: You okay? Saw you run out. Want me to come check on you?
She typed back with shaking hands: I’m fine. Just needed a moment. Be back soon.
She wasn’t fine. Was so far from fine she couldn’t even see fine from here.
But she couldn’t fall apart. Couldn’t let Victoria...or Damien....see how much this was destroying her.
She had to be strong. Had to endure. Had to prove she could handle whatever he threw at her.
Even this. Even watching him with another woman.
She splashed cold water on her face, fixed her makeup, and returned to her desk fifteen minutes later.
Victoria was just leaving Damien’s office.
She paused at Aria’s desk, a small smile playing on her perfectly painted lips.
"Still here?" Victoria’s voice was sweet, poisonous. "I’m surprised. Damien usually has better taste in assistants. But I suppose desperate times call for desperate measures."
Aria stayed silent. Refused to engage. Refused to give Victoria the satisfaction of a reaction.
"Well, I’ll be seeing more of you," Victoria continued. "Damien and I have business to discuss. Lots of business. So I’ll be around quite often. I do hope that won’t be... awkward for you."
She left with that parting shot, her heels clicking on the polished floor, leaving Aria trembling with suppressed emotion.
Business. What kind of business could Damien possibly have with Victoria after what she’d done?
Unless....
Unless he was moving on. Unless he’d decided that Aria wasn’t worth the effort. That Victoria....sophisticated, wealthy, uncomplicated Victoria...was a better choice.
The thought made her want to vomit.
Her intercom buzzed. "My office."
Damien’s voice was neutral. Professional. Like nothing had just happened.
Aria stood on shaking legs and walked into his office.
He was behind his desk, his expression unreadable.
"Close the door."
She did.
"Victoria came to discuss a potential partnership between her family’s company and Blackwood Enterprises. It’s a significant opportunity. She’ll be coming to the office regularly over the next few weeks to negotiate terms."
The words felt like bullets.
"I see," Aria managed.
"I expect you to be professional when she’s here. Courteous. There’s no reason for personal history to interfere with business."
Personal history. That’s what he was calling Victoria’s attempt to have Aria arrested? Her threats? Her cruelty?
"Of course, sir."
"Good." He looked back at his computer, dismissing her. "That’s all."
She turned to leave.
"Aria."
She stopped, looked back.
"This changes nothing between us. You understand that, right? Victoria is business. Nothing more."
The reassurance should have helped. Should have made the jealousy ease.
It didn’t.
"Yes, sir. I understand."
She returned to her desk, her mind spinning, her chest aching with emotions she couldn’t name.
He said Victoria was just business. But he’d let her touch him. Let her sit on his desk. Let her be close in ways Aria wasn’t allowed to be close.
And now Victoria would be here regularly. In the office. Near Damien. With every opportunity to....
No. She couldn’t think like that. Couldn’t let jealousy poison her. Couldn’t prove him right by breaking.
She had to endure this. Like she’d endured everything else.
Even if it killed her.
The rest of the morning was torture.
The board meeting was professional and efficient. Aria took perfect notes, provided exactly the right information at exactly the right time. From an outside perspective, she was the model assistant.
Inside, she was falling apart.
During lunch, while Damien was at his investor meeting, Emma stopped by her desk.
"Okay, spill. What happened with Victoria Ashford? You looked like you’d seen a ghost when she left."
Aria kept her expression neutral. "Nothing happened. She’s here on business."
"Business? With Damien Blackwood? I thought they hated each other. There were rumors a while back that she tried to...." Emma stopped. "Never mind. Office gossip. Not my place."
"What rumors?"
Emma hesitated. "Just that Victoria was obsessed with Damien. That she threw herself at him for years and he kept rejecting her. That she didn’t take it well." Emma lowered her voice. "Some people say she tried to sabotage one of his relationships out of jealousy, but I don’t know if that’s true."
Aria’s stomach churned. Victoria had a history of this. Of wanting Damien. Of destroying obstacles in her path.
And now she had an excuse to be here. Near him. With constant access.
"Thanks for telling me," Aria said quietly.
"Are you sure you’re okay? You seem....off today."
"I’m fine. Just tired."
It was becoming her standard lie. I’m fine. I’m okay. I’m managing.
None of it was true.
