Chapter 155: Chapter 157: Finding Him
Aria made her way slowly through the estate toward Damien’s study. It was on the second floor, in the east wing...a large, masculine space filled with dark wood, leather furniture, and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.
But when she reached the study door and knocked, there was no answer.
Strange. Where else would he be?
Then she remembered...he had a home office too. A smaller, more private space he used for confidential calls and sensitive work. It was on the third floor, tucked away in a corner of the estate she rarely visited.
She climbed the stairs carefully, each step a reminder of this morning’s activities, and made her way down the quiet hallway.
The door to his private office was slightly ajar, and she could hear his voice inside....low and controlled, the tone he used for business calls.
"I understand the concerns, Charles, but I’m confident in the projections.
The Asian market expansion will be profitable within eighteen months... Yes, I’ve reviewed the reports personally... No, that’s not negotiable. If the board wants to discuss it further, we can schedule a meeting for next week."
Aria waited, not wanting to interrupt, listening to the confidence in his voice. This was Damien in his element....commanding, decisive, absolutely in control. It was the same dominance he showed in the bedroom, just channeled into building an empire instead of destroying her ability to walk.
The call ended, and she heard him sigh...a sound of exhaustion and stress that he never let anyone else hear.
She knocked softly.
"Come in, Aria."
How did he always know it was her? Even without seeing, even without her saying a word, he always knew.
She pushed the door open and found him behind a large desk, laptop open, papers spread everywhere, looking every inch the CEO he was. But there was tiredness around his eyes, tension in his shoulders that hadn’t been there this morning.
"How long have you been working?" she asked, closing the door behind her.
"A few hours. Had some calls to make, contracts to review. The Singapore deal needs attention, and the board has concerns about the expansion timeline." He leaned back in his chair, his eyes tracking her movements as she crossed the room. "How are you feeling?"
"Sore. Very sore. But better than this morning." She moved around the desk to stand beside him. "You didn’t have to cancel your entire day for me, you know. I could have managed."
"You could barely walk, Aria. You needed rest and care, and I wasn’t going to leave you alone to suffer through the aftermath of what I did to you."
"What we did together," she corrected. "I’m the one who tempted you, remember?"
His smile was wicked. "Oh, I remember. And you paid very thoroughly for that temptation. Are you going to do it again? Or have you learned your lesson?"
"I’ve definitely learned something. Though I’m not sure it’s the lesson you intended."
"No? What did you learn then?"
She moved to straddle his lap, careful of her sore muscles, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"That I love provoking you. That I love seeing you lose control. That even when it’s almost too much, even when I’m begging you to stop, I never actually want you to."
Damien’s hands settled on her waist, his eyes darkening. "Dangerous admission, baby. Makes me want to take you right here on this desk."
"Except I genuinely can’t handle that right now. Maybe tomorrow. Or the day after. But today, I just want to be close to you."
"Then close is what you’ll get." He pulled her against his chest, and she settled there, feeling his heartbeat beneath her cheek, breathing in his scent....expensive cologne and clean soap and something uniquely him.
They sat like that in comfortable silence for several minutes, just existing together, no agenda beyond proximity.
"I spoke with the staff downstairs," Aria said eventually. "Lucy and Maria and the others. It felt good. Normal. Like I’m finding my place here beyond just being your girlfriend."
"You are finding your place. You’ve always belonged here, Aria. From the moment you walked through those doors as Sarah Martinez, you belonged. You just didn’t know it yet."
"And you? Did you know?"
"I knew something was different about you. Knew you weren’t what you pretended to be. Knew I wanted you in ways that had nothing to do with your role as my maid." His hand stroked her back in soothing circles. "I just didn’t realize how completely you’d change my life."
"For better or worse?"
"For better. Always for better. Even when it’s complicated. Even when it’s overwhelming. Even when I’m terrified of how much power you have over me."
She lifted her head to look at him. "I have power over you?"
"Absolute power. You could destroy me with a word, Aria. Could break me more completely than any business rival or corporate enemy. That’s what loving someone means. Giving them the power to hurt you and trusting they won’t use it."
"I would never hurt you. Not deliberately. Not after what we’ve been through."
"I know. That’s why I trust you with that power. That’s why I can let myself love you completely instead of holding back." He cupped her face gently.
"You’re my weakness and my strength, Aria. And I wouldn’t have it any other way."
She kissed him softly, tenderly, a promise of everything they were building together.
When they pulled apart, Damien glanced at his laptop with obvious reluctance.
"I should finish these contracts. Have about two more hours of work before I can be done for the day."
"Then I’ll let you work." She started to climb off his lap, but his arms tightened around her.
"Stay. Just sit here with me while I work. I’ve spent too many hours alone in this office. I’d rather have you here, even if we’re not talking."
She smiled and settled deeper into his embrace, feeling safer and more content than she’d ever felt in her life.
This was home. Not the estate, not the wealth, not the empire.
Him. His arms. His love. His presence.
This was everything that mattered.
