Chapter 2 2

Elena stood motionless in the dimly lit corridor, the echoes of Damien's footsteps fading into silence. She couldn't move, couldn't think-only feel the weight of his words crushing down on her chest. Her father's debt. Her business, her family's legacy, all resting in the hands of a man she barely knew, a man who'd just manipulated her into a corner with a smile and a promise of power.

She could almost hear her father's voice in her head: "Don't ever let anyone control you, Elena. Not even for a second."

But it wasn't that simple, was it? The reality of the situation was far harsher than her father's well-meaning advice. Damien Blackwood wasn't the kind of man who allowed anyone to stand in his way. She knew that now. And worse-he wasn't just a businessman. He was powerful. He had connections, influence, and the ability to ruin lives with a single phone call.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. Her mind raced as she replayed his words. "I need you." The words echoed over and over, like a faint whisper in her ear.

"Don't forget who you are," she muttered to herself. But the doubt gnawed at her.

One week.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, snapping her back to the present. She fumbled for it, hands trembling.

Mia.

Her best friend had been waiting for her outside the auction room, no doubt anxious about what had just transpired. Elena tapped the screen, her finger hovering over the message.

Are you okay? What did he want?

She sighed, letting her shoulders slump.

I don't know yet. He's giving me an ultimatum.

She quickly typed back. I don't know if I can trust him. But I don't have a choice.

There was no immediate response, and for a few moments, the world felt like it had stopped spinning. Damien's offer was a lifeline, but it was also a trap. She could feel it in her bones.

A sudden burst of laughter echoed from the other end of the corridor. Elena spun around, startled. A woman-tall, with platinum blonde hair and a tight black dress-stood at the far end, her eyes locked on Elena.

The woman smiled, her lips painted a shade of red that matched the dangerous gleam in her eyes.

"Ah," she said, stepping toward Elena. "So you're the one."

Elena felt a cold shiver run down her spine. "Excuse me?" she asked, her voice cautious.

The woman approached, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. "I'm Veronica Steele." She paused, letting the name sink in. "Damien's ex-fiancée."

The weight of the words hit Elena like a physical blow.

"Ex?" Elena repeated, surprised by the icy edge to her voice.

"Yes," Veronica said, smiling knowingly. "A fact he doesn't like to mention. I imagine you're the one he's trying to control now, aren't you?"

Elena's heart pounded. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, don't play coy," Veronica said, her gaze sweeping over Elena with a mix of superiority and disdain. "I saw the way he looked at you. He's always had a soft spot for women like you-untouched, independent, and far too easy to manipulate."

Elena bristled at the insult but said nothing.

Veronica continued, her tone turning colder. "I wouldn't trust him if I were you. He'll get what he needs from you, then discard you like everyone else. That's just the kind of man he is."

Elena's pulse quickened. She wanted to snap back, to challenge the woman who clearly had a vendetta against Damien. But something in Veronica's icy demeanor made her hesitate.

"Why are you telling me this?" Elena asked, narrowing her eyes.

Veronica smiled, her lips curling into a thin, bitter line. "Because I don't want to see you make the same mistake I did." She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Damien Blackwood doesn't love anyone. He's incapable of it."

Elena's heart skipped a beat. Could Veronica be right? Could Damien have been playing her from the start?

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Veronica's voice was soft, but the threat in her words was clear. She turned on her heel and walked away, disappearing down the hallway, leaving Elena to wrestle with the doubts now swirling in her mind.

Damien had said he needed her. But for what? Was it really just business, or was there more to it?

Elena couldn't deny the pull she felt toward him. He was powerful, magnetic-dangerous, even. And yet, there was a vulnerability behind his eyes that he rarely showed. She had seen it during their brief conversation earlier. But was that vulnerability real? Or was it just another way for him to get what he wanted?

She needed answers. And if she was going to find them, she had to confront Damien Blackwood.

The next evening, Damien's office was just as imposing as she remembered. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a sweeping view of the city below, the skyline stretching out in every direction like a sea of glass and steel. It was beautiful, but it made her feel small, insignificant.

He was seated at his desk when she entered, his eyes still glued to the papers in front of him. He didn't even look up.

"I wasn't expecting you," he said, his voice steady but laced with something that could have been tension-or anticipation.

"I have questions," Elena said, her voice firm.

He finally looked up, his gaze sharp as ever. "I assumed as much."

She crossed the room slowly, stopping just in front of his desk. "You're not the man Veronica says you are. Are you?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he studied her for a long moment, as if deciding how much of the truth to reveal.

"I don't know what she told you," Damien said finally, his voice low. "But Veronica is... not someone you should trust."

"What about you?" Elena pressed, leaning forward. "Why should I trust you?"

His lips curled into a half-smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Because I'm offering you something no one else will-control over your own future. And for what it's worth, I'm not asking you to trust me. I'm asking you to take the deal."

Elena's heart skipped. "A deal. What happens if I say no?"

Damien's expression darkened. "You don't have the luxury of saying no."

For a moment, the room was thick with the weight of his words. Elena held his gaze, her mind racing. Could she really work for him? Could she survive in his world, with all its power plays and ruthless games?

She didn't have a choice, did she?

"I'll think about it," she said finally, her voice quiet but resolute.

Damien nodded, as if he'd been expecting that answer. "Take all the time you need. But remember-you're on borrowed time."

He didn't say it with malice. He said it like a man who knew exactly how the world worked-and how it could tear people apart.

Elena left his office with a sense of finality hanging in the air, her decision looming over her like an invisible force. She had one week. And in that week, she would have to decide whether to trust Damien Blackwood-or risk losing everything.