Chapter 2 An Old Debt to be Paid

The room glimmered under the soft glow of the ceiling lights. The man seated on the couch exuded power and magnetism, his striking features sculpted with perfection. His tailored suit hugged his broad shoulders, radiating an air of elegance and authority. Yet his icy gaze hardened as his grandmother's unyielding words echoed in his mind.

"Damien, you are to marry Sienna Tillman. She is the only one I will accept as the Blackwell family's granddaughter-in-law."

Damien's jaw tightened, but he remained silent. His grandmother's decrees were law, and defying her was unthinkable. Yet, his thoughts betrayed him, spiraling to a different woman-a woman who haunted him every day for the past five years.

That night. That damned night.

A haze of alcohol, the sting of betrayal, and her desperate sobs still echoed in his mind. His drink had been spiked, leaving him vulnerable, reckless, and out of control. All he could remember were her whispered pleas for mercy, and the tear-streaked face he had tried so hard to forget.

When the night ended, he'd left a token-a luxury watch clutched in her trembling hands. A piece of himself he hadn't thought twice about until he woke the next morning consumed with regret. That watch was the only clue to her identity, but she had vanished without a trace.

Until now.

A sharp ring from his phone snapped him from his dark thoughts. He answered with his usual curt tone, "What is it?"

"We've located her, Young Master Damien. Her name is Juliette Monroe. She sold the watch last week at a secondhand market."

Damien's grip tightened on the phone. "Send me her address," he ordered. His chest tightened with anticipation, a storm of emotions threatening to boil over. After years of dead ends, she was finally within his reach.

Elsewhere, Juliette stood in the middle of her small boutique, staring at her bank account balance on her phone. The sale of the watch had brought in five hundred thousand dollars-more than she had ever seen in her life.

Business had been slow, the bills piling up, and desperation had driven her to sell the one valuable possession she had clung to for years. A smile of relief flickered across her lips. The money would buy her time, maybe even a fresh start.

The gentle chime of the door broke her thoughts. She smoothed her dress and turned, ready to greet a customer, but froze.

The man standing before her was impossibly handsome, exuding wealth and power. His tailored suit seemed almost too perfect for the cramped boutique, and his piercing gaze made her heart falter.

"C-Can I help you?" she stammered.

"Damien Blackwell," he introduced himself, his voice low and commanding. His gaze bore into hers, unyielding. "Are you Juliette Monroe?"

Juliette's pulse quickened. His name sounded familiar, but the intensity in his eyes unnerved her. She nodded cautiously.

He stepped forward, holding up a sleek, expensive watch that sent a chill down her spine. "Did this belong to you?" he asked, his tone laced with suspicion. "Were you the woman in Room 905 at the Alyssa Club five years ago?"

Juliette's breath caught. Room 905. That cursed night. Her mind raced, recalling the events she had tried to bury. It wasn't her in that room, but Vanessa. They had orchestrated the setup together, but Vanessa had taken her place at the last moment. Could he be referring to that night?

"Yes," she lied, seizing the moment. "That was me."

Damien's jaw tightened, his sharp eyes scrutinizing her every movement. "Keep the watch," he said after a tense pause, his voice cold. "But don't sell it again. I'll take responsibility for what happened that night."

Juliette blinked, her heart pounding. Take responsibility?

His assistant stepped forward, handing her a file. "Miss Monroe, Mr. Blackwell has made arrangements for you. A villa has been prepared, and all your expenses will be covered from now on. You'll be notified of further details soon."

A villa? Expenses covered? Juliette could barely contain her excitement. She clutched the file, a whirlwind of possibilities swirling in her mind. This was her chance to escape her struggling life. To secure a future she had only dreamed of.

As Damien turned to leave, she called out, "Thank you, Mr. Blackwell." Her voice was soft, laced with false gratitude, but her mind was racing.

If only Sienna Tillman stayed away long enough, Juliette thought bitterly, this opportunity could change everything.

In the backseat of his car, Damien stared out at the darkening horizon. Something about Juliette didn't sit right. Her face, her voice-it didn't match the memories he had carried for years. Has time truly changed her, or was she hiding something?

The questions gnawed at him, but one thing was certain: he couldn't let the past linger any longer. Whatever it took, he would make amends and close this chapter of his life.

Far across the ocean, in a modest house, Sienna Tillman ended her call with a satisfied smile.

"Three days," she murmured. "I'll be back in Hillsbay in three days."

Her son's small voice interrupted her thoughts. "Are we going back, Mommy?"

Sienna turned to the boy, his bright eyes brimming with curiosity.

"Yes, we are," she said warmly. "Would you like that?"

The boy nodded enthusiastically, his innocence shielding him from the storm brewing in their lives.

As Sienna gazed at her son, her smile faltered. Returning home meant facing everything she had left behind-including Damien Blackwell, the man she didn't know.

And Damien had no idea what awaited him.