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Chapter 16
“Dami,” a soft voice answered, “it’s me.”
Serena stepped into the light when Damien flipped the lamp on. She wore pajamas identical to Avery’s, and she smelled like Avery’s favorite body wash.
“Why are you here?” Damien’s voice came out low and edged with anger.
Color drained from Serena’s cheeks. “Damien, you’ve fallen out of love with me!”
She had only suspected it before, but now, she knew without a doubt that Damien had fallen for Avery.
Damien said nothing and quickly looked away.
Serena rushed up to him, her lips trembling. “Answer me. Did you fall for Avery?”
He wanted to say no. But he opened his mouth and nothing came out.
In that silence, he admitted the thing he had been dodging-he did love Avery.
The realization nearly made him laugh at himself.
Honestly, among all the women he had met, Avery was the most unremarkable. She was gentle and obedient, the kind of lady who made a perfect wife.
She believed whatever he said, remembered what he liked, and gave just enough comfort to smooth his
days over.
Sometimes, he even forgot he had married her under pressure.
At times, he wondered if, without Serena in the picture, he might have loved Avery after all.
“Damien, say something!” Serena’s voice snapped him back.
He didn’t answer her. He unlocked his phone and called Kaden. “Call off the plan for tomorrow!”
The plan to expose Avery and throw her out ended in that moment. Luckily, there was still time to pull
back.
Serena’s eyes widened. “You regret it?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’m sorry. I’m going back on my word.”
“No!” Hot tears spilled down her face. “You promised to divorce her and marry me! I won’t let you take it back! I won’t let you love her!”
“Everything stays the same, except for the divorce,” he said, his face blank.
She let out a brittle laugh. “So, am I supposed to be the mistress for life?”
Damien went quiet for a moment before saying, “That isn’t what I meant. I’ll take care of you like before.”
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“I don’t want hush money or half measures,” she snapped. “I want to be your wife!”
“I told you. I can’t do that,” Damien said, clearly annoyed.
“Damien!” Her voice broke into a ragged scream. “You said you would love me and only me for the rest of your life! It hasn’t even been that long, and you changed!”
Damien lowered his head and said nothing while exhaustion etched deep between his brows.
He lit a cigarette and drew in hard, trying to smother the restlessness clawing at his throat. But it didn’t
help.
Serena strode over, plucked the cigarette from his mouth, and tossed it in the trash. “Talk to me!”
His expression went dark, his eyes cold and dangerous. “What do you want me to say?”
“Why did you change?” she demanded. “Why do you not love me anymore?”
“It changed,” he said, his voice sounding icy. “What is the point of debating it?”
Serena stood frozen for several seconds. “So you really love Avery? You promised you would treat me
well forever!”
His mind slipped to the day of the wedding and the vow he had spoken in front of a priest.
“I take Avery Langford to be my wife, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,
for all our days.”
He had said those words once, and somehow, he had been living a lie with two women.
The weight of that truth hit him like a wave.
“Serena,” he said quietly, “maybe I never loved you. We’re done.”
Serena’s eyes widened in disbelief, “No! I don’t accept that!”
“You don’t get to vote,” he replied, his patience gone.
Serena went rigid. She had clawed her way up to the heir of the most powerful family in Goldville and had
been inches from the finish line.
Gave up? She couldn’t, and she wouldn’t.
When she saw Damien rise to leave, she grabbed him from behind, her hands sliding lower.
“Dami, don’t leave me. Tell me what I did wrong. I’ll change…”
Damien caught her wrist and peeled her off him. His voice held no warmth as he said, “I said we’re done.”
He shoved her away without hesitation.
Her composure was shattered. “So what if you love Avery? She’s carrying Julian’s baby!”
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In the dim light, Damien’s face turned unreadable, and his voice dropped to something cold and lethal. Then, I’ll make sure that baby never sees the light of day.”
