Damian's Pov
The morning after the gala came too early.
Sunlight spilled through the wide windows of my penthouse, cutting through the haze of sleep and the faint ache behind my eyes. I'd barely managed three hours of rest, not that it mattered. Sleep didn't come easy these days, not since seeing her.
Emma.
Her name had a way of echoing, lingering longer than I wanted it to. I'd thought time would dull it, like make her a quiet chapter in a long book but last night proved I was wrong. The moment she turned, the way her eyes widened in surprise and steadied themselves a second later… it all came back. Every look, every unspoken word, every reason I both loved and lost her.
"Coffee," Adrian's voice broke into my thoughts. He stepped into my office, casual as ever, a mug in each hand. He tossed one onto my desk. "You look like hell, by the way."
"Good morning to you too," I muttered, taking a sip.
He smirked. "So, I heard you showed up at the gala last night. How'd it go?"
