Chapter 8 – Under His Protection
The night after the board meeting should have been quiet, but Damian hadn't closed his eyes once.
He stood by the window of his office, the city lights flickering against the glass like restless ghosts. Catherine was cornered, but she was far from defeated. He knew her too well — a woman like her didn't surrender; she waited for the perfect moment to strike back.
And this time, she had found her weapon.
Ava.
---
By morning, the storm had already begun.
A video had surfaced online — grainy, shaky, filmed from a distance. It showed Damian and Ava leaving the gala from a week ago. The footage had been edited, making it look like Ava was whispering something manipulative, something secret. The captions read:
«"Proof the CEO's wife blackmailed him into marriage."»
It spread like wildfire.
Within an hour, Frost Corporation's stock began to wobble. Clients called for statements. Reporters gathered outside the building like vultures.
Ava's phone wouldn't stop ringing, messages flashing faster than she could read them:
"Gold-digger confirmed."
"She trapped him."
"Fire her before she ruins everything."
By the time Damian found her, she was sitting on the office couch, pale and trembling, staring blankly at the screen.
He shut the door, hard enough to make her flinch. "You shouldn't be reading those."
She looked up at him, eyes glassy. "They're everywhere, Damian. Every site, every channel—"
"I know," he said curtly. "Catherine did this."
"Then do something!" she snapped, rising to her feet. "You're the CEO. You can make this stop!"
He stared at her, jaw clenched. "You think I haven't tried? She's playing dirty. She's got people on the inside feeding her everything."
Ava took a step closer, voice trembling with anger. "So I'm supposed to sit here and just—what—watch them destroy me?"
He hesitated, and for once, the man who always had control seemed lost. "No. You're coming with me."
"Where?"
"Somewhere safe."
---
An hour later, Ava found herself inside Damian's private car, driving through the outskirts of the city. The glass was tinted, the world outside a blur of lights and rain.
"Where are we going?" she asked quietly.
"To one of my properties outside town," he replied. "No press, no cameras, no leaks."
She turned to him. "You think hiding will solve this?"
"I think staying alive will," he said darkly.
Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
He didn't answer immediately. His fingers drummed on the steering wheel, knuckles pale. "Catherine isn't just spreading rumors anymore. I received an anonymous threat this morning — a warning to 'end the marriage or lose everything.' It wasn't written like a joke."
Ava's breath hitched. "You think she's behind that?"
"I don't know. But I'm not taking chances."
---
The safehouse wasn't what Ava expected. It wasn't another mansion or penthouse — it was a quiet villa by the coast, isolated and surrounded by pine trees. The air smelled of salt and rain. The silence felt almost peaceful.
Damian parked the car and turned off the engine. "You'll stay here for a few days."
"You'll stay too?" she asked softly.
He hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."
They entered the house. The moment the door closed, the world outside vanished. For the first time in weeks, there were no flashing cameras, no whispered insults, no pretending. Just the two of them, and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks below.
Ava dropped onto the couch, exhausted. "You really think we can hide from the entire world?"
Damian poured two glasses of whiskey and handed her one. "Not forever. Just long enough to make our next move."
She took the drink, watching him from the corner of her eye. "You always have a plan, don't you?"
He smirked faintly. "Always."
But there was something softer in his eyes now, something almost protective. He sat across from her, studying her face — the tiredness, the quiet strength she didn't even realize she had.
"You shouldn't have to go through this," he said quietly.
Ava laughed bitterly. "You're the one who pulled me into it."
"I know," he said, voice low. "And that's why I'll be the one to pull you out."
Their gazes locked, and for a moment, neither spoke. The storm outside grew louder, the wind rattling the windows. Damian leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, his tone shifting to something almost vulnerable.
"When this is over," he said, "you'll be free of this contract. Of me. Of all of it."
Ava's throat tightened. "Is that what you want?"
He hesitated — just long enough for her to notice. "It's what's best for you."
She set her glass down. "Then why do you sound like you're trying to convince yourself?"
His eyes flicked up to hers, sharp and searching. "Because maybe I am."
---
Later that night, Ava couldn't sleep. She wandered to the balcony, watching lightning flash over the sea. The sound of footsteps behind her didn't surprise her; somehow, she knew he'd follow.
"Still awake?" Damian asked quietly.
"Couldn't sleep," she murmured. "Too much noise in my head."
He joined her, hands in his pockets. For a long moment, they stood side by side, the air thick with words neither dared to speak.
"You're safe here," he said finally.
She glanced at him, her heart tugging in directions she didn't understand. "Are you sure about that?"
He looked at her — really looked — and the coldness in his expression melted just enough to let something else through.
"As long as I'm here," he said softly, "you're safe."
---
But somewhere in the shadows beyond the villa, a black car idled with its lights off.
Inside, a phone screen glowed faintly.
A message blinked across it:
«Target located. Proceed with the plan.»
The war Catherine had started was far from over — and Ava was about to find out just how dangerous love could be when it was tangled with power.