The video played silently, but the events it showed were stronger than any excuse Chloe could make.
There she was, putting something in Kareen's makeup bag.
Taking a pin out of a shoe in the wardrobe area.
She leaned toward an assistant and whispered with a pleased smile as Kareen tripped on the runway.
Scene after scene played.
Layer after layer of planned harm.
Mathilda was also involved in many of these scenes.
Damon leaned back in his chair, his hands tightly together, and breathed through his nose to calm the stress he felt.
This was more than just feeling jealous.
This was planned together.
It was on purpose.
It was mean.
He could accept many things from his team, mistakes, arguments, or even power struggles, but he would not allow this kind of negativity in his company.
Especially when Kareen had almost fallen.
Especially when she was already feeling insecure.
And definitely not now that he had just found out what Andrew had done.
Damon had accidentally heard it, two production assistants whispering outside his office.
"…kissed her during the shoot."
"She pushed him away, but still… she didn't report it."
"Maybe she didn't want to…"
He didn't need to hear a name to know who they were talking about.
Andrew.
And Kareen.
His hand tightened into a fist right there on the table.
Jealousy was not a strong enough word for the feeling twisting in his stomach.
It was a betrayal, not from Kareen, but from the man he thought of as a partner in this sensitive situation.
They had agreed to keep things fair.
But Andrew had broken that agreement and crossed a boundary.
And Damon was done pretending.
No more rules.
No more waiting.
"Send Chloe in," he told his assistant, his voice calm but cold.
Ten minutes later, she walked confidently into the office in a tight dress, her hair curled, walking with extra flair.
She smiled like she'd already achieved something.
"You wanted to see me?" she asked, trying to sound sweet.
Damon didn't bother to smile back.
"I did," he said, pointing to the chair across from him. "Sit down."
Chloe sat, crossing her legs in a noticeable way.
"I've been thinking," he went on. "You've been very ambitious lately."
She straightened up a little.
He saw the hope light up in her eyes.
"And?" she asked.
"I wanted to offer you a solo campaign," he said directly, "A very noticeable one, Overseas, You'd be the star, the brand, the main person."
Chloe blinked.
"I… I didn't expect that," she said carefully. "Why me?"
He tapped his tablet,
"Because you've certainly been… active," he said,
She tilted her head, now unsure,
Then Damon pushed a button,
The screen on the wall behind him turned on,
The video started playing,
And Chloe's smile disappeared,
Her hands grabbed the armrests tightly, and her knuckles turned white.
Damon let the video play until it showed her laughing when Kareen tripped.
The audio was turned off, but her expression spoke volumes.
When it was over, the quiet felt intense.
Damon said nothing.
He paused.
Chloe hesitated.
"Is this a trap of some sort?"
He didn't even flinch.
"Do you believe I'm that idle?"
She tried to regain control, fixing her position.
"It was a jest. I meant nothing by it. Kareen is… "
"… the cause of our previous pair of projects failing badly," he interrupted, his voice intense, "She's a huge part of why this company is even known around the world, And you thought it was wise to insult that?"
Chloe started to say something.
But he didn't let her.
"You're finished," he stated, "Gather your items. Leave your access card at the front."
She stood rapidly, anger growing under her polished appearance.
"You're letting me go because of her?" she questioned sharply. "Do you truly believe she's so innocent? I've noticed how you look at her. Do you want to act like this has nothing to do with your feelings?"
Damon also got up, now much taller than her.
"You think scaring me will change a thing?"
Chloe's mouth tightened.
"I'm not scaring," she replied, moving closer, "I'm just saying… if I leave, perhaps people will start to gossip. About you. About Kareen. About secrets you want kept hidden."
Damon gazed at her, his face unchanging.
"Then gossip," he stated, "Start telling tales, Chloe. But be willing to face the results when it affects you."
Chloe hesitated, her eyes becoming small, but she didn't say anything again.
She turned fast and marched out, loudly shutting the door.
Damon sat again, his heart still beating fast — but unchanged.
He grabbed the folder on his desk.. the one that said KAREEN THOMAS, CONTRACT DETAILS.
He turned to the final page.
Her project departure was signed.
That was all.
Her work on the company was officially done.
She had resigned.
And now… he needed to locate her before everything they had vanished too.
The day was ending as Damon located her.
He did not think she would be on the roof, but a part of him had wanted it.
It was calm up here, away from loud phones and strong opinions, away from deals, disloyal acts, and hidden talks.
He walked out slowly, letting the metal door shut quietly behind him.
Kareen was sitting on the edge, holding herself, looking at the city.
She did not turn when he got closer.
She did not move.
But she knew he was there.
Her quiet showed it.
Damon stopped a few feet away, not wanting to get closer without her saying it was okay.
He was not sure if she wanted to see him.
And really, after all that happened, he would have understood if she did not.
She looked worn out.
Not in the normal way, not the fancy kind from a long photoshoot or getting ready for the red carpet.
This was deeper.
He could see it in her droopy shoulders, in how she looked at nothing as if she did not know what tomorrow would be like.
"I signed your release papers," he said softly.
Still, she did not look at him.
Her voice was quiet.
"I thought you would," she said.
He nodded to himself.
Silence came back.
The breeze moved her hair lightly, and the city lights started to shine far away.
He let it stay like that for a bit, not knowing how to reach her now.
Everything he had done seemed to push her further away.
And now?
Now he did not even know what she needed from him.
Maybe she did not know either.
"I saw the videos," he said after a while, "Chloe… Mathilda… the messing up, all of it."
She got tense, just a little.
"I fired Chloe," he added. "It is done right away. Mathilda is next."
Still, no answer.
He put his hands in his pockets, not knowing what else to say.
For once, he had no trick.
No charm.
No spark.
Just a painful feeling in his chest and a woman getting further away from him.
"I did not come to fix things," he said, his voice softer now. "I just… thought you should not be alone tonight."
Then, she turned her head a bit, just enough for them to see each other's eyes.
Damon's heart hurt.
She did not look angry.
She did not look gentle either.
Just… empty.
"You were part of it," she said in the end. "Maybe not the messing up… but everything else."
"I know," he said.
He did not try to defend himself.
He did not make excuses.
He let it hang there, because it was true.
She looked back out at the city.
"I do not even know what I want anymore," she whispered.
He walked forward slowly, then stopped next to her, still giving her space.
He leaned against the rail, looking out with her.
"I am not here to ask for anything," he said. "Not tonight."
She looked down at her hands.
They were squeezed tight in her lap.
When she talked once more, her voice broke a little.
"I put so much of my heart into this job… and it completely changed me for the worse."
He didn't say anything at all.
She didn't want someone to make her feel better; she just wanted someone to hear her out.
"The cameras, the face paint, the rumors," she went on. "The need to be flawless… to act happy when people were secretly making fun of me."
Damon felt his throat get tight.
"I should have taken better care of you," he told her, not trying to make it sound nicer.
"You didn't have to do that for me."
"Yes, I did," he answered.
For a moment, they just stood in the dim light of the roof, with the last bit of sunlight falling in between them.
There was no stress.
No physical contact.
No strong attraction ready to ignite.
Just the sadness of two people who had both messed things up.
"I don't hate you," she finally said, still looking straight ahead.
That shocked him more than if she had shouted at him.
He glanced at her, his jaw moving slightly.
Then she stood up, straightening her skirt with unsteady hands.
"I just don't know if I can allow myself to desire this again," she said further.
Damon gave a slow nod.
He didn't try to change her mind.
Didn't try to grab one more kiss or promise things he couldn't guarantee.
He just watched her find her courage.
And for once… he let her walk away.
Kareen went by him, barely touching his arm as she moved.
A quick breath, a past thought, a short moment.
Gone almost as soon as it appeared.
Damon stayed on the roof, now by himself, the wind feeling colder without her being there with him.
He looked up at the sky, then down at the street below him.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, he felt… calm.
No strong want.
No need for anything.
No chasing after something.
Just peace.
But how long would that feeling stay?