MISTAKEN IDENTITY… OR NOT?
Amara's POV
His words hit me like a slap.
"I know who you are, Amara."
My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag and then my breath shook.
"Wh-Who do you think I am?" I whispered.
Damian didn't blink, he just walked toward me slowly, and each step was sharp, and controlled and his eyes never left mine.
"You think I don't recognize that face?" he said.
"You think I didn't notice the moment you stepped into my elevator?"
I took a step back. "I don't understand."
He stopped right in front of me, it was too close and I could feel the heat of his body even though his voice was like ice.
"You look exactly like her."
"Her?" My voice cracked and his jaw tightened. "The person who betrayed me years ago."
My heart stopped. "I…I didn't betray you," I stammered. "I don't even know you."
"Don't lie to me."
He said and it was so gentle that it felt like a threat.
I shook my head quickly. "I swear! I don't know anything about your past! I don't know any woman who…"
He then cut me off. "Stop."
And I froze.
Damian studied my face again, it was slower this time and his eyes moved from my eyes to my nose to my mouth, like he was comparing every detail with someone else in his memory.
"You have the same eyes," he whispered. "The same way of frowning when you're nervous."
I touched my forehead without thinking.
"I'm not her," I said again. "I swear. I'm just… me."
"Amara Cole," he said softly, almost too softly. "Daughter of…"
He stopped himself and my heart jumped.
"He… knows about my father?"
"No. He can't. He must not."
I forced my voice to stay calm. "My father is dead."
Damian's eyes flickered. "Dead men can still cause damage."
I swallowed hard and my palms sweat.
"Does he know my father once worked for TitanCorp?"
"Does he know my father disappeared with secrets?"
"Does he know my father is the reason I'm drowning in debts?"
I prayed he didn't.
"I don't know anything about your past," I said again. "Please believe me."
He watched me for a long time and I felt like he was peeling off every layer I have.
Then he suddenly stepped back.
"You know what?" His voice changed, it was cold, flat, business-like. "I don't care if you are lying or not."
My stomach twisted. "What?"
"You're staying here."
He walked behind his desk, grabbed a folder, and tossed it onto the surface. "For one month."
"A month?" I repeated.
He nodded once. "Work for me, do everything I say, stay close where I can watch you."
"Why?" I whispered and his eyes hardened.
"Because I want to see what you are hiding."
"I'm not hiding…"
He raised a hand.
"Work for me for one month… or—"
He leaned forward, and his voice dropped to a dark whisper.
"...I will destroy everything you are trying to protect."
My breath tripped and my chest tightened.
Everything I was trying to protect…
My father's name.
The last thing he left behind.
My tiny apartment.
My sanity.
Damian's eyes locked onto mine like he already knew.
I tried to speak, but no words came.
"Good," he said quietly. "You understand."
I felt like the floor was tilting under me and
he waved a hand toward the door.
"You may leave."
Just like that, like he didn't just threaten my entire life.
I walked out slowly, and my legs shook and then the elevator ride was endless.
When the doors finally opened on the ground floor, I ran outside into the cold night and the air stung my lungs.
One month, under his control,
Why me? Why my face? Who is this woman I look like? What does he think my father did? My mind spinned the whole way home.
---
By the time I reached my building, my feet ached and my head throbbed and I just wanted to curl up and forget Damian Stone's voice, his eyes, and his threats.
And then I reached my door and I froze.
The door was open, it was just a crack, but it was locked when I left.
Slowly, I pushed it wider and my small apartment was a mess.
Drawers were pulled out, clothes were thrown everywhere and papers scattered on the floor, someone searched everything.
My chest tightened, my father's box…the one thing I kept locked ..it was opened and empty.
"No… no no no…" I whispered, and I fell to my knees.
I grabbed the edge of the box, it was gone Whatever was inside… gone.
I looked around wildly, maybe the person left something behind and then I saw it. It was a small card on the floor, it was black clean with sharp edges.
I picked it up with trembling fingers.
STONE SECURITY
A single name printed below and my blood ran cold.
Damian's security.
Damian's people.
Damian's order?
Or…
Someone in his company acting behind his back?
My hands shook as I held the card and the room spinned.
I sat on my messy floor, and held the Stone Security card and my heart beat loud in my chest.
Someone from Damian's world was inside my home… looking for something.
"Why me?" I whispered, but there was no answer.
When morning came, my eyes burnt but I still forced myself to go to TitanCorp. If I didn't… Damian will come for me anyway.
I walked into the 99th floor and the moment I stepped out of the elevator, I saw him.
Damian stood with his back turned, staring out at the city again, and he turned when he heard my footsteps.
"You're late," he said gently.
"I…something happened at my apartment," I began.
He raised a hand. "I didn't ask for excuses."
My throat tightened and I swallowed the words, even though they burn.
"Sit."
I then sat and he pulled a slim black folder from his desk and placed it in front of me.
"Read this."
I opened it slowly and my eyes widened as I went through the pages.
"PERSONAL ASSISTANT AGREEMENT
CONFIDENTIAL
24/7 availability
Immediate response to all commands
No romantic involvement with Mr. Stone
No contact with media
Absolute loyalty
No discussing Mr. Stone's private affairs
No quitting without permission"
I blinked hard. "This is… extreme."
He watched me. "It's necessary."
"Twenty-four-seven availability?" I whispered. "Do you expect me to sleep on your office floor?"
"If I need you at 3 a.m., you come at 3 a.m.," he said plainly.
I stared at him in disbelief. "And… 'no romantic involvement'? Why is that even in a job contract?"
His jaw tightened. "Because personal feelings make people stupid."
"Does this mean someone fell for you before?" I mumbled before I could stop myself.
Damian's eyes narrowed. "Focus."
I shut my mouth immediately.
"And 'mandatory loyalty'?" I asked. "What does that even mean?"
"It means you follow my instructions," he says. "You stay where I can see you, you don't lie, you don't betray me."
The word betrayed made his voice turned sharp.
He thought I was connected to his past, that I was dangerous.
I pushed the contract slightly. "This feels… more like a cage, not a job."
His eyes locked onto mine, they were dark, and unreadable.
"If you want to keep your life from falling apart," he said gently "you will sign it."
Anger burnt in my chest. "Are you threatening me again?"
"No."
His voice lowered.
"I'm promising you protection."
I froze. "Protection? From what?"
He looked away for a second, then back at me.
"You don't need the details."
Fear crawled under my skin. Is he talking about last night?
Did he know someone broke into my apartment?
"Do you know anything about…"
"No," he cut me off sharply.
"Whatever happens outside this building is not my concern, what happens inside is."
I gripped the edges of the contract and my hands trembled.
He was harsh and he scared me and he was giving me a choice.
A twisted one, but still a choice.
One month, he said.
One month… under his control.
I closed my eyes and exhaled shakily.
"I'll sign."
Damian stepped closer, too close and he placed a pen in front of me.
"Good."
I wrote my name with a shaking hand.
AMARA COLE
The moment my pen lifted from the paper, I felt it…
Damian took the contract slowly, like it was a victory.
Then he said it.
"Good, then the engagement announcement goes live tomorrow."
My heart stopped and my lungs stopped.
"Wh-What?" I choked out.
He looked at me calmly and codedly, like this was just another task.
"We go public tomorrow," he said
"You are going to be my fiancee."