The cool night air bit at Ana’s bare shoulders as she followed Valerie deeper into the secluded garden, her heels clicking softly against the stone path until they reached the edge of a grand, decorative stone lily pond.
Valerie turned around, pulling her silk shawl tight around her arms, her eyes filled with bitter contempt.
"I know why you’re really back, Anastasia," Valerie began, her voice dropping into a harsh, mocking whisper. "Your father’s company is drowning. Your family is facing complete financial ruin, and you came crawling back to Damian like a loyal pest to save them."
Ana stood her ground, her jaw tightening as she looked Valerie dead in the eye. "I haven’t spoken to or been in contact with my family since the day I married Damian. What happens to their finances is none of my concern."
"Don’t lie to me!" Valerie snapped, taking a sharp step forward. She let out a cruel, disbelieving laugh. "You think I’m stupid? You’re playing him! But I’m giving you an exit. I will personally clear your family’s debts and secure your financial independence. In return, you walk away from Damian tonight. Forever."
Ana shook her head, a soft, weary breath escaping her lips. "I won’t do that."
"Why?!" Valerie hissed, her voice trembling with rising fury. "You don’t love him! You’re just going to break his heart all over again, so why not do it now and take the money?"
"Damian and I have a complicated dynamic, Valerie, but I am not leaving him like this," Ana said firmly, her chin held high. "He holds the power in our marriage. When he decides to let me go, I will leave. Until then, I am staying right by his side."
Valerie’s chest heaved with suppressed rage, her knuckles turning white.
Ana looked at her, her expression softening with genuine, deep-seated pain. "And Valerie... I am so deeply sorry for what my father did to yours all those years ago. You might not believe me, but I was genuinely fond of your father. He was always kind to me, and I cared for him deeply. I hate the past as much as you do... which is why I refuse to destroy Damian again."
Hearing Ana mention her deceased father was the final spark that ignited Valerie’s rage.
"Don’t you dare speak his name!" Valerie shrieked, completely losing control. "You took everything from me!"
Without thinking, Valerie lunged forward, her hands slamming hard into Ana’s shoulders.
Ana gasped in sheer horror as her heels slipped off the marble ledge. She lost her balance completely, plunging backward into the deep, ice-cold waters of the lily pond.
Splash!
Heavy, ice-cold water enveloped Ana instantly. Her heavy, liquid-midnight evening gown dragged her straight to the bottom like lead. Panic flared violently in her chest... she couldn’t swim.
Ana thrashed frantically beneath the dark surface, gasping for air and choking on mouthfuls of freezing water. Her bare arms flailed, her vision blurring as the heavy silk wrapped around her legs, pulling her deeper into the dark depths.
Above the surface, Valerie froze in shock, her face draining of all color as she realized what she had just done.
Suddenly, a heavy shadow sprinted across the cobblestone path.
Before Valerie could even scream for help, a man dove headfirst into the freezing water without a second thought.
Strong, powerful arms cut through the dark water, wrapping securely around Ana’s waist. With effortless strength, he kicked up, breaking the surface and lifting Ana’s dripping, shivering frame into his arms.
"I’ve got you," a smooth tone soothed against her wet ear as he hauled her out onto the stone ledge. "Breathe, Anastasia."
Ana collapsed onto the cobblestones, coughing violently, shuddering from the freezing cold as she clung weakly to her savior’s formal suit jacket.
Commotion erupted near the French doors as a servant rushed out, shouting into the night.
Seconds later, heavy, thunderous footsteps echoed across the courtyard. Damian burst into the garden, flanked by a rigid Victoria Sterling and several high-society guests.
"Anastasia!" Damian roared, his voice laced with pure, terrifying panic.
Damian came to a halt near the edge of the pond, his breath hitching violently in his throat as the sight before him turned his entire world to dust.
Ana was soaked, shivering, and gasping for air... wrapped completely in the protective, intimate embrace of another man.
His dark, storm-filled eyes locked onto the man holding his wife against his chest.
It was Dante Sullivan.
Victoria Sterling took one look at her daughter standing frozen in shock near the water’s edge, her face completely drained of color.
"Valerie!" Victoria demanded, her commanding voice cutting through the tense night air. "What happened to Anastasia?"
Damian didn’t wait for an answer. He didn’t waste a single second. Step-by-step, he closed the distance and violently snatched Ana straight out of Dante’s arms, pulling her dripping, shuddering body flush against his broad chest.
Ana coughed weakly, shivering uncontrollably against the warmth of his suit jacket. She looked up into Damian’s dark, thunderous eyes, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"I’m... I’m sorry," she whispered faintly, her lip trembling from the freezing cold.
Damian’s chest heaved, his hand wrapping around the back of her wet head, pressing her face into his neck. "What happened?" He growled, his voice laced with a lethal mix of raw panic and rage.
Before Ana could speak, Dante smoothly stood up, brushing off his ruined suit pants with absolute composure. He raised a finger, pointing directly at Valerie.
"Why don’t you ask that woman standing over there?" Dante suggested, his tone dripping with quiet accusation. "She..."
"I slipped!" Ana interrupted quickly, her voice raspy as she coughed into Damian’s chest. She couldn’t let Valerie be ruined in front of Victoria and the press; it would only drag Damian into a more high-society scandal. "I... I lost my balance and fell into the pond."
Dante paused, his sharp eyes flicking to Ana in subtle surprise.
Ana managed to look over at him, offering a small, weak smile through her shivering lips. "Thank you, Mr. Sullivan... You saved me."
"It’s quite alright, Ms. Vance," Dante replied smoothly, his eyes sliding over to meet Damian’s deadly, ice-cold glare. "I didn’t do much... I couldn’t."
The silent provocation hung heavily in the air. Damian’s jaw clenched so hard a muscle twitched in his cheek, his knuckles turning white as every instinct urged him to slam his fist directly into Dante’s face.
But with Victoria, the board members, and guests watching, he hold absolute restraint to prevent a public spectacle.
Ana whimpered softly in his arms, her body shaking from exhaustion and the bitter chill. She buried her face into his collar. "Damian... please. Can we just go home?"
Damian looked down at her. Seeing how fragile and vulnerable she looked... soaked, helpless, and clinging to him... his murderous rage slowly dissolved into an overwhelming wave of dark protectiveness.
He gave a single, firm nod. "Yes."
Victoria stepped forward, her regal facade returning as she took charge of the scene. "I am calling the driver to the private rear entrance now. Take her home, Damian." She turned her gaze onto Ana, her tone softening just a fraction. "Take care of yourself, Anastasia."
Without another word, Damian slid one arm beneath Ana’s knees and the other behind her back, effortlessly scooping her up into his arms. He turned on his heel and carried her away from the garden, his long strides cutting through the shadows.
Dante stood quietly near the fountain, his hands resting casually in his pockets as he watched Damian walk away with her. A slight, dangerous grin slowly formed on his lips.
She’s still the same as she was fifteen years ago, Dante thought, his eyes glinting with a dark, obsession-filled warmth. So innocent. So beautiful.
From behind the grand stone archway, Vivian Stark stood in the dark, watching the entire fallout unfold. She took a slow sip of her champagne, her lips curling into a triumphant, victorious chuckle.
The rift was planted, the threat was in the room, and the game had officially begun.
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