Damian stared down at her, his obsidian eyes narrowing into razor-sharp slits. His broad frame loomed over her, radiating pure, unyielding dominance as his grip on her waist tightened just a fraction.
"Give me a kiss, Anastasia," Damian commanded, his deep baritone dropping into a low, quiet growl that left no room for debate.
Ana didn’t budge. She raised an eyebrow, looking up into his terrifyingly handsome face with cool, teasing defiance. "Ask nicely."
Damian’s jaw twitched. A titan of global finance, a man whose single word could collapse stock markets, was currently standing on a sunlit rooftop in a pristine white suit, being forced to beg for a kiss.
He leaned down, his lips hovering a millimeter from hers, his dark eyes burning into her soul.
"...Please," Damian gritted out smoothly, the single word dripping with a lethal, intoxicating mix of reluctance and restraint.
Ana pressed her lips tightly together, desperately holding back a triumphant smile. She gave a small, regal nod. "You may."
Damian’s large hand slid up, long fingers wrapping gently around the back of her neck to cradle her head. Before his lips touched hers, Ana leaned up on her tiptoes, whispering softly against his ear:
"I want you to show them... what a pookie you are."
The absolute intensity on Damian’s face shattered instantly. His sharp brow furrowed in utter confusion, a rare, genuine smile breaking across his features. "Whatever the hell that means," he muttered under his breath.
He leaned down and slowly, excruciatingly gently pressed his lips to hers.
The dark, forceful edge he usually possessed melted into something soft, intoxicating, and deep. He took his time, his thumb tracing the soft skin behind her ear as his tongue coaxed hers, seeking entrance with a sweet, languid warmth that made Ana’s toes curl inside her shoes.
When he finally pulled back, Ana let out a soft, breathless gasp, her face flushed crimson. She took a quick, subtle peek over his broad shoulder.
Sure enough, the group of interns near the garden beds were watching them with wide, awe-filled eyes, several of them clutching their hands to their hearts in absolute romantic envy.
Damian noticed where her eyes were darting. A dangerous, knowing smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he straightened to his full height, smoothing the front of his white suit vest.
"Enjoy it while it lasts, sweet angel," Damian purred softly, leaning down to whisper in her ear one last time.
Without waiting for her reply, he turned on his heel and walked toward the rooftop doors, his tall, commanding figure cutting through the afternoon sunlight.
Ana stood alone near the balustrade, watching his retreating figure vanish behind the tinted glass doors.
As she watched him leave, a sudden, quiet wish flickered deep inside her chest... a quiet, terrifying longing that made her stomach churn violently with panic.
I wish this was real.
The thought hit her like a cold slap to the face.
Ana immediately closed her eyes, shaking her head as if to physically force the dangerous idea out of her mind. She brought her trembling hands up to rub her temples, dragging herself back to harsh, unyielding reality.
Stop it, Anastasia, she scolded herself bitterly. This is all just a show. It’s an act.
He was doing it to play her game today. He was doing it because of the contract. In eleven months, the year would be up, the ink on their agreement would dry, and she would walk away from this gilded cage forever.
Damian Sterling was a master manipulator, an actor playing the part of a gentleman for twenty-four hours to get what he wanted tomorrow.
This was not his real self. And she couldn’t afford to forget it.
________________________
When the workday finally ended, Ana stood outside Damian’s corner office on the top floor, her arms crossed over her chest.
"If a gentleman is truly devoted to his fiancée," Ana declared, stepping into his office as he shuffled his final papers, "he wouldn’t just take her straight home. He would take her to the most buzzed-about restaurant in the city. In front of everyone."
Damian looked up from his mahogany desk. The pristine white suit jacket was draped over his broad shoulders, his dark eyes gleaming with an intoxicating mixture of amusement and raw, unspoken promise.
He didn’t argue. He slowly rose from his chair, buttoning his jacket with effortless elegance.
"Lead the way, sweet angel," Damian purred, his baritone dropping an octave. "I am more than happy to play along... because I intend to collect every single debt you owe me tomorrow."
An hour later, they arrived at L’Étoile, the most exclusive, high-profile rooftop restaurant in the financial district. The city lights shimmered like diamonds through the high glass walls, and the atmosphere hummed with high-society chatter... until Damian and Ana walked in.
Damian played his role with a terrifying, breathtaking perfection.
Before they were even seated, he had the manager present her with a massive, dripping bouquet of rare, velvety black-and-white orchids... the most expensive flowers on the continent.
He led her to the restaurant’s premier table, which overlooked the sweeping skyline. As they arrived, Damian stepped forward, smoothly pulling out her plush velvet chair and tucking her in before taking his own seat across from her.
Throughout the dinner, he treated her like delicate porcelain. He reached across the white linen tablecloth, wrapping his large, warm hand around hers, lifting her fingers to his lips to press a lingering, soft kiss onto her knuckles.
When a drop of rich truffle sauce caught the corner of her soft lip, Damian didn’t hand her a napkin... he reached out with his long thumb, gently wiping it away himself, his dark eyes never breaking contact with hers.
The restaurant was in absolute shock. Whispers rippled across neighboring tables, and several high-society patrons secretly pulled out their phones, covertly filming the legendary, ruthless Damian Sterling doting on his fiancée like a swooning romantic.
Damian leaned back in his chair, swirling his glass of dark red wine, his sharp obsidian eyes locked onto her face.
"Are you satisfied, Anastasia?" He asked softly, his voice laced with a dark, velvet charm.
Ana took a slow, delicate sip of her champagne, leaning her chin against her hand as a triumphant, beautiful smile spread across her face. "Very."
Damian didn’t answer right away. He simply watched her under the dim, golden lighting of the restaurant.
As he looked at her, he couldn’t deny the breathtaking transformation in front of him. The frail, terrified woman who had returned into his life a month ago was fading. Her pale skin had regained a healthy, radiant glow.
Her lips were full and flushed, her figure soft and alluring once more, and her dark eyes... once filled with endless grief... were sparkling with life, stubbornness, and defiance.
She was healing. And she was doing it right in front of him.
"Good," Damian murmured, his voice dropping into a quiet, dangerous register. "Enjoy every second of it, my sweet Doll."
________________________
Late that night, miles away from the glowing lights of L’Étoile, the grand glass skyscraper of Sterling Global stood tall against the ink-black night sky. The building was completely dark, save for the subtle red security lights gleaming at the entrance.
A solitary, shadowed figure stood on the cold concrete pavement directly across the street, staring up at the towering, silent monument of Damian Sterling’s empire.
The figure was completely wrapped in a heavy dark coat, the face obscured beneath the deep shadow of a pulled-down hood.
A sharp, high-pitched chiming sound broke the quiet night.
The figure pulled a phone from a gloved pocket. The bright screen illuminated a sudden breaking news notification from a major high-society tabloid.
BREAKING:Billionaire Titan Damian Sterling Spotted Doting On Fiancée Anastasia Vance In Shocking Public Display Of Affection! [WATCH VIDEO]
The figure stared at the glowing screen. A pair of bloodshot, unhinged eyes reflected the harsh white light of the phone.
A manic, low rasping breath escaped the figure’s lips into the cold night air, fingers tightening around the device until the glass case creaked under the pressure.
"Enjoy your fairy tale while you can, Anastasia..." a harsh, bitter whisper echoed into the dark, silent street. "Because I am going to destroy you."
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