133 Chapter 136
The showroom had gone silent, every employee and customer watching the
confrontation.
“Your stepmother is here,” she said, sounding strained. “She refuses to leave until she speaks with you.”
Grumbling, I pulled on a robe and shuffled to the door, squinting through the peephole. My blood instantly ran cold.
“After everything he put you through?” Damien shook his head. “You’re entitled to protect yourself, Hazel.”
“You don’t owe him forgiveness,” Damien said firmly. “Or anything else.”
But it was too late. Bianca had spotted me, her eyes narrowing before a fake smile spread across her face.
Bianca Sinclair and her mother were arguing with the receptionist.
“Pick you up tomorrow for our car shopping date?” he asked, brushing a strand of hair
from my
face.
“Is there a problem here?”
The words stung more than I wanted to admit. “Get out.”
“And now she adores you,” he pointed out. “My grandfather is tough but fair. Just be yourself.”
I considered pretending I wasn’t home, but knowing Julian, he would just make a scene in the hallway. With a deep breath, I opened the door just enough to see him but still block the entrance.
“I simply meant-” Mrs. Sinclair began.
Julian flinched. “I made a mistake. The biggest mistake of my life.”
“Get used to it,” he said simply, then turned to the salesperson who was tending not to have witnessed the entire scene. “We’ll take the blue Levante.”
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“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I said with exaggerated concern. “I didn’t see your foot there;
“You know the Sterlings are one of the oldest families in the country, right? Their bloodline is practically sacred to them.”
Julian’s expression was a mix of concern and something else–satisfaction? “Old Mr. Sterling has rejected every woman Damien’s ever brought home. Even women from established families.” His eyes met mine. “What makes you think you’ll be different?”
“Ow!” she shrieked, jerking her foot back.
My stomach instantly knotted. This weekend. Meeting Grandfather Sterling at the family estate. The patriarch of the Sterling family who reportedly didn’t think I was good enough for his grandson.
“I did. Three times. She’s causing a scene.”
“Do you have to be so possessive all the time?” I asked, rolling my eyes as Damien drove us home after the dinner with Mr. Vance.
The Sinclairs retreated quickly after that, Bianca shooting me a venomous glare over her shoulder.
“He was being helpful while looking at you like a starving man at a buffet,” Damien countered, his tone light but with an edge underneath. “But enough about him. Are you ready for this weekend?”
I groaned. “Do we have to call it a date? It’s just buying a practical necessity.”
I sighed. “I’ll be there in an hour.”
“Security footage would show otherwise, I’m sure,” Damien replied coldly. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Hazel and I were in the middle of purchasing her new car.”
I stared out the window, watching raindrops begin to splatter against the glass. “I know. But sometimes I wonder if I’m being too harsh.”
“Like you tried to trip me on purpose?” I countered quietly.
“When it’s with you, even grocery shopping is a date,” he said, leaning down to kiss me.
“Not directly. But Aunt Hailing mentioned he wants to ‘make amends!” I made air quotes around the last words.
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Mrs. Sinclair laughed, a brittle sound. “Oh, my dear. Old Mr. Sterling values family legacy above all else. The Sterlings have maintained their bloodline for generations: She looked me up and down. “Your background is… well, complicated, isn’t it? With your father’s legal issues and all.”
“And the highest price tags,” I muttered, but I couldn’t help feeling a thrill as I slid into the driver’s seat of a gorgeous blue Maserati Levante.
“I’m only thinking of you, dear. Old Mr. Sinclair would be concerned too. A woman from Hazel’s background-”
“What’s your point?” I snapped, though dread was pooling in my stomach.
“Quick,” I whispered to Damien, who was examining the engine specs of my potential new car. “Let’s go to the back showroom.”
My cheeks burned with humiliation and anger. “Excuse me,” I said tightly, trying to step around them.
After Julian finally left, I leaned against the door, my heart pounding. His visit had unsettled me more than I cared to admit. Not because I still had feelings for him–I didn’t–but because his words had tapped directly into my deepest insecurities about my relationship with Damien.
Against my better judgment, I opened the door wider. “Five minutes. That’s it.”
The next morning, I woke to loud knocking on my door. I glanced at the clock–7:30 AM. Damien wasn’t supposed to pick me up until 10.
His expression darkened. “Want me to handle it?”
Damien’s voice cut through the tension like ice. He stepped beside me, his hand
back. coming to rest protectively at the small of my
Damien’s face hardened, his usual warmth completely gone. “Mrs. Sinclair, I don’t recall asking for your opinion on my personal life.”
Mrs. Sinclair smiled thinly. “Damien, dear. I was just expressing my… concern about your grandfather’s expectations. You know how traditional he is.”
Once they were gone, I let out a shaky breath. “That was… intense.”
My phone buzzed while I was adjusting the mirrors. Cherry’s name flashed on the
screen.
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I laughed incredulously. “You came here at 7:30 in the morning to ask about my relationship status?”
Damien reached over and squeezed my hand. “He’ll love you once he gets to know
you.”
The way she said it made it clear she thought I couldn’t afford anything in this showroom. Before I could reply, Mrs. Sinclair spoke up.
Julian looked terrible–dark circles under his eyes, his usually immaculate appearance disheveled. “I needed to see you,” he said, voice raspy.
Chapter 136 – Unexpected Encounters and a Fierce Defense
He turned to face me. “Are you happy with him? Sterling?”
“Safety first,” he replied with a mischievous smile. “These have the highest safety ratings.”
“I know exactly what you meant,” Damien interrupted. “And I suggest you reconsider sharing such thoughts in the future.” His gaze shifted to Bianca. “As for you, did you really try to trip my girlfriend?”
At a red light, I finally voiced the question that had been bothering me since the confrontation. Rolling down my window, I called to Damien in the car beside me.
“Only when necessary,” he replied with that infuriating half–smile that somehow managed to be both annoying and endearing.
“Please, Hazel.” His eyes were pleading. “Five minutes. That’s all I ask.”
Bianca glided toward me, her mother following with a pinched expression. “Shopping for a new car? How… ambitious of you.”
“You did that on purpose!” Bianca hissed, her fake smile vanishing.
“Mr. Sterling! Always a pleasure. We have several models ready for Ms. Ashworth to try.”
I kept my expression neutral despite the shock that this was the second time today
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someone had mentioned my upcoming meeting. “I’m looking forward to it
“I heard you’re meeting with Old Mr. Sterling this weekend. Her tone dripped with condescension. “How brave.”
Damien’s jaw tightened. “Has he tried to contact you?”
Mrs. Sinclair drew herself up. “How dare you! Bianca, we’re leaving. This establishment clearly allows anyone in these days.”
We fell into comfortable silence for the rest of the drive. When we arrived at my apartment building, Damien walked me to my door like always.
“No,” I said quickly. “She’s my problem. Let’s just finish here, and I’ll go see what she
wants.”
I gaped at the sleek vehicles. “Damien, these are way too expensive. I was thinking something practical, not a luxury car.”
“A woman from Hazel’s background,” Damien cut in, his voice dangerously soft, “has built her own successful business from nothing. She’s respected in her industry for her talent and integrity. What exactly about her background concerns you? That she wasn’t born with a silver spoon? That she’s had to fight for everything she has?”
I forced a polite smile. “Bianca. Mrs. Sinclair.”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I muttered, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
“What’s your relationship with Bianca Sinclair, that she calls you ‘Brother Damien‘ so intimately?”
Julian walked into my apartment, his gaze sweeping around as if searching for evidence of Damien’s presence. I crossed my arms and waited.
We had narrowed down my options to two models when a commotion near the front desk caught my attention. A familiar voice raised in indignation made my stomach drop.
“I’m fine. Just… surprised. I didn’t expect you to defend me so fiercely.”
“Bianca would never!” her mother protested.
I wanted to believe him, but the pressure felt overwhelming. Meeting
andfather
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Sterling wasn’t my only worry. “My father gets released from prison next month,” I said quietly.
“I heard you’re meeting his grandfather this weekend,” Julian said, ignoring my question.
Bianca’s expression instantly transformed. “Brother Damien! We were just saying hello to Hazel.”
An hour later, we were driving away from the dealership–me in my new Maserati, following Damien to my office to deal with Eleanor.
His lips were warm and insistent against mine, making me forget all my worries for a brief, blissful moment. When we broke apart, I was breathless.
Bianca’s face paled. “I–I didn’t—”
“Sweet dreams,” he replied, waiting until I was safely inside before leaving.
“We have nothing to discuss.”
As I moved past, Bianca subtly extended her foot in my path. I saw it just in time and deliberately stepped on her expensive designer shoe with my full weight.
“Hazel, I’m just trying to save you from getting hurt—”
“Hazel Ashworth!” she called out loudly. “What a surprise seeing you here.”
I closed my eyes, counting to ten. “Tell her I’m not available.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked flatly.
I leaned back against the leather seat, watching the city lights blur past the window. “I still think you overreacted. Mr. Vance was just being helpful.“\
Julian. My ex–husband.
“Good night,” I whispered.
Damien’s expression softened as he looked at me. “Are you okay?”
“And I learned from it. Now leave, or I’m calling security.”
A chill ran through me. How did he know that? “That’s none of your biness.”
No network available now. Please check your network.
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After hanging up, I looked at Damien apologetically. “Eleanor’s at my office. I need to deal with her.”
“So?” I prompted when he remained silent.
“Like your mother did?” I raised an eyebrow. “Because if I recall correctly, she initially thought I was a gold–digging opportunist.
“Brother Damien?” I echoed under my breath, caught off guard by the familiar address. By the time Damien picked me up, I’d pushed aside the morning’s unpleasantness and was determined to enjoy our day together. He took me to an exclusive Maserati dealership where the salesperson seemed to know him personally.
“Like you did?” I cut him off. “When you left me for my dying sister? That kind of not getting hurt?”
“Hey, Cherry. What’s up?”
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