141 Chapter 144
141 Chapter 144
“What do you mean?”
His eyebrow shot up.
“It’s not about the calls,” he said, his expression serious again. “It’s about knowing that I’m as important to you as you are to me. Sometimes I feel like you’re just tolerating my presence in your life, like I’m convenient but not essential.”
“Why did you ignore my call?” I asked, genuinely curious. “What happened?”
“Isn’t it?” he interrupted gently. “When something bothers you, you retreat. When you face problems, you tackle them alone. You never fully let me in.”
“You ignored me on purpose to see if I’d chase after you?” I asked incredulously.
His vulnerability caught me off guard. I’d always seen Damien as untouchable, a man so sure of himself and his place in the world that nothing could shake him. To realize he had insecurities about us, about me–it transformed something in my understanding of him.
“I didn’t want to burden you,” I admitted quietly.
As the server arranged the dishes–seared scallops with truffle butter, lobster risotto, and grilled asparagus with lemon zest–I couldn’t help but notice how Damien’s eyes never left my face. The intensity of his gaze made
cheeks warm. my
I ducked my head, focusing on serving myself some risotto. The creamy richness exploded on my taste buds, momentarily distracting me from the tension between us.
Damien set down his fork, his expression growing more serious. “No, nothing’s changed. I just wanted to confirm.”
The tension in his shoulders eased slightly. “So you’re not just keeping me around until something better comes along?”
I laughed, feeling more like myself than I had all day. “Are you really comparing yourself to lobster risotto?”
I looked down at my plate/my appetite suddenly diminished. “I don’t like your ‘cold shoulder‘ approach to dealing with problems, you know.”
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He had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. “It sounds childish when you put it like
that.”
“Damien,” I said, studying his face. “What’s really on your mind?”
“This is incredible,” I murmured, taking another bite. “I needed this after today. “This is incredible,” I murmured, taking an
After a few moments of comfortable silence punctuated only by appreciative murmurs
“So, you’re still planning to visit Sterling
over the food, Damien cleared hi
Heights tomorrow?”
The gesture touched me deeply. While the old Hazel might have bristled at someone making decisions for her, I found myself moved by his thoughtfulness. “It’s perfect,” I said softly.
Damien ran a hand through his hair, a rare gesture of discomfort from a man who was usually the embodiment of composure. “I was upset,” he admitted. “And then when you didn’t try harder to reach me, it just made m didn’t try harder to reach me, it just made me more upset. So I drank. Heavily.”
The private dining room at Riviera was bathed in warm golden lighting, creating an
in our own little universe. I settled into my intimate atmosphere that felt like we chair across from Damien, my heart still fluttering from our reunion. After the emotional turmoil at the cemetery with Harrison and Eleanor, being here felt like stepping into a different dimension–one where I could breathe freely.
“And I respect your independence,” Damien said, leaning forward. “But there’s a difference between being independent and keeping everyone at arm’s gth. Even
me.”
“That’s what I mean,” Damien continued, his voice soft but firm. “You
compartmentalize your for your family issues, a box for your work, a
life. There’s a bo box for us. But they never overlap. You never let me fully into those other parts of your world.”
I blinked, surprised by his assessment. “That’s not true. I-
“Careful,” Damien teased, his expression softening. “If you keep making those sounds while eating, I might get jealous of the food.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it again. The truth was, it hadn’t.
“I know,” he said, his thumb tracing circles on my wrist. “But relationships require
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trust. Real trust, not the conditional kind.”
A flicker of something–guilt, perhaps–crossed his face. “You’re right about that. I handled it poorly.”
I swallowed hard, feeling exposed. “I didn’t realize I was doing that.”
We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of our conversation settling between us. It was strange how Damien could see parts of me I barely recognized in myself.
I blinked, confused by the sudden shift. “My attitude? About what?”
“Like yesterday,” I explained, meeting his gaze again. “You ignored my call, then went radio silent. If something’s bothering you, just tell me.”
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Chapter 144 – The Tycoon’s Hidden Heart: A Dinner of Revelations
His eyes locked with mine, intense and unreadable. The playful mood from earlier had vanished, replaced by something more serious, more urgent.
“You keep me at a distance,” he said finally, his eyes meeting mine with unflinching directness. “From the beginning, you’ve maintained this… barrier. Like you’re always ready to walk away.”
“So,” he said, abruptly changing topics. “Let’s put this behind us. I want to know your attitude.”
Whatever he was about to say, I knew our evening of revelations w
ar from over.
Our eyes locked, and the temperature/in the room seemed to rise by several degrees. The air between us crackled with electricity that had nothing to do with the excellent food and everything to do with unspoken desires.
“When you went to confront Harrison today, did it even occur to you to ask me to come with you?”
I thought about his words, recognizing the truth in them. After Julian’s betrayal, I had built walls to protect myself. Walls that even Damien’s persistence hadn’t fully breached.
“About what?” I repeated, feeling my heartbeat quicken at his inscrutable expression. Damien’s expression softened. “Hazel, sharing your burdens isn’t a weakness. It’s what
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people do when they care about each other.”
His lips curved into a slight smile. “I pay attention to what matters to me. And you, Hazel Ashworth, matter a great deal.”
“Damien,” I said softly, reaching across the table to take his hand. “You are not convenient. You’re…” I searched for the right words. “You’re the most inconvenient thing that’s ever happened to me, actually.”
“Because it is childish,” I said, unable to hold back a surprised laugh. “Damien, if you want me to call you more, just tell me.”
He exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping against the tablecloth. “I’ve been thinking about us, Hazel.”
His tone was casual, but something in his eyes put me on alert. “Yes, of course. Why? Has something changed?”
He brought my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss against my palm that sent shivers down my spine. “I need you to understand something, Hazel. I’m all in. Not partially, not cautiously—all in. And sometimes it drives me crazy when I feel like you’re still keeping one foot out the door.”
His words hit me like a physical blow. I set down my glass, trying to gather my thoughts. “I’m just used to handling things on my own.”
“Something better than Damien Sterling?” I teased, but then grew isn’t anyone better. Not for me.”
ious. “No. There
I stared at him, momentarily speechless. Damien Sterling–powerful, controlled, sophisticated Damien Sterling–had gotten drunk because I didn’t call him enough times?
“Before you, I had everything figured out. My revenge, my career, my life–all neatly planned. Then you showed up and suddenly everything got complicated in ways I never imagined.” I squeezed his hand. “But I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
“You ordered already?” I asked, noticing the array of dishes being brought in by a
server.
“I’d compare myself to anything that puts that look of pleasure on your face.” “How did you remember everything I like?” I asked, genuinely surprised by his
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attention to detail.
My heart skipped a beat. Those words rarely preceded anything good in my experience. “Okay…”
Damien’s eyes met mine, a hint of uncertainty flickering across his usually confident face. “I remembered your favorites. I hope that’s okay.”
“I’m trying,” I whispered. “It’s not easy for me to rely on someone else. To be vulnerable.”
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