He walked straight past her without a word. The color from Isabel's face was replaced with hot embarrassment.
Guests nearby whispered, and her fake smile faltered.
Damian's eyes were locked on Elena. She looked breathtaking, her skin glowing under the chandelier light.
He stopped in front of her, his usual cold stare replaced with something darker… deeper. He leaned in slightly, his voice low and rough enough to make her heart skip.
"You look so stunning, cupcake," he whispered, his breath brushing her ear. "And I don't think I'll be able to hold myself tonight."
Elena's cheeks flushed instantly. Her heart raced, and she managed a small smile.
There was heat in his gaze, the kind that said he meant every word he'd whispered.
Before either could say more, Irina appeared beside them, smiling proudly.
"Damian," she said warmly, "I want to introduce Elena to a few people."
Damian glanced at his mother, then back at Elena, his lips curving in a small smirk.
"Fine," he said, voice still low. "But I'm not letting her out of my sight for long."
Elena's blush deepened. Irina, pretending not to notice the tension between them, gently took Elena's arm.
As they walked away, Elena could feel Damian's eyes still on her — heavy and burning.
Across the room, Isabel clenched her glass so tightly her knuckles turned white. She watched as Damian's gaze followed Elena and felt fury rise in her chest.
***
Damian had left the party. He hated crowds, fake smiles, and meaningless conversations.
He slipped out to the balcony with a glass of whiskey, the cold night breeze brushing against his face.
From there, he could still hear the music and laughter from inside, but he didn't care.
The sound of heels clicking behind him made his jaw tighten. Without turning, he already knew who it was.
Isabel.
"Damian," her voice came soft, almost pleading.
He exhaled slowly. "Go back inside, Isabel," he said flatly.
But she didn't leave. She walked closer, her perfume filling the air between them.
"I just wanted to talk," she said, her tone shaky.
"I had another argument with my dad."
He finally turned to face her, his expression unreadable.
"And you thought coming here would fix that?"
She looked at him with glistening eyes, tears threatening to fall.
"You used to care, Damian. You used to hold me when I cried."
He didn't answer. He took another sip of whiskey, his cold gaze cutting right through her act.
"I miss those times we spent together," she whispered, stepping closer, her voice trembling with practiced sadness. "The way we laughed, the way you—"
"Stop." His tone was sharp now, his patience gone. "Those times are gone, Isabel. You made sure of that."
Her face hardened for a moment, but she quickly replaced it with another tearful expression.
"You don't mean that," she said, touching his arm. "You still care about me. I know you do."
Damian looked down at her hand, then back into her eyes, his voice dropping to a quiet, dangerous calm.
"You're good at pretending," he said. "But you can't fool me anymore."
He was about to move pass her when she placed her lips on him, he played along not passionately or softly.
***
At the grand entrance, Leonid Volkov, Damian's uncle, stepped in, followed closely by Adrian, his other grandson,Damian's cousin.
The room shifted when they entered; people turned, whispering respectfully. Leonid became the only son of grandfather after Damian's father died.
People rushed to greet him, offering handshakes and smiles.
"Mr. Volkov, it's an honor to have you here," a man said, bowing slightly.
Leonid nodded politely, but Adrian stood beside him, scanning the room. He wore a fitted suit, his hair slicked back, and that charming smirk he used whenever he wanted attention.
It didn't take long before a few women started approaching — touching his arm, laughing too loudly, trying to draw his attention.
Adrian smiled faintly, but his focus shifted when he spotted Elena across the hall. She stood beside Irina, Damian's mother, looking elegant and soft in her dress.
Something in Adrian's eyes darkened — curiosity mixed with something more dangerous. "She's pretty and has nice curves" he thought to himself.
He leaned closer to his grandfather and whispered, "That's her. The girl staying with Damian."
Leonid's eyes followed his gaze. "Hmm," he murmured. "So that's the one."
They looked around, but Damian was nowhere in sight. Adrian smirked slightly. "He's not here. You know he doesn't like parties or crowds. Probably left already."
Leonid nodded, taking a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
"Let's greet her then."
They walked toward Elena, who turned, surprised when the two men approached. She straightened up, not recognizing them immediately.
Leonid smiled kindly. "Good evening, young lady. You must be Elena."
"Yes," she said softly, glancing between them. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've met."
"I'm Leonid Volkov," he said, "Damian's uncle. And this is Adrian, my son and his cousin."
Elena blinked, a little nervous. "Oh. It's… nice to meet you both."
Adrian's smile was polite, but his tone carried a sharp edge.
"So, you're the girl Damian's been hiding away."
Her brows furrowed. "Hiding?"
He gave a low laugh. "You don't know? Damian doesn't do relationships, sweetheart.
If he cared, he'd show you off, not keep you tucked away in his mansion."
Elena's chest tightened. "That's not true…" she whispered, but her voice shook a little.
Adrian stepped closer, lowering his tone like he was sharing a secret.
"Tell me then, did you ever see him treat Isabel this way? No. He brought her everywhere, made sure everyone knew she was his. That's what love looks like."
Leonid didn't stop him — he only watched, his expression unreadable.
Elena's fingers curled against her dress. The words stung even though she didn't want them to.
She forced a polite smile. "Excuse me," she said softly and turned away before they could say more.
As she walked off, her chest ached.
She searched through the crowd, eyes darting around — but Damian was nowhere to be found. The more she looked, the more her heart ached.
"What's wrong with you Elena Cruz, this evil man has your only family captured, won't let you see her or even hear from her' and now your worried if he..." she kept muttering to herself as she left the party walking down the hallway.
Still, even as she doubted, her heart betrayed her. She knew she was already falling for him.