Ellaine's heels echoed against the polished floor as Damian's gaze pinned her in place. The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating, until she forced herself to breathe. She had imagined this moment countless times — rehearsed apologies, clever deflections, even cold indifference. Yet none of those fantasies prepared her for the reality of standing before him now.
Damian moved closer, each step deliberate, his presence filling the space between them. You disappeared, he said, voice low but sharp. No note. No reason. Just gone.
Ellaine swallowed hard. I had to leave.
His brow arched, a flicker of disbelief crossing his otherwise unreadable face. Had to? Or wanted to?
Her chest tightened. The truth was complicated, tangled in secrets she wasn't ready to unravel. Both, she whispered, though the word felt inadequate.
Damian's eyes darkened, but he didn't press further. Instead, he turned slightly, gesturing toward the vast office behind him. Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed the city skyline, glittering against the night. It was breathtaking, but Ellaine couldn't shake the feeling that the view was more prison than paradise.
Blackwood Industries, he said, almost casually. Everything you see is mine now.
The pride in his tone was subtle, restrained, but undeniable. He had built an empire, carved power from silence. And she had missed every step of his ascent.
You've changed, she murmured, unable to hide the awe in her voice.
Damian's gaze snapped back to her. And you haven't.
The words cut deeper than she expected. She wanted to argue, to prove she wasn't the reckless girl he remembered. But standing here, under his scrutiny, she felt exposed — as if every mask she had crafted over the years was crumbling.
I'm not the same, she said firmly, though her voice trembled. I've grown.
He studied her, eyes narrowing. We'll see.
The tension between them was unbearable, a storm threatening to break. Ellaine shifted, desperate to regain control. I didn't come here to fight, Damian. I came for business.
Business? His lips curved into something between a smirk and a sneer. You think you can walk into my company after vanishing for years and talk about business?
Her pulse raced. I'm not asking for favors. I'm offering a partnership. My firm—
Stop. His voice was sharp, commanding. This isn't about your firm. This is about you. About us.
Ellaine froze. The air thickened, charged with memories she had tried to bury. The nights they had shared, the secrets whispered in shadows, the way his touch had once steadied her chaos. She had left to protect him — or so she told herself. But now, facing him, she wondered if she had only been protecting her own fragile heart.
Damian stepped closer, so near she could feel the heat radiating from him. You broke me once, he said softly, dangerously. I won't let you do it again.
Her breath caught. I didn't mean to—
Intentions don't erase scars.
The words hung between them, heavy and final. Yet beneath the anger, Ellaine sensed something else — a flicker of longing, buried deep but alive. And it terrified her more than his fury.
For a moment, neither spoke. The city lights shimmered behind them, silent witnesses to a reunion that was anything but simple. Ellaine knew this was only the beginning. The past was clawing its way back, demanding answers, demanding truth.
And Damian Blackwood was not a man who would let her escape twice.