The Maid's Deception-Chapter 54 - 53: Damien Contronted Veronica

DAMIEN’S POV

Damien walked Aria back to the main house in silence, his frustration mounting with every step.

She’d been right there. Right there at the breaking point. He’d given her every opportunity to ask, to confess, to trust him.

And she still couldn’t do it.

How much more could he give? How many more openings could he create? How long was he supposed to wait while her mother died and she stubbornly refused to accept help?

He left Aria at the staff entrance with a gentle kiss and instructions to rest, then headed directly to his office.

It was 4:45 PM. Victoria would be arriving for their "meeting" in fifteen minutes.

Perfect. Because he needed to destroy something, and Victoria had just volunteered herself.

At exactly 5 PM, there was a knock on his door.

"Come in."

Victoria entered with her usual confident smile, dressed immaculately in a designer dress that probably cost more than most people’s cars.

"Damien, darling. You wanted to see me?" She crossed to his desk, leaning against it in a way that was clearly meant to be seductive. "I hope this means you’ve reconsidered...."

"Sit down, Victoria." His voice was ice. "And don’t call me darling."

Her smile faltered. "Damien, I...."

"Sit. Down."

She sat in the chair across from his desk, her confidence wavering.

Damien remained standing, using the height advantage deliberately. "Let me make something very clear to you. There is no understanding between us. There never has been. There never will be. Whatever delusions your family has about a union between the Ashfords and the Blackwoods....they’re just that. Delusions."

"But our families have been planning....."

"YOUR family has been planning," he corrected sharply. "Without my consent or participation. I have been clear about this for years, Victoria. I am not interested in marrying you. I am not interested in a relationship with you. I am not interested in you at all."

Her face flushed with anger and humiliation. "That little maid," she spat. "That’s what this is about, isn’t it? You’re obsessed with some common...."

"Do not," Damien interrupted, his voice dropping to a dangerous level, "finish that sentence. Do not speak about her. Do not even think about her. She is none of your concern." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"She’s a maid, Damien! A nobody! You can’t possibly....."

"She is the woman I love." The words came out before he could stop them, but once they were said, he realized they were true. "And you.....you are nothing to me. Less than nothing."

Victoria’s eyes widened with shock, then narrowed with vicious anger. "You love her? A maid? Have you lost your mind?"

"No. For the first time in my life, I’ve found it." He leaned forward, bracing his hands on the desk. "And here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to finish out your stay....quietly and without incident. You’re not going to speak to Sarah. You’re not going to look at her. You’re not going to acknowledge her existence. And then you’re going to leave and never return."

"You can’t ban me from...."

"I can. This is my home. My estate. And you are no longer welcome here." His eyes were hard, unforgiving. "Furthermore, if I hear that you’ve spread any rumors about Sarah....if you’ve said anything to damage her reputation or make her life difficult in any way....I will destroy you, Victoria. Not your family. You personally. I will use every resource at my disposal to ensure that no one in our social circle will ever speak to you again. You’ll be a pariah. Friendless. Alone."

"You wouldn’t...."

"Try me." He straightened. "I have tolerated your presence out of respect for the business relationship between our families. But that tolerance has limits. And you just exceeded them."

Victoria stood, her face contorted with rage. "She won’t last. Whatever little spell she has you under will break. And when it does.....when you realize she’s not worth losing everything for.....don’t come crawling back to me."

"I won’t need to. Because she’s worth more than everything I could possibly lose." He moved to his office door and opened it. "Mrs. Chen will help you pack. Your car will be ready in an hour. Goodbye, Victoria."

"You’re making a mistake...."

"The only mistake I made was allowing you to stay this long. Get out."

She stormed past him, fury radiating from every line of her body, and Damien closed the door behind her with a decisive click.

Good. He’d handled Victoria. Now he could focus on what really mattered.

Finding a way to make Aria trust him before it was too late.

He pulled out his phone and sent a text to his contact at the hospital:

Prepare Mei Chen for Vitalis Radix treatment. I’m sending the necessary materials tomorrow morning, with or without her daughter’s consent. The patient’s life takes priority over everything else.

If Aria wouldn’t ask for help, he’d give it anyway. Would save her mother and deal with the consequences later.

Even if it meant revealing that he’d known everything all along.

Even if it meant she hated him for the deception.

At least her mother would live.

And maybe.....maybe....eventually Aria would forgive him.

He could only hope.

ARIA’S POV - 8 PM

Aria had spent the last three hours in her room, crying and trying to figure out what to do.

Damien had practically handed her the solution. Had told her the plants were meant to help people. Had given her every opportunity to ask.

And she’d frozen. Again.

She was a coward. A useless, pathetic coward who was going to let her mother die because she was too scared to ask for help.

There was a knock on her door. Soft but insistent.

She opened it to find Damien standing there, looking at her with such intensity it stole her breath.

"Come with me," he said quietly. "Please."

"Where?"

"My quarters. I need...." He paused, his jaw tight. "I need you. Tonight. Please."

She should say no. Should create distance. Should figure out her next move regarding the plant.

But she nodded and followed him through the mansion to his private wing.

Inside his rooms, he locked the door and turned to face her with eyes that were dark with need and frustration and something that looked almost like desperation.

"I’m trying," he said roughly. "I’m trying to be patient. To wait for you to trust me. But Serah, I’m running out of ways to show you that I’m here. That I want to help. That there’s nothing you could tell me that would make me turn you away."

"Damien....."

"No. Let me finish." He crossed to her, his hands framing her face. "I don’t know what burden you’re carrying. But I can see it destroying you. I can see you falling apart. And it’s killing me that you won’t let me help. That you won’t trust me enough to ask."

Tears spilled down her cheeks. "I want to. I do. But I’m so scared....."

"Of what? What are you scared of?"

"Of losing you," she whispered. "If you knew the truth....if you knew why I’m really here....you’d hate me. You’d never want to see me again. And I....." Her voice broke. "I can’t lose you. Even though I know I’m going to anyway."

"You’re not going to lose me." His thumbs brushed away her tears. "Whatever the truth is.....I’m not going anywhere."

She wanted to believe him. Wanted it so badly.

But she couldn’t. Not yet.

"Just...." She reached up to touch his face. "Just be with me tonight. Make me forget everything except this. Except us. Please."

Something shifted in his expression. Understanding. Acceptance that she still wasn’t ready.

"Okay," he said quietly. "Tonight, I’ll make you forget. But Serah, we can’t do this forever. Eventually, you’re going to have to trust me."

"I know."

He kissed her then.....deep and consuming and desperate.....and she kissed him back with everything she had.

Tomorrow, she’d figure out what to do. Tomorrow, she’d face the impossible choice.

But tonight, she’d let herself have this. Let herself be claimed and cherished and loved by the man she was going to betray.

Even if it destroyed them both.