CHAPTER 14

I could feel the weight of their eyes on me, but I refused to acknowledge it. The silence between us was palpable, and I couldn't help but wonder if they were as uncomfortable as I was.

Despite the awkwardness, I continued to eat silently, hoping the meal would end soon. Damian's name echoed in her mind as she nervously fidgeted with her hands.

She had been waiting for this moment for what felt like an eternity. Finally, he turned to face her, his piercing blue eyes locking onto hers.

"Yes?" he asked, his voice smooth like velvet. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "I just wanted to talk to you about something," she said, her words coming out in a rush.

He raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Go on," he said. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to begin.

"I've been thinking a lot about us," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. His eyes narrowed slightly, and she could feel her palms growing sweaty. "And what have you been thinking?" he asked, his tone cool and collected.

She took another deep breath, gathering her courage. "I think we have something special," she said, her voice growing stronger. "Something worth exploring." He studied her momentarily, his eyes flickering with something she couldn't quite place.

"I see," he said finally. "And what do you propose we do about it?" She swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I think we should find out." From the far end of the table, Kai's voice rose above the chatter. Her heart skipped a beat as he spoke, his voice booming unexpectedly.

Damian's eyes met his father's, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

The older man's gaze was intense and imposing, but Damian refused to back down.

He held his father's stare, his own eyes cold and unyielding. As I walked into the dimly lit room, my eyes scanned the crowd for any familiar faces. That's when I saw her standing in the corner with a drink.

I couldn't help but feel drawn to her; something about her energy was magnetic. As I approached her, I couldn't resist asking, "Who's your friend?" Kai, Damian's father, raised an eyebrow curiously, a slight smirk playing at the corners of his lips. I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eye.

The air was thick with tension as the words escaped her lips. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What the fuck do you mean, who's your friend?" she demanded, her voice rising with each word. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she could feel her palms starting to sweat.

She had always trusted him, but now she wasn't so sure. Damian's heart pounded as he stood before his father, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He knew he shouldn't have let his emotions get the best of him, but the stress of dealing with the Mafia had pushed him to his limit.

"Damn it, Dad!" he yelled, echoing through the room. "I can't take this anymore! The Mafia is breathing down our necks, and you're just sitting here, doing nothing!" His father's expression remained calm, but Damian could see the worry in his eyes.

He knew his father was just as concerned about the situation as he was, but he couldn't help feeling frustrated.

"I'm sorry, son," his father said, his voice soft. "I know this is a difficult time for all of us. But we have to stay strong and stick together.

We'll get through this, I promise." Damian took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He knew his father was right.

They had to stay strong and face the Mafia head-on. But it was easier said than done.

The thought of what could happen to their family if they failed was almost too much to bear.

"I know, Dad," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I just...I don't know if I can do this." His father touched his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze.

"You can, son," he said. "We all can. We're a family, and we'll get through this together." Damian's eyes blazed with anger as he glared at his father.

"You're the one who made this fucking arrangement," he growled furiously. The tension in the room was palpable as the two men faced off, their emotions running high.

Damian's fists clenched at his sides as he struggled to control his temper, his heart pounding. He couldn't believe his father had put him in this position, and he wasn't about to back down now. He let out a deep sigh; his eyes fixed on the ground.

The arrangement was far from ideal, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. It seemed that fate had dealt him a cruel hand, and he had no choice but to accept it.

He knew he wasn't the only one feeling this way, but it didn't make the situation any easier. Despite his reservations, he knew he had to make the best of it.

Kai's mischievous grin widened as he chided Damian for his impolite tone. The atmosphere at the table was tense, and Kai saw an opportunity to lighten the mood.

"That's no way to speak, especially with a guest present," he teased, hoping to provoke a reaction from his friend. Damian's expression remained stoic, but Kai could sense his irritation simmering beneath the surface.

Damian rose from his seat, his fists tightly balled up, revealing his evident frustration. "She's not just any guest," he spat out, his tone laced with anger. "She's my goddamn fiancé." Damian's eyes blazed with rage as he glared at his father.

Without a word, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway. His father watched him go, his expression unreadable.

As Damian's mother let out a deep sigh, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

Denice shook her head in disappointment at her husband. "You always have to wind him up," she thought. It seemed liNo she did; he was always on edge and ready to snap.

She couldn't help but wonder what had caused him to become so wound up all the time. Was it the stress of work? Or was there something else going on that she didn't know about? Whatever the reason, Denice knew that she had to find a way to help her husband relax and unwind. She hoped to figure out how to do it before it was too late. Kai rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"He always gets so angry at the slightest provocation," he remarked. She spoke with a hint of resignation as if she had grown accustomed to the outbursts that plagued her son. His anger was a constant presence in their lives, a shadow that loomed over every interaction.

It was as if he carried a weight that he couldn't put down, and it manifested itself in explosive bursts of emotion. She watched him now as he fidgeted with his hands and scowled at nothing in particular.

He was clearly struggling to keep his temper in check, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him.

I felt annoyed as Kai chuckled, expecting me to join in on the laughter. It was a familiar feeling I had grown accustomed to over the years. Kai always seemed to find amusement in the most mundane things, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was laughing at me or with me.

Regardless, I plastered a fake smile and pretended to find his joke amusing while feeling a sense of unease in the pit of my stomach. "I think he was a night to be angry," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

The room fell silent as everyone turned to look at me. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment, but I stood my ground.

I had something to say and wouldn't let my shyness hold me back. My eyes met the man sitting across from me, his expression unreadable. I couldn't tell if he was angry or amused by my comment.