CHAPTER THREE: HIDDEN TRUTH

"Damian, we need to talk about Sofia," Ricardo Cruz said, his voice cutting through the air like a knife as he leaned back in his chair.

Damian looked at his father across the office desk, an uneasy feeling settling in his gut. "What about her?"

Ricardo's eyes narrowed. "She's not going to make it. The doctors informed me. So, why are we wasting so much money on her hospital bills?"

Damian's jaw tightened. "It's not our money to waste. This was part of the marriage agreement, footing the bill."

"That may be true, but we're tied to them now," Ricardo continued, his tone indifferent. "We should conserve resources for more important matters."

A wave of anger surged through Damian, hot and consuming. "I couldn't care less whether Sofia lives or not. This marriage was never about her. It was about securing our position."

Outside the office door, Elena froze, her heart dropping to her stomach. She had been on her way to speak with Damian, but now, she stood rooted to the spot, unable to move as the weight of his words crushed her. She felt tears stinging her eyes, but she blinked them away, focusing on the voices inside.

"Exactly," Ricardo agreed, his voice devoid of empathy. "So don't let this family become a drain on our resources."

Elena couldn't take it anymore. She stepped back, her mind reeling, tears spilling down her cheeks. She turned to leave, but the movement caught Damian's eye through the crack in the door. His eyes widened as he realized she had overheard everything.

"Elena!" Damian called, rushing to the door. He caught her by the arm, pulling her back. "Wait."

She jerked her arm free, her eyes blazing with fury. "How dare you? How could you say that about Sofia? She's just a child!"

Damian's face hardened, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—guilt, maybe. "You weren't supposed to hear that."

"But I did!" she cried, her voice breaking. "You don't care about anyone but yourself. You and your father are monsters!"

Damian grabbed her wrist again, pulling her into the office and shutting the door behind them. "Listen to me, Elena. I'm doing this to protect you."

Elena yanked her arm free, glaring at him. "Protect me? By wishing death on my sister?"

"You don't understand," Damian said, his voice low and urgent. "There's more at play here than you know."

"I understand enough," she shot back, tears streaming down her face. "You don't care about Sofia. You don't care about me. You just care about your precious empire." "I'm leaving. My parents need to know they married me off to the Devil."

Damian's eyes darkened. "If you go to your parents with this, it will destroy everything we've worked for."

"Good," she spat. "You deserve to be destroyed."

"You don't know what you're saying," he said, stepping closer. "This isn't just about the business. It's about keeping you safe."

Elena laughed bitterly. "Safe? From what? You?"

"From the people who want to see you suffer," Damian replied, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You have no idea what you're involved in." "Your parents aren't who they portray themselves to be either."

Elena stared at him, her anger mingling with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Damian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "There are people who would use you to get to me. To get to both of us. If they think you're a liability, they won't hesitate to hurt you." "You think you're here, just playing the good big sister role? Your parents wanted more. You're just a mere pawn in their game."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she asked, her voice trembling. "That my life is just a pawn in your game?"

"No," he admitted. "But it's the truth."

Elena shook her head, backing away. "I don't believe you. I can't trust you."

"Then don't," Damian said, his tone hardening. "But know this: if you try to undermine this marriage, I will make your life a living hell."

Elena's eyes flashed with hate. "Then I'll destroy you first."

"Good luck," Damian said, his lips curling into a bitter smile. "You'll need it."

With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Elena standing in the office in anger.

---

The days that followed were tense and uneasy. Elena and Damian avoided each other as much as possible, their interactions limited to cold, clipped exchanges. The air between them crackled with unspoken hostility, each of them bracing for the next inevitable clash.

Elena threw herself into her work, trying to lose herself in the routines of daily life. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the image of Damian's face as he had spoken those cruel words about Sofia. It haunted her, a constant reminder of the devil she's living with.

One evening, as she was heading to her room, she overheard Damian on the phone in his study. She paused, her curiosity piqued despite herself.

"I don't care about the cost," he was saying, his voice low and urgent. "Just make sure it's done. No loose ends."

Elena's blood ran cold. What was he planning now? She backed away, her mind racing. She needed to find out more. She needed to protect Sofia, to protect herself.

That night, as she lay in bed, her thoughts wouldn't stop churning. What if Damian was right? What if there were dangers she didn't understand? But no. She couldn't let herself be swayed by his manipulations. She had to stay strong. For Sofia. For herself.

The next morning, she decided to confront him. She found him in the kitchen, sipping his coffee and reading the newspaper. He looked up as she entered, his expression unreadable.

"We need to talk," she said, her voice steady.

Damian raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

"About what I heard last night," she replied, stepping closer. "Who were you talking to?"

"That's none of your business," he said, his tone dismissive.

"It is, if it affects me," she shot back. "I have a right to know."

Damian sighed, setting down his coffee. "I'm handling things, Elena. That's all you need to know."

"That's not good enough," she said, her anger rising. "I need to know what's going on."

Damian stood, his eyes locking onto hers. "You think you can handle the truth? You have no idea what you're asking for."

"Try me," she challenged, crossing her arms.

He took a step closer, staring at her with an intense gaze. "Fine. But remember, you asked for this."

---

Damian's patience was wearing thin. He had tried to shield Elena from the darker aspects of their world, but she was relentless. And now, she had overheard a conversation that could unravel everything. He had no choice but to bring her into the fold, to show her the reality she was so desperate to understand.

That evening, he led her to his office, closing the door behind them. He handed her a file, watching as she opened it and began to read. Her eyes widened as she took in the information, her face growing pale.

"This is… this is insane," she whispered, looking up at him. "These people…my parents.... Dangerous...I don't believe it."

"Exactly," Damian said, his voice grim. "That's why I'm doing what I'm doing. To keep you safe."

Elena shook her head, still in disbelief. "But why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want to involve you," he replied. "But now you're in it, whether you like it or not."

She looked at him, her expression a mix of fear and anger. "You might be making this up. I don't trust you."

"You don't have to," he said. "Just know that everything I'm doing is to protect you. And Sofia."

Elena's eyes softened at the mention of her sister, but the tension between them remained. "What do we do now?"

"We keep up appearances," Damian said. "We act like everything is normal. And we wait."

"For what?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"For the right moment," he replied. "To strike back."

Elena nodded, the weight of their situation pressing down on her. She had no choice but to trust him, at least for now. But deep down, she vowed to find a way out. To protect her sister. To protect herself.

As she left the office, her mind was a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn't shake the feeling that their real challenges were only just beginning and there was more to it.

The days that followed, Elena and Damian maintained a façade of being a normal couple, but beneath the surface, the air crackled with unspoken tension. They both knew that their fragile alliance could shatter at any moment.

One evening, Elena sat alone in the living room, in thought. She heard Damian's footsteps approaching and looked up to see him standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

"Can I sit?" he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.