Chapter 4 Secrets and Suspicions

Damien leaned back in his sleek leather chair, the sprawling view of Monaco’s glittering coastline stretching before him. His office, perched atop one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city, was a reflection of his success, modern, minimalist, and intimidating. But today, Damien was anything but focused.

He swirled the amber liquid in his glass, his mind replaying the events of the past two days. The scent of her, the taste of her, the fire in her eyes—it was all etched into his memory. He hadn’t stopped thinking about her since she stormed out of the De Laurent estate.

“Are you even listening to me?” Luca’s voice cut through his thoughts.

Damien glanced at his friend, lounging on the opposite chair with an exasperated expression. Luca had been his confidant for years, a fellow Greek who had settled in Monaco and made his mark among the city’s elite.

“Not really,” Damien admitted, setting his glass down.

Luca rolled his eyes. “Figures. What’s going on with you? You’ve been distracted since I got here.”

Damien smirked, leaning forward. “I met someone.”

Luca raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “You meet someone every week. This isn’t news.”

“This one’s different,” Damien said, his tone unusually serious.

That caught Luca’s attention. He sat up straighter, his curiosity piqued. “Different how?”

Damien’s smirk deepened as he leaned back, his fingers tapping against the armrest. “It started with a cab.”

“A cab?” Luca repeated, looking incredulous. “You’re a billionaire, Damien. What were you doing fighting for a cab?”

“Long story,” Damien said with a shrug. “But there she was, drenched in rain, fiery as hell, and absolutely stunning. She accused me of stealing her cab.”

Luca laughed. “Sounds like you deserved it.”

“I didn’t,” Damien retorted, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “I had booked it, but she didn’t care. She was stubborn, angry, and impossible to ignore. By the time the rain got worse, I convinced the driver to take us both to the hotel I was staying at.”

Luca gave him a pointed look. “Let me guess, you charmed her into staying the night.”

“Not quite,” Damien said with a chuckle. “She hated me. But the storm was too bad for her to leave. So, she stayed. We argued half the night, but by the end, let’s just say things got... interesting.”

Luca’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Interesting how?”

Damien took a sip of his drink, savoring the memory. “We kissed.”

Luca’s jaw dropped. “You kissed her? Just like that?”

“It wasn’t just a kiss,” Damien said, his voice low, as if reliving the moment. “Her lips were soft, addictive. She tasted like wine and defiance. And the way her body pressed against mine...” He trailed off, shaking his head with a slight smile. “She was intoxicating.”

Luca blinked, processing this. “Wait a second. Which Lila are we talking about? Because there are only two Lila’s in Monaco that fit your dramatic description. One is the governor’s daughter-beautiful, yes, but quiet and careful. The other...”

Damien’s smirk returned, his silence speaking volumes.

Luca’s eyes widened in realization. “No. No way. Don’t tell me...” He leaned forward, his voice a mix of shock and disbelief. “You mean the heiress? Lila De Laurent?”

Damien inclined his head, the grin on his face growing wider.

Luca let out a low whistle, sinking back into his chair. “You kissed Lila De Laurent?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Man, I asked her out once, and the next day, I was plastered across every tabloid. She rejected me with a slap, Damien. A slap. And you kissed her on your first encounter?”

“What can I say?” Damien said, spreading his hands with mock innocence. “I have a way with women.”

Luca stared at him like he’d grown another head. “You’re insane. Do you have any idea who her father is? Elias De Laurent will skin you alive if he finds out. And her sister, she’s married to a duke, Damien. A duke!”

Damien shrugged. “Oh, I’m well aware. In fact, I met them yesterday.”

Luca nearly choked on his drink. “You what?”

“My father and I visited the De Laurent estate,” Damien explained casually. “Turns out, Andreas is an old friend of Elias. They’ve decided that a union between their families would be beneficial.”

Luca’s jaw dropped. “Union? You mean…marriage?”

Damien nodded, enjoying his friend’s reaction.

Luca stared at him in disbelief. “And let me guess, she didn’t take the news well.”

“Not exactly,” Damien admitted with a smirk. “She rejected the proposal outright. Stormed out of the room, leaving her father, my father, and her sister behind. It was quite the scene.”

Luca shook his head, a mixture of awe and horror on his face. “You’re unbelievable. And you’re convinced she’s going to agree to this eventually?”

“She’ll come around,” Damien said confidently.

Luca raised an eyebrow. “What makes you so sure? She sounds like she wants nothing to do with you.”

Damien’s smirk turned sly. “Because she’ll have no choice.”

Luca frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Damien leaned forward, his voice dropping. “Have you seen the latest tabloid post? The one about the birthmark?”

Luca nodded slowly. “Yeah, some mysterious picture of a birthmark with a huge reward for identifying the person. Why?”

Damien’s eyes gleamed. “That person is Lila.”

Luca’s mouth fell open. “You’re kidding.”

“Not at all,” Damien said, leaning back in his chair. “I recognized it instantly. It’s on her left shoulder. I saw it when...” He trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.

Luca looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “And you think she’ll come to you because of this?”

Damien nodded, his smirk returning. “She won’t want this getting out. And she’ll know I’m the only one who can help her.”

Luca shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “Damien, this is dangerous. If Elias finds out—”

“I can handle Elias,” Damien interrupted confidently.

Luca sighed, clearly unconvinced. “You’re playing with fire, my friend.”

“Fire is what makes life interesting,” Damien said, his tone smug.

Luca stared at him for a long moment before muttering, “You’re insane.”

Damien simply smiled, his thoughts already drifting back to Lila. He could still feel the warmth of her lips, the fire in her eyes, the way she pushed back against him with equal force.

“She’ll come to me,” he said softly, more to himself than to Luca.

And when she does, he thought, the real game would begin.