Novels by rissa6473

Damon stared at Anthony, his surprise clear on his face. He'd suspected something might be there, but hearing Anthony actually admit it out loud was different."How long?" Damon asked quietly.Anthony looked down at his hands, a small, sad smile crossing his face. "Since the beginning. Since I first met her years ago through you."He paused."I remember when I also saw her at a corporate summit," Anthony continued. "She was representing the Ashford family, negotiating deals with confidence and intelligence. Everyone noticed her. She was beautiful, confident, and successful. But what caught my attention wasn't just how she looked. It was the way she carried herself, the way she talked about business with genuine passion, the way she treated everyone with respect regardless of their position."Damon listened without interrupting, letting his friend speak."I never approached her back then," Anthony said. "She was engaged to Alexander, and I knew better than to interfere with someone in

Anthony's face brightened with relief and happiness when Damon said those words. The tension that had been weighing heavily between them seemed to lift, replaced by something lighter and more hopeful."I'm really glad you're considering it," Anthony said, his smile warm. "I know it's not an easy decision, and I know you're doing it for the right reasons. Your mother would be proud of you."Damon nodded but didn't say anything more about Edward Sterling. The topic had already drained him emotionally, and he could feel the weight of the decision settling onto his shoulders. He'd have to think carefully about how to approach this, who to contact, and what resources to deploy.But for now, he wanted to move past it.Anthony seemed to sense his need for a change in conversation because he shifted in his seat, his expression becoming more casual again."Actually," Anthony said, "there's something else I wanted to mention. Miss Ashford told me she's been trying to reach you, but you're not

Damon clenched his jaw but nodded curtly."I'm not saying you should immediately forgive him," Anthony said carefully. "I'm not saying you should forget everything he did to you and your mother. What he did was terrible—unforgivable in many ways. The way he believed Vanessa's lies over his own wife's innocence, the way he threw you out without even investigating properly, the way he allowed your mother to be killed... those things are horrific."Anthony's voice was steady but compassionate."But making him suffer now, when he's already dying and drowning in regret and guilt... Damon, I don't think even your mother would want that," Anthony said softly. "From everything you've told me about her over the years, she was kind. Forgiving. She had a gentle heart. Do you really think she'd want you to let your father die when you have the power to save him?"Damon's expression remained hard, stony, but he didn't interrupt."Edward Sterling has already lost all hope," Anthony continued. "Art

Anthony's smile widened when Damon asked that question, his eyes lighting up with something that looked almost like relief mixed with genuine joy."It's nothing much, really," Anthony said, settling back comfortably in his chair. "But I've been waiting for this day for so long, Damon. You have no idea how long. I asked us to act like friends today; really act like friends, because your identity is finally out. No more secrets. No more hiding who you really are."He paused, and his expression shifted, becoming more reflective."For years, I had to strictly respect you, keep that professional distance between us," Anthony continued. "Not because I wanted to, but because you needed your identity protected. If I'd been too casual with you, too friendly, people would have noticed. They would have wondered why the CEO of Vespera Corporation treated some 'nobody' like a close friend."Damon listened intently and began to understand the burden Anthony had carried for all these years."Now th

Arthur was genuinely surprised by what Damon had just said. His voice came through the phone again, urgent and pleading."Mr. Damon, please don't say that again. Your father wouldn't like hearing those words, especially not in his condition right now—"But before Arthur could say anything more, Damon hung up the call and tossed the phone back onto the couch. He stared at it for a moment, his jaw tight with frustration.He knew Arthur meant well. The man had been loyal to the Sterling family for decades, and he was trying to do what he thought was right. But Arthur didn't understand. He couldn't understand the depth of pain and betrayal that still lived inside Damon after twenty years.Forgiving his father wasn't something that could happen just because Edward Sterling was dying. Death didn't erase the past. It didn't undo the damage that had been done.Damon ran his hand through his hair and let out a long breath, trying to calm himself. He was about to head upstairs to take a shower

Damon walked into his mansion, exhaustion etched across his face. He headed straight to the kitchen and gulped down a glass of water, but it did nothing to calm the storm raging inside him. His hand slammed against the kitchen cabinet—not hard enough to hurt, but enough to release some of the frustration building in his chest.Had he made a mistake telling Celia the truth now? Was the timing still wrong?He shook his head sharply. No. That couldn't be why she'd left with just that single word hanging in the air: "But.""I told her at the right time," Damon muttered to himself, pacing the kitchen floor. "If I hadn't told her everything now, she might never have wanted to hear it again. I did the right thing."He needed to believe that. He needed to convince himself that revealing his identity hadn't been a big mistake."She just needs time to process everything," he said. "Time to understand why I hid who I really was."That had to be it. Celia hadn't looked angry when she left—confuse