The silence between them was thick with things unspoken. Evelyn stood by the window, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, watching the rain tap softly against the glass. Damien leaned against the doorframe, hands tucked into his pockets, waiting.“You're really going to just stand there until I say yes?” she finally asked without turning around.He smiled faintly. “If that’s what it takes.”Evelyn turned, eyes sharp. “Don’t flatter yourself. This isn’t love, Damien. This is war. And you're asking me to surrender.”“I’m offering peace,” he said calmly. “Protection. For you. For your child.”“You mean Adrian’s child.”Damien’s jaw flexed. “Does it matter?”She walked slowly toward him, her steps measured. “It does to me. That child is all I have left of him. So if I do this… if I marry you… there will be rules.”He nodded. “Name them.”“One,” she began, lifting a finger. “This is a political arrangement, not a romantic one. Don’t touch me without permission.”“Understood.”“Two.