Damian wiped the top of his sweaty palm against his suit sleeve. He took the short walk to his A.C, making sure it was on full blast.The cold air hit his face, but it didn't stop the heat crawling up his neck.You are no longer that awkward college kid Damian. You have come this far. Nothing can stop you now.He kept repeating those words like a prayer as he went down memory lane. University had been brutal. He hadn't been the brightest. Not even close. He remembered the number of courses he had to repeat. The jokes his coursemates made every semester when he had the highest number of failed courses. Again. His parents' constant disappointment. Their threats to withdraw him from school.They had all feared he wasn't going to amount to anything.Now look at him.Today, he was the C.E.O of CrossTech, the biggest tech empire in the whole country. And he was about to sign a deal that would take his company to even greater heights. International. Global. The kind of success that made coll

Damian stayed on his knees for a long time.The broken glass surrounded him. His mother's voice echoed in his head. You are no longer my son. His father's dismissive words. Jason's cold laughter. Aurora's sharp ultimatum.Everyone. Everyone had abandoned him.But the floor was cold. And the cold reminded him he was still alive. Still breathing. Still capable of feeling something other than despair.He pushed himself up. His knees were bleeding. Tiny shards of glass had cut through his trousers. He didn't care.He walked to the bathroom. Cleaned himself up. Stared at his reflection in the mirror.The man looking back was a stranger. Hollow eyes. Sunken cheeks. A ghost wearing Damian Cross's face.You're not done yet.The thought came from nowhere. But it settled in his chest like a stone.You're not done yet.He splashed water on his face. Took a deep breath. Walked back to his office.His computer was still on. The screens glowed in the dim light. He sat down. His fingers found the ke

The news spread like wildfire."JILTED BRIDE FLEES COUNTRY ON WEDDING DAY""DAMIAN CROSS LEFT AT THE ALTAR""AURORA KANE: THE WOMAN WHO SAID NO TO A CRIMINAL"Damian watched the headlines from his living room. The TV was on. The volume was low. But he could still hear every word.She left him. Smart woman.I would have done the same thing.He deserves everything he's getting.He turned off the TV. Stared at the blank screen.The failed wedding was all anyone could talk about. Aurora was being praised as a hero. A woman who refused to marry a fraud. A woman who knew her worth.But there were other voices too. Smaller. Quieter."Why did she wait until the wedding day?""If she knew he was guilty, why didn't she end it sooner?""Maybe she was in on it. Maybe she's just as guilty."Damian read those comments. The ones that questioned Aurora. The ones that hinted at something darker.Maybe they're right. Maybe she was never innocent.But he pushed the thought away. It didn't matter now. Au

The stopping of the van had Damian lifting his head from where it lay crouched against his knee..Damian heard the gates clang open. The metal screeched. The sound was sharp. Final. Like the closing of a tomb.They pulled him out. The light was harsh. Fluorescent burning his eyes, and making him halt."Move."A guard shoved him forward. His cuffed hands threw him off balance. He stumbled. Caught himself.The processing was a blur. Fingerprints. Photos. A uniform that smelled like bleach and despair. A number stamped on his wrist. Inmate #73481.But first, they made him walk through the cell block. Through the rows of cages. Still wearing his suit. The expensive navy fabric. The perfect cut. The silk tie.The guards had planned it. Of course they had. They wanted to see him completely and totally humiliated, not only that, they were giving the other cellmates a signal that said. ‘Look here, your new toy, mess with him, however you want.’ Viktor's reach extended even here."Fresh meat,"