Damien's POV
The weight of the blackmail had settled in like an iron chain around my throat. Charles Sinclair had me exactly where he wanted, and the worst part was—I had let him.
I stared at the glass of whiskey in my hand, swirling the amber liquid as I replayed our last conversation.
"Marry my daughter, Daemon. You have no other choice. Refuse, and your secrets will burn you to the ground."
I had built my empire on control, on precision. I didn't make mistakes. But somehow, I had underestimated Charles, and now, I was trapped in a deal I had no way of breaking—at least, not yet.
My jaw clenched as I took a slow sip. The thought of Aurora, fiery and defiant, irritated me more than it should have. She was nothing like the women I usually entertained—she challenged, she resisted. She wasn't weak, and I hated that it made her harder to manipulate.
I had tried to intimidate her during our meeting, but she hadn't crumbled. Instead, she had looked me in the eye with that unwavering glare, daring me to push her further. There was something about her—something dangerous.
I set my glass down and leaned back in my chair.
If I was going to survive this marriage with my power intact, I needed to make sure Aurora understood who held the real control.
And that, I decided, was something I'd start working on immediately.
---
The next morning, I made my way to the Sterling Enterprises headquarters. My office was at the top floor, overlooking the city skyline, a symbol of everything I had built.
As I stepped out of the elevator, Ethan, my head of security, was already waiting for me.
"We have the files you requested," he said in a low voice.
I didn't stop walking as I took the folder from his hands and flipped it open. Surveillance reports, phone records, financial statements—it was everything we had on Charles Sinclair.
And yet, the man was still a step ahead.
"Nothing useful?" I asked.
"Nothing we can use against him yet. But we're still digging," Ethan replied.
I clenched my jaw. I had been hoping for leverage—something that would turn the tables in my favor. But Charles had covered his tracks well.
Which meant, for now, I had to play the role of the obedient fiancé.
I shut the folder and handed it back to Ethan.
"Keep looking," I ordered. "Find me something I can use."
Because this game was far from over.
And I never lost.
---
Later that evening, I found myself parked outside Aurora's loft.
I wasn't sure why I had come. Maybe it was to remind myself of the situation I was dealing with. Maybe it was because I needed to see her reaction when she realized just how real this marriage was going to be.
I stepped out of the car, making my way up to her door. My knock was sharp, demanding.
When she opened it, her expression shifted from surprise to irritation in seconds.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, arms crossed.
I smirked. "I see you have yet to learn how to properly greet your fiancé."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "You are not my fiancé."
I stepped forward, closing the distance between us. She didn't step back, but I could see the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.
"Legally, I will be. And we both know there's no way out of this."
Her defiance didn't waver. "I don't care what deal you made with my father. You don't own me."
I tilted my head slightly, amused. "No? Then why haven't you walked away?"
Her jaw tightened, and I knew I had hit a nerve.
She hated this as much as I did, but unlike me, she wasn't willing to play dirty to get out of it.
She exhaled sharply. "What do you want, Daemon?"
I leaned in slightly, just enough to make her uncomfortable.
"To set the rules."
Her brows furrowed. "Rules?"
"If we're going to do this, Aurora, you will do as I say. In public, you will play your role. You will act like the perfect, devoted fiancée. No scandals, no outbursts, no embarrassing moments. You will be the Sinclair princess your father expects you to be."
Her eyes flashed with anger, but I wasn't done.
"In return, I will give you the same courtesy. I won't interfere with your life outside of what's necessary for appearances."
She scoffed. "How generous of you."
I smirked. "You should be grateful."
She let out a humorless laugh. "And what if I refuse?"
I shrugged, stepping back. "Then you'll be making things a lot harder for yourself."
Her eyes darkened with fury. "You really think you can intimidate me?"
I leaned closer again, my voice dropping to a whisper.
"I don't need to, Aurora. Because sooner or later, you'll realize that fighting me is a battle you can't win."
She didn't respond.
Not with words, at least. But the fire in her gaze told me she wasn't backing down.
Good.
Because neither was I.
As I walked away, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I answered without looking at the screen.
"Sir," Ethan's voice came through, tense. "We found something."
I stopped in my tracks.
"What is it?"
There was a slight hesitation before he spoke again.
"Charles Sinclair has been making large, untraceable payments to an offshore account. And you're not going to like wher
e the money is going."
A slow, dangerous smile crept across my face.
Finally.
The first crack in Charles Sinclair's armor.