Chapter 19 Chapter 19
Hailey’s POV
“Get back to class, Sophia,” Damien said, his voice cold and authoritative, not even looking at his daughter.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Sophia shot back, her voice shaking with rage. “Not until this wench gets a thousand miles away from you.”
Her face was flushed, her hands trembling at her sides, and I could see it clearly now, the raw, bitter jealousy burning in her eyes. The way she looked at me wasn’t just anger, it was pure hatred mixed with something deeper, something possessive and wounded.
She wasn’t just angry. She was seething, practically vibrating with fury at the sight of her father’s hands on me.
And suddenly, an idea sparked in my mind, petty and vindictive and absolutely perfect.
I let my knees buckle slightly, pretending to stagger. My hand flew to my temple like I was dizzy, and I made sure to lean just a little more into Damien’s chest.
Damien’s grip on my waist tightened immediately, pulling me closer against him to steady me. His chest was solid and warm against my side, and I leaned into it just enough to make it look convincing.
“Are you alright?” he asked, concern flickering in his dark eyes as he adjusted his hold, his other hand coming up to support my arm.
“Just a little dizzy,” I murmured, letting my voice sound weak and breathless. “I think I stood up too fast.”
I glanced over at Sophia and felt a surge of satisfaction at what I saw.
Her face had gone from red to nearly purple, her jaw clenched so tight I thought her teeth might crack. Her hands were balled into fists, her nails digging into her palms hard enough to leave marks. Her chest heaved with each angry breath, and I could practically see the steam coming out of her ears.
The jealousy radiating off her was almost palpable, thick and suffocating.
“You…” she started, her voice a strangled hiss. “You’re doing this on purpose.”
A slow, villainous smirk tugged at the corner of my lips before I could stop it.
That’s right, Sophia. Seethe.
“Sophia,” Damien said sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. “That’s enough. Go back to class. Now.”
But she wasn’t listening. Her eyes were fixed on me with such burning hatred that for a moment, I actually felt a flicker of fear. She looked like she wanted to tear me apart with her bare hands.
“This isn’t over,” she hissed, her voice low and venomous.
With one final, murderous glare, she spun on her heel and stormed off down the hallway, her footsteps echoing violently against the tile floor. She was practically running, her breath coming in short, angry bursts, her entire body rigid with rage.
I watched her go, that smirk still playing on my lips, satisfaction warming my chest.
The moment she disappeared around the corner, reality crashed back down on me.
What the hell was I doing?
I straightened up immediately and shoved myself away from Damien, putting as much distance between us as the narrow hallway would allow. My heart was pounding, but now it wasn’t from satisfaction, it was from the sudden awareness of how close I’d been to him, how his hands had felt on my waist, how his scent had surrounded me.
“Please,” I said, my voice sharp and defensive. “Stay away from me.”
Damien blinked, confusion flashing across his face. His hands were still slightly raised, like he’d been about to reach for me again. “A minute ago, you were all over me.”
“That was different,” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest protectively.
“Different how?” he asked, his eyebrows drawing together.
“I was just trying to piss off Sophia,” I admitted, unable to meet his eyes. My gaze fixed on a spot somewhere past his shoulder. “It wasn’t… it didn’t mean anything.”
For a moment, he said nothing. The silence stretched between us, heavy and uncomfortable. Then he took a slow step closer, his expression softening in a way that made my chest tighten uncomfortably.
“Hailey,” he said quietly, his voice dropping to something gentler. “What you saw in that office yesterday…..”
“I know what I saw,” I interrupted, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to keep it steady. The image of that man tied to the chair, the blood, Damien’s cold expression, it all came rushing back. “I saw exactly who you are.”
“That’s not who I am,” he said firmly, his jaw tightening. A muscle jumped near his temple. “Not with you. I would never hurt you.”
I laughed bitterly, the sound harsh and broken. It echoed off the walls, making me cringe at how desperate it sounded. “You’re trouble, Damien. Danger personified. Everything about you screams run, and I should have listened to that instinct the moment I saw you in that bar.”
His eyes darkened, something like pain flickering across his face before he masked it. For just a second, he looked almost vulnerable, almost human. “You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do,” I said, my voice breaking. Tears stung the back of my eyes, hot and insistent, threatening to spill over. “It would have been better for both of us if I’d never met you that night. If I’d just stayed home. If I’d never…..”
I stopped myself before I could finish that sentence, before I could say something I’d regret.
If I’d never slept with you. If I’d never gotten pregnant with your child.
“Hailey,” he said again, taking another step forward. His hand reached out slightly, like he wanted to touch me but wasn’t sure if he should.
“No,” I said, shaking my head vigorously. “You don’t understand. You’re dangerous. And I can’t… I can’t be around you. I can’t have you in my life.”
The words felt like knives coming out of my mouth, sharp and cutting. But they needed to be said. For my own protection. For the baby’s protection.
He opened his mouth to respond, to argue, to try to convince me otherwise.
But then he stopped.
His entire body went rigid, his gaze shifting to something over my shoulder. His expression changed instantly, morphing from frustration to something cold and alert. Every muscle in his body tensed, his posture shifting into something predatory and dangerous.
“What?” I asked, my pulse spiking with sudden fear. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. “What is it?”
He didn’t answer. His eyes were locked on a spot down the hallway, narrowed and dangerous. His hand moved slightly, almost imperceptibly, toward his waist where I knew he kept a weapon.
I turned slowly, following his gaze, my heart already hammering against my ribs.
At first, I didn’t see anything. Just the empty hallway, the rows of closed classroom doors, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead with their annoying, persistent hum.
But then I saw a shadow.
Someone was standing just around the corner, barely visible, their silhouette dark and still against the wall. The figure wasn’t moving, wasn’t making a sound, just standing there.
Watching us.
A chill ran down my spine, icy and sharp, spreading through my entire body like cold water.
“Who is that?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sudden roaring in my ears.
Damien didn’t answer. He just stepped forward, positioning himself slightly in front of me, his body tense and coiled like a predator ready to strike. The protective gesture should have annoyed me, but instead, it made my fear spike even higher.