Chapter 55 Sudden Confession

Chapter 55 Sudden Confession
Morning arrived, but the household did not wake gently.

There was movement everywhere as always, servants hurrying up and down the corridors, decorators bringing boxes inside, and Victor barking orders through his phone.

The mansion felt strangely alive, buzzing with a nervous sort of excitement.

But Elena felt none of it.

She stood at her window, arms wrapped around herself, watching two unfamiliar black cars enter the estate. Her heart thudded with dread. She didn’t need anyone to tell her what this meant.

Victor was beginning the engagement preparations.

Her engagement to Caspian.

She backed away from the window, her breath coming quicker, and her chest tightening like hands were closing around her ribs.

Her phone buzzed suddenly.

Father: Come to the main hall in 10 minutes.

Elena swallowed hard, bile rising in her throat. She felt small again, cornered, helpless, and trapped in a world where her choices were irrelevant.

She could only think of one person when she couldn't breathe.

Damien!

She left her room, her eyes scanning the hall desperately for him... and there he was, just turning the corner, his expression cold and composed, but his shoulders tense, and his jaw clenched. He had barely slept. She could tell

Elena didn’t care who saw. She rushed to him and grabbed his wrist, her voice trembling.

“Damien… please. I can't breathe.”

His eyes softened instantly the moment they landed on her.

He pulled her into a secluded corner of the hallway before anyone else noticed her distress.

She was shaking and seemed to break at any moment.

His hands cupped her face before he could stop himself as he studied her trembling lips and wide, frightened eyes.

“What happened?” he murmured.

“Can't you see it? They’re starting,” she whispered, her fingers tightening around his shirt. “The engagement preparations. I saw the cars. The decorators. My father wants me downstairs right now. I—Damien, I can’t do this.”

Her voice cracked on the last word.

Damien’s heart clenched painfully. He pulled her firmly into his chest, one arm tightening around her waist as if shielding her from the entire world.

“I won’t let him force you,” he whispered into her hair.

Elena buried her face in his chest, her voice shaking. “Then take me away. Take me right now.”

Damien froze.

Those words hit him like a blade to the lungs.

He wanted to. God, he wanted to. But running away without a plan would destroy her.

Victor would hunt her down. Caspian’s family would run after them, too.

Not that he cared anyway. But he couldn’t leave. Not yet! He can't abandon his revenge plan until it is over. If he wants to free Elena, he must take Victor as soon as possible.

But seeing Elena so fragile broke him in ways nothing else ever had.

Her fists clenched into his shirt.

“Damien, please. Say something.”

He brushed his thumb along her lower lip, his eyes darkening with a mixture of longing and torment.

“Elena…” His voice cracked. “You know I’d protect you from any harm. That's my job. But right now...”

She pushed away slightly, hurt flashing in her eyes. “You’re hesitating again.”

“Elena—”

“You always hesitate,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Every time I need you the most.”

Damien shut his eyes, letting her words cut deeper.

He took a steadying breath and pulled her back to him, firmer this time.

“I’m not hesitating because of you. It's because of me.”

Elena looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with tears.

Before he could say more, Victor’s voice thundered down the hallway.

“Elena!”

Her entire body flinched.

Damien’s rage rose so sharply that he nearly stepped out from behind the corner to face Victor head-on, consequences be damned.

Elena grabbed his wrist again and shook her head.

“Damien… please.”

His chest rose and fell, anger barely contained.

Finally, he forced himself to let go of her. “Go. I’ll stay close.”

Elena swallowed hard and left, her shoulders tense, and her head down.

Damien watched her walk straight into Victor’s control.

And something inside him screamed chaos.

Caspian stood from afar, watching Elena and Damien’s hidden exchange, only a glimpse, but enough to understand the depth between them.

His jaw tightened, and his lip curled up in an evil smirk.

'So Damien wasn’t just protective. He was really involved.'

He pulled out his phone and made a call.

“Father,” he said quietly. “I need you to speed up the engagement arrangements.”

A pause.

“Yes. Immediately.”

Another pause.

“And I need something else. I want a dossier on Damien. Everything. Background, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and people he cares about. Anything that can be used to… remove him.”

Then... he hung up.

A slow, evil smile crept across his face.

“Let’s see how long the bodyguard lasts.”

In the main hall, Victor greeted the coordinators, discussing themes, color palettes, invitations, business alliances, everything as though Elena were a decorative vase instead of a human being.

Elena just stood beside him like a ghost.

Victor spoke loudly as if wanting the whole world to hear his declaration. “My daughter’s engagement to Caspian will be one of the best.”

“Is she excited?” One woman asked kindly.

Victor laughed before Elena could answer.

“She’s overwhelmed with happiness.”

Elena’s throat closed, and she lowered her head to hide her tears.

Damien, watching from the staircase, saw the pain in her eyes.

He gripped the railing so tightly as he tried to ground himself.

Victor left to make a call, leaving Elena alone with the coordinators and Caspian.

Then he saw it. Caspian touched Elena’s lower back.

A friendly gesture, innocent to outsiders. But Elena flinched. And that was it.

Something inside Damien snapped.

His vision darkened, and his heartbeat thundered.

“Elena!”

She looked up at him, startled.

“Your father needs you,” he lied, his voice flat.

Victor was on the other side of the room, nowhere near calling for her.

Elena immediately stepped away from Caspian and followed Damien, relief flooding her face.

He grabbed her wrist, not gently, not roughly, but with urgency, and led her into a small side hallway.

“Damien…?” she whispered.

He pushed her against the wall, not in anger, but in desperation.

“Don’t let him touch you again,” he said, feeling frustrated.

Elena stared at him in shock. Was this Damien? He was... possessive now.

His eyes weren’t cold this time. They were burning.

“Damien…” she breathed. “You’re scaring me.”

He exhaled shakily, pinning one hand beside her head.

“I don't like him touching you. Pretend he owns you. Watching your father destroy you piece by piece. I—” His voice cracked. “I’m losing myself.” Damien didn’t know why he was suddenly confessing these to her. He just couldn't keep it in any longer.

He knew it was a bad idea. Because no matter how much Elena hates her father, she would also definitely hate Damien if she ever found out that he used her to get closer to her father for revenge. But for now, he couldn't think properly. All he saw was Caspian claiming her.

Elena’s heart hammered against her ribs. She lifted a trembling hand to his cheek.

“Then lose yourself with me for once. Just once.”

That did it.

Damien pulled her into a bruising kiss, one hand sliding behind her neck, the other gripping her waist.

Elena gasped against his mouth, instantly melting into him.

It was short, hungry, desperate, full of fear and longing, and forbidden love.

When he finally pulled back, breathing hard, their foreheads pressed together.

“Elena,” Damien whispered, “if they push you any further…”

She waited.

His voice dropped to a deadly, broken softness.

“…I won’t hold back anymore.”

Her breath caught in her throat. This is exactly what she had been longing to hear.

Before either could speak again...

Victor’s furious voice echoed from the hall.

“ELENA!”

Damien’s eyes went murderously dark.

Elena’s hand shook as she grabbed his arm. “Damien… don’t. Please.”

For a moment, he didn’t move.

Then he forced himself away from her, though trembling with rage.

"I will be right back." She whispered, kissing him one last time before hurrying off.

Damien watched her walk away again.

And he knew...

The next time Victor or Caspian hurt her… he would not stop himself. Not again. Not ever.

Damien had reached his breaking point.

The next push would destroy everything and everyone.

For her!