Chapter 56 Elena’s Outburst/ King Damien

Chapter 56 Elena’s Outburst/ King Damien
The quiet of Elena’s bedroom felt suffocating.

She sat curled at the edge of her bed, her knees hugged to her chest, trying to steady her breathing.

The walls felt like they were closing in, the pressure, the expectations, the forced engagement, everything swirling like a storm in her skull.

She was supposed to be resting... Victor’s orders, but her mind churned with exhaustion and dread as she tried to breathe in the suffocating silence of her room.

She rubbed her temples, exhausted.

Then suddenly... her phone rang.

Elena frowned when she saw the caller ID.

Lila.

Her friend never called during the day. Never. Not unless something was wrong.

She hesitated for a moment, then finally answered.

“Elena Lancaster!” Lila screamed before the phone even reached Elena’s ear. “What the hell is going on?! What did you do?! Why didn’t you tell me anything?!”

Elena winced from the constant screaming. “Lila... Lila, calm down—”

“No! I can’t calm down right now! I am TWO SECONDS from losing my mind because I just found out the entire internet is talking about YOU!”

“Talking about me?” Elena blinked. “Why?”

“What do you mean, WHY?!” Lila’s voice rose even higher. “Did you seriously hide your engagement from me? Me? Your best friend? Your sister-from-another-mother? Elena, what the hell?!”

Elena’s confusion wavered between panic and disbelief.

“Lila… what news of engagement? I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

There was a full three seconds of silence.

Then Lila whispered, “Elena… don’t play with me right now. You’re scaring me. The whole world is shouting about your engagement with Caspian Volkov.”

Elena’s heart stopped.

“Lila… I—”

“I sent it to you! Check your messages! Right now, Elena.”

Elena lowered the phone, her hands trembling, and opened the chat.

There it was... A link... A headline.

She tapped it, and her stomach fell into an endless void.

BREAKING NEWS:
HEIR OF THE LANCASTER EMPIRE AND THE VOLKOV HEIR ANNOUNCE THEIR ENGAGEMENT.
OFFICIAL CEREMONY DATE SET.

Pictures of her.
Pictures of Caspian.
A full paragraph quoting “Mr. Victor Lancaster confirmed the union.”

Her breath hitched, and her fingers went cold.

Her chest tightened until she couldn’t breathe.

No! No!! No!!! This can't be happening.

Her voice cracked as it was filled with emotion. “Lila… Lila, I didn’t agree to this. I didn’t... I told him NO. I told him I didn’t want this. I—”

“Elena,” Lila spoke softly, her heartbreak and anger mixing. “Girl… your father did it again. You know he does not care what you want. It's always what he wants.”

A tear slipped down Elena’s cheek.

“Lila… I can’t anymore… I can’t take this anymore…”

Her voice broke into pieces.

“Elena, listen to me... breathe... just breathe, okay?”

“I can’t…” Elena choked. “This is too much…" Everything is going wrong… everything…”

“Elena... DON’T do anything stupid. Go find someone. Go talk to someone...”

But Elena had already hung up.

Her anger, humiliation, and heartbreak scraped her chest raw.

She stormed out of her room like a hurricane.

She ran down the stairs, every breath burning her lungs.

She saw her father walking with Mr. Volkov as they talked about something.

Caspian was beside them, smiling politely.

“Elena, what are you doing...” He tried to say when he saw her.

“FATHER!” Elena screamed.

Everyone froze. Even the servants flinched from her tone.

Victor turned, startled. “Elena—what are you—”

She shoved her phone into his face, her hands shaking violently.

“WHAT IS THIS?!” she screamed. “WHAT DID YOU DO?! WHY IS MY ENGAGEMENT EVERYWHERE?”

Victor blinked slowly, his face blank. “Lower your voice...”

“DO NOT TELL ME TO LOWER MY VOICE!” Elena roared, tears streaming down her face despite her attempts to wipe them. “Why did you publish this?! Why?! I TOLD YOU I don’t want to marry Caspian! I told you that this is MY life!”

“Elena…” Caspian reached for her arm gently. “Please, calm down—”

She jerked away from him violently. “Don’t you touch me!”

Caspian froze, his hand hanging awkwardly in the air. He was shocked.

Victor clenched his jaw. “Elena. This behavior is unacceptable.”

“What’s unacceptable,” she shot back, “is you treating me like a piece of property!”

“Elena, enough...”

“No! I’m DONE, Father! I’m done being quiet! I’m done pretending! I’m done living in this... this golden prison!”

Victor’s face twitched. Shock. Anger. Embarrassment, altogether. 

“Elena,” he said in a dangerously low tone. “You are speaking nonsense.”

“You ruined my life!” she screamed. “You destroyed any freedom I had! And now you want to sell me off like some—”

“ENOUGH!” Victor roared.

Then... It happened.

SMACK.

His hand connected with her cheek so hard that the sound echoed throughout the living room.

Elena staggered backward, her hand flying to her burning cheek.

Caspian gasped, stepping forward instinctively.
“UNCLE... what are you...”

Mr. Volkov stiffened, looking embarrassingly away.

The servants stood frozen, trembling in fear.

Victor stared at his hand as if even he didn’t understand what he had just done.

Elena looked at him, her eyes wide, and her breath shaking violently.

“You… slapped me?” she whispered in disbelief.

“Elena—” Victor tried to apologize.

“How dare you…” Elena whispered.

“Elena, you were yelling like a wild—”

“How dare you SLAP ME?!” she screamed, her voice raw from betrayal.

Victor’s face twisted. Any remorse he felt from slapping her was gone instantly. “How dare you insult me in my own house! In front of guests! Have you lost every sense of respect?”

“I’m not your property!” Elena cried. “I’m your daughter!”

“And as my daughter, you do as I say!” Victor roared.

“No!” She screamed back.

“Yes!” Victor retorted.

Their voices clashed violently.

Caspian tried to intervene again. “Uncle, Elena is just upset—”

“I said... Stay out of this!” Victor snapped.

“Elena,” Caspian said softly, “I’m sure your father didn’t mean to hit—”

“Don’t defend him!” Elena’s voice cracked with pain.

Caspian felt frustrated being the stubborn father and daughter.

Victor’s face had gone dark. “I will not tolerate this disrespect.”

"Well... You can go to hell!"

"ELENA!"

Victor raised his hand again to slap her.

...servants gasped
...Caspian reached out
...Mr. Volkov stepped back

But before that hand could strike, a hand shot forward and caught Victor’s wrist mid-air.

Victor and everyone froze.

Damien just stood there. His expression was unreadable as always. His eyes were cold, and his jaw was clenched.

And his voice... His voice was sharper than a blade.
"You... you..." Victor was speechless.

“You hired me to protect your daughter,” Damien said quietly. “That means protecting her from anyone. Even you. I said that before. Why don't you understand?!”

The room went silent. Every soul in the mansion felt the temperature drop.

Victor’s eyes widened. “How dare you touch...”

Damien shoved him... hard.

Victor stumbled, nearly falling.

Elena gasped in disbelief but was delighted.

Caspian’s face drained of color. Damien had taken his spotlight again. Damn it.

Mr. Volkov looked horrified. He had never seen anyone treat it talked to Victor like that ever in his life. The pure audacity!

The servants backed away like they’d witnessed a monster awaken.

Damien took one slow step forward. His voice was low, calm, and deadly.

“If you ever raise a hand at her again,” he said, “you will regret it.”

Caspian swallowed hard. That wasn’t a threat. That was a promise. But how could a mere servant... a mere bodyguard, talk to his employer like that?

Damien didn’t seem like an employee at that moment. He looked like a king, who could crush anyone under his feet.

And at that moment… Caspian knew:

If Damien lives, Elena would never be his.

He clenched his fists and his eyes darkened.

In his mind, a decision formed...

Damien must go. One way or another.