CHAPTER FIFTY NINE

CHAPTER FIFTY NINE

"Because you told me not to do anything without consulting you first." Victoria's voice rose slightly, defensive. "Or have you forgotten your little performance at the hospital when I acted independently? You nearly crushed my nose, Richard. You made it very clear I was to run everything by you."

Richard released a heavy breath, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "What did you do about the video? The one you sent to Alexandra?"

"I've handled it." Victoria's attention returned to the television screen. "It's been scrubbed from most platforms. Your precious image is safe. No one's connecting you to your son's... indiscretion."

Richard didn't respond immediately, his fingers drumming against the glass in his hand. The ice clinked softly.

"Do whatever you want with Alexandra," he finally said, his voice cold and dismissive. "I'm giving you free rein. Pull your own operation. I'm done trying to coordinate this."

Victoria's eyes lit up with something dangerous, something gleeful. "Now you're talking like the Richard I know. The one who doesn't let failures stop him."

She moved to stand in front of him, her expression shifting to something calculating. "I'll handle her myself. Pay her a little visit. Have a nice long conversation."

"What kind of conversation?" Richard asked, watching her carefully.

Victoria's lips curved into a cruel smile. "The real reason I sent her that video was to force a confrontation. I wanted her to come to me, to seek me out. But she hasn't."

She started pacing again, but slower now, more purposeful. "I know she didn't realize it was me at first who sent it. But I'm sure her nosy friend Alicia must have told her by now. They're thick as thieves, those two. Yet Alexandra still hasn't confronted me about it."

"So what are you going to do?" Richard took another sip of his drink.

"So I'll take the confrontation to her instead." Victoria's voice took on a vicious edge. "I'll go to her. Make it clear that I know exactly who she is. That I'm not some fool who can be easily dismissed."

"And what exactly will you tell her?" Richard's eyes narrowed.

"That I know who she really is." Victoria stopped pacing, turning to face him fully. "That I know she's Sasha Rivera. That I know about her past with Damon. And that I'm not backing down. Not when it comes to him. He's mine, and she needs to understand that."

"Do what you want." Richard's voice was tired now, drained. "Just don't hurt my son in the process. He's all I have. Even though he's lost his mind lately and had the nerve to strike me, he's still my blood. My only child."

Victoria's mouth fell open slightly, her eyes widening. "Wait—Damon hit you? Actually hit you?"

Richard nodded slowly, his hand moving unconsciously to his cheek where Damon had struck him. "He found out I fabricated the evidence about Sasha cheating on him five years ago. Confronted me in my own study."

"What?" Victoria's voice came out strangled, her pacing stopping abruptly. "How the hell did he find out? We were so careful!"

"I don't know the details." Richard's jaw clenched at the memory. "He had someone dig into it. Probably that loyal dog of his, Chris Rhodes. The photographs were analyzed, and they found digital manipulation."

"Jesus Christ." Victoria pressed her hands to her temples. "This is bad, Richard. This is really bad for us. For both of us."

She dropped her hands suddenly, spinning to face him with wide, fearful eyes. "Does he know I was involved? Did you tell him I knew about it? That I helped you?"

Richard scoffed, his expression darkening. "Do I look stupid enough to expose you to him? What would that accomplish except making everything worse?"

"No, no, that's not what I meant." Victoria's hands twisted together anxiously, her carefully maintained composure cracking. "I'm just trying to understand what he knows. What he might do. Did he say anything specific about me? About whether he suspects me?"

"He didn't mention you at all." Richard settled deeper into the couch cushions, taking another long drink. "His rage was focused entirely on me. Which is how I prefer it, honestly."

A beat of silence passed between them.

"Do you think he knows we're both aware of who Alexandra really is?" Victoria asked quietly, her voice dropping to almost a whisper. "That we both figured out she's Sasha?"

Richard was silent for a long moment, his eyes distant, considering. "He knows I figured it out. That much is certain from our confrontation. But whether he knows you did too..." He shrugged. "We'll have to wait and see how he acts around you. Whether he confronts you."

"Damn," Victoria breathed, sinking into the chair across from him. "This whole thing is falling apart. Everything we planned."

"Then put it back together," Richard said coldly. "Go have your little confrontation with Alexandra. Make your position clear. Do whatever you need to do. Just be smart about it."

Victoria nodded slowly, her mind already working through possibilities.

༺༺♡♡༻༻

"Alexandra!"

Damon's voice rang through the hospital lobby as he rushed through the entrance, his footsteps echoing off the tile floors. His heart pounded in his chest, panic and relief warring inside him.

"Alexandra!" He called again, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Several nurses turned to look at him, murmuring complaints about his volume, but he barely heard them.

"Damon."

The small voice came from behind him, barely above a whisper. He spun around.

Alexandra stood there, Alicia hovering a few steps away with concern written all over her face. The sight of Alexandra nearly drove the air from Damon's lungs.

Her eyes were so swollen they were almost unrecognizable. She looked fragile in a way that terrified him—like she might shatter if he breathed too hard in her direction. Her face was blotchy and red, tear tracks still visible on her cheeks. She looked exhausted, broken, like she'd been through a war and lost.

He'd seen the news coverage at his office. The explosion. The smoke. The reports of her driver dying while saving her. God, he'd wanted to stay away, to give her space, to respect whatever boundaries she'd built. But he couldn't. The thought of her being hurt, of losing her again when he'd just found her, had driven him here against all logic.

In two long strides, he was in front of her. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her into an embrace so tight he worried for a moment he might hurt her.

Alexandra's composure crumbled immediately. She began sobbing against his chest, her entire body shaking with the force of her tears.

"Shhh, it's okay." Damon's voice was gentle as he stroked her hair, his other arm holding her securely. "You're safe now. You're okay, Sasha."

He felt her body go completely rigid in his arms. Her breath caught audibly.

Slowly, carefully, Alexandra pulled back just enough to look up at him. Her eyes were wide, questioning, filled with something that looked like fear and confusion mixed together.

Damon's hand came up to cup her face, his thumb brushing away fresh tears. "No more pretending." His voice was raw, honest, thick with emotion. "I know it's you. I've known for a while now. And I'm not letting you out of my sight again, baby. Not ever again. I can't lose you twice."

Before she could respond, before she could pull away or protest or do anything, Damon lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.

The kiss was desperate, passionate, filled with five years of longing and regret. He poured everything into it—every apology he'd never said, every moment he'd missed, every dream he'd had of finding her again.

But Alexandra stood completely still in his arms. Her lips didn't move against his. Her body remained tense, unresponsive. She didn't kiss him back.

She didn't push him away either.

She just stood there, frozen, as if she didn't know what to do with this man who'd broken her heart calling her by a name she'd buried, kissing her like they hadn't spent five years apart, like he hadn't destroyed her on what should have been the happiest day of her life.

Damon finally pulled back, his forehead resting against hers. "Say something. Please, Sasha. Say anything."

But Alexandra's eyes were distant, glazed, like she wasn't fully present. Like she was somewhere else entirely.