The tension in the sitting room was palpable as the maids exchanged wide-eyed glances, still trying to process the fiery confrontation that had just unfolded. Aurora stood tall, her head held high, even though her heart was pounding from the intensity of what had just happened.
Damian entered the room, his usual calm and commanding presence filling the space. His eyes locked on Aurora, and for a moment, something flickered in his gaze pride, admiration, and maybe something more.
Without a word, Damian walked straight toward Aurora. She turned to face him, confusion knitting her brows as she met his intense gaze. Before she could utter a single word, he leaned down and scooped her into his arms effortlessly.
Gasps echoed around the room. The maids froze in their tracks, their mouths hanging open. Even Lina, who had just stormed out a moment ago, peeked from the hallway, her expression one of utter disbelief.
“Damian, what are you doing?” Aurora whispered, her voice shaky as her arms instinctively looped around his neck.
He didn’t answer. His grip on her was firm yet gentle, as though he were holding something precious. His face remained unreadable, but there was a softness in his eyes that made Aurora’s breath catch in her throat.
He carried her out of the room and up the grand staircase, his long strides purposeful. The murmurs of the maids faded behind them as he ascended. Aurora’s cheeks burned with embarrassment and surprise, but there was also a strange warmth spreading through her chest.
When they reached his bedroom, Damian pushed the door open with his foot and walked inside, still holding her tightly. Gently, he set her down on the large, luxurious bed. Aurora sat there, her heart racing, staring up at him as he stood over her.
“What was that about?” she finally managed to ask, her voice breathless.
Damian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he leaned down, cupping her cheek with one hand, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin. A small smile played on his lips before he lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
The kiss was gentle but lingering, and Aurora felt her resolve weakening. Her hands gripped the bedspread as she tried to steady herself, but her heart was beating wildly in her chest.
When he pulled back, his smile deepened. “Why are you so bold, Aurora?” he asked, his voice low and filled with curiosity.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
He sat beside her on the bed, his hand still resting on her cheek. “You’ve always been bold,” he said, his eyes searching hers. “Even when you were just my maid, you were never afraid to speak your mind. You stood your ground, even when I was…” He paused, a flicker of regret crossing his face. “Even when I was a monster to you.”
Aurora swallowed hard, her mind racing. She wanted to deny it, to tell him that she wasn’t bold, that she was simply surviving. But deep down, she knew there was truth in his words.
“And today,” Damian continued, his voice softening, “the way you stood up to Lina… You surprised me, Aurora. You always surprise me.”
She looked away, trying to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. “I couldn’t just stand there and let her treat Luna like that,” she murmured. “Someone had to stop her.”
Damian’s fingers brushed against her chin, gently turning her face back toward him. “That’s what I mean,” he said. “You’re not afraid of anyone, not even me. And that’s why you intrigue me, Aurora. You’re different.”
Aurora’s heart skipped a beat at his words. She wanted to look away again, to break the intense gaze he was giving her, but she couldn’t. She was captivated, drawn to him in a way she couldn’t explain.
Damian’s hand slid down her arm, his touch sending shivers down her spine. His fingers intertwined with hers, and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “You make me feel things I don’t understand,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve spent my life controlling everything, everyone. But with you… it’s different. I don’t know if it’s love or if I’m just being foolish. But I know I don’t want to lose you.”
Aurora’s breath hitched. Hearing Damian, the man she once feared, speak so vulnerably left her speechless. Her heart raced as she realized how much he had changed, how much she had changed since coming into his life.
“Damian,” she began, her voice trembling, “you’re just full of surprises. Sometimes, I don’t even recognize you.”
He chuckled softly, his lips curving into a genuine smile. “Maybe that’s because I’m starting to change,” he said. “And it’s all because of you.”
Aurora felt her cheeks flush as she looked down at their intertwined hands. Her heart was betraying her, pounding in her chest as if it were trying to tell her something.
Damian leaned closer, his other hand brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “You’ve made me question everything I thought I knew,” he said. “You’ve made me want to be better, not just for you but for myself.”
His words struck a chord in Aurora, and for the first time, she allowed herself to admit what she had been feeling. She was falling for him the man she once thought of as a monster, the man who had turned her world upside down.
She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. “You’re not being foolish, Damian,” she said softly. “You’re just… figuring out what it means to care about someone.”
A small smile spread across his face, and he leaned in, pressing another kiss to her forehead. “Thank you,” he whispered.
The moment was tender, intimate, and filled with unspoken emotions. As Damian’s hand moved to her shoulder, gently caressing her, Aurora felt herself relax in his presence.
For the first time, she allowed herself to trust him, to believe that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t the monster she had once feared. And as they sat together in the quiet of the room, the world outside seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them and the bond that was slowly growing between them.