Aurora sat on the edge of the bed, her hands trembling slightly as she adjusted the hem of her dress. The quiet of the room was unsettling, and the silence between her and Damian was heavy, thick with unspoken words. She knew he had a plan. She knew they had to do whatever it took to get the upper hand on Lina, but she hadn’t expected this.
Damian had been distant the last few days, his attitude cold and controlling, but tonight, something was different. There was a look in his eyes, something more intense, more calculating. It sent a shiver down Aurora’s spine as she watched him walk into the room. He closed the door behind him with a soft click, then turned to face her.
“Aurora,” he said, his voice lower than usual, carrying a weight of authority that made her heart race. “We need to take this to the next level.”
Aurora swallowed hard. She had been preparing for something like this. She had known Damian wouldn’t let Lina win. She had known there would be a price to pay, and she was willing to do whatever it took, even if it meant making sacrifices.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice small, as if bracing for whatever Damian was about to say.
Damian’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her, a flicker of something dark passing through them. “I have to make Lina believe that I no longer trust you. I need to make her think that you are nothing to me, that you’re not even worthy of the title of my mistress.”
Aurora’s heart sank, but she nodded, understanding. She had already prepared herself for this. It was all part of the game, part of their strategy. “What do you want me to do?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Damian took a step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. “As part of the plan, I’m going to have to treat you differently from now on. I’ll act more closely with Lina. I’ll show her affection, make her think she has a chance.”
Aurora felt her chest tighten. The thought of him being closer to Lina, of seeing them together, made her stomach turn. But she couldn’t let her feelings show. Not now. “Okay,” she said, her voice quiet, though the words felt heavy on her tongue. “I understand.”
Damian’s expression softened for a moment, but there was still a hardness in his eyes. “It won’t be easy,” he said. “But it’s the only way to make Lina believe that she’s won. I’ll need to show her that I’ve completely lost interest in you.”
Aurora nodded again, trying to push the tightness in her chest away. She had to be strong. She couldn’t let her emotions ruin everything. “What does that mean for me?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Damian’s face darkened, and his tone grew more serious. “From now on, I won’t consider you my mistress anymore. You’ll be nothing more than a slave. You’ll serve me, but you won’t hold any power. You’ll be beneath me, just like Lina wants.”
Aurora’s breath hitched in her throat. She had always known that Damian had power over her, that their relationship had been built on that, but hearing him say it so plainly made it feel more real, more harsh. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for this new role, but she knew it was necessary. She knew this was the only way they could get ahead of Lina.
“Do you understand?” Damian asked, his voice steady but with a sharp edge to it.
Aurora closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing the lump in her throat. She had to trust him. This was all part of the plan. She nodded slowly. “Yes, I understand.”
Damian took another step closer, his eyes searching hers. “I’ll still want you close,” he said, his voice softer now. “But not in the way you’ve been. I’ll pretend to ignore you, treat you like you’re beneath me. I’ll push you away, and in front of Lina, I’ll act as if you mean nothing to me.”
Aurora’s heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to keep still. She had to be strong. She couldn’t let her emotions show, no matter how much it hurt. “Okay,” she said again, the word almost choking her. “I’ll do it.”
Damian’s eyes softened, but the edge of determination in his expression never left. “Good. You’ll play your part, and I’ll play mine. We’ll make Lina think she’s winning, and when the time is right, we’ll strike. She’ll never know what hit her.”
Aurora nodded, trying to keep the tears from rising. She had agreed to this. She had chosen to be a part of Damian’s plan, and she wouldn’t back down now. No matter how much it hurt.
For the next few days, everything changed.
Damian’s behavior toward her shifted. He became colder, more distant. He ignored her in public, paying more attention to Lina, laughing with her, even touching her in ways that made Aurora’s stomach churn. But it was all part of the plan. Aurora reminded herself of that every time Damian kissed Lina’s cheek or smiled at her in that way. He was only doing it to make Lina believe she was winning.
At night, Damian’s behavior didn’t change much. He still expected her to serve him, but now it was different. He would give her orders with no hint of affection, no warmth in his eyes. He treated her like she was a servant, a mere tool for his use. And each time he looked at her with coldness in his eyes, it hurt. But she held her ground. She couldn’t let her emotions get in the way.
Lina seemed to grow more confident with every passing day. She smiled more often, throwing little glares at Aurora whenever Damian wasn’t looking. But Aurora didn’t retaliate. She kept her head down, played the part, and made sure Lina didn’t see how much it hurt her to watch Damian act so affectionate toward her.
One night, after a particularly tense dinner where Damian had barely spoken to her, he pulled Aurora aside, away from the others. His face was serious, his eyes unreadable.
“Aurora,” he said softly, “I know this isn’t easy for you. I can see how hard you’re trying. But remember, this is all for the greater good. We’ll bring her down. I’m just using her to get what we need.”
Aurora swallowed hard, forcing back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. “I know,” she said quietly. “I know it’s part of the plan. I’m doing my part.”
Damian reached out and touched her arm, his fingers lightly brushing her skin. “I won’t forget what you’re doing for me,” he said, his voice gentle for a moment. “This will be over soon. And then, we’ll be stronger than ever.”
Aurora nodded, though her heart felt heavy. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep this up. But for Damian, for their future, she would.
She had to.
The days stretched on, each one feeling like an eternity. Aurora kept up her role, silently suffering as Damian continued to pretend he didn’t care about her. But she knew it wouldn’t be much longer. Soon, they would turn the tables, and Lina’s schemes would be exposed for what they were.
But for now, Aurora played her part, holding onto the hope that this would all be worth it in the end.