Womanizer

Daniel’s POV.
I thought I had the night perfectly planned. I spent hours going over every detail in my head, making sure nothing was left to chance.
The flowers were perfectly arranged, the candlelight casting just the right glow, and the charm-it was effortless after years of practice.
I’d mastered this game long ago, carefully fine-tuning the art of making a woman feel special, desired, and cherished. But as I stood there watching Aria across the table, her every movement laced with hesitation, her words echoed in my mind like a haunting refrain I couldn’t shake.
“I’m not ready.”
She hadn’t outright rejected me. But she hadn’t said yes, either.
It wasn’t the kind of rejection I was used to, the kind I could brush off with a smirk and a shrug. It wasn’t a clean cut. It was worse-it lingered.
I leaned back in my chair, forcing myself to adopt a casual posture even as frustration coiled tight in my chest. My eyes stayed on her as she picked at her salad, her fork moving aimlessly as though she wasn’t really seeing the food in front of her. She was somewhere far away, trapped in her own thoughts, and the distance between us felt more like a chasm than the few feet of polished wood separating our chairs. It was maddening. I hated not knowing what was going on in her head-what she was thinking, what she was feeling, whether she was doubting me.
Because I knew exactly what I was thinking.
I wanted her. No, I *needed* her. Not just physically, though that hunger was undeniable, simmering under the surface every time my gaze lingered on the soft curve of her lips or the way her dress moved with her body. But it was more than that. It was something deeper, something that scared the hell out of me because I couldn’t quite define it. I hadn’t felt this way in years-not since I’d first learned how easy it was to keep things shallow, to never let anyone too close. But with Aria, it was different. She made me want more. And the thought of not having her-of her slipping away-made my chest tighten in a way I didn’t want to examine too closely.
I wanted her to be mine. Completely.
But she was slipping through my fingers, and for the first time in a long time, I didn’t know how to stop it.
“Aria,” I said finally, breaking the silence that had stretched far too long. My voice came out softer than I intended, almost hesitant, and I hated how vulnerable it made me feel. She looked up at me, startled, her fork pausing mid-air before she set it down. Her wide eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw something there-uncertainty, maybe even fear. “Are you okay?” I asked, tilting my head slightly as I leaned forward. “You’ve barely touched your food.”
She offered me a small smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m fine,” she said, but there was a heaviness in her voice she couldn’t quite hide. “Just… a lot on my mind.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” I said, my tone softening further. I leaned my elbows on the table, trying to close the emotional gap between us. “Talk to me, Aria. Let me help.”
She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the napkin in her lap. Her eyes darted away from mine, as though the weight of my gaze was too much. “It’s just…” she started, her voice faltering. She took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling as though she was bracing herself for something. “I don’t want to lead you on, Daniel. You’ve been so kind, and tonight is beautiful, but I-”
Before she could finish, the sound of the villa door slamming open cut through the air like a gunshot.
“DANIEL!”
The voice was shrill, laced with fury, and all too familiar. My stomach dropped, a sinking, twisting sensation that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Slowly, I turned toward the doorway, where a woman stood, her cheeks flushed and her eyes blazing with a combination of anger and hurt.
“Daniel, you bastard!” she screamed, storming into the room like a hurricane tearing through everything in its path.
Aria froze, her hand gripping the edge of the table so tightly her knuckles turned white. I shot to my feet, my heart pounding against my ribcage like a drumbeat of impending doom.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice low and sharp.
The woman-Elena-pointed an accusatory finger at me, her hand trembling slightly. “Don’t play dumb with me, Daniel!” she spat, her voice rising with every word. “You think you can just sleep with me, tell me all those sweet lies, and then ghost me like I’m nothing?!”
Aria’s wide eyes darted between us, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. “What is she talking about?” she asked, her voice soft but trembling.
“She’s lying,” I said instantly, turning to face Aria. My voice was firm, but my stomach churned. “I don’t even know what she’s talking about. She’s just trying to cause trouble.”
“Lying?” Elena let out a bitter, humorless laugh that sent chills down my spine. “Don’t you dare deny it, Daniel! We were together for *months*! You said I was different. You said you cared.” Her voice cracked slightly on the last word, and for a moment, I thought she might cry.
“Elena,” I barked, my voice sharp and cutting as I stepped toward her. “That’s enough. You need to leave. Now.”
But she wasn’t done. Her eyes flicked to Aria, and her expression softened just enough to make me uneasy. “Don’t let him fool you, sweetheart,” she said, her tone suddenly sympathetic. “He’s a liar and a womanizer. He’ll make you feel like the only girl in the world, but the second he gets what he wants, he’ll toss you aside like you’re nothing. Trust me, I know.”
Aria’s face turned pale, her hand falling from the table to her lap. “Is that true?” she asked, her voice barely audible.
“Of course not,” I said quickly, stepping closer to her. My heart raced as I searched her face for any sign of trust, any sign that she believed me. “She’s just trying to cause trouble. I don’t know why she’s here, but none of what she’s saying is true.”
Elena scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. “Oh, come on, Daniel. Don’t act like you’re some saint. You’ve never been able to keep it in your pants, and everyone knows it.”
“Get out!” I snapped, my voice rising with frustration. “Now!”
Elena glared at me one last time, her lips curling into a smirk that sent a chill down my spine. Then she spun on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind her with enough force to rattle the windows.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
I turned back to Aria, my chest tightening at the look on her face. Her eyes were wide, her expression unreadable, but I could feel the distance between us growing. She didn’t say anything, but the way she looked at me-like she didn’t know whether to believe me or run-was worse than anything Elena could have said.
“Aria,” I said, my voice softer now, almost pleading. “She’s lying. I swear to you, I don’t know what her problem is, but none of it is true.”
She didn’t respond right away, her eyes searching mine as though she was trying to peel back the layers and find the truth buried beneath.
“Why would she lie?” she asked finally, her voice trembling.
“I don’t know,” I said honestly, my hands spreading in frustration. “Jealousy? Bitterness? Who knows? But I promise you, Aria, I’m not that guy. I would never do anything to hurt you.”
Her silence stretched between us, heavy and unbearable.
“Maybe I should go,” she said quietly, standing and clutching the lilies I had given her like a lifeline.
“No,” I said quickly, moving to block her path. “Please. Don’t go. Don’t let her ruin this. You said you’d trust me, remember?”
Her eyes flickered with uncertainty, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I don’t know what to believe, Daniel. I barely know you.”
The words hit harder than I expected, like a blow I hadn’t braced for. But I forced myself to stay calm, to keep my voice steady. “Then give me a chance to prove myself,” I said, my tone low but earnest. “Let me show you who I really am.”
She looked at me for a long moment, her eyes shadowed with doubt. Then she sighed softly, her shoulders slumping. “I need time. I can’t do this right now.”
I stepped back, my hands clenching at my sides as I nodded. “Okay,” I said, my voice tight. “Take all the time you need. But don’t shut me out, Aria. Please.”
She didn’t respond, just gave me a small, hesitant nod before walking past me toward the door.
As it closed behind her, the silence left in her absence was deafening.
Elena’s words lingered in my mind, ringing out like a cruel reminder of the truth I’d tried so hard to bury.
Because the truth was, she wasn’t entirely wrong.
I *was* a womanizer. I’d played this game a hundred times before, always winning, always getting exactly what I wanted. But this time was different.
Because this time, what I wanted wasn’t just Aria’s body.
It was her heart.
And for the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure if I could win.