Chapter 66
ROSALIE
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It was almost six when I heard the faint rumble of Damien’s car pulling into the driveway. I glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. The tension from earlier–Liam’s unexpected visit and everything he’d said–still weighed heavily on me. I had been debating whether to tell Damien all day, but every time I thought about it, the knot in my stomach grew tighter.
When the front door opened, Damien stepped inside, his dark suit slightly rumpled from the day but his presence as composed as ever. His tie was loose, and he looked tired, but his eyes softened the moment they landed on me.
“Hey,” he greeted, his voice warm. He leaned down to press a kiss to my temple. “Miss me?”
I couldn’t help but smile, though it felt smaller than usual. “A little.”
He arched a brow, setting his briefcase by the door. “Only a little?”
“Okay, maybe more than a little,” I admitted, feeling a faint blush creep up my cheeks.
“That’s better,” he said, loosening his tie completely and tossing it onto the nearby couch. He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, glancing at me over his shoulder. “How was your day?”
“It was… fine,” I replied, forcing a casual tone as I leaned against the doorway.
He studied me for a moment, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. “Fine?” he repeated. “That doesn’t sound very convincing.”
I shook my head, plastering on a smile. “Just a little tired, that’s all.”
He didn’t press further, to my relief, and instead walked over, wrapping his arms around me. “You’ve been cooped up in this house too much lately,” he said softly. “You need to get out, clear your head.”
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, resting my hands on his chest. “Really.”
“You keep saying that, but I’m not buying it,” he teased lightly. “We’ll talk about it over dinner.”
His tone was gentle, but the way he looked at me made it clear he wasn’t going to let it slide. I nodded, knowing better than to argue when Damien made up his mind about something.
Dinner was quiet, save for Damien filling me in on his day at work. He seemed more relaxed than usual, which only made me feel guiltier about not telling him about Liam. Part of me wanted to bring it up, but every time I opened my mouth, the words wouldn’t come out. What if it made things worse? What if it caused a rift between them? No, I decided. It wasn’t worth it. Not right now.
After dinner, Damien leaned back in his chair, his gaze settling on me. “So, I have something to tell you.”
I frowned slightly, setting my fork down. “What is it?”
“There’s a gala tonight,” he said, his tone casual but purposeful. “We’re going.”
My stomach dropped. “A gala?” I repeated, trying to keep the dread out of my
voice.
“Yes,” he confirmed, his expression unwavering. “It’s important.”
“Damien, you know I hate those events,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “The people, the questions, the fake smiles—it’s exhausting.”
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Chapter 66
“I know,” he said, his voice softening. “But this one is different”
1 raised an eyebrow. “How?”
“It’s not just any event,” he explained, “It’s a chance to make a statement. To show everyone that we’re foce, that our martage is solid.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “Our marriage?”
He nodded, his expression serious now. “Yes. The entire scandal that has been rocking the internet about as for the past few days, this is our chance to prove them all wrong”
I frowned, fiddling with the edge of my napkin. “I don’t see how one night at a gala is guany, to change purjé’s mad “It’s not just about the gala,” he said patiently. “It’s about the message it sends. I was pervonally invited. If we don’t tho they’ll think something’s wrong. But if we do–if we walk in there together, looking, like we’re on top of the wo silence them.”
I hesitated, my mind racing with excuses. “I just… I don’t feel like I belong at those things, Damien Those people, the world -it’s not me.”
His gaze softened, and he reached across the table, taking my hand in his. “You belong with me,” he said firmly, “And that’s all that matters.
I looked down at our intertwined hands, his thumb brushing gently against mine. As much as I wanted to resist, I knew he had a point. Public perception mattered, especially in his world. And if this was what it took to protect our images, then maybe it was worth it.
“You’re really not going to let me out of this, are you?” I asked, my voice laced with reluctant amusement
He smiled, a small victory flashing in his eyes. “Not a chance.
I sighed, shaking my head. “Fine. I’ll go.”
“Good,” he said, his smile widening. “The dress I ordered for you will be sent in a few minutes.”
I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips despite myself. “You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?”
“Always,” he said, his tone light but with an underlying seriousness. “You’ll thank me later.”
As the conversation shifted to lighter topics, I felt a small sense of relief wash over me. For now, I could put Liam’s visit out of my mind. There was no need to bring it up–not when things between Damien and me were finally starting to feel…. normal. Or as normal as they could be.
The gala was overwhelming from the moment we arrived. Blinding flashes from the cameras greeted us as we stepped out of the car. The photographers shouted Damien’s name relentlessly, but he ignored them, pulling me closer to his side.
“Keep your head down,” he murmured, shielding me with his arm as we walked toward the grand entrance.
The building was nothing short of magnificent. Tall marble columns lined the entrance, and the sprawling chandeliers visible from outside gleamed like something out of a dream. Everything about the place screamed luxury and excess. I had no doubt this was the kind of event Damien thrived in, but I already felt out of place.
Inside, it was no less extravagant. The floors were polished to a mirror shine, and soft music filled the air as servers glided by
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D SHORT SWEET EPISODES
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Chapter 66
“I know,” he said, his voice softening. “But this one is different.”
I raised an eyebrow. “How?”
“It’s not just any event,” he explained. “It’s a chance to make a statement. To show everyone that we’re fine, that our marriage is solid.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “Our marriage?”
He nodded, his expression serious now. “Yes. The entire scandal that has been rocking the internet about us for the past few days, this is our chance to prove them all wrong.”
I frowned, fiddling with the edge of my napkin. “I don’t see how one night at a gala is going to change people’s minds.”
“It’s not just about the gala,” he said patiently. “It’s about the message it sends. I was personally invited. If we don’t show up, they’ll think something’s wrong. But if we do–if we walk in there together, looking like we’re on top of the world–it’ll silence them.”
I hesitated, my mind racing with excuses. “I just… I don’t feel like I belong at those things, Damien. Those people, that world
-it’s not me.”
His gaze softened, and he reached across the table, taking my hand in his. “You belong with me,” he said firmly. “And that’s all that matters.”
I looked down at our intertwined hands, his thumb brushing gently against mine. As much as I wanted to resist, I knew he had a point. Public perception mattered, especially in his world. And if this was what it took to protect our images, then maybe it was worth it.
“You’re really not going to let me out of this, are you?” I asked, my voice laced with reluctant amusement.
He smiled, a small victory flashing in his eyes. “Not a chance.”
I sighed, shaking my head. “Fine. I’ll go.”
“Good,” he said, his smile widening. “The dress I ordered for you will be sent in a few minutes.”
I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips despite myself. “You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?”
“Always,” he said, his tone light but with an underlying seriousness. “You’ll thank me later.”
As the conversation shifted to lighter topics, I felt a small sense of relief wash over me. For now, I could put Liam’s visit out of my mind. There was no need to bring it up–not when things between Damien and me were finally starting to feel… normal. Or as normal as they could be.
The gala was overwhelming from the moment we arrived. Blinding flashes from the cameras greeted us as we stepped out of the car. The photographers shouted Damien’s name relentlessly, but he ignored them, pulling me closer to his side.
“Keep your head down,” he murmured, shielding me with his arm as we walked toward the grand entrance.
The building was nothing short of magnificent. Tall marble columns lined the entrance, and the sprawling chandeliers visible from outside gleamed like something out of a dream. Everything about the place screamed luxury and excess. I had no doubt this was the kind of event Damien thrived in, but I already felt out of place.
Inside, it was no less extravagant. The floors were polished to a mirror shine, and soft music filled the air as servers glided by
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Chapter 66
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with trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Damien’s hand never left the small of my back as we maneuvered through the crowd.
“Mr. Hale!” A portly man in a suit approached us, his hand outstretched. “It’s an honor to have you here tonight.”
Damien returned the handshake with a polite but distant smile. “Thank you. It’s a beautiful event.”
“Ah, and Mrs. Hale,” the man added, turning his attention to me. “You look stunning.”
“Thank you,” I replied, forcing a smile. The words felt hollow, but I didn’t know what else to say.
The next hour was a blur of handshakes, polite conversations, and plastered–on smiles. Damien handled it all with ease, charming everyone he spoke to. I, on the other hand, struggled to keep up. My cheeks ached from smiling, and the tightness of my dress made it hard to breathe.
After we’d made the rounds, Damien led me to our table. A three–course meal was served, but I barely touched my plate. The weight of the stares, the whispers, the unrelenting scrutiny–it was suffocating.
“Dance with me,” Damien said suddenly, holding out his hand.
I hesitated. “Damien, I don’t think-”
“Come on, Rosalie,” he interrupted gently. “One dance.”
Reluctantly, I placed my hand in his, and he led me to the dance floor. The music was slow, the kind of melody that demanded grace and poise. Damien’s hand rested firmly on my waist as we swayed to the rhythm.
“You’re doing great,” he murmured.
I gave him a doubtful look. “I feel like everyone’s watching.”
“They are,” he admitted with a small smirk. “But that’s the point. Let them see how perfect we are together and how much I love you.”
I didn’t reply, but I let him guide me through the dance. His confidence was contagious, even if I still felt like I was in over my head. For a moment, I almost forgot where we were, lost in the way his eyes locked onto mine.
When the song ended, we returned to our table. My feet were starting to ache, and my head throbbed from the noise and the lights.
“I think I’m ready to go,” I whispered to Damien.
“Already?” He frowned slightly. “We’ve only just gotten here.”
“I’m tired,” I admitted. “I don’t think I can do this much longer.”
He studied me for a moment before nodding. “Fine. Let’s get your things, and we’ll head out. Maybe to a nice little
restaurant.”
As I reached for my clutch, my heart sank. It wasn’t there.
“Damien,” I said, panic creeping into my voice. “My bag. It’s gone.”
He turned to me, his expression instantly darkening. “Gone? What do you mean gone?”
“I don’t know,” I said, frantically scanning the area around our table. “It was right here.”
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Damien’s jaw tightened. He stood abruptly, his presence commanding the attention of everyone nearby. “Stay here,” he said, his tone sharp.
“Damien, don’t-” I started, but he was already striding toward the chairman of the event.
Within seconds, he was addressing the man, his voice loud enough to carry across the room. “What kind of security do you have here?” he demanded. “My wife’s bag has gone missing. This is unacceptable.”
The chairman, a frail–looking man with kind eyes, looked flustered. “Mr. Hale, I assure you, we’ll handle this immediately.”
“Handle it?” Damien snapped. “You’re running an event for the city’s clite, and you can’t even guarantee their belongings are safe? Do you understand how humiliating this is?”
“Damien,” I said softly, going over to him and tugging on his arm. “It’s not his fault.”
But he ignored me, his anger only escalating. “I expect better from an event of this caliber. What’s the point of all this grandeur if you can’t keep a single bag safe?”
The chairman looked as if he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. “I deeply apologize, Mr. Hale. I’ll have my team look into this right away.”
Guards were dispatched to search the premises, and I felt the weight of every pair of eyes in the room on us. I wished I could disappear. Damien’s anger was justified, but the scene he was causing was unnecessary.
A few minutes later, one of the guards returned, dragging a young waiter with him. The boy couldn’t have been more than twenty. My bag was clutched in his trembling hands.
“This is the thief,” the guard announced.
The room fell silent as Damien stormed toward the boy. “Is this your idea of a joke?” he demanded, his voice cold and sharp. “You think you can steal from my wife and walk out of here?”
The boy’s eyes were wide with fear. “I–I’m sorry,” he stammered. “I didn’t mean-”
“You didn’t mean to what?” Damien cut in, his tone scathing. “You didn’t mean to steal? Or you didn’t mean to get caught?”
“I just needed the money,” the boy said desperately. “My mom–she’s sick. I didn’t know what else to do.”
Damien scoffed. “And that’s supposed to make it okay? That’s your excuse for theft?”
“Damien, stop,” I said, stepping forward. “He’s just a kid.”
“He’s a thief,” Damien shot back. “And I won’t let him get away with it.”
“Please,” the boy begged, his voice breaking. “I’ll give it back. I swear. Just don’t call the police.”
“I should,” Damien said coldly. “You need to learn there are consequences for your actions.”
“Damien, no,” I said firmly. “This has gone far enough.”
He turned to me, his expression hard. “You’re defending him? After what he did?”
“He’s a child,” I said, my voice rising. “He made a mistake. That doesn’t mean he deserves to have his life ruined.”
“And you believe his sob story?” Damien asked, his voice dripping with disbelief. “You think he’s the victim here?”
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“I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt,” I said. “Something you clearly don’t.” I whispered just loud enough for him alone to hear.
“Rosalie that bag is so fucking expensive and he stole it! You expect me to just let him go?” Damein asked once again.
I calmed down my already palpitating heart and responded, “he didn’t mean to. He said his mumn is ill—“
“And that’s a fucking lie! You are so gullible!” Damein yelled at me.
“And you always love acting like the hero! The young boy is remorseful and he is just a child. Why can’t you let it go? It’s my bag not yours!” I snapped back, already getting angry.
The tension between us was palpable, and I became acutely aware of the crowd watching our argument unfold. “This isn’t the place for this,” I reasoned, my voice low. “We’re making a scene.”
“Fine,” Damien said sharply. “If you care about him so much, let him go. But don’t expect me to clean up the mess when it comes back to bite us!”
“Thank you,” I said, ignoring the bitterness in his tone.
I turned to the boy, who looked like he could collapse from relief. “Don’t ever do this again,” I said, handing him some cash from my bag. “Take care of your mom, but do it the right way.”
The boy nodded quickly, tears streaming down his face. “I promise. Thank you.”
As the boy was escorted out, I turned back to Damien, but he was already walking toward the exit. “Damien!” I called, hurrying after him. “Wait!”
He didn’t stop, his strides long and furious. I reached out, grabbing his hand, but he yanked it away forcefully.
“Damien, please,” I said, my voice breaking. “Can we just talk about this?”
But he didn’t answer. He didn’t even look at me as he walked out of the hall. As I watched him match away, a sinking feeling settled in my chest.
I knew I’d be in big trouble when we got back home. And I had no idea how to fix it.
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Tue, 18 Feb
Chapter 67
