Sienna's heart drummed in her chest as she stood at the window, the weight of her decision still pressing heavily on her shoulders. Damien's words from earlier echoed in her mind, each syllable a reminder of how much had changed in such a short time. Something was happening between them. That much was clear. But was it real? Was she ready for it to be?
Her phone buzzed again, interrupting her thoughts. This time, it was a message from Ethan. She hadn't expected to hear from him again so soon after their meeting at the café. His words were blunt, no pleasantries or preamble.
Ethan: We need to talk. I'm not leaving this time until we figure things out.
Her stomach twisted. She had hoped the conversation at the café had been the last time. The last time she would allow him to have any power over her. The last time she'd let him question her decisions or make her feel like she wasn't enough. But this? It felt like he was pushing back. And that meant things were far from settled in her mind.
Sienna stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the keys. She thought of Damien. How he'd stood there earlier, offering her space, giving her control in a way Ethan never had. Damien had never made her feel small. He hadn't demanded apologies. He hadn't tried to make her feel guilty for moving on.
Sienna: What exactly do you want, Ethan?
The reply came instantly, as if he'd been waiting for her to respond.
Ethan: You. The way things were before. Don't pretend like it doesn't matter.
Sienna let out a frustrated breath, tossing her phone onto the couch. She needed to clear her head, needed to stop going in circles. The way Ethan had always been with her—demanding, controlling—was a part of their past. And that version of her, the one who let him dictate everything, was someone she didn't want to be anymore. Not for him. Not for anyone.
She picked up her glass of wine, her fingers tracing the edge, staring into the deep red liquid. It wasn't the wine. It wasn't the conversation with Ethan. It wasn't even the whirlwind of emotions that had followed her last few days. It was the heavy, growing feeling inside her. Something that had started the moment she'd stepped into this penthouse and accepted this bizarre arrangement with Damien.
Damien. The man who, in some ways, had broken all of her rules. The man who had made her feel things she hadn't planned to feel. She hadn't expected tenderness from him, hadn't expected the warmth in his eyes when he looked at her. And more than anything, she hadn't expected to care.
The door clicked open, and Sienna turned to find Damien entering. His shirt was untucked, his tie gone, his jacket slung over his arm. He glanced at her, his lips curving into a small smile.
"You still here?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement.
"Of course I am," she replied, her gaze softening. "Not like you left me much of a choice."
Damien chuckled, setting his things down on the couch and walking toward her. There was something different about him today, something almost hesitant. Maybe it was the same uncertainty she felt, a silent acknowledgment that whatever was happening between them, neither of them quite knew how to define it.
He stopped in front of her, his gaze searching hers. "How was it?" he asked, referring to the meeting with Ethan.
Sienna shrugged, though the act felt more like an exhale than an attempt to dismiss the subject. "It was... closure, I guess."
He nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Good. That's what you needed, right?"
"Yeah," she said, offering a faint smile. "It wasn't easy. But I think I'm finally done with him."
Damien didn't speak for a long moment. His eyes flickered to the glass in her hand before meeting her gaze once more. "You know, I'm not him," he said quietly. "I won't be the one who makes you second-guess yourself, who makes you feel like you're not enough."
Sienna's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected him to say it so bluntly, but part of her was grateful for the honesty. Part of her had needed to hear it.
"I know," she whispered. She meant it. She knew Damien wasn't like Ethan. Not in the way he treated her, not in the way he saw her. "But sometimes, I just... I don't know what to do with this," she gestured between them, the uncertainty swirling in her chest.
Damien took a step closer, his hand reaching for hers. His fingers brushed against hers, sending an electric shock through her skin. "What are you afraid of?" he asked, his voice low but filled with something unspoken, a vulnerability she hadn't expected from him.
"I'm afraid of how easy it is to get lost in this," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "How easy it is to start believing in something that's not real."
Damien's eyes softened, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles. "Sienna," he said, his voice rough with something she couldn't name. "This thing between us... it might not be what we thought it was at first, but I'm not asking you to figure it out today. Just... don't shut me out. Don't shut this out."
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning. Sienna didn't know how to respond. She didn't know if she was ready to accept the truth of his words, to face whatever this was between them. But the way he was looking at her, the way he made her feel... It felt real. More real than anything she'd felt in a long time.
"Okay," she said, her voice soft but steady. "I won't shut you out."
Damien gave her a small, almost relieved smile. "Good. Because I'm not going anywhere."
And for the first time, Sienna realized she didn't want him to.