Damian sat in his office, legs crossed on his power chair, fingers tapping rhythmically against the table—like a man lost in deep thought.
"Fred, gather all the evidence. I still haven't figured out why my mother would send her people to hurt that girl," Damian said as he rose to his feet.
He walked toward the glass wall overlooking the city.
At night, the view was breathtaking—but tonight, he wasn't seeing any of it.
"That girl?" Jason's voice cut in, filled with disbelief.
"Janaya is that girl now?"
Damian turned slowly.
"Jason… do you have a problem with that?" he asked calmly.
"Yes. I do," Jason snapped.
"I have every single problem with that. You can't just pick my friend and dump her like she's nothing."
Damian's expression hardened.
"The last time I checked, friends share secrets. They tell each other everything," he said.
"If you're just finding out all of this now… does that mean she ever truly considered you her friend?"
Jason went silent.
The words hit.
But he didn't back down.
"Do you know everything about your friends? Adrian? Jane? Lucien?" Jason fired back.
"I know enough to vouch for them," Damian replied instantly.
"I know they won't betray me. I know what I need to know."
He paused, his jaw tightening.
"But that girl…" he added, anger slipping into his voice.
Jason clenched his fists.
"I hate that word."
"It's my problem, not yours, Jason," Damian said flatly.
"She is my friend!" Jason shouted.
"Jason… get out of my office."
"What?"
"Out of my office. I don't want to see you step foot here again," Damian said, his voice dropping into something cold and final.
Jason froze.
Slowly, he picked up his jacket and walked toward the door.
Just as he reached it—he stopped.
"Brother…" he called quietly.
"Things have gotten this bad? Everything is happening at once… I just feel like letting her go like this isn't right and—"
"Jason. Out."
"I'm sorry," Jason said, turning back.
"But I can't leave you like this."
He stepped closer.
And that was when Damian broke.
"You think I don't love her?" Damian said, his voice cracking.
"You think it's easy to walk away from those memories? Those moments?"
He laughed bitterly.
"Even if she was sent by my enemies, I could have fought that. I could have changed everything…"
His voice dropped.
"But she cheated."
Silence.
"She slept with my enemy… while I was trying to fix everything," he said, his eyes glistening.
"It hurts, Jason. I'm trying to be strong… but it hurts."
Jason froze.
For the first time in his life—
he saw his brother in pain.
Real pain.
A tear slipped down Damian's face.
Jason stepped forward slowly… and placed a hand on his back.
"Brother… I'm sorry," he said softly.
"I didn't know it was this bad. I'm really sorry."
He pulled him into a brief hug.
"Maybe we can still figure this out."
"Sir!"
Fred's voice cut through the moment as he rushed in.
Damian immediately pushed Jason away and turned his back, wiping his face quickly.
When he turned around again—
the cold man was back.
Only his slightly red eyes betrayed him.
"Yes, Fred. Continue," he ordered.
Jason, now seated after being pushed aside, scoffed quietly.
"Strong man… every time," he muttered under his breath.
"Sir, Janaya's parents had a property dispute with your mother before they went into hiding," Fred began.
"The ownership hasn't been finalized, but your mother and the Carters are the only eligible claimants."
"That's why she attacked her?" Damian asked, returning to his seat.
"We believe so, sir. Once she traced the daughter's location, she made her move."
Jason stepped forward, frowning.
"That doesn't make sense. Janaya's parents want her to marry Ethan because his father is the former right-hand man. They need his support to secure those properties."
He paused.
"But Ethan's father is married to our mother… the second competitor."
Jason let out a dry laugh.
"Are these people actually thinking straight?"
"If that alliance happens, it turns into a father-versus-son power struggle," Damian said, fingers tapping the table again.
"Maybe that's why she wants Janaya dead," Jason added.
"But sir," Fred continued, "why didn't the former right-hand man help her while he still had power?"
Damian leaned back slightly.
"He was playing a game," he said.
"He didn't expect me to enter the board."
"What game?" Jason asked.
"Janaya marries into their family," Damian explained.
"His wife secures the properties, and he gains an alliance with the Carters… increasing his power."
Fred's eyes widened.
"That means… he could have rivaled even the CEO of Aureum?"
Damian nodded.
"Exactly."
Silence fell for a second.
Then—
"As the current right-hand man," Damian continued, "I want those properties acquired in Jason's name."
Jason blinked.
"Wait—what?" he said immediately.
"No. Don't drag me into this. I want to be a musician."
Damian stood up, grabbing his keys.
"See you at the Aureum meeting next week, brother," he said with a faint smile.
"Once you acquire enough shares… you might even take my seat."
Jason followed him quickly.
"No, seriously. I'm dropping a new song next week," he protested.
"Unless you're letting me promote it at the meeting, I'm not coming."
"Miss Janaya," a voice called gently as it approached her hospital room.
Janaya looked up.
"Oh—Doctor."
"A complaint so far?" the doctor asked with a warm smile.
"No, Doctor. No complaints at all," Janaya replied quickly.
"Good," the doctor nodded.
"Then I'll prepare your discharge for tomorrow. You'll still need a few medications, but overall… I'm really glad you made it. Not everyone does."
Janaya's expression softened.
"Thank you, Doctor. I really appreciate everything."
The doctor smiled again.
"Alright, Janaya. I hope I don't get to see you here again—at least not in this place. Maybe somewhere outside, under better circumstances."
She reached into her coat and handed her a card.
"I'll be on night shift tomorrow, so you might leave before I return. But just in case—this is my card."
Janaya glanced at it.
"Dr. Theresa?" she asked.
"Yes, darling," the doctor replied lightly.
"I should get going now. Other patients are waiting."
"Thank you, Doctor," Janaya said softly.
Dr. Theresa nodded once more before walking out of the room.
Silence settled.
Janaya exhaled deeply, leaning back against the bed.
"Finally…" she whispered.
"I can see Damian."
She reached for her phone, opening her gallery.
Slowly… she began to scroll.
Pictures of him.
Secret ones she had taken—moments he never noticed.
A faint smile appeared on her lips, quickly followed by sadness.
"I honestly can't lose you, babe…" she murmured.
Her fingers paused on one particular photo.
Damian—standing tall, effortlessly commanding even in stillness.
His build was sculpted—broad shoulders that carried authority, a firm chest that spoke of strength without needing to prove it. His abs weren't just defined, they looked earned—like every line told a story of discipline.
His face…
Sharp. Striking.
A jawline that held tension even in silence, lips that rarely softened but carried a quiet intensity when they did. His green eyes—cold on the surface, but when they lingered, they held something deeper… something dangerous and warm at the same time.
And his hair—dark, slightly messy curls that refused to stay perfectly in place, giving him that effortless edge no one could recreate.
Even in still images, he looked… untouchable.
Unreachable.
Janaya's fingers tightened around her phone.
"The way you look when you're not smiling… the way you command every room without saying a word…" she whispered.
Her voice broke.
"I can't lose all of that…"
She pulled the phone to her chest, closing her eyes as tears slipped down.
"I love you… so much."