LILY POV
The atmosphere in the gala had shifted. The tension was no longer subtle but electric, a storm waiting to break. I could feel it in the charged whispers of the elite crowd and the way people's gazes flicked toward the far side of the room—toward Damien and Samantha.
I didn't need to look to know Damien was still watching me. His presence was a suffocating and unavoidable. But tonight, I wasn't giving him the power to unravel me. My attention was focused on Caleb, who was making an effort to keep the conversation light, his charm putting me at ease despite the chaos brewing in the background.
A loud, surprised gasp broke through the hum of conversation. Heads turned toward the center of the ballroom, where an imposing figure had just entered. It was Thomas Black—Damien's father and one of the most powerful men in the room.
Thomas's sudden arrival wasn't just unexpected; it was calculated. He was rarely seen at events like these, and when he did make an appearance, it usually meant trouble. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd, his expression unreadable.
"Dad doesn't look happy," Caleb muttered under his breath.
"Why?" I asked, watching as Thomas's gaze landed on Damien and Samantha. The older man's face darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line as he strode toward them with the precision of a predator.
The room fell silent as Thomas approached his son. Even the orchestra playing in the background seemed to falter, the melody trailing off as everyone waited for the unfolding drama. Samantha's smile faltered, her grip on Damien's arm tightening as Thomas stopped in front of them.
"You've outdone yourself, Damien," Thomas began, his voice low but carrying across the room like a crack of thunder. "Parading around with Samantha Reed as if she's the crown jewel of this family."
Damien's jaw tightened, his confident mask slipping for a fraction of a second. "Father, this isn't the time or place—"
"Oh, I think it's exactly the time and place," Thomas interrupted, his voice cold. "Did you think I wouldn't find out? That your little charade with Samantha wouldn't come to light?"
The room buzzed with murmurs as guests leaned closer, eager to catch every word. Samantha, who had been standing tall moments ago, now looked visibly nervous.
"Mr. Black, I'm not sure what you mean—" Samantha started, her voice trembling.
"Save it," Thomas snapped, cutting her off. His piercing gaze turned on her, stripping her of whatever dignity she thought she had. "You've been siphoning money from my scompany, using Damien's name to cover your tracks. Did you think I wouldn't uncover your schemes? Or were you counting on Damien to clean up your mess, as he always does?"
The air in the room turned icy. Gasps erupted from every corner as Samantha's face paled. She stumbled back slightly, clutching Damien's arm for support, but he didn't move to comfort her. Instead, his expression hardened, his jaw clenched tightly as he processed his father's words.
"That's not true!" Samantha exclaimed, her voice rising in desperation. "Damien, you know I wouldn't—"
"Don't lie to me," Thomas thundered, his voice slicing through her protest. "The evidence is irrefutable. I have the financial records, the fraudulent transactions. You've been stealing from the company for months."
Damien's face darkened, his cold gaze turning to Samantha. "Is this true?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.
Samantha's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. The silence that followed was deafening, her guilt written all over her face.
"You've humiliated this family," Thomas continued, his voice laced with venom. "And Damien, you've been a fool. I warned you about her, but you let her back into your life, jeopardizing everything we've built."
The crowd watched in stunned silence as the mighty Samantha Reed—Damien's supposed soulmate, the woman who had once held herself above everyone—was reduced to nothing more than a con artist caught red-handed.
For a moment, I felt a flicker of pity for Damien. But then I remembered everything he had done to me, every lie, every betrayal. He had chosen Samantha, and now he was facing the consequences of that choice.
"I didn't…" Samantha began weakly, her voice trembling. "I was trying to fix things, Damien, I swear—"
"Enough," Damien said coldly, cutting her off. His expression was unreadable, his voice devoid of the charm he usually wielded so effortlessly. "You've embarrassed me enough for one night. We're done."
The finality of his words sent a ripple of shock through the room. Samantha staggered back, tears welling in her eyes as she realized her facade had crumbled completely.
For a moment, Damien's gaze shifted, his dark eyes locking with mine across the room. I expected to see anger, humiliation, maybe even desperation. But what I saw was something different. Regret.
It didn't matter. Not anymore.
I met his gaze with unwavering strength, my chin held high as I turned back to Caleb. "Shall we?" I asked, my voice calm and collected, as if the chaos unfolding around us had nothing to do with me.
Caleb smiled, offering me his arm. "Absolutely."
We walked away, leaving Damien to deal with the mess he had created. I didn't look back, didn't let myself falter. I had nothing to say to Damien, nothing to give him.
The gala had been a stage, and tonight, the masks had fallen. Damien and Samantha were exposed for who they truly were, their power crumbling in front of the very people they had sought to impress.
And me? I had walked away stronger, untouched by their downfall.