The weight of her steps felt unbearable as Lily walked toward Damien's office.
The walls seemed to close in on her, and the air, thick with shadows, seemed to press against her chest. She could feel the darkness of this place seep into her skin, leaving a chill in her bones. Every step toward the door felt like a step into the unknown. She had no idea what was going to happen after this.
When she reached the door, she hesitated. What had she gotten herself into? But there was no turning back now.
With a deep breath, she pushed the door open. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a few flickering candles on a grand desk. The luxurious yet oppressive atmosphere seemed to swallow her whole as she stepped inside. The dark wood furniture, the heavy velvet curtains, and the soft glow of the candlelight only made the room feel more suffocating, as if the shadows themselves were watching her.
Damien stood by the window, his silhouette outlined against the pale moonlight. His black eye mask concealed most of his face, but his sharp jawline and powerful presence were unmistakable. He was a man of wealth, a man who was used to controlling everything around him—even people's lives.
"Come in, Lily," his voice came, smooth and commanding. There was a softness to it, but it held an underlying coldness that made her spine stiffen. His gaze, hidden behind the mask, still seemed to pierce her, as if he could see straight through her.
Lily stepped forward, her heart hammering in her chest. She didn't know what she was walking into, but she knew it wouldn't be easy. She hadn't been able to escape this world, and now it felt like she was being pulled deeper into it. The room felt like a trap, and Damien was the predator.
Beside Damien, his PA, Jin Park, stood with his usual calm demeanor, his red hair gleaming in the low candlelight. His gaze flicked over to Lily as she entered, and there was something in his eyes—something calculating.
Unlike Damien, who stood back and watched, Jin was the one who moved swiftly, with purpose.
Damien's voice broke the silence, smooth and calm, but with an edge of something darker, something more dangerous. "Do you know why I saved you, Lily?"
The question struck her like a thunderclap, sudden and sharp. She hadn't expected him to speak, and when he did, the words hung in the air, heavy and demanding. She turned her head slightly, meeting his silhouette, but she couldn't see his face. Only the black eye mask that concealed so much, hiding whatever emotions he might have been feeling.
"I…" Her voice faltered as she tried to respond, but the words wouldn't come. She didn't know why he had saved her. She didn't know what he wanted from her.
Damien took a slow step toward her, the quiet sound of his footsteps echoing in the room, making the tension feel even thicker. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating in its intensity. He stopped just in front of her, and still, he didn't say anything. He simply stood there, the mask hiding his true expression, but his body language spoke volumes. He was waiting for her to answer, but he wasn't going to help her. He was going to make her figure it out on her own.
"You don't know, do you?" Damien's voice was low and almost amused. "You think I saved you out of some sense of nobility, don't you?"
Lily's heart skipped a beat. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat. How could he be so sure? How could he know what she was thinking?
"No," he continued, his voice colder now, his tone like a sharp edge. "I saved you because you're useful to me."
Lily blinked, her mind struggling to process his words. "Useful?" She whispered, her voice trembling. "What do you mean? What do you want from me?"
Damien's lips curled into a faint, cold smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I saved you because I need you, Lily."
He stepped closer, his presence looming over her, and there was a strange mix of coldness and something darker in his voice. "I need you to be my contract wife."
Her heart seemed to stop. The words didn't make sense at first, but as they sank in, the weight of them pressed down on her chest. Contract wife?
"What?" Her voice cracked with disbelief. "You want me to marry you?"
Damien nodded, his gaze still hidden behind the mask. "Yes. For the next three years, you will be my wife—publicly, of course. I need to satisfy the demands of my board of directors. And in return, I'll help you get your revenge."
Lily's mind spun. Marriage? Revenge? Was this some kind of twisted joke? She had been humiliated, abandoned, betrayed—and now this man, this mysterious stranger who had saved her life, was asking her to marry him for his own convenience?
"I don't understand." Her voice was barely a whisper. "Why me? Why do you want?"
Damien's eyes, hidden behind the mask, seemed to pierce through her. "You're the perfect pawn, Lily. You've lost everything. You're angry. You want revenge."
His tone was colder now, almost predatory. "And I can give that to you."
Her pulse raced, her thoughts clouded with confusion and fear. She had wanted revenge, yes, she had wanted to make them all pay for what they had done to her. But this… this felt wrong. The cost was too high.
"What do you want from me?" she asked again, her voice shaking with uncertainty. "What's the catch?"
Damien's lips twitched into a cruel smile. "I want you to sign the contract."
He gestured toward the paper on the desk, the pen still resting beside it. "If you marry me, if you become my wife for the next three years, I will give you the power to make them all suffer. To destroy them."
Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her hands were shaking. This was too much. Too much to ask. Too much to give.
"I can't…" she whispered, standing up suddenly, her legs unsteady beneath her. "I can't just sign away my life. I can't be your wife."
Just as Lily was about to continue, Damien's phone rang. He hesitated for a moment before answering it.
"I'm sorry, Lily," he said, his voice cold. "I have to take this. You have one hour to decide."
With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Lily alone with Jin.
Jin's eyes seemed to bore into her soul as he stepped forward. "So, Lily," he said, his voice smooth. "What's it going to be?"
Lily shook her head, trying to clear the confusion. "I... I don't know."
Jin's expression didn't change, but his voice took on a slightly persuasive tone. "Come on, Lily. You know you want revenge. And Damien can give it to you."
Lily's eyes narrowed. "What's in it for him?"
Jin smiled. "Let's just say that Damien has his own reasons for wanting to marry you. Reasons that have nothing to do with love or romance."
Lily's heart sank. She had suspected as much.
"But," Jin continued, "if you sign this contract, you'll have the power to make your enemies pay. And that's what you want, isn't it?"
Lily hesitated, her mind racing. It was true, she did want revenge. And if signing this contract was the only way to get it...
With a deep breath, she picked up the pen and signed her name.
The ink flowed smoothly across the paper, and with it, she felt her soul tighten in her chest. She had just signed away her freedom. She had just entered Damien's world.
Jin's face broke into a cold smile. "Welcome to the family, Lily."
Just then, Damien walked back into the room, his mask glinting in the dim light. "So, Lily," he said, his voice low. "I see you've made your decision."
Lily turned her eyes back to the contract, her hands trembling. This was it. Her only chance. She had no other options. If she walked away, she lost everything. But if she stayed, if she signed, she was bound to Damien, to a life she wasn't sure she could handle.
Her fingers hovered over the pen. It felt like a lifetime passed in that moment, the weight of the decision pressing down on her shoulders.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and picked up the pen. Her hand trembled as it hovered over the paper. And then, with one final, shaky breath, she signed her name.
The ink flowed smoothly across the paper, and with it, she felt her soul tighten in her chest. She had just signed away her freedom. She had just entered Damien's world.
Damien stepped forward, his cold smile spreading beneath the mask. "You're mine now, Lily."
His voice was almost a whisper, but the words were final. "And tomorrow, we'll be married."
Lily stood frozen, her heart sinking, her mind numb.
Lily nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation wash over her. She had made her choice, but it felt like a mistake. A mistake she couldn't take back. What had she just gotten herself into?