DAMIEN
The photograph lay on his desk, the edges curling slightly where his fingers had gripped it too long. She was beautiful, he'd give her that—too beautiful, almost, with a face that belonged in fairy tales. But the longer he stared at the picture, the more he could see it: the thread of fragility hidden beneath her defiance. The shadows in her eyes, carefully concealed but unmistakable to someone who had lived with his own.
He knew those shadows. He knew what they meant.
She would break easily.
The proposal had come from her father, a desperate attempt to solidify alliances and mask their crumbling legacy. They needed him—his wealth, his connections—but they didn't know what they were inviting into their world. He had made sure of that.
To them, he was just another ambitious businessman with a fortune they couldn't afford to ignore. A perfectly respectable suitor.
He allowed himself a small, humorless smile. Respectable. If only they knew.
He could already see how it would unfold. She would become his wife, bound to him by vows she didn't want to take. Her father, arrogant and trusting, would believe the alliance had saved him. And then, piece by piece, he would dismantle their family, starting with her.
It would be easy, he told himself. She wasn't part of this—she wasn't the one who had driven the knife into his family—but she was still her father's daughter. She was born into the same gilded cage of privilege that had destroyed him. That made her guilty enough.
He tucked the photograph into his jacket pocket and stood, his eyes fixed on the city skyline outside his office window. The deal would be finalized tomorrow, and by the end of the week, she would belong to him.
The perfect pawn in a game she didn't even know was being played.
He smiled again, the humorless smile twisting his lips. It was almost...amusing, really. How little they knew. How little she knew.
But he would teach her. Oh, yes. He would teach her everything she needed to know.
He walked over to the window, his eyes scanning the city below. The streets were bustling with people, each one living their own little life, completely unaware of the games being played above their heads.
He laughed to himself, a cold, mirthless sound. They had no idea what was coming.
And neither did she.
He turned back to his desk, his eyes falling on the photograph once more. She was so beautiful, so innocent. It was almost a shame, really.
But he didn't do shame. He did business.
And this was just the beginning.
He would marry her, use her, and destroy her family. It was a plan years in the making, and he was ready.
The Moranos thought they were above the law, that their wealth and influence made them invincible. But he knew their secrets. He knew about the bribes, the extortion, and the murder.
And he would use that knowledge to destroy them.
The thought was almost...intoxicating. He felt a surge of adrenaline, a sense of anticipation.
He was ready to begin.
The game was on.
He would take them down, one by one, starting with the girl. She was the key to it all, the weak link in the Morano chain.
He would exploit that weakness, use it to his advantage. He would manipulate her, control her, and ultimately, destroy her.
It was a cruel plan, but he didn't care. He didn't care about her feelings, her well-being, or her future. All he cared about was revenge.
Revenge against the Moranos, revenge against the world that had wronged him. He would take it all, no matter the cost.
And the cost would be high. The cost would be her.
But he was willing to pay it. He was willing to do whatever it took to achieve his goal.
The photograph on his desk seemed to mock him, her beautiful face a reminder of what he was about to do.
But he just smiled. He smiled, knowing that soon, she would be his.
And when she was, he would destroy her.