ACE Consortium,

As Damien made his way to the boardroom, ignoring the clamour for attention by the press his thoughts weirdly wandered back to what had transpired moments ago.

Damien Hawke sat alone in his office, a deep frown etched on his face. He stared at the desk, the pristine surface before him. A quiet storm raged within him. 

His mind kept returning to her - Lianna Black, formerly Lily Carrington. 

The woman he was to married out of necessity, not desire. 

But now, as he thought about it, he realized the lines between necessity and something else were starting to blur. 

The buzz of his phone broke his reverie - his social media platforms were already ablaze with the news of their engagement and marriage ceremony. He had expected it, but the images, the headlines… they intrigued him.

Lianna Black.

He repeated the name in his mind. A name she had chosen for revenge. And now, it was out there, for the world to see. She was no longer the girl they all thought was dead.

Damien leaned back in his chair, his fingers rubbing his temple as frustration mounted. He had been prepared to control her, to keep her in line as a tool for his own rise.

But now? 

She’s not what he expected.

The truth hit him harder than he liked to admit: Lianna wasn’t weak. She wasn’t someone he could manipulate. 

The transformation she’d undergone, the new identity she’d forged for herself, made her someone... interesting. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Xander, Seb, and Dante stepped inside, the atmosphere in the room shifting as soon as they did. 

Xander was the first to speak, his voice low and calm, but the tension in the air was palpable. 

“Damien,” Xander said, his eyes narrowing slightly, observing the subtle changes in his demeanor. “You’re looking a bit... distracted. Something on your mind?”

Damien didn’t answer immediately, his thoughts still spinning. 

Distracted?

The bastard knew him too well.

Seb, always the one to cut through the tension with a joke, leaned against the doorframe. His smile was lopsided, a grin full of mischief. 

“I’m guessing it’s not business, or we wouldn’t be seeing this much frown.”

He gestured to Damien’s furrowed brow with a flick of his wrist. “So, what’s eating at you?”

Damien met Seb’s gaze, the usual sarcasm in Seb’s voice doing nothing to ease the tension bubbling under the surface.

"I’m the one who’s supposed to be in control here." he thought.

But now he could feel the weight of their stares — Xander’s sharp, calculating gaze and Dante’s silence speaking volumes. They could sense it too.

Before he could answer, there was a commotion outside. A familiar voice echoed down the hall

Tara. 

Damien’s pulse quickened, irritation rising within him. 

What the hell is she doing now?

His eyes flicked to Xander, who raised an eyebrow in quiet amusement. 

“Seems we’ve got a situation,” Xander muttered. His tone was so dry, it was almost as if he was waiting for a show.

Damien’s jaw clenched as he pushed himself up from the chair. 

“I’ll handle it.”

He strode to the door, each step deliberate, his mind already racing. Tara… always trying to play her games. 

When he reached the hallway, he saw her standing in front of Lianna. Tara’s hand was on her hip, a look of superiority on her face as she blocked Lianna’s path.

“Excuse me,” Tara sneered, her voice laced with disdain, “Mr. Hawke isn’t seeing anyone today, especially not someone like you.”

Lianna didn’t flinch. She stood tall, unbothered by Tara’s attempt to intimidate her. Her emerald eyes were locked on Tara, unwavering. 

"She’s good." he found himself muttering.

Damien was struck by the sheer force of Lianna’s presence as she put his slut of a secretary in her place. 

“I’m here to see Damien,” Lianna said, her voice cold, cutting through the tension in the hallway like a blade. “And I don’t take orders from you, sweetheart.”

“I’m not your sweetheart,” she retorted, stepping closer, clearly trying to intimidate. “You’re not welcome here.”

Tara’s face had now twisted in anger, but just as she opened her mouth to retort again, Damien stepped into the scene. His voice was cold, commanding. 

“Tara, step aside.”

Tara froze. For a split second, he saw the brief flicker of defiance in her eyes, but then she did what she always did - she backed down. With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, she stepped aside, muttering under her breath.

Lianna didn’t even spare her a glance as she moved past, her dark gown flowing like smoke behind her. Her eyes locked onto Damien’s the moment she entered his office, and the power in her gaze hit him like a sledgehammer.

She knows exactly what she’s doing.

Damien swallowed hard, watching her as she stood before him. She was stunning - undeniably so - but there was something deeper than just beauty. The confidence, the unshakable poise, the way she carried herself as if she were already in control. 

It was unnerving.

Seb grinned. “Looks like someone’s got their claws out,” he remarked lowly, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

"Sir?" someone muttered, jolting him back to reality.

It was PA Jin whom had fallen into step beside him, silent as a ghost. They had just reached the boardroom doors, and PA Jin cleared his throat. 

Damien blinked, his gaze snapping back into focus. He nodded curtly, and PA Jin pushed open the doors with a flourish. 

"The board awaits, Mr. Hawke."

With a swift smile, Damien swept into the room, his presence commanding attention. The murmur of conversation ceased, and all eyes turned to him. He took his seat, his eyes gleaming with intensity. 

"Let's get down to business."