Meanwhile, in Damien's office, the air was thick with an awkward warmth that only family reunions could carry. Gordon Lancaster—powerful, composed, and still exuding the kind of confidence that filled a room—stepped forward and pulled his eldest son into a firm embrace.
"It's good to see you, Dad. How are you?" Damien asked, his voice softening in a rare show of vulnerability.
"I'm pretty well, if I may say so myself," Gordon replied, straightening his jacket. Then, with a heavy sigh, he added, "Just deeply disappointed in one of my sons."
Damien exhaled, shoulders dropping. "Dad…" he began, his tone edged with the familiar exhaustion that came from years of refereeing his father and brother.
"What did he do this time?" Gordon pressed, leaning on the edge of the desk like he owned the place. "Damien, have you found out?"
"Yes… no…" Damien hesitated before finally meeting his father's sharp gaze. "Dad, the deal is off. We're not doing business with Phoenix. Jacob was right."
For a moment, Gordon just stared, blinking as if he hadn't heard correctly. "What do you mean the deal is off?" His voice rose slightly, irritation creeping in. "You've been working toward this for years, Damien. Years!"
"I know," Damien said, his jaw clenching. "But I'm not risking our company's integrity or our family name over something that doesn't add up."
"Doesn't add up?" Gordon barked, disbelief laced with frustration. "You were the one who vouched for this merger in the first place!"
"Dad," Damien cut in, firm now. "Do you trust me?"
"What? Yes, of course I do," Gordon replied, frowning.
"Then stop asking questions," Damien said sharply. "The deal is off. That's it."
A tense silence settled over the office. Gordon rolled his eyes, clearly biting back another argument. Finally, he huffed and waved the matter away. "Fine. I suppose you've made up your mind." Then, his tone softened just a little. "On another note, I can't wait to catch up with you at home. Is… is your girlfriend with you?"
Damien looked at him, brows knitting. "Her name is Leighton, Dad. She's been around since last year. I'd expect you to at least remember her name."
Gordon cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable. "Right, Leighton. Of course." He paused, then added, "But no, we're not catching up at your place. We already booked a hotel."
"Okay, but you're still welcome," Damien said, trying to bridge the gap. "It's your home too."
"I know, son," Gordon said with a weary chuckle. "But I can't deal with grumpy Jacob right now. Not exactly the family atmosphere I want to show Leighton."
Damien's expression hardened, his patience snapping just a little. "Too bad, Dad," he said, voice low and edged with frustration. "Because whether you like it or not, we're the only family you've got."
The words hung in the air like smoke after a gunshot—sharp, final, and impossible to ignore.
____________________________________________________________________________
*Isabella's POV*
That evening when I got home, I dragged my exhausted ass upstairs and stepped straight into the shower. The hot water hit my skin, washing away the bullshit of the day, but not the chaos in my damn head. I was restless as hell. I couldn't stand this shit anymore — Damien and that possessive, mind-fucking kiss that still linger on my lips, Jacob and his flirty, teasing bullshit that made me laugh when I shouldn't. My heart was a battlefield, and both of them were winning.
Steam still clung to the bathroom mirror as I stepped out, my skin flushed from the heat of the shower. I wrapped a towel around myself, feeling the warmth fade into the cool air of my room.
I sighed, running a hand through my damp hair, when my phone dinged. The sound echoed through the quiet room like a whisper I didn't want to hear but couldn't ignore.
Jacob: hi doll
A small, tired smile tugged at my lips as I typed back, hi
Seconds later, another message flashed on the screen.
Jacob: what's up? can't sleep?
I can't.
There was a pause. My pulse quickened when the next message came through.
Jacob: thinking about me?
I hesitated. My thumb hovered over the keyboard. kinda, Jacob?
Jacob: yeah?
I bit my lip, staring at the blinking cursor before I finally typed,
I think I'm ready.
The reply came almost instantly.
Jacob: I'm on my way to your room.
My breath hitched. The towel suddenly felt too thin, the air too heavy. My heart pounded against my ribs like a warning I didn't want to hear.
What the hell was I doing?
I glanced at the door, the sound of faint footsteps already echoing down the hall. Every rational thought screamed for me to stop, to think, to breathe—but my body had other plans. I froze, every nerve alive, as the doorknob turned.
Jacob walked through the door—shirtless, confident, and damn near sinful. His chiseled abs and that tattoo running down his arm and chest like a sleeve were enough to make my brain short-circuit. Holy fuck. My mouth went dry as my eyes trailed over him, and he smirked like he knew exactly what kind of effect he had on me.
"Oh, Jacob, you're fast..." I started, but before I could even finish, his arm snaked around my waist, pulling me hard against his chest. The air whooshed out of my lungs as heat surged through my body.
"I've been waiting too fucking long for this," he muttered against my lips, his breath hot, rough, and desperate before his mouth crashed into mine. The kiss was wild—hungry, possessive, full of every ounce of pent-up tension that had been brewing between us for months.
My fists clenched at first, torn between resistance and surrender, but then my palms betrayed me, sliding up the solid planes of his chest. His skin burned under my touch, muscles flexing as his grip tightened on my waist. My body wanted him, fuck, it wanted him bad—but my mind screamed for clarity.
I tore my lips from his, panting, my voice trembling. "Woah, slow the fuck down, Jacob," I breathed, meeting his gaze that burned with want. "Aren't we… forgetting someone?"
His jaw flexed, the intensity in his eyes dimming for just a second as realization flickered. But his thumb still brushed over my lip, his eyes showed he was torn between Damien and his desire.