The drive back home was quiet, yet it was the kind of silence that carried weight, not emptiness. Amara leaned against the car window, bags of clothes and shoes filling the backseat. Her body was tired, but her mind kept replaying Damian's words: Then we'll go together. The promise had settled deep inside her, wrapping around her like warmth in the cold.
Damian's hand rested on the steering wheel, but every now and then he reached for hers, squeezing gently, as if to remind her he was there, as if to reassure her that the road ahead wasn't hers to walk alone anymore.
When they finally pulled into the mansion's driveway, the lights cast a golden glow across the vast house. Amara exhaled in relief, her stomach rumbling loudly as she stepped out. Damian chuckled softly at the sound.
"Hungry?" he teased, raising a brow as he collected some of her shopping bags.
Amara gave him a sheepish smile. "More like starving. I didn't realize shopping could drain all my energy."
"Well, then," Damian said, holding the door open for her, "tonight, I'll cook for you."
She blinked, surprised, almost laughing. "You? Cook?"
"Yes, me." His eyes sparkled mischievously. "Don't underestimate me, Amara. I can handle more than boardrooms and billion-dollar deals."
Amara covered her lips with her hand to hide her laugh as they walked inside. The grand living room was quiet, shadows stretching across the walls. "Fine," she said, dropping onto the couch, "but I'm warning you, if the food is bad, I'll order takeout."
"You'll eat every bite," Damian shot back with mock sternness, disappearing into the kitchen.
She heard the clatter of pans, the sound of water running, the fridge door opening. Curiosity got the better of her, and soon she found herself padding into the kitchen, leaning against the doorway.
Damian stood in a crisp white shirt with his sleeves rolled up, focused on chopping vegetables. There was something oddly intimate about the sight of him there-this powerful, feared billionaire, casually cooking dinner like an ordinary man. Amara couldn't help but smile, watching the way his brow furrowed in concentration.
"What?" Damian asked without looking up. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Because I've never seen you like this," she admitted softly. "It... it makes you feel more human."
He finally glanced at her, smirking. "So I wasn't human before?"
"You know what I mean," Amara said, rolling her eyes but laughing. "I like this side of you."
He paused, setting the knife down, and stepped closer. "Then I'll show you this side as often as you want." His voice was low, serious, the kind of tone that made her chest tighten.
Before she could answer, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and returned to the food. Amara sat on a stool, resting her chin in her palm, simply watching him. For the first time in days, she felt peace threading its way through the chaos of everything happening around them.
Within an hour, Damian served her a plate of pasta tossed in herbs and grilled chicken. Amara took the first bite and her eyes widened.
"This is... actually good," she said in surprise.
"I told you," Damian said smugly, sitting across from her. "Don't doubt me."
They ate together, their conversation flowing easily-from childhood memories to dreams for the future. Amara told him stories about her parents, little fragments of warmth she still carried. Damian listened without interrupting, his gaze fixed on her as though every word mattered.
When the plates were cleared, Amara stretched and yawned. "That was perfect. Now, I think I need to sleep for two days straight."
Damian stood, moving behind her, his hands resting gently on her shoulders. "Not yet. There's something I want to ask you."
Her heart skipped. She turned to face him, suddenly nervous. "What is it?"
He crouched down slightly, bringing himself to her level, his eyes burning with intensity. "Amara, I know the office gossip must be overwhelming. I know Clara and others will try to break you down. But I need to hear it from you... are you ready for this? For us?"
Amara's lips parted. The weight of his question pressed against her chest. Images flashed in her mind-Clara's smirk at the entrance, the whispers in the hallway, the uncertainty about Mr. Simon Glover. It was a storm, and she was in the center of it.
But when she looked at Damian, all she saw was the man who held her hand in public without fear, who cooked for her when she was hungry, who promised to stand beside her at her parents' graves.
She reached for his face, her thumb brushing along his jaw. "I'm scared," she whispered honestly. "But I'm ready. Because as long as you're with me, I know I can handle it."
Damian's chest rose sharply, and he pulled her into his arms. His embrace was firm, grounding, his lips brushing against her hair. "That's all I need to hear."
They stayed like that for a long while, holding onto each other, letting the silence say what words couldn't.
Later, as they made their way upstairs, Amara felt her exhaustion hit her fully. She collapsed onto the bed with a sigh, still in one of her new dresses from the shopping trip. Damian laughed, sitting beside her.
"You didn't even change," he teased.
"I don't care," she mumbled into the pillow. "I'm comfortable."
He shook his head, gently tugging the blanket over her. "Rest, Amara. Tomorrow will bring more battles, but tonight... you're mine."
Her heart fluttered at the possessive tone in his voice, but before she could respond, sleep claimed her.
As Damian sat watching her, his mind turned darker. He thought of Clara, of the jealous gleam in her eyes. He thought of Simon Glover, the man who wouldn't easily let him walk away from business deals that tied into their future. And he thought of the threats that seemed to loom closer every day.
His fingers brushed over Amara's hand under the blanket. Whatever battles awaited them, he silently vowed, he would protect her-even if it meant losing everything else.
For now, he allowed himself one rare moment of peace, listening to the sound of her steady breathing, anchoring himself to the woman who had already become his entire world.