The next morning, the sunlight shone brightly, piercing through the curtains in Damon's
luxurious mansion.
Inside, Damon adjusted his suit, while his driver waited patiently. The air felt thick with tension
as if something mysterious was about to happen.
Damon stepped inside his sleek black car and headed for his office. The drive to Blackwood's
Enterprises was quiet and unsettling. When he arrived at his office, the atmosphere felt charged.
He stepped out of the solid glass doors of Blackwood's Enterprises and into the lobby. It felt as
though the air had stiffened at his arrival.
There were whispers and piercing stares. Damon walked past them with calculated calm . It was
his empire, and he controlled it, but the judging stares still persisted.
Damon swung open the glass doors of the boardroom.
There was an unsettling silence as the investors and business partners shot piercing stares at
him, some murmuring to each other. Gabriel, his assistant, leaned closer to him, face pale, with
a tablet in his hand and whispered to his ear.
"Sir, there's news. A leak to be precise"
, he whispered, voice dripping with urgency.
Damon adjusted his cufflinks.
"What's the news?" He asked sharply.
Before Gabriel could reply, Mr. Edward, the company's oldest partner at the table spoke, his
voice laced with authority and urgency.
"The news has spread. It's not regarded as a rumor. It's in the papers"
.
"What news? Please, clarify"
, Damon said, sitting down.
"There's news that you murdered someone over a deal gone wrong some years ago"
, he stated
skeptically.
Those words dropped in the boardroom like a bomb. The members exchanged
glances.Whispers, murmurs drew from some board members.
Damon remained calm, expression unreadable. But behind the calmness, his mind raced.
'Who would do this? What could that person benefit from?'
"You don't know the gravity of the problem this news carries. It's bad for this company's image
and yours too"
, one of the investors said seriously.
"If you don't handle this with urgency, people will pull out. No one wants to do business with a
murderer"
, Another investor stated.
Damon cleared his throat and placed his hand on his chin.
"And do you think it's true?"
"It's not about what we think. It's about what others think. If you're portrayed as a murderer no
one would want to partner with you"
, Mr. Edward explained.
"Address this matter, Damon,
before it escalates"
, he warned.
Gabriel shifted, scrolling through his tablet avoiding Damon's cold gaze.
"I'll look into it"
, Damon said. With that, Damon exited the boardroom meeting and headed to his
office. The meeting ended with members murmuring as they left.
At Monroe Enterprises, Elara sat at her desk, going through some contracts and signing
them. The incident that occurred at her engagement still lingered in her mind. She still couldn't
understand why Elijah had attended her engagement neither could she understand how Damon
knew Elijah.
Another thought struck her. Adrian hadn't sent her any threatening messages.
'What was he up to?'
This added to the tension in her mind. But her thoughts were interrupted by Maria's swift
entrance.
"Ma'am, have you heard the news?"
Elara looked up, perplexed.
"Heard what news?"
"The news about Mr Blackwood"
.
"I have no idea about what you're talking about"
.
Maria hesitated, as if those words were heavy for her to spew.
"They're saying that Damon killed
someone some years ago because of a deal gone wrong"
, Maria informed.
Those words caught Elara like a blade. Her eyes widened in shock.
"What?"
She knew he was ruthless,cold and commanding but being a murderer was something she just
couldn't digest. Her thoughts spiralled.
"The news has spread. Even investors are whispering about it"
. Maria said.
"This sounds weird"
. Elara uttered in disbelief.
"Is it true?"
"I don't know if it's genuine, all I know is that people are talking about it"
.
Elara's chest tightened.
'Was she marrying a murderer?' This question stuck to her like a scar.
When Maria left, she paced round her office, thinking of the news she heard.
"Could he kill someone just because of profit?" Elara pondered. In order to ease her doubt, she
left her office and drove to Blackwood Enterprises.
When she arrived, Damon was in his office seated, his gaze fixed on nothing.
"Damon, Is what I heard true?"she asked, tone firm.
"Wow, what a pleasant surprise"
, Damon said sarcastically.
"Quit this attitude of yours and answer my question"
.
"Hmm…
"
, he stood and leaned closer to her.
"I owe you no answers, Miss Monroe"
.
"You owe me answers, Mr Blackwood. It's my right to know if the person I'm being chained to is
a murderer"
.
Damon smirked, folding his arms.
"You're free to think whatever pleases you. I'm not
answerable to anyone… let alone you"
. He spat.
"Hmm… you feel like you've always had things under control but this leak is out of your control,
Damon"
.
"No it's not. Damon Blackwood never loses control because that's what he thrives on. This is a
scandal and maybe you orchestrated it"
.
"Me? Don't try to pin this on me, Mr Blackwood"
.
"You know what…this conversation is over. Please exit my office"
, Damon said, pointing towards
the elevator. Elara shot a quick glance at him and stormed out. As Elara left, Gabriel came in.
"Sir, what are we going to do concerning the issue at hand?" Gabriel asked.
"I can handle that by myself. In matters like this, not everyone can be trusted"
, Damon said with
a straight face. Gabriel's heart pulsed instantly. He lowered his gaze.
"As you wish sir"
, he said
and left.
Somewhere in the city, a figure clothed in a black leather jacket, stood alone at the center of the
street, with a cigarette in his hand.
The street's light shone on him but his face was shrouded in darkness.
"First move made… more to follow "
, he said, voice laced with cruelty.