The emails had been arriving in waves for weeks, but the last twenty-four hours felt like a deluge.
Aria sat on the edge of Lila's guest bed in the Brooklyn brownstone, laptop balanced on her thighs, the screen's blue light carving shadows under her eyes. Subject lines scrolled past like accusations: Urgent: Singapore Parcel Update Required, Board Request: Immediate Response on Regulatory Filings, Shareholder Concerns – Q2 Projections Review, Ms. Voss – Availability for Emergency Session? Each one carried the same undertone... polite, professional, and razor-sharp with impatience. The board was not asking anymore; they were demanding.
She stared at the inbox until the words blurred.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, but no reply came.
She was terrified.
Not of the work. Not of Victor's veiled threats or Marcus's calculated smiles. She was terrified of walking back into Voss Tower... of stepping through those revolving doors and feeling the air change, the way it always did when Damien was in the building. She could already imagine his gray eyes finding her across the lobby, the slow way he would smile, the certainty that she would end up in his hands again, no matter how hard she tried to run.
Lila knocked softly on the open doorframe.
"You've been staring at that screen like it's going to bite you."
Aria closed the laptop too quickly.
Lila stepped inside... barefoot, oversized T-shirt slipping off one shoulder... and sat beside her on the bed.
"Talk to me."
Aria looked down at her hands... nails bitten raw.
"I have to go back tomorrow. They're not going to wait any longer but I am scared..."
Lila reached over, took one of Aria's hands in both of hers.
"Then tell me what you're really afraid of."
The dam broke quietly at first... tears slipping free without sound.
Then the words came... halting, fractured, raw.
"He sent me a video last night. A woman… he hurt her... he hurt her badly with ...belt. Choking. Recording it. And then he wrote… this is going to be you the next time I see you."
Lila's grip tightened.
Aria's voice cracked.
"I keep seeing it. I keep hearing her scream. And I know... I know... he meant it. He's done worse to me. Not the belt, not yet, but… the choking. The slaps. The way he turns gentle into something that leaves marks. And I stayed. I stayed because when he looks at me it feels like the only time anyone has ever really seen me. Like he sees the parts of me I hate and he wants them anyway. And I hate myself for needing that."
She was crying openly now... shoulders shaking, words tumbling over each other.
"I don't know how to stop wanting him to hurt me. I don't know how to stop letting him. And I'm scared that when I walk into that building tomorrow he'll be there, waiting, and I'll let him take me again because I don't know how to say no anymore."
Lila pulled her close... arms strong, steady.
Aria buried her face in Lila's shoulder and sobbed... deep, wrenching sounds that shook her whole body.
Lila held her until the crying slowed to hiccupping breaths.
Then she spoke... quiet, fierce.
"Babe, you listen to me. You are not broken. You are not weak. You are a woman who was conditioned to believe pain is love, and that is not your fault. Damien did that. Not you."
She pulled back just enough to meet Aria's eyes.
"You do not owe him your body. You do not owe him your silence. You do not owe him anything."
Aria wiped her face with the heel of her hand.
"What about Ethan?"
Lila's expression softened.
"How do you feel when you're with him?"
Aria looked away... toward the window where streetlights glowed through the blinds.
"He's… kind. Steady. He listens without trying to fix me. He doesn't look at me like I'm something to own. But I don't trust it. Because Damien was nice once too. Coffee. Soft touches. Listening. And then he turned red. Violent. Possessive. What if Ethan does the same?"
Lila shook her head.
"Not every man who is gentle is waiting to become violent. Some men are just gentle. Full stop."
Aria swallowed.
"I want to believe that."
"Then start small," Lila said. "Stand your ground tomorrow. If Damien tries to touch you... scream. Loud. In the hallway. In the boardroom. In the elevator. Let the whole floor hear. Report him. File something. Get security involved. Because if you let fear win... if you let him corner you again without fighting... he will take over. Completely. And you will disappear inside him."
Aria nodded... slow, uncertain.
"it won't be that easy."
"It doesn't have to be easy," Lila said. "It just has to be done."
They sat in silence for a long moment.
Then Lila stood.
"Come on. Let's pack. You're not going back to the penthouse tonight. You're staying here until you're ready. And when you walk into that building tomorrow, you walk in knowing we have your back."
They packed together... quietly, methodically.
Clothes. Laptop. Charger. The small notebook where Aria had started writing things she wanted to remember about herself.
When the bag was zipped, Lila hugged her again... tight, fierce.
"You are not his. You never were."
Aria whispered against her shoulder.
"I want to believe that too."
Morning arrived too soon.
Ethan pulled up outside the brownstone at 7:45 a.m.... black Range Rover, engine idling softly.
Lila and Maya walked Aria to the curb... both hugging her hard, whispering last-minute reminders.
"Call us. Anytime."
"We love you."
Aria gave them a strong smile, then slid into the passenger seat.
Ethan glanced over... warm eyes, careful smile.
"Ready?"
She hummed... barely audible.
He pulled away.
The drive into Manhattan was quiet.
Aria stared out the window... replaying the video in her head. The belt cracking. The screams. Damien's voice... cold, commanding. The caption burned behind her eyes.
This is going to be you the next time I set my eyes on you.
She shivered.
Ethan noticed.
"You don't have to talk if you don't want to."
She hummed again.
They arrived at Voss Tower.
The lobby was unusually silent when she stepped inside.
Conversations hushed. Heads turned. Eyes followed her across the marble floor.
Muffled greetings drifted past... "Good morning, Ms. Voss"… "Welcome back"… but the voices were subdued, almost reverent.
Victor stood near the elevators... mid-conversation with a junior analyst... when he noticed the hush.
He turned.
Brows lifted.
A slow smile curved his lips.
"Well, well, well," he murmured to himself. "The goddess herself has arrived."
Ethan walked beside her... close enough to be protective, far enough to be professional.
He rode the elevator up with her.
At her office door he paused.
"Everything will be sent to Lila's by lunch. Files, laptop backups, messages. You won't have to come back here today unless you want to."
She nodded... grateful.
"Thank you."
He smiled... small, steady.
"You've got this."
Then he left.
The board meeting was called for 10:00 a.m.
Aria stood outside the double doors... files clutched to her chest... whispering to herself like a prayer.
"It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay."
She pushed the doors open.
Silence fell like a curtain.
Every head turned.
Marcus at the head of the table... expression unreadable.
Victor to his right... smiling thinly.
The rest of the board... older men and women who had known her father... watching with varying degrees of curiosity and calculation.
Damien was not there.
She felt a flicker of relief... then dread.
He was waiting.
She decided not to sit. she wants to stay confident and controlled
She stood at the head of the table... files in front of her, spine straight.
The room waited.
Then the doors opened again.
Damien walked in.
Charcoal suit. Sleeves rolled. Gray eyes locked on her.
He did not sit beside her this time.
He took a chair farther down the table... giving her space.
She felt the absence like a physical thing.
Ethan... seated near the back... rose quietly, walked to her side, gathered the scattered files, straightened them, set them neatly in front of her.
He gave her a small smile.
She returned it... shaky, grateful.
Marcus and Victor exchanged a glance... confused, assessing.
Damien's gaze never left Ethan.
Aria began.
Her voice trembled at first... then steadied.
"I've reviewed the last quarter's performance, the stalled deals, the shareholder feedback. Effective immediately, there will be a structured pause on certain board activities. A re-strategizing period. During this time, we will be reviewing membership. Some seats will be retired. Non-contributing or unqualified members will be removed."
Murmurs rippled across the table.
Damien cracked his knuckles... slow, deliberate.
Victor leaned forward.
"Ms. Voss, perhaps you could clarify what you mean by 'removed.'"
Ethan started to speak... calm, professional.
Damien slammed his palm on the table.
The sound cracked like a gunshot.
"They are not asking you the question, muffin. Stay in your fucking seat and be fucking quiet."
The room froze.
Ethan smirked... small, dangerous.
Aria lifted her chin.
"That is an unacceptable use of language, Mr. Blackwood… Junior."
Gasps.
Damien's smirk was slow... predatory.
He leaned forward... elbows on the table.
"My apologies, Mrs. Blackwood-to-be."
She pretended not to hear.
Continued.
"Forms will be distributed. Fill them out. Submit by close of business today. Certain deals will be closed immediately. Others re-evaluated. This is not a request."
Victor chuckled... low.
"Look at you. Being in control now. Seems the hiatus did wonders for you, Ms Voss."
She ignored him.
Turned to Ethan.
"Would you mind passing the forms, please?."
Ethan moved... calm, efficient.
Marcus watched Damien.
Damien watched Aria.
When the meeting ended, Aria gathered her things.
Ordered Ethan: "Pack the rest of the documents. Come with me."
They walked out together.
In the hallway... quiet, carpeted... Damien appeared.
Chest rising and falling. Hands in pockets. Eyes fixed on her like a hunter.
Ethan stepped forward.
Damien shoved him aside... effortless, hard.
Grabbed Aria's wrist.
Pulled her with him.
Ethan lunged.
Victor stepped in... smooth, blocking.
"They need some alone time. Come. Walk with me. Let's talk about this… new strategy in your head."
Ethan's jaw clenched.
He followed Victor... reluctantly.
Damien dragged Aria into the nearest empty office... his grip iron on her wrist, unyielding, pulling her through the threshold like she weighed nothing more than a shadow. The door slammed shut behind them with a heavy thud that echoed once, then died. He twisted the lock. The click was deliberate, final.
He released her wrist.
She stumbled back two steps... back hitting the wall beside the window, breath coming in sharp, shallow bursts. The blinds were half-closed; thin stripes of afternoon light cut across the carpet, striping her trembling legs.
Damien leaned in close... close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his chest, smell the faint trace of bourbon and sandalwood on his breath. His gray eyes locked on hers... storm-dark, unblinking.
She opened her mouth to scream.
The sound died in her throat before it could form.
The office was soundproof... thick walls, sealed windows, designed for confidential deals and raised voices that never leaked into the hallway. No one outside would hear. No one would come.
He tilted his head... studying her like prey that had finally stopped running.
"Did you watch the video?" His voice was low... velvet over razor... each word measured, patient.
Aria's lips parted... dry, cracked from biting them earlier.
She didn't answer.
He stepped closer... body crowding hers against the wall, one hand planting beside her head, caging her.
"I asked you a question, Aria."
Her chest rose and fell too fast.
She lifted her chin...defiant, terrified.
"I watched it."
His mouth curved... slow, satisfied.
"And?"
She spat in his face.
The saliva landed on his cheek... wet, glistening.
His eyes darkened.
"You're a rapist, a fucking monster" she hissed... voice shaking but clear. "You need to be locked up."
He didn't flinch.
Slowly... agonizingly slowly... he lifted his free hand.
Wiped the spit away with the pad of his thumb.
Brought the thumb to his lips.
Licked it clean... holding her gaze the entire time.
Then he smiled... slow, lethal, almost tender.
"The let me show you...," he murmured, "what a real rapist looks like."
Before she could move, he grabbed both her wrists... fingers like steel cuffs... yanked them above her head and pinned them to the wall with one hand.
She twisted... hard... shoulders straining, body arching away from him.
He pressed closer... thigh shoving between hers, forcing her legs apart until she was spread, trapped, the fabric of her skirt riding up her thighs.
She kicked... once, twice... heel catching his shin.
He grunted... low, annoyed... but didn't release.
Instead he leaned in.
Claimed her mouth.
The kiss was brutal... teeth clashing, tongue forcing past her lips, invading. She bit down... hard... tasting copper.
He growled against her mouth... pulled back just enough to slap her cheek... open palm, sharp sting that snapped her head sideways.
She gasped... tears springing instantly.
He choked her the... hand wrapping around her throat... not crushing the airway, but tight enough to make her vision spot, to make every breath a labored rasp.
"Stop fighting," he whispered against her ear. "It only makes me harder."
She whimpered... small, broken.
He tore her blouse open... buttons popping, scattering across the carpet like spilled pearls. Lace bra exposed... cups shoved down roughly. He palmed one breast... hard... pinching the nipple until she cried out into his palm.
He spun her... fast... face to the wall.
Her cheek pressed against cool paint.
He shoved her skirt up to her waist... fabric bunching, tearing at the seam.
Panties yanked aside... no gentleness, no pause.
He kicked her legs wider, painfully enough for her to whimper hard... foot nudging her ankles apart until she was spread, vulnerable, ass presented.
She clawed at the wall... nails scraping paint.
"Please... "
The word escaped... raw, pleading.
He pressed against her... thick, hard, insistent.
Not at her entrance. Not this time
Lower.
She froze... realization dawning like ice water.
"No no no no, Damien... please... not there... "
He didn't answer.
He pushed.
No preparation.
No mercy. No lube.
The head breached... burning stretch, tearing pain that ripped a scream from her throat.
She bucked... trying to pull away.
He pinned her harder... forearm across her upper back, hand still on her throat from behind... keeping her face to the wall, body immobile.
He thrust deeper... slow at first... inch by agonizing inch... each movement deliberate, letting her feel every fraction of violation.
She sobbed... tears streaming down her cheeks, pooling on the wall beneath her face.
"Please... stop... please... it hurts..."
He paused... buried halfway... breath hot on the back of her neck.
"You begged me once to see you," he murmured... voice rough, almost reverent. "This is me seeing you. All of you."
Another thrust... deeper.
She screamed again... voice cracking, hoarse.
He didn't rush.
He took his time... long, punishing strokes... pulling almost all the way out, then forcing back in... each one tearing fresh pain, each one forcing her body to yield unwillingly.
She pleaded... over and over... words dissolving into sobs.
"Stop... Damien... please... I can't..."
He choked her tighter... stars bursting behind her eyes.
"You can," he growled. "You will, always will."
He fucked her like that... slow, relentless... until her legs shook, until her knees buckled, until she sagged against the wall... body limp, trembling, violated in a way that shattered something inside her she hadn't known could break.
When he finally came... deep, hot, spilling inside her... he held still for a long moment... chest heaving against her back... then pulled out slowly.
She slid down the wall... legs giving out... crumpled to the carpet.
Dress torn.
Thighs bruised.
Tears streaming.
Breath ragged, broken.
He stepped back.
Adjusted himself.
Zipped.
Buttoned his shirt... calm, methodical.
Looked down at her... crumpled, wrecked, sobbing quietly. take out his phone to take a picture of her.
Said nothing.
Turned.
Walked out.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Left her there... like she meant nothing.
Aria stayed on the floor... minutes bleeding into eternity... body aching, mind numb.
Then... slowly... she reached for her purse.
Fingers shaking... found her phone.
Scrolled.
Called Lila.
The line rang twice.
Lila answered...voice bright at first.
"Hey, babe... "
Aria's voice broke... weak, shattered.
"Lila…"
A beat of silence.
Then Lila's tone shifted... sharp, terrified, furious.
"Aria? What happened?"
Aria curled tighter... phone pressed to her ear... tears falling onto the screen.
"He… he raped me. In the office. Just now. Forced… anal. I begged him to stop. I screamed. He didn't."
Lila's breath caught... sharp, audible.
"Oh my God."
Aria whispered... voice cracking into sobs.
"I can't... I can't do this alone, I need help."
Lila's voice turned to steel... low, deadly, trembling with rage.
"No. You don't have to. This is no longer about walking away. This is no longer about breaking up. This is rape. This is criminal assault. This is felony violatio... and we are not holding back. Not one more second."
Her words landed like hammer blows... each one heavier than the last.
"We're going to the police. We're filing charges. We're getting a restraining order. We're exposing him... every text, every video, every bruise. We are burning his world down, Aria. Brick by brick. And when we're done, he will never touch another woman again."
The line crackled with her fury... raw, protective, unbreakable.
"You are not alone. You are not nothing. You are the goddess who just walked back into that building... and we are going to make sure he never forgets what happens when he touches what isn't his. we're coming for you Aria, hang tight... help is on the way"
Aria curled tighter on the floor... phone clutched like a lifeline... sobbing quietly.
And in the silence that followed Lila's vow, the weight of what came next settled over her... terrifying, inevitable, and for the first time in months… almost hopeful.
***