The CEO's Rejected Wife And Secret Heir novel Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Morning After clarity

Damien pov

She looked away, tears streaming down her face now. The anger had drained out of her, leaving only guilt and confusion.

"I did want it," she admitted finally, her voice breaking. "God help me, I wanted you so badly. I still do and that terrifies me"

She turned to face me, her expression carefully blank. "Just know that was casual sex and it was nothing more."

"You’re lying." I could see it in her eyes. "To me or to yourself, I’m not sure. But you’re lying."

"Maybe I am." Her voice went cold. "But I’d rather lie than be stupid enough to fall for you again. Once was enough, thanks."

That landed like a punch to the gut. "I deserved that."

"You deserve worse than that." But her anger was cracking, showing the vulnerability beneath. "Damien, I can’t do this. I can’t let you back in just because we had good sex after a traumatic day. I have to protect myself and Noah."

"I’m not asking you to let me all the way in." I took a careful step closer. "I’m just asking you not to shut me out completely. Can we at least be honest about what happened? About how we feel?"

"How I feel is confusing." She wrapped her arms around herself. "Years ago, you destroyed me. Then you spent months trying to make amends. Yesterday, you gave up everything for Noah. Last night..." She shook her head. "I don’t know what last night was. But I know it can’t happen again."

"Why not?"

"Because I can’t afford to need you!" The words burst out of her. "I spent three years learning to survive without you. Learning to be strong on my own. If I let you in and you hurt me again" Her voice broke. "I don’t think I’d survive it twice."

The raw honesty in her voice shattered something in me."I won’t hurt you again," I said fiercely. "Aria, I swear to you"

"You can’t promise that." She was crying now, tears streaming down her face. "No one can promise that, and I can’t risk it. I can’t risk Noah losing his father if we try this and it falls apart. I can’t risk my heart breaking again."

I wanted to argue. Wanted to promise her the moon and stars and forever. But she was right. I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t hurt her again. I could only promise to try my best.

And she’d learned the hard way that my best wasn’t always good enough.

"Okay," I said quietly. "Okay. Last night was a one-time thing. We don’t talk about it, we focus on Noah and co-parenting nothing more."

Relief and something that looked like disappointment crossed her face. "Thank you."

She winced as she moved toward the door, one hand bracing against her lower back.

I noticed immediately. "You’re hurt."

"I’m fine." But her movements were stiff, carefully controlled.

"Aria." I stepped closer. "You’re sore."

Her cheeks flushed. "It’s nothing."

"It’s not nothing." Guilt twisted in my gut. "I was too rough"

"You weren’t." She wouldn’t meet my eyes. "I just... it’s been years, and we went... several rounds."

The memory of her begging for more flashed through my mind—her nails in my back, her voice hoarse from screaming my name. "You kept saying don’t stop."

"I know what I said." Her flush deepened.

"Want me to run you a bath? I could" I reached for her, but she stepped back.

"Don’t." Her voice cracked. "Don’t be gentle with me now. Don’t take care of me it makes this harder."

"Or I could give you another taste," I said quietly, watching her eyes dilate despite her protests. "Remind you exactly how many times you begged me not to stop. How you clawed my back and screamed for more."

She swallowed hard. "That’s not fair."

"Nothing about this is fair." I took a step closer, watching her body betray her even as she retreated. "But we both know if I touched you right now, you’d let me sore or not."

"Stop." But it came out breathless.

"Tell me I’m wrong." I kept my hands to myself, barely. "Tell me you don’t want it again."

For a moment, I thought she’d close the distance between us. Then she shook her head, wrapped her arms around herself protectively.

"I can’t do this. I can’t let you back in just because we had good sex..."

"But Aria?" I caught her hand as she moved toward the door. "When you’re ready—if you’re ever ready—I’ll be here. Waiting. For as long as it takes."

She looked at our joined hands, then up at my face. "Don’t wait for me, Damien. You’ll be waiting a very long time."

She pulled free and walked out, closing the door softly behind her.

I stood there in my bedroom, surrounded by the scent of her, the warmth of her still in my bed, and felt the loss all over again.

I’d had her in my arms. Had been inside her, had felt her come apart beneath me, had held her while she slept. And I’d still lost her by morning.

My phone buzzed again. Another text, this one from an unknown number.

P.S. - Give Aria my regards. She looked so beautiful sleeping in your bed. Almost didn’t want to leave without saying hello. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

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