The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride (Elara and Victor) novel Chapter 19

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Beneath the Surface

Beneath the Surface

The next day.

“Good morning,” Damian greeted as she opened her eyes wide, as if she had just seen a ghost. “I hope you’re feeling better.” Elara felt surprisingly energetic, much better than the day before.

“Yes,” she replied, sitting upright. Damian Blackwood had a strikingly handsome appearance that commanded attention. His sharp, chiseled features, dark tousled hair, and intense icy blue eyes gave him a mysterious and intimidating aura. He was so handsome that she couldn’t look away.

“Are you done staring?” he asked with a smirk.

“Yes,” Elara answered unconsciously.

“Really?”

“What!” Her eyes widened. “What did I just say?”

He scoffed, enjoying her embarrassed expression. It was amusing to see her so flustered.

“Have you captured and imprinted my look into your brain?”

“And why should I?” she demanded, trying her best to hide what she felt. Elara was mortified and wondered why she couldn’t look away. Damian moved closer to her, lifted her chin, and looked straight into her eyes.

“I know I’m good–looking,” he teased. “Wherever I go, women flock around me, but to think that the almighty Elara could fall for my looks makes me laugh.”

“Y..you..” she stammered. “Who says I was looking at you?”

“Your emotions,” he replied. “The fact that you’re affected by the kiss makes me wonder if you can hold up for a

year.

>>

“I will,” she replied firmly. “And I’m not affected by the kiss.”

“Okay,” he stated, removing his hand before wiping it away. He was back to being cold once more. Elara’s heart raced, her pride wounded by Damian’s taunting words. “I’d advise you not to fall for me,” he added. “Because it won’t end well.” Damian knew that staying far away from this woman was the best thing to do because he couldn’t understand the strange feelings he was having whenever he was with her.

“And you should go back to your room today. I don’t want to find you here when I return from work.”

Elara climbed down from the bed, disgusted by his behavior and how he was treating her like trash. She wondered who Damian truly was. One moment he was treating her gently, and now he was treating her as if she were nothing.

“You don’t have to tell me. I’ll be going to my room now.”

“Oh,

“he smirked. “You should.”

“I will,” she fired back. Damian scoffed, enjoying her anger Before she could leave, he called for Aiden, the butler.

“Mr. Blackwood, you called for me.”

“Oh yes,” Damian responded, glancing at Elara, who stood close to the bed. “I want you to change everything in this room before I come back.” Elara’s face flushed with a mix of anger and humiliation, her fists clenching at her sides.

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Beneath the Surface

“What do you mean?” Elara asked, feeling hurt. She couldn’t believe her ears..

He ignored her question and shifted his gaze back to Aiden

“From the soap, the towel, the mirror, to the bed and the sheets. Everything she touched, I want it changed before I return from work,” Damian ordered Aiden, his tone cold and commanding. Aiden’s eyes widened in disbelief, clearly taken aback by the harshness of Damian’s command He had never seen such cold cruelty, especially toward someone who had been treated kindly just moments before. Despite his shock, he nodded obediently, understanding that questioning Damian’s orders was not an option.

“Yes, sir.”

“Okay. You can go.”

After Aiden left, she confronted Damian and demanded to know why he was behaving like this.

“Do I need your permission to change everything in my room?” he asked, glancing at her.

“Who are you?” she asked, gripping the hem of her clothes. “Are you the same person who stayed by my side and nursed me back to health? Are you the man who protected me from his mother? Who truly are you?”

“Ha,” he laughed. “Do you think I’m doing this because I have feelings for you as my wife, Elara? Your foolishness continues to surprise me. We both know how and why we are married. Protecting you from my mother was because I didn’t want her to scare you away. It would spoil my plan.” He moved closer to her, scanning her from head to toe. His lips curled into a sinister smirk, and his eyes glinted with a cold, calculating malice. The air around him seemed to grow colder, as if his very presence drained the room of warmth “Where would I find another wife if she scared you away? You needed me; I needed you–it’s a win–win situation. No stupid feelings.” “Ha!” It was time for her to wake up from her delusions. How foolish she had been to think that Damian Blackwood could have feelings for her. She had misinterpreted his kindness and attention, mistaking them for something deeper. How could she be so foolish?

“I warned you not to develop any feelings for me. Pull yourself together before it’s too late,” he said before walking away, leaving Elara stunned.

Damian knew he needed to stay focused. He couldn’t forget what he needed her for.

“Good morning, sir,” the driver greeted him as he approached where his car was parked.

“Good morning, Robert,” he replied. Robert, a man in his 40s, opened the car’s back seat door. Damian entered and sat down gently before Robert closed the door. The driver quickly took his seat and drove out of the penthouse

“Ma’am, are you there?” Anita called for the fifth time before gently tapping Elara’s shoulder. “Are you okay, Mrs. Blackwood?”

“Oh yes,” she replied, snapping out of her shock. “Do you need something?”

“No, Ma’am. We’re here on Aiden’s instruction to clear out everything in Mr. Blackwood’s room.”

It had come to this. She should gather herself and face what she came here to do. She looked around, only to realize that Anita wasn’t the only one in the room. There were movers there too. She wondered if they had been expecting a day like this.

“I need to go back to my room,” she said, holding her head high. “You should do your work.” She opened the doo and left. As she walked to her room, she could hear the movers working.

Elara stopped for a moment and looked back in the direction of Damian’s room for the last time. She vowed never to be humiliated like this again. She had been staying here for the past three weeks, doing nothing but following

Beneath the Surface

him to parties and being introduced to his business partners. It was time for her to focus on her career as well. She stopped at her door, took a breath, and opened it.

“Hal” she finally exhaled. She collapsed on the bed, recalling how Damian had treated her.

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