"We both know how to handle pressure, Damian. Most people would have cracked by now." Ximena's voice slithered across the table as her eyes locked on him.

Damian didn't bother looking up from his phone, his fingers scrolling through emails. The deal was done. This lunch had served its purpose, and now she was lingering, pushing the boundaries.

"You're paid to handle pressure," he said, placing his fork and spoon together on his Thai curry. He had no appetite for more.

She smiled, leaning in. "And I'm damn good at it. Maybe we should celebrate tonight—just the two of us. You could use a break." Her fingers brushed against his arm, but Damian didn't miss the intent.

He scoffed, pushing her hand away. "I have a wife. I don't need a break."

Ximena's smile widened. "And? It doesn't mean you're blind. Besides, men like you need something with more flavor." Her lustful stare lingered on his collar, where his shirt was slightly open.

Damian tucked the phone into his pocket. "This lunch is over."

Her smile faltered, but just for a second. "You always do this—shut things down when it gets too hot. I don't believe for a second that you're not tempted."

Damian leaned forward, his gaze on hers. "I'm not. And if I were, it wouldn't be with you."

Ximena blinked, caught off guard by the coldness in his tone. Damian rose from the table, his chair scraping against the floor. "Get the reports to Vera. We're done here."

She stood too, her lips parting as if to say something more, but he had already walked away, his broad shoulders cutting through the crowded rooftop restaurant with effortless authority.

Damian didn't look back. He never did.

***

By the time Damian looked up from the papers strewn across his desk, the office was dark, the skyline outside glittering with the lights of a city that never slept. He glanced at his Rolex—nearly eight.

Ximena had been in and out of his office all afternoon, reviewing the freshly signed Vitalus deal. She walked in again, this time with a triumphant smile.

"We have all the paperwork, including the revised due diligence reports." Her voice carried an edge of excitement, her kaleidoscopic eyes gleaming.

"Good. Make sure everything's sent to Vera by morning." Damian nodded, barely noticing she unfastened her blouse button to unveil ample cleavage.

"That's it? Just 'good'?" Ximena laughed, stepping closer to his desk. She tossed her phone on the table and made her way to his fridge, pulling out a bottle of champagne. "This is a win. You don't even want to celebrate?"

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Not now, Ximena."

A loud cork 'pop' broke the frosty silence. She poured the champagne into two glasses, the golden liquid bubbling. "Come on. One drink won't kill you."

Damian took the glass she handed him, clinking it against hers with feigned enthusiasm.

"To success," Ximena said, her voice lowering as she stepped closer. "To us."

He sipped, but his mind was on Chloe. He closed his eyes, his soul aching for her.

To kiss her plump lips.

To feel her delicate skin.

To rub her dainty feet.

Those porcelain feet were perfectly formed, with well-arched soles and neatly aligned toes that gave her grace and balance.

His Chloe.

Heavy perfume assaulted his nose. Ximena had inched beside him, her body too close. "You never relax, Damian. You're always so tense." Her fingers grazed his shoulder, trailing down the length of his arm. "I can help with that."

Damian tensed, jaw tightening. "Ximena—"

She didn't wait. Her lips were on his before he could finish the sentence, her body pressing against him, one hand sliding around his neck. For a second, Damian froze, caught off guard.

Then he pulled back, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell are you doing?"

But before she could respond, the door swung open.

An angel with midnight-black hair and startled brown eyes stood shaking like a doe caught in the headlights. Her pouty mouth twisted, releasing a harsh, keening wail.

***

Chloe's heart slammed into her chest as she took in the scene—Ximena, her lips on Damian's, her body rubbing his. The champagne glasses on the desk. Damian, pulling away too late.

Her blood ran cold.

"Chloe—" Damian's voice was sharp, panic edging it, but she didn't wait to hear more. She spun on her heel and bolted out of the office, her pulse roaring in her ears.

She barely made it down the hall when Damian caught up with her, his hand gripping her arm. "Chloe, wait! It's not what you think."

"Not what I think?" Her voice cracked, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "I saw you. I saw her."

Damian pulled her into the lounge area, away from the view of the rest of the office. He shut the door behind them, his expression torn between anger and desperation. "She kissed me. I didn't want it."

"Didn't look like you were fighting her off." Chloe's voice was bitter, raw.

Damian ran a hand through his hair, stepping closer to her. "I didn't expect it. I swear, Chloe. I was about to push her off when you walked in."

His broad hands found her shoulders. "You're the only one. You know that."

Chloe wanted to believe him. But the image of Ximena's lips on his burned in her mind. "Damian—"

"I love you." His hands slid down her arms, his thumbs brushing against her skin. "You. Not her. Not anyone else."

Chloe looked at him, her heart torn between wanting to pull away and wanting to believe every word. The warmth of his touch was familiar and grounding, but the doubt still lingered.

She stepped back, breaking the moment. "I can't just forget what I saw."

"Listen. Ximena was out of line. She came onto me, and I didn't ask for it. Do you hear me?"

Chloe nodded, understanding Damian's troubled eyes. What Ximena did—her husband never gave his consent.

He grabbed Chloe's hand and took fast strides to his office. "Follow me."

Chloe's pulse still raced, her mind replaying the image of Ximena's lips on his. But this time, she wasn't running. She was going to fight this bitch.

I'm not letting this go.

Ximena stood by the window, leaning casually against the frame. She swirled the champagne in her glass as if she hadn't just been caught in the middle of something. Her smile was smug, only deepening when she saw Chloe.

"Chloe," she purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Didn't expect you to walk in on that. Awkward timing, huh?"

Chloe's eyes flicked to Damian, then back to the woman who tried to steal her husband. "You need to leave."

Ximena's smirk didn't falter. "Leave? Why would I do that? I'm here on business, after all. I think Damian enjoyed the taste of our little celebration."

Chloe's cheeks flushed with hot anger. "He never consented to the kiss and harassment warrants termination. As a company consultant, I'm making a recommendation. Fire her, Damian."

Damian didn't hesitate. "You're off the project, Ximena. Effective immediately." His voice was flat, his eyes cold. He reached for his phone. "Security will escort you out."

Ximena's smile slipped for the first time. She straightened, eyes narrowing as she moved closer, facing Damian. "And who will handle the project then? Who's going to clean up your messes? There's no one else who can do what I do."

Chloe stepped between them. "There are plenty of people at Quinn Tech who can step up. But you? You're finished. You've been working for someone else all along, haven't you?"

Ximena's face twisted into a sneer. "Ooh, what a cute jealous little wife act, Chloe. But that's all you are."

Chloe didn't flinch. "It's not jealousy. It's the facts. You've been working for Gemma Rochefort. She's the reason you're here. You were planted in this company to sabotage the deal and get close to Damian. It wasn't Jeff who screwed up the contract. It was you."

Ximena's eyes flashed with anger. "You're crazy."

Chloe tilted her head, a dangerous smile playing on her lips. "Crazy? That's the best you've got? You're sloppy, Ximena. You and Gemma didn't cover your tracks well enough. I know you've been friends for years. And guess what? I have all the proof I need."

Damian's eyes flicked between the two women, tension radiating off him. "Ximena," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "how much of this is true?"

Ximena crossed her arms, her lips curling into a sneer. "You can believe your precious wife or admit the truth. Damian, your body doesn't lie. I felt your cock grow hard when I pressed my body against yours. I felt your sinfully delicious body when I kissed you. You might love her, but you want me."

Chloe's stomach twisted, but she stood her ground, holding Damian's hand. "He didn't want you, Ximena. His reaction was a natural arousal. Even when—

"Forced," Damian finished. "And you're delusional if you think that kiss meant anything."

Ximena turned, eyes blazing. "We had a heat of the moment. It was real, whether you like it or not."

"Get out," Damian growled. "Now!"

Ximena's face darkened, but Damian dialed security before she could say another word. His voice was cold when he spoke on the phone. "Send someone to escort Ximena Salazar off the premises. She's done here."

Ximena's eyes burned with fury as she grabbed her things, but not before throwing one last look at Chloe. "You're not the only woman he loves. Gemma said Damian shouted her name when they fucked and whispered her name when they slept. You'll remember that, won't you, now?"

"Jeezus, you're bullshit." Chloe laughed, knowing she didn't need to waste her energy on skanky hoes. She smirked, watching the security officers escort the homewrecker out for good. The door clicked shut behind her, and both she and Damian exhaled.

***

An hour later, the couple rested in the bedroom of their London mansion. The deluxe nineteenth-century home soaked in the soft glow of lights, but the tension between them remained.

Chloe sat on the edge of their four-poster bed, draped with velvet curtains that reminded her of Merlot. Her neck was covered with love bites from Damian's ravenous nips and kisses, his body pressing into her.

Breaking away from his touch, Chloe spoke. "We need to thank Vivianne and give her a nice vacation because she dug the dirt on Ximena.

"Mmm," Damian murmured, tracing her lips with his rough thumb. "I'll give her a week off, send her and her girlfriend on a holiday to Honolulu."

"First class," Chloe suggested. "Vivianne found out that Gemma paid Ximena to sabotage the Vitalus deal, blame Jeff, and seduce you." She glanced up at him, gauging his reaction.

Damian's face darkened, but he didn't seem surprised. "Gemma's relentless."

Chloe nodded. "And it gets worse. Ximena worked for Gemma's father, Grant, to lure high-profile men. Then Saira and Grant would use that leverage to destroy them."

Damian's body went rigid, his fists clenching. "Gemma thought she could do the same with me."

Chloe placed her hand on his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. "She failed. You didn't let her."

Damian's hands still trembled, something Chloe had rarely seen. He was always controlled—always the one with the power. But tonight, he looked rattled.

The image of Ximena's lips on him still flickered in her mind. "Tell me, did you two ever flirt or something more?"

"No." Damian's taut cheek muscles ticked.

Chloe's eyes searched his face. "Then why did she think you wanted it?"

Damian's shoulders tensed, his hands falling to his lap, knuckles white. "She's manipulative. I didn't want it, but... Chloe, I'm a man. My body—"

"I know. Your body reacted," Chloe finished for him.

He nodded, his eyes filled with frustration. "It's physical. But I felt violated. It brought up something from my past. Do you remember when I told you about the night I ran away from my mother?"

Chloe gulped, massaging Damian's hardened knuckles. "You said she hosted a sex party for rich clients while you were in your room, trying to sleep."

Damian shut his eyes tight, grimacing, then opened them, dark and haunted. "To this day, I still hear the moans and screams from the orgies outside my room. The sound of my door creaking and the shock of feeling a naked body crawl into my bed. The woman kept kissing me. Climbed on top. Tried to arouse my... Chloe, I jumped the hell outta bed, grabbed my hoodie, and ran out as fast as I could. Hailed a cab straight to Dad's place."

Chloe's heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice and how his shoulders shook when he wiped away a tear. She could see the weight of everything he carried since childhood—the responsibility, the guilt, the pressure to always stay in control.

She shifted closer, her hand resting on his leg. "Damian, is that why you never let me be on top when we're intimate?"

He looked at her, his eyes reddened with tears. "I love you, but never like that."

Chloe's throat tightened. "Keep loving me the way you do."

"Always."

She placed his hand on her pregnant belly. "You might not feel much, but I want to share this with you. I've been getting the flutters tonight."

Damian's fingers softened, his eyes widening when he felt the warmth of her skin, where a life grew beneath. The tension between them faded, allowing for a deep connection no one else could touch.

"You're a good woman, Chloe. Nothing like my mother. Her ghost still haunts me," he whispered.

"Saira's gone. We're okay," she assured, rubbing his hand.

Damian leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers, his voice rough. "I'll always love you. There is no other woman for me."

Yet, even with his promise, Chloe sensed uncertainty in the shadows.

***

A/N: Phew!  I've plotted a bittersweet end in this story for a trilogy.