Zara stood in the quiet of the guest room, staring at her reflection in the full-length mirror. The dress Eleanor had picked out clung to her figure with elegance, but her heart weighed heavier than the silk against her skin. Since the gala, nothing had been the same. Damien had grown distant not cold, just... guarded. And she felt eyes on her wherever she went, whispers trailing her like perfume.
The door creaked slightly and she turned. Damien stood at the threshold, his expression unreadable, his suit jacket unbuttoned and tie loosened.
"You look tired," she said softly, offering a small smile.
He nodded. "Work's been a mess. The board is restless. Investors want answers I don't have yet."
Zara hesitated. "Is it about the merger?"
Damien's eyes met hers, surprise flickering. "How did you know?"
"I overheard two of your board members at the gala... and Celine mentioned something," she added reluctantly.
The mention of Celine darkened Damien's face. "Don't let anything she says get to you. She's been trying to insert herself where she doesn't belong for years."
Zara crossed her arms. "She asked me how it felt being with you. She called me your... 'flavor of the moment.'"
Damien's jaw tightened. "That was out of line."
"I'm not asking for you to fix everything, Damien," she said, her voice steady. "But I need to know where I stand. In this house, in your life."
There was a pause. He walked toward her slowly. "You were never meant to get hurt. I didn't think this would... get this far."
Zara swallowed. "What does that mean?"
He looked away, frustration simmering in his voice. "I was supposed to marry someone else, someone who came from the right circle. But Grandma insisted. Said fate chose you."
Zara's heart twisted. "So I'm a placeholder? A solution to a problem?"
"No!" Damien's voice rose, then dropped again. "At least, not anymore. It started that way, but now"
He stopped himself.
"Now what?" she pressed.
But Damien only sighed and walked away, leaving her alone in the echo of unanswered questions.
***
The next morning, Eleanor called Zara to the sunroom.
"You look pale, child," the older woman said gently, motioning for her to sit. "I can feel the storm between you two. Damien's not making this easy, is he?"
Zara shook her head. "He's torn, but he won't let me in."
Eleanor's eyes grew distant. "He's afraid. Love has never been safe for the men in this family. They're taught to lead, not feel."
"I don't want to lead him," Zara said. "I just want to be beside him. But it's like he's... slipping away."
Eleanor reached for her hand. "Hold your ground, dear. People will try to push you out, discredit you. But you have more strength than you know."
Zara blinked, grateful. "Thank you."
Eleanor smiled. "You're not just here because of some prophecy or destiny. You're here because you matter. To him even if he's too blind to see it."
***
That afternoon, Zara attended a charity function as Damien's stand-in. It was last minute, and she was surprised to find Celine there too glamorous, poised, and grinning like a cat with cream.
"Well, well. Look who's playing house," Celine purred as she approached. "Is Damien too busy... or just tired of his new toy?"
Zara didn't flinch. "You must be bored if insulting me is your main entertainment."
"Oh, darling, I'm simply observing. You don't belong here, Zara. No amount of makeup or dresses can change that."
"I don't need to belong to people like you," Zara said, lifting her chin.
Celine leaned closer, her voice low. "You think Damien's going to choose you in the end? He's not the type to fall for charity cases."
Zara smiled sweetly. "Funny. That's not what he said last night."
Celine's eyes narrowed, and Zara walked away, heels clicking with defiance. But deep inside, the words left a bruise. Because what if they were true?
***
Later that night, Damien came home late again. Zara was in the living room, flipping through a book but not reading a word.
"You didn't tell me you sent me to that event to be bait," she said without looking up.
"I didn't," he replied tiredly.
"Then why was Celine there? Why is she so confident I'm temporary?"
Damien sat down, elbows on his knees. "Because she doesn't believe anyone can replace her."
"Did she ever have you?" Zara asked bluntly.
He looked at her, surprised by the directness. "Not the way she wanted."
Zara closed the book. "You keep shielding me, keeping secrets... I can't live like that, Damien. I won't."
He nodded slowly. "I know."
Silence stretched between them again.
"I'll fix this," he added.
She wanted to believe him. But part of her wondered: did he even know how?