đź’” OWNED BY A COLD HEART
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📖 Episode 8 – Beautiful Strangers and Unspoken Blood
"You slapped her in front of everyone, Celeste!" Isobel hissed as soon as the car doors closed, silencing the driver's partition.
Celeste sat upright, arms crossed over her chest, eyes still wild from the chaos of the Voss event.
"I had every right," she snapped, voice laced with both fury and confusion. "That girl—she poured juice on me in front of the richest people in this city. She humiliated me."
"You humiliated yourself," her mother replied icily. "You're not a child anymore, Celeste. There are consequences to scenes like that."
Celeste turned, face burning. "You didn't see her face, did you?"
Isobel narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about?"
"She looked like me, Mom." Her voice cracked slightly, betraying the vulnerability beneath her pride. "At first, I thought it was just the hair. But then I saw her eyes. The same shape. The same color. Her jawline. Her cheekbones. She looked like... like someone who shouldn't exist."
Isobel's shoulders tensed.
Celeste leaned forward, her voice a whisper now. "She was beautiful. I mean… really beautiful. In a way that made me feel like I was looking at the original and I was the replica."
"Don't be dramatic."
"I'm not!" Celeste snapped. "You always said I was the only one, that I was born to stand out, but tonight—"
"Enough." Isobel's voice was quiet but sharp enough to stop the conversation cold. "She's no one. A waitress. A poor girl who probably got lucky to stand in that room. Forget her."
But Celeste shook her head slowly, her lips forming one last word.
"No."
---
🌧️ Outside the Voss Estate – Later That Night
Rain had begun to fall — a soft drizzle turning into a steady rhythm, coating the streets in silver reflections. The catering van had already left.
Liana stood under the awning by the servant's exit, soaked apron crumpled in her arms, her hair beginning to curl under the damp air.
"Wait," Mr. Callen's voice snapped as he stepped out behind her. "Before you go."
She turned, exhausted, cheeks still slightly warm from the slap. Her hands were trembling again — not from cold, but from what was coming.
He didn't mince words.
"You embarrassed this company tonight."
Liana swallowed. "It was an accident. I apologized—"
"Do you think that matters to a woman like her? She's the daughter of Silas Easton. Her mother is royalty in every elite circle that matters. That girl could have your name wiped off every job list in this city if she wanted to."
Liana clenched her jaw. "It wasn't my fault—"
"You're fired, Liana."
The words hit harder than the slap.
"You can pick up your last pay tomorrow," he added. "Now go. I don't want to see you near this house again."
He walked back inside.
The door shut behind him with a finality that made her chest ache.
Liana stood there for a long time, staring at the closed door, arms wrapped tightly around herself.
Then she started to walk.
---
🚗 Moments Later…
A sleek black Maybach crept slowly beside her on the dim-lit road. She didn't notice it at first — too lost in her thoughts, her humiliation, her heartbreak.
Then she heard the gentle roll of a window.
"Get in."
She stopped mid-step, water clinging to her shoes.
She turned.
Damian sat in the backseat, coat folded beside him, tie loosened. His eyes were steady on her — unreadable, calm, and cold in the most dangerous way.
"I'm fine," she mumbled, shaking her head. "I don't need—"
"I'm not asking," he said.
The passenger door opened automatically.
Liana hesitated.
He tilted his head slightly. "Either get in the car… or keep walking alone in the rain."
She looked up at the sky.
It was coming down harder now.
She got in.
The door clicked shut.
The silence inside the car was thick, broken only by the soft hum of tires on wet road.
"I heard you were fired," he said.
Her stomach tightened. "News travels fast."
"I have eyes."
"I'm not your problem."
Damian looked at her now. Really looked.
"No. You're not my problem," he said, voice like a whisper cutting through snow. "But maybe… you're supposed to be my solution."
Liana turned toward him slowly. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I need a personal staff assistant. Quiet. Efficient. Invisible."
She blinked. "Are you offering me a job?"
"I'm offering you more than that," he said. "I'm offering you a way out of whatever life you're running from."
Liana stared at him. "Why me?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Then, in the quietest voice she'd heard from him yet, he said:
"You're the only person who doesn't flinch when you look at me."
Her throat dried.
"I'll give you time," he added. "But not too much."
And just like that, the car turned onto her street, slowing to a stop.
Liana opened the door, stepping out without another word, the rain now gentler somehow.
But as the car disappeared into the mist behind her, her mind was louder than ever.
What kind of man offers a job to the girl who spilled coffee on him… and got slapped in front of him twice?
And why did her heart beat faster not with fear… but with something she couldn't name?
Something cold.
Something thrilling.
Something dangerous.
---
🏠Later That Night – At Home
The keys in Liana's hand trembled as she fit them into the lock. Her fingers were cold, wet, and clumsy from the rain, but it wasn't just the weather making them shake.
It was everything.
The door creaked open quietly into their tiny apartment. The warmth inside greeted her like a whisper — barely enough to notice. The scent of boiled rice and something fried still lingered in the air, faint and tired.
Selina was at the dining table, folding clothes in slow motions, her back slightly hunched. The TV murmured in the background — some old soap opera nobody was really watching.
Liana stepped in and shut the door behind her gently.
Selina glanced over her shoulder. "You're late, sweetheart."
Liana peeled off her wet shoes and apron, placing them by the wall. Her voice came out hollow. "I got fired."
Selina froze, the shirt in her hands slipping into her lap.
She turned slowly to face her daughter. "What… what happened?"
Liana stood there, soaked, hair curling from the rain, eyes dim. "There was an accident at the event. I spilled juice on someone important. She slapped me. In front of everyone."
Selina's brows pulled together. "She hit you?"
Liana nodded, her voice quieter now. "I didn't mean for it to happen. It all went so wrong."
Selina stood up and walked over. She didn't yell. She didn't scoff.
She just wrapped her arms around her.
And for a second, Liana forgot how to breathe.
"I'm so sorry, Mom," she whispered into her shoulder. "I didn't want to disappoint you. Again."
Selina held her tighter, smoothing her wet hair gently. "Shh. It's okay. You didn't disappoint me. You had a bad day. That's all."
"I was fired."
"I know," Selina said softly. "And we'll figure it out. We always do."
They stood in silence for a moment — two tired souls holding onto each other like they were both afraid to fall.
Then Selina pulled back and cupped Liana's cheek. "You're freezing. Go change into dry clothes. I'll heat up dinner."
Liana tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you."
Selina brushed her damp hair behind her ear. "You're my daughter, Liana. You'll never be too heavy for me to carry. Okay?"
That's when the tears came — not loud, not broken.
Just quiet.
She nodded and turned toward her room.
---
🛏️ Inside Her Bedroom
She shut the door gently behind her and leaned against it, her back sliding down until she was sitting on the floor.
The room was dim and quiet except for the rain tapping at the window — a rhythm that seemed to echo every beat of her tired heart.
Her thoughts were a whirlwind. The slap. The shame. The strange, unreadable way Damian had looked at her. The car. The offer.
Her gaze drifted to the drawer.
She pulled it open.
There it was.
The black card.
Elegant. Unmarked. Mysterious.
She picked it up slowly, running her thumb over the golden edges. No name. Just a number. His number.
She didn't know what kind of life that card would lead her into.
But for the first time… it felt like someone had opened a door just for her.
A dangerous one. A different one.
And maybe… one she wasn't meant to walk through.
But she might.
Because the girl who used to play it safe… no longer existed.
🏫 The Next Morning – School
The hallway buzzed with its usual chaos — lockers slamming, sneakers squeaking on polished floors, voices rising and falling like waves. But to Liana, everything sounded far away, like she was moving through a tunnel made of glass.
She moved slowly, carefully, like someone afraid they might break if touched too hard.
Jayda spotted her from down the corridor and rushed over, already reading the look on her face.
"Hey—what happened last night?" she whispered urgently, gripping Liana's arm. "I waited for you to text. Did you spill something? Did they say anything?"
Liana didn't stop walking. "I got fired."
Jayda blinked. "Wait. What?"
"I got fired," she repeated flatly, opening her locker without looking at her friend.
Jayda's eyes widened. "Liana… what happened? Did someone complain? Was it her?"
Liana paused. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I spilled juice on Celeste Easton. She slapped me."
Jayda gasped out loud, earning a curious glance from a passing teacher.
"Shh—Jay!"
"Sorry," Jayda hissed. "Wait. The Celeste Easton? The girl who wears heels taller than her IQ? She slapped you?"
Liana nodded.
Jayda's mouth opened. Then shut. Then opened again.
"I don't even know what to say. That's insane."
"I don't want to talk about it," Liana said gently but firmly, pulling a book from her locker and shutting it quietly.
Jayda nodded slowly, falling into step beside her.
But then she added, softer, "You okay, though? I mean, really okay?"
Liana didn't answer right away.
"I don't know," she finally admitted. "But something's different now."
Jayda tilted her head. "Different how?"
Liana stopped walking. The halls were clearing as the bell rang in the distance.
She looked at her best friend — eyes tired, but lit with something new. Something deeper than anger. Deeper than pain.
"Last night… someone offered me a job."
Jayda frowned. "A new job? That fast?"
"Yeah." Liana's voice was almost a whisper. "And it wasn't just anyone."
Jayda's mouth dropped open. "Wait—don't tell me it was—"
Liana didn't confirm it.
She didn't have to.
Jayda stared at her. "Girl… what even is your life right now?"
Liana glanced away toward the window — the sunlight spilling over the field outside.
"I don't know," she said. "But I don't know what to do... he... he doesn't seem like a nice man."
Jayda leaned against the locker, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Wait… the guy who offered you the job... it was him, wasn't it?"
Liana didn't answer.
She didn't nod.
Didn't deny it.
Just stared down at her hands like they were holding a choice too heavy to carry.
Jayda's voice dropped, serious now. "Liana... are you okay? Like, actually okay? Because you're talking about Damian Voss. People don't work for him — they survive him. He doesn't offer anything unless he wants something back."
Liana met her best friend's eyes, and for the first time, her fear cracked the surface.
"I know," she whispered. "That's what scares me."
Jayda reached out and squeezed her hand. "Then whatever you're thinking of doing… think harder. You don't owe him anything, Liana. Not a single thing."
"I know," she repeated, but her voice wasn't firm.
It was torn.
Because a part of her — the safe part — wanted to run.
But another part... wanted to step closer.
To the man who looked at her like a storm he couldn't outrun.
The final bell rang, echoing through the halls.
Jayda sighed and tugged her gently toward class. "Come on. Let's survive math class before we survive billionaires."
And with that, they disappeared into the noise of routine.
But nothing inside Liana felt routine anymore.
TBC..
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