Chapter 4

When I first met Damien, he was aloof and arrogant, with an inherent coldness that kept people at a distance. Uncle Ryan, my mother’s older brother, had no interest in business and worked as a surgeon in a military hospital, rarely coming home. So, Grandpa Arthur wanted Damien to work at Davies Group.

Damien showed no resistance then. He unhesitatingly turned down high-paying offers from international corporations and readily joined Davies Group. From a junior employee to a branch manager, and then to the CEO of Davies Group, it only took him two years.

At twenty-eight, Damien, with his innate decisiveness, took over from Grandpa Arthur, officially becoming the successor to Davies Group.

It was from that day on that he gradually replaced the veterans who had worked with Grandpa Arthur for years, installing his own people. Now, Davies Group was entirely under Damien’s control. Grandpa Arthur had always known about this but never pursued it. “They’re family, let him do as he pleases,” was the comfort Grandpa Arthur offered himself.

My story with Damien began the day he joined Davies Group.

The Davies family estate was in the suburbs. To avoid the hassle of daily commutes, I moved into the Waterside villa near my school with Damien.

The Damien who was cold and distant in public was incredibly doting towards me, even though we had no blood relation. Outside of work, he’d take me out to dinner and movies, accompany me to amusement parks to ride the Ferris wheel, and even childishly play in the snow with me on cold winter days. He patiently indulged all my whims and unreasonable demands. He often brought me to his friends’ gatherings, proudly introducing me as his young niece.

Gradually, everyone in the circle knew that Damien had a beloved young niece he doted on.

In my youth, when my heart was first awakening to love, I naturally couldn’t resist his thoughtful, caring favoritism. Moreover, he was a man of undeniable charm, inherently attractive. My love for Damien was intense, almost to the point of madness, and I didn’t know where it stemmed from.

Perhaps it was the warm milk he handed me before bed, or his embrace as he shielded me from the rain. Or maybe it was his tender gaze at the top of the Ferris wheel on Valentine’s night.

…

I desperately sought out every trace of his love for me, yet after that one night, he brutally dragged me into hell.

After that day, Grandpa Arthur sent me abroad for three whole years. Before I left, Grandpa Arthur said to me, his voice heavy with heartache, “Audrey, go clear your head. I’ll handle things here.”