Chapter 3

Chloe's POV

Damon ignored Victoria's screaming and looked down at me.

"Be good. Go wait for me in the car. I'll handle this. It won't take long."

I didn't make a sound.

I let him help me up, taking one heavy step at a time until I reached the car outside.

My ears were ringing. Only when I sank into the leather seat did my vision clear a little.

Shortly after, Damon's assistant came out.

He tapped on the window, offering an awkward, appeasing smile:

"Miss Vance, please don't overthink this. The engagement is just an arrangement by the elders. Mr. Sterling never took it seriously."

"He didn't tell you because he didn't want you to worry."

"You know how much he cares about you, don't you?"

I sneered internally.

On the surface, I kept my head down, expression blank.

A few minutes later, Damon emerged.

Behind him, Victoria was running away in tears, looking completely wrecked.

Damon waved his team away, slid into the driver's seat, and pulled out a first-aid kit to dress my wound.

His touch was remarkably gentle, his voice hoarse:

"Chloe, the wedding talk was my father's idea. I'm not marrying her."

"I'll make it clear to my family tonight. Don't let it bother you."

I stared out the windshield.

"Understood. Just drive, Damon."

Damon looked at me, his lips parting as if to say something, but he swallowed it down and started the engine.

The car was dead silent, save for the hum of the engine.

I closed my eyes, my thoughts spinning out of control.

Suddenly, a screech of tires tore through the quiet.

My eyes snapped open.

A massive semi-truck was barreling straight toward us.

In the split second my pupils contracted, Damon threw himself over the console, pinning me tightly beneath his chest.

BAM!

A bone-shattering impact flipped our world upside down.

Agony engulfed me, and darkness swallowed my senses.

When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed.

The white ceiling lights stung my eyes.

I twitched my fingers; every muscle screamed in protest.

Damon was sitting by the bed, his face as pale as a ghost.

The moment he saw me open my eyes, a spark lit up his gaze.

"Chloe! You're awake! God, you scared me to death!"

My lips cracked as I whispered, my throat dry as sandpaper:

"Are you... badly hurt?"

"I'm fine. Just two fractured ribs."

Damon reached out, brushing the tips of his fingers against my hair.

"It's my fault. I didn't protect you."

He pushed himself up, wincing.

"Lie still. I'll go get the doctor."

The moment he stepped out, the room door pushed open again.

I thought it was the nurse. When I turned my head, it was Victoria.

Victoria gripped her phone tightly, walking straight to my bedside.

"Awake? Perfect. Here's something you should watch."

She shoved the screen in front of my face and hit play.

The video showed the interior of a café.

Victoria, eyes red and voice shaking, was confronting Damon:

"Damon, tell me the truth. Is it real? Everything you did with Chloe Vance—was it all just for revenge?"

Damon's expression on screen was unreadable. He glanced toward the street, where my car was parked.

Then, he nodded.

Victoria threw her arms around him, sobbing:

"I still can't trust you. We're about to get married, and you're still acting like her devoted puppy."

"Prove it to me. Tamper with the brakes later. When you hit something, jerk the steering wheel toward the passenger side. Let her take the hit. Do that, and I'll believe you."

Damon went quiet for several long seconds. Then, he spoke a single word:

"Fine."

The video cut off.

Victoria pulled her phone back, a venomous smile spreading across her lips.

I opened my mouth, but not a single sound came out.