Chapter 9

That morning arrived with heavy air. Fog still hung over the backyard of the Blackwell mansion, hiding part of the always-neat rose garden. Lydia stood near her bedroom window, staring at the dewdrops clinging to the glass. Since that night in the greenhouse, her mind had never been at peace.

Every time she remembered Damien's touch, her breath caught in her throat. There was a sense of guilt weighing on her chest, as well as something that couldn't be erased. A warmth that shouldn't have been there.

She closed her eyes, hoping it was all just a dream. But the image of Damien always appeared, with his dark eyes that held secrets.

And now, the two of them pretended as if nothing had happened.

That afternoon, Lydia went down to the dining room. William was already sitting there, staring at his phone screen with furrowed brows. He had just returned from a meeting with the board of directors. His face looked tired, but his eyes remained sharp.

"Good morning," Lydia greeted softly.

William turned his head and nodded without smiling. "You're late."

His voice was cold as usual. Lydia sat silently, looking down, trying to keep her face expressionless. But William stared at her for too long. His gaze made Lydia feel uncomfortable.

"Lately, you seem... confused," William said slowly. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No," Lydia replied quickly. "I'm just tired. Too many things on my mind."

William leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping the table in a slow rhythm. "Or maybe someone is making you tired?"

Lydia swallowed. "What do you mean?"

William smiled crookedly, but his eyes didn't smile. "I know who's been talking to you lately. Damien."

Lydia's world seemed to stop spinning. She looked down, trying to keep her expression calm. "He was just... teaching me a few things. About corporate ethics, so I don't look stupid in public."

William snorted softly. "Damien rarely does anything without a reason. Be careful, Lydia. I don't like my brother meddling in my affairs."

There was subtle pressure in his voice, a threat wrapped in politeness. Lydia knew she couldn't respond. She could only nod slowly and pretend to be calm, while her heart was pounding.

---

That night, the rain fell slowly, dampening the quiet yard. Damien sat alone in his study on the second floor, the dim light highlighting his tired face. Since that night in the greenhouse, he had chosen to keep his distance. Every time Lydia appeared in the corridor, he averted his gaze. Every time they had to speak in front of the family, Damien answered as briefly as possible.

He tried to convince himself that it was the right thing to do. But every time he heard Lydia's footsteps pass by his study, his chest felt heavy.

He stared at the laptop screen filled with old documents. Data related to Lydia's father's investment project from several years ago. He closed his eyes, remembering how William had trapped the Hart family, destroying Lydia's father's small company so that he would give up. And now, Lydia was here, in the same toxic circle.

Damien closed his eyes for a moment. He knew his time was almost up. The plan he had been working on for years was about to be revealed. But Lydia... Lydia changed everything.

---

The next day, Lydia walked into Damien's office without knocking. "We need to talk," she said, her voice trembling but firm.

Damien looked at her. "About what?"

"Don't pretend you don't know." Lydia approached, standing in front of the desk. "You've been avoiding me since that night. I know you're hiding something. I'm not a child, Damien."

Damien's gaze darkened. He slowly closed his laptop. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Lydia shook her head vigorously. “You’re wrong. I know enough to understand that you’re not just William’s brother. There’s something behind all this. What does it have to do with the data you gave me back then?”

Damien stood up. His movements were quick but controlled. “You mustn’t touch dangerous things, Lydia.”

“Dangerous for whom? For you? Or for William?" her voice rose, her eyes flashing. "I have a right to know!"

Damien approached, standing only a few steps away from her. "Stop, Lydia. I don't want you to get hurt."

"It's too late for that," Lydia whispered softly. "I've been hurt since the first time I entered this house."

A long silence filled the room. Only the sound of rain outside the window could be heard. Damien looked at her deeply before finally turning away.

"You don't understand," he said softly. "I'm trying to fix something that was broken long before you came."

---

A few hours later, Lydia returned to her room feeling suffocated. Damien's words continued to echo in her head. She couldn't sleep. The gentle night breeze blew the curtains, creating moving shadows on the wall. For some unknown reason, a strange urge made her stand up and walk to Damien's room.

The door was unlocked. The light inside was still dim. On the table was a stack of papers and a black leather notebook.

Lydia hesitated for a moment but finally entered. Her fingers trembled as she opened the book. The first page contained Damien's handwriting, neat and firm.

"The family's revenge began when my father sold that small company. William thought he could cover everything up with money, but I knew the truth. I knew who had to pay."

Lydia froze. Her eyes quickly scanned the next lines. About the fictitious project, about her father's name, and the date that matched the day their family fell apart. Her hands trembled. Damien... knew everything. He had known from the beginning.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway. Lydia quickly closed the book and put it back. The door creaked, and William appeared in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was flat but sharp.

Lydia froze. "I was just... looking for Damien. I thought he—"

"No need to lie." William entered, his steps calm but his eyes full of suspicion. "I know you and Damien are getting closer. But something's strange. He rarely shows up at the office, and you often disappear with him. What are you two planning?"

"Nothing!" Lydia's voice almost broke. "You're misunderstanding."

William smiled thinly, but his smile was not friendly. "I rarely misunderstand, Lydia. I know when someone is lying."

He moved closer, too close, until Lydia could smell his sharp cologne. "Don't try to play both sides, dear. I have my own ways of finding the truth."

Lydia bit her lip. "I'm not doing anything."

William looked at her intently, then turned toward the door. "We'll see."

As soon as he left, Lydia heard her cell phone ring. William gave a brief order to someone on the other end of the line.

"Keep an eye on Lydia Hart. Report her every move."

---

That night, Lydia sat on her bed with her hands covering her face. Her breathing was shaky. She knew that from now on, her every move would be watched.

But behind that fear, there was something even more terrifying. The secret she had discovered in Damien's book.

Family revenge.

And Damien was part of it all.

But before falling asleep, the last image that flashed through her mind was Damien's whisper in the glass house that night:

"I'm by your side... even if one day you might hate me."

Now, Lydia began to understand the meaning of those words.

And she knew… tonight was only the beginning of a bigger storm.