Damien POV

The car was too quiet.

The hum of the engine was the only sound between them, steady and low, filling the awkward silence that had settled since morning. Serena sat at the back seat, her eyes glued to her tablet, pretending to read, though Damien knew she hadn’t flipped a page in ten minutes. Her reflection in the rearview mirror was cold — expression blank, shoulders stiff, every bit the CEO who could freeze a room with a glance.

Damien kept his eyes on the road, one hand on the steering wheel, the other tapping against it absently. He wanted to say something — anything — but the memory of last night’s tension still lingered like smoke. She’d opened up once, shown cracks in that perfectly built armor of hers… and now she was back to being untouchable.

He inhaled quietly, his gaze flicking to her reflection again. “Rough morning?” he asked, voice casual, careful.

Serena didn’t look up. “Focus on the road, Damien.”

He bit back a smile. “Right. The road. Got it.”

She didn’t respond, didn’t even blink. Only the faint sound of her heels tapping against the car mat betrayed her irritation.

They stopped at a red light. The late afternoon sun spilled into the car, touching her hair with gold. For a moment, he almost forgot himself — the contract, the bet, everything. She looked… different in the light. Human, even.

He cleared his throat, snapping out of it just as the light turned green. “You’re quiet today,” he murmured.

“Drivers don’t make conversation,” she replied without looking up.

He smirked. “Depends on the driver.”

Her eyes met his in the mirror for a fleeting second — dark, challenging. He felt the weight of it. Then she looked away, flipping her tablet shut.

The rest of the ride passed in silence. But it wasn’t peaceful. It was the kind of silence that carried unspoken words and repressed tension. Damien didn’t mind it; in fact, part of him liked it. The challenge, the mystery, the way her walls only made him more curious.

When they pulled up in front of her company building — a sleek, glass-and-steel structure that screamed power — Serena unbuckled her seatbelt without a word.

“I’ll be out late,” she said curtly. “Don’t wait around.”

“Noted,” he replied, tone light. “Try not to fire anyone today.”

Her head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing. For a second, he thought she’d actually smile. But she didn’t. She just shook her head, stepped out, and slammed the door shut — hard enough to make him wince.

He sighed, leaning back in his seat. “You’re a handful, Miss Serena,” he muttered, watching her stride toward the glass doors like she owned the world. Which, in a way, she did.

****

He had barely parked the car properly when a familiar voice called from behind.

“Driver of the year!”

Damien turned to see Ethan, leaning against a sleek black motorcycle, grinning like he’d just walked out of trouble — which he probably had. Dressed in a casual leather jacket and sunglasses, he looked completely out of place in front of a corporate building.

“What are you doing here?” Damien asked, lowering his voice. “You’re going to blow my cover.”

Ethan smirked. “Relax, Mr. Secret Identity. I came to check on you. Or should I say, to see how the mighty Serena is handling her new ‘driver’?”

Damien ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. “You shouldn’t be here, Ethan. I told you, this job—”

“—was supposed to be research, I know,” Ethan cut in. “But from what I’m hearing, it sounds like you’re getting a little too involved.”

Damien gave him a flat look. “You’ve been talking to people again, haven’t you?”

“Maybe.” Ethan grinned wider. “Or maybe I’ve just noticed that your ‘updates’ have been getting shorter lately. You were supposed to send me notes about her daily habits, not—”

“Drop it, Ethan.”

“Oh, come on,” Ethan said, pushing off the bike. “You can’t tell me the infamous Serena Brooks isn’t getting under your skin. Everyone in the media calls her the Ice Queen, and yet here you are, chauffeuring her around like a lovesick—”

Damien grabbed his arm and pulled him aside, eyes sharp. “Watch it.”

Ethan laughed, unbothered. “Hit a nerve, didn’t I? Admit it — she’s different. And you’re slipping.”

“I’m not.”

“Really? Then why did you turn down that script offer last week?” Ethan tilted his head. “Oh wait — because you ‘didn’t want to leave town.’ Don’t tell me your new boss has something to do with that.”

Damien’s jaw tightened. He didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

Ethan leaned closer, voice dropping. “You do remember what’s at stake, right? The bet wasn’t a joke. If you fail, I win — and you’ll have to release that script.”

Damien’s expression darkened. “That script isn’t ready.”

“It was supposed to be about her,” Ethan said with a wicked grin. “You infiltrate her life, get inspiration, write the perfect CEO romance. That was the deal. Or are you suddenly forgetting?”

Damien stepped back, shoving his hands into his pockets. “It’s not that simple anymore.”

Ethan studied him for a moment, amusement flickering into curiosity. “Oh. So you’re actually catching feelings.”

Before Damien could reply, a sharp sound echoed — the click of heels against the pavement. Both men froze.

Serena POV

She was standing a few steps away, holding a file against her chest, expression unreadable. Her gaze flicked from Damien to Ethan, lingering just long enough to make his pulse race.

“How touching,” she said coolly. “I didn’t realize drivers took afternoon meetings in my parking lot.”

Ethan smirked faintly, opening his mouth to speak, but Damien shot him a warning look. “Miss Serena,” he began, forcing calm into his voice, “this isn’t—”

“Save it.” Her tone was sharp enough to cut through air. “If you’re done gossiping, you can get back to your actual job.”

She turned and walked away before he could say another word.

Ethan chuckled under his breath. “Well, that was awkward.”

Damien glared at him. “You just made things worse.”

“Please,” Ethan said, mounting his bike. “She’ll forget it by tomorrow. Or maybe not. Either way, this is getting interesting.”

He revved the engine and smirked. “Careful, Damien. You’re playing with fire — and from what I see, it’s starting to burn.”

The bike roared to life and sped off, leaving Damien standing there, jaw tight, heart pounding, and Serena’s cold voice still echoing in his mind.

He turned toward the building, eyes narrowing slightly.

“Damn it, Ethan,” he muttered.

Because for the first time since he started this whole game, Damien wasn’t sure which side he was really on anymore.