Chapter Two

by Roxanne Rene

Rowan had always envisioned herself in a soaring high-rise office, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of corporate life, but never had she imagined it would involve a nerve-wracking confrontation with the only man she had ever loved—the enigmatic Damien Cross. He was not just her former lover; he was also the father of her child, a man she had kind of, maybe, definitely ghosted.

Damien’s office loomed around her like a gilded cage, adorned with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city skyline. The sleek, modern furniture exuded a polished elegance, and the atmosphere felt charged with the unspoken weight of multi-million-dollar deals being sealed before breakfast

But in this moment, Damien Cross was not focused on the world of business. He was fixated on her.

Rowan’s eyes flickered to the small, curly-haired child perched on the office couch, her little legs swinging back and forth as she nibbled on an emergency snack from Rowan’s purse. His child.

Rowan stood awkwardly before his imposing desk, feeling as if she were a teenager caught sneaking home past curfew.

Damien finally exhaled, a deep rumble escaping him as he rubbed his angular jaw. “Rowan. You have approximately five seconds to explain before I start yelling.”

She forced a nervous laugh that felt more like a reflex than genuine amusement. “Oh, let’s not resort to that. This is a workplace—very professional, very quiet—”

“Rowan.”

Damn it. His voice dropped into that deep, commanding tone she had always found irresistible, the kind that made her feel small and yet drawn to him all at once.

She swallowed hard, senses heightened. “Okay. So, um… surprise?”

Damien shot her an unsavory look, his expression as unreadable as the city skyline outside.

Not amused. Not remotely amused.

Rowan winced, realizing her joke had landed flat. “Right. Not the time for humor.”

Damien leaned forward, his hands pressed against the cool surface of his desk, the tension building between them. “She’s mine.”

It was a statement, not a question, and it hit her like a brick.

Rowan fidgeted, desperate to ease the heavy atmosphere. “Okay, but let’s focus on the positives! Like, um… she’s incredibly adorable?”

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his perfectly styled golden hair, frustration evident in every line of his face. “Rowan. You left. Five years ago. And never told me.”

She winced once again, the memories flooding back, painful and raw. “In my defense, I was young, overwhelmed, and paralyzed by the fear that you would realize I was just a summer fling and would move on with your life.”

Damien’s eyes darkened, storm clouds brewing in their depths. “You thought I wouldn’t want her?”

Rowan hesitated, the weight of those five years pressing down on her. “No,” she admitted slowly. “I thought you wouldn’t want… me.”

His silence enveloped them.

For a fleeting moment, Damien just stared at her, emotions swirling beneath the surface—anger, love, hurt—all fighting for dominance

Then, before she could gather herself, he pushed back from the desk and crouched in front of Nessa.

Nessa blinked up at him with her big, innocent brown eyes, curiosity radiating from her tiny frame as she chewed on her granola bar. “Hi.”

Damien let out a soft breath, tension easing just a little. “Hey.”

They studied each other, the world around them fading away—Nessa, with her mischief and charm, and Damien, looking completely out of his element, as if he were stepping into a scene he had never prepared for.

Rowan felt her heart clench painfully in her chest.

For five long years, she had convinced herself that keeping Nessa to herself was the right decision, a way to protect them both from heartache and disappointment. Yet, the way Damien gazed at her daughter—like he had stumbled upon the most precious treasure in the universe—pierced through her confidence, making her feel like the villain in this story.

Finally, he turned back to Rowan, his voice low yet firm, a command that held the weight of their shared past. “You’re not running again.”

Rowan straightened her back, lifting her chin defiantly. “Excuse me?”

“I mean it.” He stood tall, crossing his arms with unwavering authority. “You are not taking my daughter and disappearing. Not again.”

Rowan frowned, the flash of indignation rising within her. “You can’t just—”

“Try me.”

The air crackled between them, electric and charged with the intensity of old emotions. It was the same magnetic tension as before, only now there was something deeper—a bond forged in love and loss, something permanent.

Rowan took a shaky breath, the question reverberating in her mind. “So what happens now?”

Damien’s jaw tightened, the lines on his face carved deeper by determination. “We figure it out. Together.”

Rowan swallowed hard, her heart racing. “And if I don’t agree?”

Damien leaned in, lowering his voice to a dangerous whisper. “Then we have a problem, sweetheart.

Heat flooded her cheeks at the way he wielded the threat like a weapon, even when it dripped with a seductive charm. Damn that Damien; he was not allowed to make threats sound so alluring.

Suddenly, Nessa hopped off the couch, dusting granola crumbs off her dress with an innocent smile. “Mommy, I’m sleepy. Can we stay here?”

Rowan groaned, the reality crashing back down on her. “Kid, we live somewhere else.”

Damien smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “We’ll see about that.”

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In the next chapter, Damien versus the fiercely protective best friend? Oh, this is going to be fun.

Return to Chapter 1 <— —> Continue to Chapter 3?