Chapter 21

As the evening approached, tension hung thick in the air of the mansion. Vivi found herself pacing in her room, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. She'd made her choice, hadn't she? Family over desire. Duty over passion. So why did her heart feel like it was being torn apart?

She paused by the window, catching sight of a sleek car pulling up the driveway. A svelte blonde emerged, her dress clinging to every curve. Ava. Vivi's stomach clenched as she watched Damien greet her at the door, his hand resting on the small of Ava's back as he led her inside.

Vivi turned away, her fingers curling into fists. She shouldn't care. She had no right to care. But the thought of Damien with another woman made her blood boil.

Downstairs, Damien guided Ava to the dining room, where an intimate dinner for two awaited them. He poured wine, engaging in light conversation, but his mind kept drifting. To Vivi. To her rejection. To the hurt that still stung fresh.

Ava noticed his distraction, her hand sliding across the table to grasp his. "Penny for your thoughts, handsome?"

Damien forced a smile, squeezing her hand in return. "Just admiring the view," he lied smoothly.

As the evening progressed, Vivi found herself drawn to the top of the stairs, straining to hear the muffled laughter and conversation from below. She shouldn't be here, shouldn't be listening. But she couldn't help herself.

The sound of footsteps approaching made Vivi retreat hastily. She ducked into a nearby room, leaving the door slightly ajar. Through the crack, she saw Damien and Ava stumble past, locked in a passionate embrace. Ava's giggles echoed down the hallway as Damien led her towards his bedroom.

Vivi's heart hammered in her chest, a mix of jealousy and longing threatening to overwhelm her. She slumped against the wall, sliding down to the floor as tears pricked at her eyes. This was what she wanted, wasn't it? For Damien to move on? So why did it hurt so much?

Vivi's heart raced as she crept down the dimly lit hallway, her bare feet silent against the plush carpet. She shouldn't be doing this, she knew, but an irresistible force pulled her towards Damien's bedroom. The door was slightly ajar, a sliver of warm light spilling into the corridor.

She hesitated for a moment, her conscience warring with her curiosity. But the latter won out, and she found herself peering through the crack, her breath catching in her throat.

Damien sat on the edge of the bed, his shirt unbuttoned and hanging loose. Ava stood between his legs, her hand resting on his chest, fingers tracing lazy patterns across his skin. They were talking in low voices, their words indistinct but their body language speaking volumes.

"You seem tense," Ava purred, her fingers sliding up to knead Damien's shoulders. "Let me help you relax."

Damien's response was too quiet for Vivi to hear, but she saw him lean into Ava's touch, his eyes closing briefly. A pang of jealousy shot through Vivi, hot and sharp. She wanted to be the one touching him, soothing away his worries.

Ava's hand moved to cup Damien's face, tilting it up towards her. "Forget about her," she murmured, loud enough for Vivi to catch. "I'm here now."

Vivi's breath hitched, her fingers gripping the doorframe tightly. She knew she should leave, that watching this would only bring her pain. But she remained rooted to the spot, unable to tear her eyes away from the scene unfolding before her.

Damien's hands came to rest on Ava's hips, drawing her closer. He looked up at her, his expression a mix of desire and something else - something that made Vivi's heart clench. Was it regret? Longing? Or was she simply seeing what she wanted to see?

As Ava bent down, her lips mere inches from Damien's, Vivi finally found the strength to pull away.

Vivi stumbled back from Damien's door, her heart pounding and her thoughts in disarray. She retreated to her room, closing the door softly behind her and leaning against it, eyes closed.

What was she doing? Spying on Damien like some lovesick teenager? She was a married woman now, for heaven's sake. She had responsibilities, obligations. A family to protect.

But as she crossed to her bed and sank onto it, Vivi couldn't shake the image of Damien with Ava. Their intimacy, the way he leaned into her touch... it stirred something in Vivi that she'd been trying desperately to ignore.

She flopped back onto the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. "Get it together, Vivi," she muttered to herself. "This isn't some romance novel. You can't just follow your heart and expect everything to work out."

But oh, how she wanted to. For the first time in her life, Vivi felt a connection with someone that went beyond mere physical attraction. Damien understood her in a way no one else ever had. He made her laugh, made her feel alive.

And she'd pushed him away. For what? A loveless marriage to a man old enough to be her father? Financial security for her family?

Vivi rolled onto her side, hugging a pillow to her chest. "It's the right thing to do," she whispered, trying to convince herself. "Isn't it?"

But deep down, a small voice whispered back: Was it really right to sacrifice her own happiness? To deny herself the chance at true love?

She thought of Damien's hurt expression when she'd rejected him earlier. The pain in his eyes had been unmistakable. And now he was seeking comfort in Ava's arms.

Vivi felt a surge of jealousy, followed quickly by shame. She had no right to feel possessive of Damien. She'd made her choice.

Hadn't she?

Vivi tossed and turned in her bed, unable to shake the image of Damien and Ava from her mind. Her stomach churned with a mix of emotions she couldn't quite untangle. Jealousy, longing, and frustration warred within her.

She sat up, running a hand through her disheveled hair. The truth hit her like a slap to the face - she was possessive of Damien. The thought of him with another woman made her blood boil. But what right did she have to feel this way?

Vivi padded to the window, looking out at the moonlit gardens. She'd made her choice. She'd married Reginald to secure her family's future. It was the responsible thing to do, wasn't it?

But as she stood there, arms wrapped around herself, Vivi realized that her feelings for Damien ran deeper than she'd ever admitted. It wasn't just physical attraction or the thrill of forbidden desire. She cared for him, truly cared, in a way she'd never experienced before.

The weight of her situation pressed down on her. She couldn't jeopardize her marriage, not when so much was at stake. Her family's financial security, their reputation, their very future - it all rested on her shoulders.

Vivi leaned her forehead against the cool glass, closing her eyes. She wanted to march down the hall, burst into Damien's room, and claim him as her own. To tell Ava to leave and never come back. To throw caution to the wind and follow her heart.

But she couldn't. The consequences would be too severe. Her family would suffer, and she'd never forgive herself for being so selfish.

So Vivi remained rooted to the spot, her heart aching as she imagined what was happening just a few doors down. She was trapped, caught between duty and desire, unable to act on her feelings without risking everything.

But something hot was brewing in the other room.