Chapter 50

After their passionate encounter, Damien and Vivi sat apart from each other, the air heavy with unspoken emotions. Damien ran a hand through his tousled hair, his expression a mix of resignation and regret.

"I guess this is it then," he said quietly, breaking the tense silence. "Time to move on."

Vivi lay still, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. She felt a deep ache in her chest, knowing that what she truly wanted was at odds with what she believed was right. Despite every fiber of her being screaming for Damien, she forced herself to nod in agreement.

"Yes," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's for the best."

The words felt hollow as they left her lips. Vivi's mind raced with conflicting thoughts - her duty to her family, her role as Reginald's wife, and the undeniable connection she felt with Damien. She longed to reach out to him, to tell him how much she needed him, but instead, she remained motionless.

Damien stood up slowly, his movements deliberate as if giving Vivi a chance to stop him. When she didn't, he began to dress, his back turned to her. The rustle of clothing seemed deafening in the quiet room.

Vivi's heart pounded as she watched him, every instinct urging her to speak up, to tell him the truth. But fear and obligation kept her silent. She sat up, wrapping the sheet around herself, feeling suddenly vulnerable.

As Damien finished dressing, he turned to face Vivi one last time. Their eyes met, and for a moment, it seemed as though all the words they couldn't say passed between them in that single look.

"Take care, Vivi," Damien said softly, his hand resting on the doorknob.

Vivi nodded, unable to trust her voice. As the door closed behind him, she felt a piece of herself leave with him. She hugged her knees to her chest, finally allowing the tears she'd been holding back to fall.

Vivi wiped away her tears and composed herself. She knew she had to face reality, no matter how much it hurt. As she dressed, she heard movement downstairs - Reginald must be home.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the living room. Reginald sat in his armchair, reviewing some documents.

"Ah, there you are, darling," he said, looking up. "How was your day?"

Vivi forced a smile. "Fine, thank you. Just a bit tired."

Reginald nodded absently. "I've got some news. We're hosting a charity gala next week. I need you to help with the arrangements."

"Of course," Vivi replied, her mind already racing with the tasks ahead.

Just then, Damien walked in. He paused briefly, his eyes meeting Vivi's for a split second before he turned to his father.

"Dad, I've got those reports you asked for," he said, handing over a folder.

"Excellent, son," Reginald beamed. "Oh, and Damien, make sure you bring Ava to the gala. It'll be good to have her there."

Damien hesitated, glancing at Vivi. "Sure, Dad. I'll ask her."

Vivi felt her heart constrict but maintained her composure. "I'm sure Ava will love it. She seems like a lovely girl."

"She is," Damien replied, his tone neutral. "Well, I've got some work to finish. Goodnight, Dad. Vivi."

As Damien left, Reginald turned to Vivi. "You two seem to be getting along better. I'm glad."

Vivi nodded, unable to trust her voice. She excused herself and retreated to her room, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. As she sat at her vanity, she caught sight of her reflection - the perfect image of a trophy wife. But inside, she felt more conflicted than ever.

The next morning, Vivi found herself in the kitchen, absently stirring her coffee when Damien walked in. An awkward silence filled the air as he poured himself a cup.

"Morning," he mumbled, not meeting her eyes.

"Good morning," Vivi replied softly. She hesitated, then added, "How are the gala preparations going?"

Damien shrugged. "Fine, I guess. Dad's got most of it handled."

Another pause. Vivi took a deep breath. "And... Ava? Is she excited about attending?"

Damien's jaw tightened. "I haven't asked her yet."

"Oh." Vivi fidgeted with her spoon. "I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

"Yeah, probably," Damien muttered. He turned to leave, but then stopped. "Vivi, about yesterday-"

"We don't need to talk about it," Vivi interrupted quickly.

Damien ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "But maybe we should. This... whatever this is between us, it's not going away."

Vivi set down her mug. "It has to, Damien. We agreed-"

"I know what we agreed," he snapped. "But dammit, Vivi, I can't just turn off my feelings like a switch."

"You think I can?" Vivi retorted, her voice rising. "You think this is easy for me?"

"Then why are we doing this?" Damien demanded. "Why are we pretending?"

"Because we have to!" Vivi exclaimed. "Your father, my family, our reputations - there's too much at stake."

Damien stepped closer. "Is it worth being miserable for the rest of our lives?"

Vivi's eyes welled with tears. "I don't know, Damien. I just don't know."

They stared at each other, the air thick with unspoken words and suppressed emotions. The sound of footsteps approaching broke the moment.

"I should go," Damien said quietly. "I'll see you at the gala."

As he left, Vivi wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself. She had no idea how they were going to get through this event, let alone the rest of their lives, with this unresolved tension between them.

Vivi spent the rest of the day in a daze, going through the motions of preparing for the gala. As evening approached, she found herself standing in front of her closet, staring blankly at her selection of dresses.

A knock on the door startled her. "Come in," she called out.

Sophia poked her head in. "Hey, need any help getting ready?"

Vivi sighed in relief. "God, yes. I can't seem to focus on anything today."

Sophia entered, closing the door behind her. She studied Vivi's face. "Trouble in paradise?"

"You could say that," Vivi muttered.

As Sophia helped her choose a dress, she probed gently, "Want to talk about it?"

Vivi hesitated, then the words tumbled out. "It's Damien. We... we keep getting drawn to each other, no matter how hard we try to stay away."

Sophia nodded sympathetically. "And let me guess, you're both torn up about it?"

"Exactly," Vivi confirmed. "We know it's wrong, but..."

"But the heart wants what it wants," Sophia finished.

Vivi slumped onto the bed. "What am I supposed to do, Sophia? I'm married to his father, your father, for crying out loud."

Sophia sat beside her. "I can't tell you what to do, Vivi. But I can tell you that living a lie rarely ends well for anyone involved."

"So what, I should just blow up everyone's lives?" Vivi asked incredulously.

Sophia shook her head. "I'm not saying that. But maybe it's time to have an honest conversation with Reginald. He deserves to know the truth, doesn't he?"

Vivi buried her face in her hands. "I wouldn't even know where to start."

"Start by being honest with yourself," Sophia advised. "What do you really want?"

Before Vivi could answer, there was another knock at the door. Damien's voice called out, "Vivi? Dad wants to know if you're almost ready."

Vivi and Sophia exchanged a look. Sophia squeezed Vivi's hand and whispered, "Think about what I said. And remember, I'm here for you, whatever you decide."