Chapter 67

Damien returned to the luncheon, sliding into his seat beside Ava. She immediately draped herself across his arm, her perfume overwhelming his senses. The scent that once intoxicated him now made his stomach turn.

"Where did you disappear to, baby?" Ava purred, her red nails trailing up his forearm.

"Bathroom." He forced a smile, reaching for his wine glass. "Did I miss anything?"

"Just boring business talk." She leaned in closer, her lips brushing his ear. "I was thinking we could skip out early, head back to your room..."

Across the table, Vivi maintained her perfect socialite smile as she chatted with James. Her eyes never strayed to Damien's corner, but he noticed how her knuckles whitened around her fork when Ava's laugh rang out.

Sophia caught his eye briefly, her expression neutral as she sipped her champagne. The artist's presence at these events had become commonplace - another piece in their elaborate chess game.

Reginald dominated the conversation at his end of the table, completely oblivious to the undercurrents swirling around him. He gestured animatedly as he described his latest business venture to an attentive audience.

"Earth to Damien," Ava's voice cut through his thoughts. She squeezed his thigh under the table. "You seem distracted today."

"Just thinking about work." He covered her hand with his, suppressing the urge to pull away. "That merger's been keeping me up at night."

"Poor baby." She pouted. "I know just how to help you relax later."

Damien nodded, playing along while his mind raced. Every touch, every suggestive comment - it all felt calculated now. He wondered how many of their intimate moments had been carefully orchestrated steps in her plan.

The waiter arrived with the next course, providing a welcome distraction from Ava's attention. Damien caught fragments of Vivi's conversation - something about an upcoming charity gala. Her voice remained steady, professional, giving no hint of their earlier encounter.

The luncheon dragged on, each course feeling longer than the last. Damien found himself hyper-aware of every move Ava made - the way she leaned into him, her possessive touches, the calculated gleam in her eyes when she thought no one was watching.

"The salmon is divine," Ava announced to the table, cutting into her fish with precise movements. "Don't you think so, James?"

James nodded enthusiastically. "The chef here never disappoints. Though I hear the one at Romano's new restaurant is giving them competition."

Damien noticed how Ava's fork paused mid-air for a fraction of a second at the mention of Romano. She recovered quickly, launching into praise for various upscale restaurants, but the slight tell hadn't escaped him.

Vivi maintained her focus on her plate, occasionally contributing to the conversation with practiced ease. Her composure was flawless - no one would guess the weight of secrets she carried. When the dessert arrived, she excused herself briefly, citing a need to powder her nose.

"I should check my messages," Damien said, standing up moments later. Ava's hand shot out to grab his wrist.

"Hurry back," she purred, but her grip was just tight enough to bruise.

Sophia watched this exchange with sharp eyes, taking a deliberate sip of her water. Under the table, her phone buzzed with another message from her contacts - more pieces of the puzzle falling into place.

Reginald remained absorbed in his business discussion, gesturing with his fork as he detailed profit projections. The other guests hung on his every word, allowing the younger generation's drama to play out unnoticed.

Damien's footsteps echoed through the empty hallway as he rounded the corner. Vivi stood there, arms crossed, her silk dress catching the light from the ornate sconces on the wall. A knowing smile played at her lips.

"I figured you'd follow me out here." Her voice was low, careful.

Damien ran a hand through his hair, glancing back toward the dining room. "Look, about what you said earlier..."

"Yes?" She raised an eyebrow, taking a small step closer.

"Maybe you're right about Ava." The words felt heavy on his tongue. "The way she reacted when James mentioned Romano - I've never seen her slip like that before."

"So you noticed too." Vivi's shoulders relaxed slightly. "There have been other things, small details that don't add up."

"Like how she always seems to know exactly where I'll be?" Damien leaned against the wall. "Or how she showed up right when our family was most vulnerable?"

"Precisely." Vivi moved closer, her perfume a stark contrast to Ava's overwhelming scent. "Sophia and I have been gathering information. The coincidences are starting to form a pattern."

"I should have listened to you sooner." His voice dropped to barely above a whisper. "I was so caught up in... everything else. I let myself get played."

"We need to be careful how we handle this." Vivi glanced around the empty hallway. "If she suspects we're onto her-"

"She won't." Damien straightened up. "I'll keep playing my part. Let her think she still has me wrapped around her finger."

Vivi nodded, smoothing her dress. "We should head back before she comes looking."

"Wait." Damien caught her wrist. "There's something else we need to discuss."

"Not now." Vivi pulled away gently. "We can't risk being seen like this."

They returned to the dining room separately, Vivi first, then Damien a few minutes later. Ava immediately latched onto his arm as he sat down.

"I was starting to worry," she cooed, running her fingers along his jawline. "Everything okay?"

"Just work calls." Damien forced himself to lean into her touch. "You know how it is."

Sophia watched the exchange over her dessert, her eyes sharp and calculating. She'd positioned herself perfectly to observe both Ava's possessive display and Vivi's carefully controlled reaction.

"More coffee, anyone?" James offered, waving over a waiter.

"Please," Vivi smiled graciously, though her fingers trembled slightly as she lifted her cup.

Reginald finally emerged from his business discussion, seeming to notice his family for the first time since the meal began. "Excellent lunch, wouldn't you say? We should do this more often."

"Absolutely," Ava agreed, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "It's so important for family to spend time together."

Damien felt her nails dig into his thigh under the table, a subtle warning wrapped in affection. He covered her hand with his own, playing the devoted boyfriend while his mind raced with everything Vivi had revealed.

The dessert plates were cleared away, and conversation drifted toward upcoming social events. Through it all, the undercurrent of tension remained, visible only to those who knew where to look.