CHAPTER 91: LIVING DREAMS

The door clicked softly behind Jake, and for a moment, Chloe just stood there, her hand resting on the edge of her desk, the weight of everything sinking in.

The room was quieter than it had been in a while and the silence pressed down on her chest like a weight as she thought about all Jake had said.

Was all he said really the truth? Could someone have really drugged him? Though she’s suggested Raymond and he’d cast out that possibility, she couldn’t help thinking about it.

If it was him, why would he do that? And if it wasn’t, why couldn’t Jake remember? Could he have had too much and just couldn’t bear to accept the responsibility of what he’d done, probably by mistake?

She wanted to believe him. God, she really wanted to. But after everything Bella had gone through, she couldn’t afford to let her guard down — not again. Not even for Jake Stone.

Although from everything Bella had told her about Jake, he’d seemed like he really liked her. He’d made advances at her since they reconnected. If he were in a relationship, he wouldn’t have put so much effort into winning Bella, would he?

She sighed and rubbed her temples, sinking into her chair. "What a mess," she muttered under her breath.

Just then, the door creaked open, and Damian stepped back in, holding a stack of sketches he hadn’t even realized he was still clutching.

Chloe looked up quickly, masking her tired expression with a forced smile. "Oh. You’re back."

"Yeah," Damian said, shutting the door behind him. He lingered by it for a moment, his eyes flickering toward her. "Is... everything alright? With the CEO, I mean," he asked, contemplating if he should tell her what he had in mind or just let it slid.

Chloe waved a hand dismissively, forcing a small chuckle. "Yeah. Sorry about that. I know it must’ve been awkward—him showing up here like that. I promise he doesn’t show up that way at my office and you’d probably never see him again like that."

"It’s fine," Damian said easily, moving to set his sketches on the table. "Really. Just—" he paused, hesitating, his tone turning uncertain. "It’s just a bit... surprising, I guess."

"Surprising?" Chloe repeated, raising an eyebrow. What was he saying? Because she wasn’t sure he was still talking about Jake showing up unannounced there.

Damian gave a small, almost sheepish smile. "Yeah. I mean, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop or anything, but..." He scratched the back of his neck. "I might have overheard a little of your conversation."

Her eyes widened. "You what?" she asked in horror.

He’d heard her talking to Jake that way? Wouldn’t he think she was toxic? Always having issues with everyone? This was bad for her. She thought shyly.

"I’m sorry," he said quickly, holding up his hands in surrender. "I didn’t mean to! I was right outside the door, and I just... I wanted to make sure there wasn’t any trouble or, I don’t know, office drama I should steer clear of."

"Oh!" she said before she could stop herself, a part of her glad he didn’t think of her in the way she’d thought.

"What?" he asked in confusion, seeing the relief on her face. Had she wanted him to eavesdrop?

"Nothing," she said quickly. Then she stared at him for a long second, and sighed, slumping back in her seat. "Wow. So you heard everything?" she finally remembered to ask.

He frowned, confusion clouding his mind. Why did it seem she had only just realized that now when he’d said so seconds ago?

"It seems I did," he said, looking at her suspiciously.

"Great," she muttered, covering her face briefly with both hands. "Just great."

"I’m really sorry I heard everything. But I have to admit that it’s sort of... hard to wrap my head around. I mean, Jake Stone—the CEO—in that kind of a situation. It just doesn’t make sense."

Chloe gave him a wary look, and he shrugged.

"Look, I’m not saying he’s innocent or guilty," Damian continued, perching on the edge of his desk. "But from the sound of it, it doesn’t add up. If you ask me..." He leaned back slightly, thinking aloud, "it’s possible he was drugged."

Chloe blinked at him. "You think so too?" she asked, giving him all her attention now.

"Well, yeah. From what he said about blacking out after meeting his brother? It fits." Damian tilted his head thoughtfully. "But what I don’t get is why his brother would be involved. And what was the point of setting him up like that? I mean, what’s the gain?"

Chloe’s lips parted, but no sound came out. She had wanted to wave it off, but Damian’s words tugged something loose in her mind.

If it were truly Raymond, then what was his gain? She narrowed her eyes when she remembered the way Raymond had shown up earlier at the cafeteria, pretending to be concerned, asking about Jake, pretending he didn’t know what was wrong when she was pretty sure Jake must’ve told him even if he weren’t the mastermind.

Could it be Raymond? Could he have been capable of setting up his brother just to get to a woman he likes?

Her stomach turned.

No. No, that was impossible. Raymond was smooth, yes, but not cruel. He liked Bella, at least that much was obvious. But to go this far? To destroy his own brother and the woman he cared for in one stroke? All for what? To probably create a rift between Bella and Jake.

It didn’t make sense. That was too cruel.

Damian watched as she went silent, her fingers drumming against her desk. He could almost see the storm of thoughts in her eyes—the suspicion, the reluctant realization, the refusal to believe it.

He’d seen that look before. The look of someone whose heart and logic were at war.

After a moment, she said quietly, "It just doesn’t make sense."

"Maybe not yet," Damian replied. "But if it were me, I’d start looking there."

"Raymond’s his brother," she muttered. "Why would he—?"

Damian shrugged. "Maybe jealousy. Maybe manipulation or pay back. Maybe both."

She didn’t answer. She just looked lost in thought, staring at nothing, her brows knitting together.

"What are you thinking?" he asked gently.

She blinked. "Nothing. Just... trying to understand."

He nodded slowly, letting it go. "If you want my opinion, though," he added, "Jake doesn’t sound like a liar. From what I heard, he seemed genuinely confused."

She nodded faintly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He did."

For a while, silence stretched again, not awkward just filled with quiet understanding.

Then she broke it, looking at him curiously. "You’re good at this. Detective work, I mean," she teased.

Damian smiled faintly. "Yeah. Comes with family history, I guess. My mom was a police officer."

"Was?"

"Yeah. She’s gone now," he said with a sad sigh.

Her expression softened instantly. "I’m so sorry, Damian. I didn’t know."

He waved it off gently. "It’s alright. It’s been years. She was amazing at her job, though. Sharp, fearless, and always digging for the truth."

Chloe smiled faintly. "Sounds like someone I’d have liked to meet."

"Yeah," he said with a small, wistful grin. "She’d have liked you too."

A little silence stretched between them. And after a moment, Chloe tilted her head again. "So if your mom was a cop, how did you end up in fashion? That’s a pretty big leap."

Damian’s smile softened. "Because she didn’t want to be a cop. Not really. Her parents pushed her into it. She used to tell me she loved sketching dresses and fabrics when she was young, but her dad thought it was impractical. After she died, I found some of her old designs in a box." He shrugged, a faint melancholy threading his words. "So I decided to do what she couldn’t."

Chloe’s expression warmed, admiration flickering in her eyes. "You’re living the dream she couldn’t have."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah. Something like that."

For a while, they just sat there, quiet, still. The tension that had filled the room earlier had dissolved into something different.

Damian glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She was staring at her notes, absentmindedly twirling her pen, her brow creased in thought. But there was a gentleness there now. Probably the kind he hadn’t seen before and it made him smile, just a little.

When had this changed?

When had the sharp, fiery woman who’d once argued with him over his design and hers become someone he wanted to listen to and understand?

When had the rivalry turned into something... else?

He didn’t know. Maybe it was the way she’d stood up for Bella earlier, fiercely loyal. Maybe it was how her eyes softened whenever she was worried, or how her voice lost all edge when she spoke with compassion.

Or how she had lost sleep trying to create something that’d surpass his just to prove she was better.

But it hit him then—quietly, and undeniably—that they weren’t enemies anymore.

They weren’t rivals forced to work together on a project they barely agreed on.

They’d somehow, in between the chaos and disagreements, become confidants.

And as Damian looked at her again—the faint light catching the edges of her locs, the small furrow in her brow, he realized something else, too.

He didn’t just like working with Chloe Smith anymore.

He actually liked her.

And that realization was both the calmest and most terrifying thing he’d felt in a long, long time.