Chapter 021
My heart ached, my limbs felt heavy, my lungs felt like they were
watering
drowning in a vacuum, and my eyes? They wouldn’t stop
I hated it. I hated all of this. My fists tightened at my sides as I entered the car. I sat in silence for a few seconds before reaching for my phone. This was it, it was time to give Atlas Volkan a taste of his own medicine.
“You know exactly what to do, Greta,” I said once she picked out. She murmured a protest but I ignored her. I don’t care about what you think. I want him to pay for it and this is the only way.” I cut the call before she could continue speaking and sped down the road.
The drive to my apartment took several hours and when I finally arrived, Damien was sitting on the couch. The brown–haired
man sal up.
“You are here? I was so worried. I looked for you everywhere,”
1brushed past him and took off my coat. “You didn’t have to go through so much stress
I turned and he took my hands into his. “You don’t deserve this either, Atlas he he crossed all his limits.”
I folded my hands across my chest. “You seem so certain it was him.”
“All the evidence points to him. Besides, he has a track record
“I don’t want to talk about him.” I retorted, reaching for the glass of wine.
“At least freshen up, I’ll pour the glass for you.”
Something about his words made me uneasy but I pushed it to the back of my mind. “Thank you, Damien,” I whispered. “For everything. You are always… so perfect.”
His response was a
as a smile and I found myself slipping into the bathroom. I stepped out a few seconds later and found a glass of whiskey waiting. I raised an eyebrow but did not comment.
First shot, second- Nah, I was gone. The room swayed, the lights were brighter, Damien suddenly had a twin and my heart
was racing
1 frowned at the situation. I wasn’t a heavy drinker, but I could tolerate a few glasses of vodka or tequila without batting an eye. What was different now?
“Come,” Damien said as I swayed. “I’ll take you to bed,” His smile shifted into something darker, but it blamed it on the dark spots that come when one loses consciousness.
I was right. When I woke up the next morning, I was alone, my heart was pounding, my ears were ringing and my body felt
like a sack of bricks
“Gosh, make it stop!” I groaned at the background noises only to freeze as a name echoed through the apartment.
“Lovestigations are ongoing to determine Atlas Volkan’s involvement in the plagiarism of Dulia designs which was set to launch yesterday
I shot up, fully awake as my eyes narrowed at the television Sure enough, a petite blonde reporter sat, reporting the news.
Doing exactly what I planned.
A gran spread across my lips This should teach him:
“As of now, all evidence points to Volkan Industries plagianising the design and the CEO of Dulia Designs has already released
least thuen lawsuits on the count of Plagiarism, Damages caused, and Pre–meditated defamation
I sat up, throwing off the blanket.
+25 BONUS
“There are also rumors that she filed a restraining order against him as well. The effect has been like a ripple and the Volkan Industries board has been scrambling to salvage its reputation. Will the Silver designer win? Or will the Justice system fail us once again?”
“You got what you wanted, happy now?”
I turned to see Greta standing at the door. I walked over and hugged her. I love you so much. Do I ever say it enough?
She pushed me off and rolled her eyes. “We didn’t have enough evidence, Damien had to pull several strings so we could leak this to the press and list all the accusations Greta turned to me. “You realize we are doing the wrong thing, right?” “Wrong.” I shook my head. “You are very wrong. Atlas Volkan did the wrong time and now.” I gestured at the TV, “he’s paying
for it.”
“is he? Can you truly bear to see him suffer-
“Greta” I snapped and she flinched. “Get out! Get out now! Who do you think you are? Don’t you dare forget your place!”
I locked the door once she had left and slid down How dare she? What right did she have?
I ran my hands through my hair and hurriedly dressed up. Instead of dwelling on her, I’d rather spend my day with Damien. He must be rejoicing as well
Rivalry or not, this was a win for me too.
I slipped into my car and drove off, adoring the trees, and scenery, everything looked so beautiful today. It was like I was seeing it in a different lens
I parked in front of the company and strolled inside, a grin on my lips as I bounced into Damien’s office.
I frowned as I realized he wasn’t there. Where was he when I needed him the most?
I had barely been to Clava in the past few weeks, and now
w that I was finally here, he wasn’t? What a joy kill.
I plopped down on his chair but as I did, a box fell
ell off the table. I raised an eyebrow as several documents fell out
I bent down and picked them only to freeze as someone entered the office. It was him.
It was the same guy from the photos.
“Sorry Ma’am, do you need something?”
I had barely interacted with third–line team members from the Euphoria project. Half the personnel that worked on the project didn’t know me.
I knew this man though He was the man who gave the designs out. What… what was he doing at Clava?
My heart rate picked up but I managed to speak. “What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you that I am an employee of this company and you? Please, leave.”
His words felt like a punch to my chest 1 froze and regained myself, my gaze drifting to the stack of files on the ground as the unmistakable project file of Dulia sat on the ground.
My
ity hands shook as I reached for it, begging for it not to be, pleading for this to be a lie- a misunderstanding
It wasn’t This was the same catalog it was the catalog that was supposed to be released
Tumbled, my eyes filling with tears as a lump grew in my throat I knelt and continued searching through the box, my heart breaking us I saw more documents and finally, the blueprint for the Euphoria project.
I mutially tossed it aside, until I realized something unsettling Damien’s name wasn’t on it
25 BONUS
Strength left my bones as I registered the name on it. Atlas Volkan
I suddenly felt so stupid of course! Of course!
Why else would he have the original project file? The Euphoria project belonged to Atlas, yet… yet he gave it up
He gave it up why?
My chest tightened as I realized I had been fooled. Damien Damien had been lying and using me.
He had been stealing my designs, catalog after catalog and Euphoria wasn’t even his project!
He used me to get back at Atlas. Every time Atlas warned me, I saw it as him being defensive and jealous – but he was innocent and now, the small truth in his words made my skin crawl.
How could I allow myself to be used? I slapped myself, again and again, because, how?
A sob escaped my lips and my gaze moved to the man. I grabbed him before he could leave.
“You‘ Who hired you to steal the documents at Dulia Designs? Speak now! Speak!”
His eyes widened and for a split second, it seemed like he had connected the dot. “You? I… Move!” he pushed me off and my
back hit the desk.
I didn’t have enough strength to chase after him, because a sob escaped my lips. I crumbled to the ground and my phone
beeped
It was another news article. Multiple investors had pulled out of the V
Volkan Industry.
This this was my fault. I was wrong. Greta warned me, she told me to think with a clear mind and
was paying for
Julia
My breath hitched as we locked eyes.
I know everything I snarled, stepping forward.
now, an innocent man
Damien stared at me for a few seconds before stepping inside. His smile was gone and so was the perfect sparkle in his eyes.
For a second, I did not recognize him.
“Well, it’s too late. As of right now, the entire police force is looking for Atlas. He’s a wanted man, his reputation is smeared, Volkan Industries is about to hit bankruptcy and no one will help them.” He crossed over the files and grabbed my shoulders “All of this this catastrophe, is all thanks to you, Julia Well done-
I slapped him across the cheek as my stomach twisted into knots.
“You will pay for this,” I managed to whisper. “I promise You Will Pay For This!”
I brushed past hum, tears clouding my eyes as I raced out of Clava and entered my car, speeding down the road
Atlas tried to warn me so many times but I never listened I ruined everything Yes, he was a jerk and he deserved everything.
He was std. be was still he was what?
shock the thought off and sped down the door, I blinked away tears and my eyes widened as I realized another car was
I took a quick swerve and stepped out only to freeze at the other person. He stepped out as well and for a moment, silence was the only language we understood
did break it, it was to say the same thing
However, when we d
“It’s Damien ”
