Chapter 8
His arms were burning hot, but steady-Damon carried me through the crowd back toward the Clark estate.
All around us were cheering guests, a whirlwind of laughter and music. But all I could hear was the steady, drumbeat thud
of his heartbeat against my ear.
To me, this marriage was supposed to be just for show.
But why… did it feel so real?
That night, after the celebrations died down, Damon returned to the room smelling faintly of wine. He looked a little dazed. When he saw me sitting at the edge of the bed, he paused, blinked, and turned to leave.
“Sorry-wrong room.”
He stepped out, then quietly came back in a moment later.
Still groggy, Damon looked at me with a faint, almost silly smile, then collapsed on the lounge chair by the window.
“It’s late. You should get some sleep.”
I noticed the wine stains on his jacket and moved to help him take it off, but as soon as I touched his shoulder, he flinched, instinctively pulling his collar closed. I froze, startled, and withdrew my hand.
He said nothing, and within minutes, he was fast asleep.
I sat beside the window, staring at the crimson wedding decor, unable to sleep.
He had rejected my touch… just like Colton once had, as if my body was tainted.
After all, I had once been with Colton.
Earlier that day, I had almost let myself believe this wedding meant something.
But tonight, I was reminded: this was just a mutual arrangement.
The next morning, Damon left early. With his return to the estate, there were plenty of matters to take care of.
When I woke up, I was momentarily lost.
What was I supposed to do now?
Just as I was staring blankly out the window, a maid entered, carrying several delicate wooden boxes.
“Mrs. Clark, Mr. Clark said if you woke up with nothing to do, perhaps you’d like to help manage the household affairs.”
I was about to decline-managing the Clark estate would bind me to this place more than I intended-when another maid walked in, carefully holding a beautiful, dark-wood violin.
“If that doesn’t appeal to you, he also said you might enjoy teaching at the music conservatory on West Street.”
Every single day, Damon seemed to find something for me to do.
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If it wasn’t teaching music or painting, it was volunteering at the soup kitchens near the city gates.
Whenever I tried to sit down and think about my future, something would come up-like clockwork.
I started to wonder… was he doing this on purpose?
He was always busy. Every evening, he would come home, quietly settle onto the daybed across from me, and fall asleep
before I could speak a word to him.
One evening, he returned a little earlier than usual. I finally thought I’d have a chance to talk. But before I could say
anything, he spoke first: “I received a letter from the manager of our pawnshop in Riverstone,” he said. “A woman brought
in a jade pendant for appraisal-it’s identical to the one you once pawned. It looks like it belonged to your family.”
I froze.
That pendant… My mother had given one to my brother and the other to me. After my brother got married, he gifted his to
my sister-in-law.
After the fall of my family, my father, brother, and mother had all died. My sister-in-law and I were both sent to the military
camps.
Later, Colton told me she hadn’t survived. He claimed there were no remains.
But if this pendant had resurfaced…
Then maybe-just maybe-she was still alive.
And if she was… I had to find her. I had escaped. Now it was my turn to pull her out.
Damon must have seen something shift in my expression. He reached out and gently patted my hand, reassuring.
“I’ll go with you.”
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