Chapter 6

Aurelia had clearly locked the door, yet Damien still managed to open it with ease. "Get out. I don't want to see you," she said, eyes rimmed with red. "And for the record, locking the door means no. It means I don't want you in here. You could at least pretend to respect that instead of picking the lock like it's nothing." Damien chuckled. "Sorry—bad habit from my days on the streets." As he spoke, he moved to sit beside her. "Back then, we were dirt poor. Some days, we didn't even eat. So, yeah… I did some shady things just to survive," he said, a faint sorrow threading through his voice. "During those dark, hopeless days, Sloane was the only one who stayed by my side. She's the most important person in my life." He paused, then turned to look at Aurelia. His deep, obsidian eyes were like a bottomless abyss. No one could truly see through him. "Aury, I'm grateful your dad took Sloane and me in. And I'm willing to do anything for you. But only on one condition—you have to accept Sloane. She's my sister, the only family I have left in this world. I won't let anyone hurt her—not even you." For a brief moment, Aurelia almost believed him. Until he said Sloane was his sister. Sister? Since when did real siblings confess romantic feelings to each other? He was a liar. Nothing more. "So, what you're saying is… even if we get married, Sloane will still come first in everything?" Aurelia asked, smiling. "That's right," Damien replied without a second thought. "Sloane will always be my top priority. But once we're married, I'll treat you the way Mr. Vance expects. I'll spoil you, protect you, and never let you feel even the tiniest bit of unhappiness." Aurelia kept smiling. But it hurt so much that her eyes stung from it. Damien said he'd never let her feel even the tiniest bit of unhappiness—but did he realize that every bit of her unhappiness came from him? Aurelia had always been a woman of status. In the past, she had tolerated a lot of things because she'd loved him. But listening to his hypocrisy now, she had no desire to keep pretending. "Your precious sister?" She sneered. "She's nothing but a clingy vixen who flirts with her so-called brother. What gives her the right to even be compared to me?" Damien's expression darkened visibly at Aurelia's words. He stayed in her room for less than five minutes before a phone call from Sloane pulled him away. Before leaving, he set down a gift box. Inside was a set of blue diamond jewelry—valuable in its own right, but clearly no match for the grandeur of the "Tears of the Ocean". It was just like he had said. He would spoil Aurelia, but only so much. Sloane would always come first, and Aurelia would always be second. Aurelia glanced at the box, then tossed it straight into the trash. Her man had to put her first. Always. If she was only ever going to come second, then she didn't want him at all. Soon, Aurelia's birthday arrived. It was her 20th birthday—the age when she could legally marry. Harrison had once said he would officially announce her future husband on this very day. So, this year's birthday banquet was more extravagant than ever. Every powerful and influential figure in Vantrel was in attendance. Aurelia wore an exclusive evening gown—a one-of-a-kind piece found nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, "Tears of the Ocean" had been snatched away by Sloane. Otherwise, it would've been the perfect match for her gown. Just then, a server knocked and entered, holding an exquisitely wrapped gift box in his hands. "Ms. Vance, I was sent by Mr. Marchand," he said respectfully. "He heard you were upset after losing that piece of jewelry at the auction, so he made a special trip to Tamalya to find you something even rarer." As he spoke, he opened the box. Inside lay a breathtaking set of jewelry. Its centerpiece, a massive pigeon blood-red diamond, instantly stole the spotlight and outshone everything around it. Among diamonds, pigeon blood-red ones were the rarest and most prized. "This set is called 'Heart of the Desert,'" the server explained. "Mr. Marchand said blue diamonds are considered off-color. Red is the true crown jewel." A smile graced Aurelia's face for the first time in a long while. She fastened "Heart of the Desert" around her neck, and instantly, an air of regal authority surrounded her. Marriage was never just about picking anyone—it was about choosing the right person. At that moment, Aurelia felt an overwhelming sense of relief that she had chosen Theo. After finishing her hair and makeup, Aurelia opened her bedroom door, ready to head out—only to find Sloane standing just outside. "Aury…" she began, stepping forward. But the moment her eyes landed on the pigeon blood-red diamond necklace around Aurelia's neck, her smile faltered. "Where did you get that necklace?" she asked, then quickly corrected herself. "Did Damien give it to you?" Aurelia shook off Sloane's hand with a frosty expression. "It's none of your business." A flash of jealousy and resentment flickered in Sloane's eyes. "Aury, you don't actually think Damien likes you, do you? The one he truly cares about is me. "He can't stand you. He's only marrying you to repay Mr. Vance for his kindness. He's forcing himself to go through with it." As Sloane spoke, she pulled out her phone and played a video for Aurelia. The footage was from earlier, likely during the time Sloane was furious about Damien marrying Aurelia. In it, Damien appeared completely unhinged, with Sloane locked away somewhere. He fed her by hand, slipped shoes onto her feet, and repeated over and over how much he loved her. He even swore that even if he married Aurelia, he'd make sure she lived like a widow. He'd never betray Sloane—his body and heart would belong to her, and her alone, for life. "See that? Even if Damien marries you, he'll never touch you. He only loves me. Has he ever gone this crazy for you? "If you're smart, don't pick him tonight. As for my other six pathetic lapdogs? Go ahead—take your pick. "I've slept with all of them anyway. Owen's the best in bed, but Milo's got the most stamina. Whoever you choose, they'll keep you satisfied. "But Damien? He'll leave you untouched for the rest of your life. So, choose wisely."