Chapter 11
7/1
Damien wanted to take all the blame onto himself.
But the moment he opened his mouth, Aurelia had already guessed who the real mastermind was.
“Damien, things have already escalated this far, and you’re still trying to cover for her?” Aurelia felt like her heart was bleeding. Damien’s dark eyes flickered, but he forced himself to stay composed. “I’m not covering for anyone. I’m the one behind it all.”
“Then, why didn’t you admit it from the start?” Aurelia pressed. “You acted all righteous, pretending you were helping me trace the digital signal source… And now that the source has been found, you suddenly confess? Don’t you think that’s just a little too convenient?”
Damien lowered his eyes, his handsome face drawn tight with silent restraint. He gritted his teeth.
Even though he knew his excuse was full of holes, he still forced himself to say, “I was pretending back then. I offered to help trace the digital signal source to cover up the truth–to keep you from finding out I was the one behind it all.
“But I didn’t expect you not to trust me and bring in two more hackers. Once they joined the search, I knew I couldn’t keep up the act. Rather than wait for them to expose me in front of everyone, I figured it was better to confess. At least that way, I could save some dignity.”
After Damien’s explanation, the guests began murmuring among themselves.
“Was Damien really the one behind this? It just doesn’t feel like him…”
“Yeah, something’s off. It’s like he’s covering for someone…”
“But who would Damien go so far as to take the fall for?”
Hearing the murmurs around her, Aurelia couldn’t help but laugh. They might not know who Damien was trying to protect, but she did.
Only one person in the world could make Damien abandon all principles, ignore the consequences, and risk everything just to shield her.
“Damien, do you really think I’ll let her off the hook just because you’re taking the blame?” Aurelia asked coldly. “She humiliated me in front of everyone, and you think I’ll let her walk out of here without a scratch?”
A flicker of pain crossed Damien’s eyes. “Aury, I’m begging you—just let this go. If you stop pushing this further, I’ll do whatever you want. You liked me, didn’t you? I’ll marry you. We can get married right now…”
But before he could finish, Aurelia suddenly burst out laughing. “Oh god. My stomach hurts from laughing. Damien, who gave you the confidence to think I’d still want to marry you after everything?”
Damien’s dark eyes trembled. “Aury…”
But Aurelia didn’t give him the chance to speak. She cut him off coldly, “I stopped liking you a long time ago. You and Sloane disgust me.”
Chapter 12
1/1
Damien looked up and met Aurelia’s gaze, which was filled with unmistakable disgust. The hatred in her eyes was so intense, it felt like a blade slicing through his
