Chapter 9
After hearing Damien’s words, Aurelia let out a bitter laugh. She was so angry that it almost felt absurd. She laughed even as her eyes turned red.
“Damien, don’t tell me you actually think I’d still want to marry you after everything that’s happened. You did something like that, and you still have the audacity to say you’re ‘willing’ to marry me? Well, here’s the thing–you might be willing, but I’m not.”
Her reddened eyes burned with such fierce hatred that Damien’s heart gave a faint shudder.
“Aury, what are you talking about? Why don’t I understand?” he asked.
“Don’t play dumb, Damien!” Aurelia snapped, her patience finally unraveling.
x q r u q w h
She pointed to the shattered projector, her voice trembling on the edge of breaking. “Weren’t you the one who leaked those photos and that video just now?” Damien’s chest tightened again. The man known for his unreadable expression suddenly widened his eyes in shock, his face breaking into disbelief for the first
time.
11
‘Aury, do you really think I did this?”
His voice trembled with a quiet, aching sorrow.
“Didn’t you?” Aurelia spat through clenched teeth. “I didn’t take those photos. They were clearly shot in secret.
“You know how to pick locks. Even if my door
locked from the inside, you could still get in without the slightest effort.
“And that last video? The angle was from a surveillance camera. You’re a top–tier hacker–hijacking the house’s system to spy on me would be child’s play for you.” She bit down on her lips so hard they bled, yet she didn’t feel a thing.
Crimson stained her pale lips as she glared at him, her eyes burning with fury. “Cut the act, Damien. I know it was you. This is your revenge, isn’t it? Just because I slapped Sloane this morning?
“We grew up together. Even if you don’t love me, after all these years of being together every single day, how could you do this to me? What kind of person are you?
The more Aurelia spoke, the more agitated she became. By the end, she couldn’t hold back. Her hand flew up, and she struck Damien hard across the face. The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the room, and a vivid red mark slowly bloomed across Damien’s handsome face.
Harrison was equally furious. Gripping his cane for support, he staggered up to Damien and barked, “Damien, is what Aury said true? Were you really the one who leaked those photos and that video?”
For all these years, Harrison had treated Damien like a son.
Damien was remarkably gifted, and he had always deeply admired his abilities. He had truly wanted Aurelia to marry him. He had even considered handing over the Vance Group, the company he had built from nothing, into Damien’s hands.
But how could Damien do something so utterly inhumane?
Harrison didn’t want to believe it. He needed to hear Damien admit it with his own mouth.
Facing Harrison’s furious questioning, Damien remained calm and composed.
“It wasn’t me,” he said. “Dad, Aury is my fiancée. I truly want to marry lier. If I humiliated her like that at her own birthday banquet, wouldn’t I just be slapping myself in the face?”
Damien didn’t look like he was lying, but Aurelia couldn’t bring herself to believe him. He had deceived her too many times before.
“I’ll prove my innocence,” Damien said firmly. “Every move online leaves a
?
ve signal source and when
..
find the culprit behind this, Ill rip them apart!”
