Chapter 45
Aria pov
“Will be picked apart and used against me. I know.” I stood up, pacing. “But silence makes me look guilty. Like I was hiding Noah out of shame or manipulation. I need to tell my side before Damien tells his p>
“What is your side?” Olivia asked carefully.
I stopped pacing. “The truth. That I was thrown out while pregnant. That I built a life for my son because I had no other choice. That I came back to this city for business, not for Damien. That Noah is my priority, and anyone who threatens him will have to go through me p>
“That’s… actually pretty good.” Olivia stood up too. “But you need to be careful. Don’t attack Damien directly. Don’t give them anything that makes you look vindictive or unstable p>
“I am vindictive,” I muttered.
“I know. But they don’t need to.” She squeezed my arm. “Let me call my PR friend. She handles crisis communications for celebrities. If anyone can help you navigate this”
“Mama!” Noah’s voice interrupted us, high and excited. “Mama, come look p>
I went to the living room, grateful for the distraction. Noah had set up all his stuffed animals in a circle, with his lion in the middle.
“It’s a family meeting,” he explained seriously. “Like what you do for work. The lion is the boss, and everyone has to listen p>
“That’s very creative, baby.” I sat down on the floor with him. “What’s the meeting about p>
“About being safe.” His small face was solemn. “The lion is telling everyone how to stay safe from bad guys p>
My heart clenched. He’d been listening this morning. He’d understood more than I’d thought.
“And what does the lion say?” I asked gently.
Noah made the lion hop forward. “He says stick together. Stay close. And if you’re scared, call for help p>
“That’s very smart advice p>
“Mama?” He looked up at me with those devastating blue eyes—Damien’s eyes. “Is Damien a bad guy p>
The question hit me like a punch. How did I answer that? How did I explain to a three-year-old the complicated truth about his father?
“No, baby. Damien isn’t a bad guy.” The words felt terrible, but they were true. Damien had done terrible things, but he wasn’t evil. He was broken and trying to fix himself. “He made some mistakes, but he’s trying to do better p>
“Does he love me p>
Oh God. “Yes, Noah. He loves you very much p>
“Do you love him p>
I froze. Olivia, standing in the doorway, froze too.
Noah was watching me with innocent curiosity, waiting for an answer that I didn’t have. That I didn’t want to have.
“It’s complicated, baby,” I finally managed.
“That means yes,” Noah said matter-of-factly. “You always say things are complicated when you don’t want to explain p>
From the mouths of babes.
Before I could respond, my phone rang. Damien. I almost didn’t answer, but Noah was watching me, and I didn’t want him to think I was avoiding his father.
“What?” I answered curtly.
“Turn on the news.” Damien’s voice was strained. “Channel Seven. Now p>
I grabbed the remote and flicked on the TV. Channel Seven was showing a live press conference. And there, standing at a podium in front of Blackwood Tower, was Damien.
He looked devastated. Raw. Nothing like the cold CEO the world knew.
“I’m here today to address the reports about my son,” he said, his voice steady but his eyes haunted. “And to tell the truth about what happened years ago. Because the woman who bore my child deserves that. And my son deserves a father who’s honest about his failures p>
“Oh my God,” Olivia breathed. “He’s really doing it p>
On screen, Damien took a breath and continued. “years ago, I made the worst mistake of my life. I threw my pregnant wife out of my life based on lies and manipulation. I accused her of trapping me. I told her to get rid of our child.” His voice broke slightly. “I destroyed the woman I’d married and turned my back on my own son before he was born p>
The reporters erupted with questions, but Damien held up his hand.
“Aria Monroe is not a gold-digger or a manipulator. She’s a brilliant businesswoman who built an empire from nothing while raising our son alone. She’s a survivor who overcame my cruelty and my family’s toxicity. And if there’s a villain in this story, it’s me p>
I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Noah had climbed into my lap, watching the screen with wide eyes.
“That’s Dad I mean Damien,” he said. “Why does he look so sad, Mama p>
“Because he is sad, baby,” I whispered.
On screen, Damien looked directly at the camera. “Aria, if you’re watching this—I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know I don’t deserve to be Noah’s father. But I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to earn that right. And anyone who comes after you or our son will have to go through me first p>
He stepped back from the podium as reporters shouted questions, but he ignored them all. He just walked away, leaving the world with his confession.
The news anchor came back on screen, already analyzing what had just happened. The scandal had just doubled in size.
My phone exploded with notifications. Social media was on fire. The business networks were having a field day.
Damien Blackwood, the Ice King of Corporate America, had just admitted to destroying his pregnant wife on live television.
“Well,” Olivia said into the stunned silence. “That was p>
“Stupid,” I finished. “That was incredibly stupid. His board is going to crucify him. His stock price is going to tank. He just gave Marcus exactly what he wanted p>
“Maybe.” Olivia was looking at me strangely. “Or maybe he just showed everyone what he values more than power or reputation p>
My phone rang again it was Damien.
This time I answered without thinking. “What the hell did you just do p>
“What I should have done years ago.” His voice was rough with exhaustion. “Told the truth. Taken responsibility. Showed the world that you’re the victim here, not me p>
“You idiot,” I said, but there was no heat in it. “You just destroyed yourself p>
“I know.” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “The board just called. The vote’s been moved up. They’re meeting in an hour to remove me as CEO p>
“Damien”
“It’s fine, Aria. I don’t care about any of that anymore. The only thing I care about is keeping you and Noah safe. And if destroying my reputation helps with that, then it was worth it p>
I closed my eyes, feeling something crack in my chest. The armor I’d built so carefully around my heart, the walls I’d maintained for three years—they were crumbling.
“Why?” I whispered. “Why would you do this p>
“Because you were right,” he said simply. “If I want to be Noah’s father, I need to start acting like it. And that means protecting both of you, no matter the cost to me p>
Noah tugged on my sleeve. “Mama, is Damien okay? He sounded sad p>
I looked down at my son, then back at the TV where they were replaying Damien’s confession, and felt everything I’d been holding inside start to break free.
“I have to go,” I said abruptly.
“Aria”
I hung up and sat there, shaking, while Olivia watched me with knowing eyes.
“You love him,” she said softly.
“I hate him,” I said, but my voice was breaking.
“You can do both, you know. Love and hate aren’t opposites. Indifference is p>
I pulled Noah closer, breathing in his familiar scent—baby shampoo. “What do I do, Liv? How do I protect him from all of this p>
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But maybe you don’t have to do it alone anymore. Maybe it’s okay to let Damien help p>
“He’ll hurt us again p>
“Maybe. Or maybe he’s finally learned what it means to lose everything that matters p>
My phone buzzed with another message. This time from an unknown number:
Enjoyed the show? Your move, Ms. Monroe. – M
Marcus. How the hell did he get my number, to make matters worse it seems he was watching, waiting to see how I’d respond to Damien’s public confession. This was a chess game, and Noah was the most valuable piece on the board.
I looked at Olivia, then at Noah, then at my phone. At all the messages and calls and crisis notifications that kept coming.
And I made a decision.
“Get me my PR team,” I said, standing up with Noah still in my arms. “And my lawyer. If Damien’s going to blow up his life on live television, the least I can do is make sure it actually helps p>
“What are you going to do p>
“What I do best.” I set Noah down and kissed his forehead. “I’m going to play the game. And I’m going to win p>
Because Marcus Blackwood wanted a war. Damien had just declared one.
And it was time for me to show them both what happened when you backed the Ice Queen into a corner.
I pulled out my phone and started typing a message to Lucas.
I need your help. And I need to ask you something that might change everything.
His response came immediately: Anything. Name it.
I looked at Noah, playing with his toys and humming to himself. Innocent. Safe for now.
But tomorrow? Next week? When Marcus made his next move?
I needed more than just Damien’s guilt and good intentions. I needed real power and allies.I needed to be untouchable.
And I was starting to understand exactly how to make that happen. Even if it meant doing something I’d sworn I’d never do again. Even if it meant risking my heart one more time.