He Compared Me To My Father’s Mistress’s Daughter – After we finished, Damian Vance lit a cigarette with lazy satisfaction. “You could seriously use some lessons in bed. Sienna runs circles around you.” The blood in my veins turned to ice. Sienna Blake. My father’s mistress’s daughter. Damian kept going, his voice casual. “Remember when you called to check up on me? Sienna was right there. The second she heard your voice, she went crazy, wouldn’t let go of me.” He turned his head toward me, a crooked smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Honestly? I finally get why your dad strayed.” He was waiting for me to lose it, the way I always did when I caught him cheating. Screaming. Crying.
The whole scene. But I didn’t say a word. I just picked up my scattered clothes and put them back on. He blinked, caught off guard. Then he let out a short laugh and hit speakerphone on his cell. “You were wrong. I told you she’s finally learned her lesson.” Sienna’s dismissive voice spilled into the room. “That’s just pathetic. Can’t believe she made me lose the bet.” “Fine. You win. Next time, you pick the position.” Damian didn’t know the truth. I hadn’t learned any lesson. I’d simply stopped wanting him. *** Sienna’s voice kept coming through the speaker, dripping with contempt. “Aria Donovan. You’re just like your mother. Neither of you knows how to keep a man.” Damian hung up, still smiling, and slid over to wrap an arm around me. “What’s wrong? You actually mad? It’s not like this is the first time.” I stared down, hiding everything behind my eyes, and shook my head.
“No.” His brow creased, just slightly. Something felt off. Normally, I’d be losing it by now, crying, throwing things, demanding answers. But today I was just… blank. Still as dead water. He fumbled around in the side drawer and pulled out a ring box. Then he tossed it onto the sheets in front of me like he was throwing a tip on the table. “Got you a surprise.” I froze for a second. Damian leaned back against the headboard and studied me. “You’ve been pushing for marriage for what, years now? Even threatened me with a baby. So fine. Today I’ll do you the favor.” My nose stung and heat rushed behind my eyes, but I held the tears back. All these years. Damian never used protection. Every time I brought it up, he’d just pull me into his arms and say, “If you get pregnant, we’ll keep it. I’ll take care of it.” I believed him.
But every single time I showed up with a positive pregnancy test, he’d shake his head and tell me it wasn’t the right time. My stomach grew and flattened. Grew and flattened. Until there was nothing left to grow at all. A bitter smile tugged at my lips. I picked up the ring box and opened it. Inside was a pop tab from a soda can. I held it up and looked at him. “This is your surprise?” He stared at it, clearly not expecting that, and then laughed like he found it genuinely funny. “Sienna was messing around with it last time she was here. Put it on, wore it for a while. She’s still such a kid.” His face was perfectly calm. He reached out to ruffle my hair. “But you’re so mature about things. And you love me too much to care, right?” I leaned away from his hand. And then I remembered, not long ago, he and Sienna had been tangled up in this very bed. I ran for the bathroom and threw up until there was nothing left. Damian’s face shifted.
He rushed in and grabbed my arm. “Aria, are you okay?” I rinsed my face with cold water and pushed him off. He hesitated, something flickering behind his eyes. “Are you pregnant?” The color drained from my face. All those abortions. My body had long since given up any ability to carry a child. “No. I’m not.” He exhaled, visibly relieved, and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. “If it happens, we’ll keep it. We should have a kid together.” I stared at him. And in that moment, I realized how utterly ridiculous I looked. I swallowed the bitter ache in my chest and shoved the ring box back into his hand. “Damian. We’re done.”