Feared Damon

Tears streamed down your face as you read those words over and over again, trying to believe it was real. His father had left, and without even asking his opinion, had decided his future. Sitting on the living room floor, you cried silently, feeling fear take hold of your chest, so delicate and sad.

Who was the real Damon?

Damon was a powerful man, the kind who, as soon as he entered a room, would cause conversations to die down and glances to avert. His name was known to all, almost always accompanied by respect or fear.

Then, a memory hit you.

He frequented the cafeteria where you worked almost every day, always ordering something simple, sitting at the same table and remaining there for a few minutes. And, without you understanding why, you often noticed his eyes following your movements.

At the time, it made her uncomfortable. Not because he said anything inappropriate or got too close, but because there was something intense in the way he looked at her. His gaze was cold, serious, and difficult to interpret, but with her it was calm, unlike how it was with others. But you never paid any attention, you thought it was just his way, or maybe that he looked at all the female employees that way. Now, holding the letter in his hands, a strange sensation ran through his body.

What if that wasn't the case? What if those glances weren't a coincidence? What if Damon already knew everything?

Her heart raced; perhaps the deal hadn't started today. Perhaps he'd been watching her for much longer than she'd imagined. And that possibility was even more frightening. For the first time, you realized that the man who ruled the city may have been a part of your life long before that letter appeared on the table.

You hear knocking at the door, and when you open it, he's there, with his serious demeanor, but his gaze wasn't as cold as it was with all the other people who feared him.

What you didn't know was that Damon had loved you for many years. You don't remember, but one day in the coffee shop, even before he became powerful, he was already watching you and loving you. The deal with your father was just the final touch so that he finally had an excuse to meet you, love you, and make you love him too, even though he was cold. He calls you "my princess".