His eyes held no rage, only an unnerving calm, as if the outcome had already been decided.
“Then you’ll learn what it means to belong to me.” His words slid across my skin like ice.
“No,” I said—softly at first, then louder. “As long as I don’t have all of you, I will never belong to you. I’ll do what I want. If I decide to let Aleandro fuck me, you have no right to stop it.”
Damian froze. For a heartbeat I thought he would erupt. Instead, he smiled—cold, and a little unhinged.
“No, you won’t.” He pressed his forehead to mine, and it felt like he was fastening a chain around me. “I don’t tolerate competition. Not with you.”
I pulled back. “You push me away. You sleep with others, then cling to me when it suits you. One day you’re irresistible, the next you shut me out. I never know which version of you I’ll get.”
“Then tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you don’t want me. Tell me to let you go, and I will. Right here. Right now. One sentence—and you’re free.”
One sentence—so simple.
But the words stuck. They would have been a lie.
My heart already belonged to him.
I was already caught in his web.
Then Aleandro returned, smiling. “My father has good news for you.”
We went back to the main room. Mr. Bellini rose, eyes alight, holding the pendant in both hands.
“The artifact dates to Ramses III—and it is the original.”
I could hardly breathe. “Is that true?” I whispered.
Bellini nodded and opened the case to reveal the gleaming Phoenix. “Yes. It’s authentic. Every test and analysis confirms it.”
Damian and I exchanged a look. A slow smile spread across his face as he stared at the pendant.
“This is incredible. We did it.”
I could barely hold in my joy. “A piece of history—finally uncovered.”
Mr. Bellini smiled with quiet satisfaction and closed the case with reverence.
“It has been an honor to help authenticate such a remarkable artifact. It will undoubtedly become a cornerstone of your collection. This find will change much for you, Damian.”
“I can’t thank you enough, Giovanni.”
“It is my calling to preserve treasures of the past,” Bellini replied modestly.
Damian turned to me. “And you, Daisy—without you, none of this would have been possible. You’re worth gold.”
He stepped forward, wrapped me in his arms, and pressed a long kiss to my forehead.
“I’d say we’ve all earned a bottle of wine and a toast to this,” Bellini said warmly.“That sounds perfect,” Damian agreed, carefully securing the pendant back in its bag while I gathered his laptop and the documents.
Just before sunset, Damian and I walked along the wide, deserted beach of Sabaudia. The sand beneath our feet was warm and soft, and a breeze carried the scent of sea and pines. Clear turquoise water lapped at the shore. In the distance, the dunes rose like vast golden waves, frozen in place.
I pulled a fresh fig from my bag and handed one to Damian.
“It’s so quiet here,” I said, biting into mine. Sweet juice slipped across my lips.
“Almost as if we’ve stumbled onto a secret place.”
