Chapter 77: No More Maybes-1
When he finally pulled away, his breath was uneven, jaw tight. He didn’t move far-just enough to catch her eyes.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since earlier,” he muttered, low and rough. “Right in front of him.
”
He exhaled slowly. Then added, “I don’t like him calling you May.”
Maya blinked, lips still tingling, pulse still wild.
“I don’t like that he has memories with you in them,” Damien continued, voice sharpening.
“I don’t like that he saw a part of you that was vulnerable. I don’t like that he was there when I wasn’t. I don’t like that he’s part of your past.”
There was no jealousy-only possession. A steady ache of resentment that someone else had touched a chapter of her life that mattered.
Maya held his gaze, unwavering. She could see the storm beneath the surface, fierce and aching-and it struck something inside her.
“You’re right,” she said softly, voice steady but warm.
“He does belong in the past.”
She paused, searching his eyes as if trying to convey all the unspoken hope between them.
“But you… you’re in my present. And I hope… in my future too.”
His jaw twitched, and a subtle shift passed over his face-something like relief, or a guarded hope. His fingers tightened around hers, grounding them both.
“I don’t trust him, Maya,” he said again, voice low and steady, silk over steel.
“There’s something wrong with all this. I can feel it.”
Maya nodded, her own unease simmering beneath her calm exterior.
“I know,” she whispered.
“I don’t trust him either. The way he showed up here, the contract, the way he’s acting… it doesn’t sit right with me.”
Damien’s jaw clenched, his hand gripping hers a little tighter-protective, fierce.
? Chapter 77 No More Maybes-1
“I’m mad, Maya,” he said, voice rougher now, trembling with frustration.
Claim
“Not just suspicious. Mad. Because while I’ve been trying to do things right-to earn your trust, to protect your peace-he just walks in and looks at you like he still owns a piece of you.”
The raw honesty in his tone cut through her calm. The vulnerability beneath his possessiveness was something she hadn’t fully allowed herself to see before.
“I hate that,” he continued, quieter now but no less intense.
“I hate that he got to see you when you were struggling. I hate that he acts like he still belong s in your story.”
Maya searched his face, feeling the weight of his words settle between them.
“Why does it matter this much to you?” she asked softly.
His answer was immediate, unwavering.
“Because he looks at you like you’re a possession he lost. And I don’t like the way that feels.”
Her breath caught. It wasn’t jealousy she saw in his eyes, but something deeper. A quiet storm that spoke of fierce care, of pain, of claiming.
Maya’s lips parted, but no words came right away. How could she explain the flutter in her chest? The way his voice-taut with restraint-awoke something deep and aching inside her? Not fear. Not confusion. But the aching truth that he sees her. Not as something fragile to protect, but as something fiercely his.
She took a slow breath, her voice barely above a whisper.
“You’re right. He’s acting like he lost something. But the thing is… he never had it.”
Her gaze held his, steady and sure.
“He doesn’t know me. Not really. He saw pieces-scraps of a life I was trying to hold together. But you… you see the whole of me. Even the parts I try to hide. And you stay.”
Her hand found his, squeezing gently, a quiet anchor in the storm.
“He belongs in the past, Damien. But you…” Her voice trembled with something tender and
raw.
“You’re in my present. And I hope… you’ll be in my future too.”
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.