Chapter 8 Unexpected Visitors

Damien's pov I sat at my desk, engrossed in the hum of the office, the clatter of keyboards, and the distant chatter of colleagues. The door to my office clicked open, and Serena timidly entered, her eyes cast downward. "You called for me?" she asked, her voice soft and hesitant. I straightened my back, a smile playing on my lips. "Yes, I wantled to talk to you," I replied, motioning for her to take a seat. "I'm sorry for the way things have been going on in the office," she confessed, a hint of apology in her eyes. I walked up to her, concern etching my face. "Is everything alright?" I inquired, genuinely wanting to know. She looked up, a smile breaking through. "It's okay," she reassured me, her eyes meeting mine. "Anything troubling you? Is Olivia -" I began, my thoughts interrupted by her gentle shake of the head. "No, she's not," she quickly interjected, dispelling any worries about my assistant bullying her. I nodded, stepping closer to her. There was a magnetic pull, an undeniable attraction that seemed to grow stronger as we moved closer. Her eyes locked onto mine, and the air around us crackled with tension. "Damien," she whispered, the sound barely audible. The moment was delicate, hanging on the precipice of a kiss, our lips mere inches apart, when suddenly, the door clicked open. A familiar feminine voice cut through the air, disrupting the moment. "What in the world is going on here?!" A familiar feminine voice rang. I stood frozen as my mother, Margaret Blackwood, entered my office. Her presence alone was enough to raise the tension in the room. She emanated an aura of authority, dressed in an immaculate cream suit that only accentuated her fierce demeanor. Her sharp eyes fixated on Serena. Serena, with her eyes widened, tried to maintain composure, but my mother's piercing gaze seemed to weigh her down. "What do you think you're doing, frolicking with a trainee in your office?!" my mother erupted, her voice echoing through the room. I sighed, sensing an impending storm. Rubbing my temples, I faced her. "Mom, what are you doing here?" I asked, attempting to diffuse the situation before it escalated further. "In case your memory fails you, I am still a major shareholder in Blackwood Corps," she retorted, her tone sharp. My shoulders slumped, realizing this wasn't going to be an easy conversation. "I know that, but why are you in my office? Why did you come?" I inquired, my patience wearing thin. "I heard about the rumors, that you're dating some lowlife," she accused, her disdain evident. I felt the need to defend Serena. "Mom, don't call her that." "Oh, so you are dating her?" Her words were laced with judgment. "I'm old enough to date whoever I want to," I asserted, trying to stand my ground. She responded with a resounding slap that echoed through the room. Shocked, I raised my head, locking eyes with her. As she approached Serena, I stepped forward, a protective instinct taking over. "You cannot dictate my life," I warned, positioning myself between my mother and Serena. "You will stop seeing this woman immediately, or else—" she began, her threat hanging in the air. "Or else what?!" I yelled, frustration boiling over. "Or else I'll replace you as CEO, and you know I can do it! Your father and I still have more shares than you!" Her words were a cold reminder of the power dynamics within the company. The ultimatum was declared, leaving me torn between personal choices and professional consequences. I glared at her, defiance in my eyes. "You can't control every aspect of my life." She shot one last disdainful look at Serena before storming out. The moment the door swung open, Olivia was there. My mom rolled her eyes at Olivia, before leaving. "You okay?" I asked, turning to Serena, who looked visibly shaken. "That was intense. Your mom really knows how to make an entrance," she remarked, trying to inject some humor into the situation. I couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, she's quite the drama queen." Serena sighed. "Do you think she'll really replace you as CEO?" "I don't know," I admitted, running a hand through my hair. "But I won't let her control my personal life." Serena gave me a reassuring smile. "We'll figure this out together." I motioned for Serena to excuse us, and she gave me a weak smile before leaving my office. As she passed Olivia by the door, I caught a glimpse of the irritation on Olivia's face. The door clicked shut, and Olivia approached, her expression tense. "You called my mother, didn't you?" I accused, my eyes probing hers. "Oh, I wish I was smart enough to think of that," she deadpanned. Her eyes narrowed. "Oh wait, I was." Olivia's voice dripped with sarcasm, mocking my supposed lack of wit. “The only problem is, I can't call your obnoxious mother because, one, I don't have her phone number, and two, me and her have never seen eye to eye on literally anything.” I sighed, realizing that she was right. Even though she didn't like Serena, she couldn't have called Margaret. I turned around and walked behind my desk, then plopped on my seat. She folded her arms, a bitter laugh escaping her throat. "You really put so much into defending this girl. Where was that energy with me?" I looked away, not willing to engage in this particular conversation. "Serena is different," I replied, my voice steady but evasive. Olivia's eyes bore into mine, her frustration palpable. "Different, huh? Enlighten me, Damien. What makes her so special?" I took in a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "She's not entangled in the complications of my past. She's innocent, and I want to protect that innocence." Olivia scoffed. "Innocence? Please, Damien, spare me the knight-in-shining-armor routine. I've been there, remember?" I met her gaze, feeling the weight of unspoken history between us. "Olivia, things were different then. We were different." She raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Different, or just convenient for you to move on?" I clenched my jaw. "This isn't about us." "Of course, it's always about someone else," she retorted, the bitterness in her tone echoing the hurt in her eyes. I shook my head, trying to dispel the tension in the room. "Look, I didn't ask you here to rehash the past. I need you to understand that Serena is important to me, and I won't let anything jeopardize that." Olivia let out a disbelieving laugh. "Important? You sound like you're reciting lines from a script, Damien." "It's not a script, Olivia. It's my life, and I'm trying to make the right choices," I shot back, frustration coloring my words. She took a step closer, the distance between us diminishing. "Right choices? Is that what you call abandoning people when they need you the most?" I ran a hand through my hair, grappling with the guilt that resurfaced. "I didn't abandon you, Olivia. We both had our issues, and we couldn't fix each other." Her eyes softened, a mixture of hurt and longing. "I thought we were a team, Damien. Partners against the world." "We were," I admitted, the weight of the past heavy on my shoulders. "But we also needed to find our own paths." Olivia's gaze held mine, searching for sincerity. "And is Serena your path now?" I nodded. "Yes, she is. I can't change the past, but I can choose my future." She sighed, a resigned look crossing her features. "I never thought I'd see the day when Damien Blackwood chose a future that didn't include me." "It's not about excluding you, Olivia. It's about moving forward," I explained, pleading for her to understand. She turned away, her voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe I was just a detour in your journey, a pit stop before you found someone more suitable." I reached out, wanting to comfort her, but she pulled away. "Olivia, it's not like that." She faced me again. "You can keep your explanations, Damien. I've heard enough."