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“Myfreedom.”
Therewas a pained expression on his face as if my freedom was an unbearable blow to him.Itnearly minimized my campaign for freedom.Thishad to beStockholmSyndromekicking in. “That’sthe only thingIcan’t give you.
“It’llnever be real for me as long as these shackles are on.”Ilifted our handcuffed hands.
“Weboth know you’ll run the momentItake them off.”
“So, your solution is to breed me like some prized animal instead?”Iturned away, fuming like a radiator about to burst.
"Youwant kids as much asIdo,” he spoke like he was placating me after a lover’s spat. “AndIknow you want them before you get busy with a high-stress job.”
Butthis wasn’t how a baby should be brought into the world. “Youforgot one important part.”Defiancecoated my voice. “Idon’t want them with you.”
Grabbingmy chin, he roughly jerked my face toward him, his previous gentleness replaced by a hardened expression. “Toobad becauseI’mthe only option available to you.”Angerpulsed through every inch of his being, threatening to consume him. “So, either you have them with me or not at all.”
Ibatted his hand away.
Damonclosed his eyes.Hisvoice laced with exhaustion, “Poppy,I’mtrying here.Justmeet me halfway.”
Meethim halfway?Damonpretended to be my savior, then broke my trust like everyone else.Hewanted my body night and day, not caring whenIsaid no or asked him to stop.Whenhe wasn’t pinning me down to impregnate me, he was beating up other people for touching me, oblivious of his own follies.Damonwasn’t at all the heroImade him out to be, the good guy meant to save my wicked, tainted soul.
“Youhave to believe that everythingIdo is for you.”Damoncontinued, “Forour future.”
“Ourfuture?”Istruggled with the words. “Stayinglocked up in some gilded cage isn’t the futureIenvisioned.”
“Iknow.Believeme,Iknow.I’mworking toward achieving the things you set out to accomplish.”
“Whatare you talking about?”Skepticismcolored my voice.
“Ihave a patented technology, one that’s bleeding out hedge fund companies like yours,” he explained, slightly rising on his elbows. “Yourfather recognized the potential and proposed a merger.SinceIbecameCEO,Ihave tried my best to keep your company afloat by not poaching your clients.ButIcan’t stop my uncle or the ruthless board from doing what they please.Andsometimes, your clients chase us down.”
Itwas true.Everyonehad been flocking towardMaxwellCorpsince they integrated the software.Thenumber of losses we incurred over the years had been significant.Ifit kept up, our company would go bankrupt within a couple of decades.
“Theonly wayIcan protect you is through a merger.Amarriage will solidify that because no one can dispute either party’s intentions.It’llfinally put an end to this rivalry, and you can become theCEOof a thriving company instead of a failing one.I’llmerge our hedge fund division with yours and sever all ties with my uncle.”
Istared at him, brows furrowed in confusion. "Youwould give up your company for me?"
“Forus,” he corrected.
Shakingmy head,Icouldn't fathom or grasp the sacrifice. "Whywould you do that?Especiallybecause the board ofAmbaniCorpis super old-fashioned.They’llnever allow someone without theAmbaniname to sit on the board."
“ThenI’llchange my last name toAmbani,” he spoke with such ease thatIwould’ve stumbled hadInot been in bed.
Iwas rattled, suddenly questioning everything between us.
“Idon’t care what name we go by.Allthat matters is we’re together,” he said, his words flowing effortlessly. “AndIknow you feel the same.You’rejust too angry right now to see things clearly.”
“Canyou blame me?”Iheld up our cuffed hands.
Damonlet out an exasperated sigh. “Iadmit the optics don’t look good.ButeverythingI’vedone has been for you since you were a lost little girl.I’vebeen cleaning up your messes for years.”
Myeyes narrowed, trying to detect a hint of truth in his words.
“Doyou remember when a gang of boys corneredRoseduring your sophomore year?”
Thememory flooded my mind, recalling the timeIhad returned from my winter internship only to findRosebeing bullied.Someof the students thought it would earn them favors with theMaxwellfamily.Rosehad been waiting for me to finish my lab that day when a group of “Maxwellfollowers” surrounded her.Ihad caught them red-handed, andIpaid one of the guys from their group to teach the rest a lesson they wouldn’t forget.
“Youforgot there were cameras in that hallway.Whodo you think broke into the security control room to erase the footage?”
