ANNA'S POV
Hand in hand, Damien and I strolled into the office building, our fingers interlocked so tightly it felt like we were one being.
I could feel the eyes of almost every employee following us, but for once, I didn’t care.
"You really don't have to come to work anymore, you know," Damien said, his thumb brushing gentle circles over the back of my hand as we approached the elevator.
I laughed softly and leaned against his side, feeling the strength of his arm. "And do what? Sit at home and wait for you like a sad housewife?"
He smirked. "Sad housewife? You wouldn't be sad. I'd make sure of it."
I rolled my eyes playfully. "Still. I want to work. At least for now."
Damien's smile grew mischievous. "And when we have junior Damien and junior Anna kicking around in your belly?"
My face burned instantly. I looked away, my heart thudding like crazy. "D-Damien!"
He chuckled and leaned closer. "I'm serious. You’ll resign then, right?"
I nodded shyly, unable to meet his eyes. "Maybe… but that's still a while away."
The elevator dinged and we stepped out, walking past more curious stares and murmured whispers.
We reached my office, and Damien reluctantly let go of my hand. I turned to him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
"See you later, Mr. CEO," I teased, flashing him a wink before disappearing into my office.
I got to work immediately, firing through my tasks with renewed energy. Being with Damien gave me a strength I never thought I had.
I smiled as I typed out an email, my mind still lingering on his words about little Damiens and Annas running around. The thought made my stomach flutter.
My phone vibrated across the desk. I grinned, already assuming it was Damien being cheesy and calling instead of using the intercom.
Without thinking, I grabbed it and answered.
"Hello—"
The voice that came through wasn't Damien's.
It was a voice I hadn't heard in what felt like a lifetime, but it still made my blood run cold.
"Anna," came the smooth but cold voice of Joseph Kosturos.
I froze, my fingers tightening around the phone. "Joseph…?"
He laughed quietly, a mocking sound. "I saw the news about your engagement."
I swallowed hard. "Yeah. It's true." I forced my voice to sound nonchalant, wondering what game he was trying to play.
"You've been working for Damien all along?" he asked, his tone deceptively casual.
"Yes," I said simply, refusing to give him any satisfaction.
There was a short pause before he laughed again, the sound colder this time.
"So you two planned this, right? Right from the start?"
I frowned, confusion knotting in my stomach. "Planned what?"
He didn't answer. Instead, the line went dead.
I stared at my phone for a moment, unsettled. What the hell was he implying?
Five minutes later, the phone rang again. Against my better judgment, I picked up.
This time, his voice was softer, almost pleading. "Anna... can we meet? Please."
Every instinct screamed at me to say no. But curiosity gnawed at me. Maybe he wants to apologize, I reasoned. Maybe he finally realized how badly he treated me.
"Where?" I asked cautiously.
"I'm close by," he said smoothly. "Just a few blocks from Damien's office."
I hesitated.
"Fine," I said. "I'm coming."
Without wasting time, I stood up, grabbing my coat. I hurried down the hallway toward Damien's office, intending to tell him quickly where I was going. But when I opened the door without knocking, the room was empty.
I frowned. Damien never left without telling me.
Shrugging it off, I decided I'd be back before he returned anyway. I took the executive elevator down and walked briskly through the lobby.
As I stepped outside, the cool breeze hit me and I glanced around, searching for Joseph.
My phone buzzed again.
"Come forward a bit," Joseph said. "My car broke down."
Rolling my eyes, I moved further away from the building, my heels clicking sharply against the pavement.
I clutched my coat tighter around me, glancing around.
I was about to call him to say I couldn't see him when a black van screeched to a halt right in front of me.
"What the—"
Before I could react, strong hands grabbed me roughly. One hand clamped over my mouth and nose, and the other wrapped around my waist, lifting me off the ground as if I weighed nothing.
I thrashed wildly, trying to scream, but the hand over my mouth was firm.
A sharp chemical smell invaded my nose — chloroform — and my strength evaporated almost instantly, as darkness swallowed me whole.