Chapter 11 - The Silk Armor
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The preparation for the gala felt like preparing for a war.
Damon stood in the master suite, adjusting his black bowtie in the mirror. His face was a mask of cold, calculated precision. Tonight, he would reclaim his empire and avenge his wife.
The door to the adjoining room opened, and Naomi stepped out.
Damon turned and momentarily lost his breath.
She wasn't wearing a maid’s uniform. She was wearing a stunning, floor-length emerald green gown that clung perfectly to her curves. Her hair was swept up in an elegant style, and diamonds glittered at her throat. She looked like a queen stepping onto a battlefield.
“You clean up nicely, Miss Carter,” Damon murmured, offering a rare, genuine smile.
“I feel like I’m wearing a target,” Naomi admitted, her hands trembling slightly as she smoothed the silk skirt.
“You are wearing armor,” Damon corrected, walking over to her. “Tonight, you are not a nurse in hiding, and you are not a maid. You are my honored guest. You are the woman who saved my daughter. No one will dare touch you.”
“What about Zuri?” she asked, her maternal instincts overriding her fear.
“Zuri is in the panic room, guarded by ten of my most lethal men,” Damon assured her. “The only way someone gets to her is over a mountain of bodies.”
He offered Naomi his arm.
“Are you ready to face the man who chased you for three years?” Damon asked.
Naomi looked up at him, drawing strength from his unwavering confidence. She took his arm.
“Let’s go burn his kingdom down.”
They descended the grand staircase and climbed into the waiting limousine. The ride to Manhattan was tense and silent. Both of them knew that walking into the Plaza Hotel tonight was a point of no return.
When they arrived, the red carpet was swarming with paparazzi and elite society members. Silas loved the spotlight, but tonight, the spotlight was going to incinerate him.
May you like
Damon stepped out of the car, offering his hand to Naomi. As they walked up the steps, the flashes of cameras blinded them. Whispers erupted immediately. The reclusive billionaire had finally emerged from his mourning, and he had a beautiful, unknown woman on his arm.
The element of surprise was absolutely perfect.
