Chapter 95: boundaries

"Good morning. I do hope you had a restful night," he softly inquired. However, lauren found herself too taken aback to even muster a response. As the realization of being caught in a moment of unabashed admiration dawned upon her, she, overcome with a sense of embarrassment, swiftly sought refuge under the comforting embrace of her duvet.

Amused by her childlike reaction, Damien could not help but chuckle softly at her modesty. Peering through the folds of the protective cover, her eyes once again met his, and in a futile attempt to conceal her bewilderment, she buried herself deeper under the duvet.

However, her efforts were gently thwarted by the playful intervention of Damien. "Please, there's no need for shyness. Besides, it's not your fault for finding me attractive that you couldn't look away. Many women would envy your current position," he quipped impishly, arching an eyebrow mischievously in her direction.

Rising from her protective sanctuary, she drew the duvet aside and sat up, hands resting resolutely on her waist. "I'm not shy, I was merely taken aback to find you here, in bed with me," she declared with a swift glance around the room, only to pause and cast a puzzled gaze down at herself.

A gasp escaped her lips as she took in her attire.

"Where am I exactly?

Why am I dressed like this?

What exactly happened last night for me to be here?

How did I come to be here?

The last recollection I have is of enjoying a tranquil bath in my father's private room in the hospital..." Her torrent of bewildered questions was abruptly interrupted by a sudden realization, "Oh, my goodness, my father... I need to check up on him!" Panic seized her, compelling her to make a desperate bid for freedom from the bed, only to be gently restrained by Damien's firm yet reassuring grasp.

"Please, you need to calm down. Everything is perfectly fine, including your father. Take a deep breath so I can address all of your concerns," he implored tenderly, his voice carrying a soothing cadence, an attempt to quell the jumble of emotions that held her in their thrall.

"Very well, I'm all ears," she relented with a sigh, prompting him to proceed.

"Before we delve into that, there's something I need to attend to," he mentioned, drawing nearer to her. In reaction, she instinctively jerked back, grasping a nearby pillow as a shield, her gaze trained upon him as he quietly slid over to her side. Amusement twinkled in his eyes as he reached behind her to retrieve a remote control.

"I simply needed this," he clarified, displaying the remote with a subtle flourish before proceeding to press a button. Instantly, the vast curtains obediently parted, ushering in a cascade of golden sunlight.

"For someone who could be likened to a vampire, you seem to have an affinity for sunlight," she couldn't help but muse aloud, her query eliciting a soft chuckle from him as he settled himself on the edge of the bed.

"Well, yes, I do," he responded simply, affording her an enigmatic smile.

"In answer to your initial question, this is my penthouse, situated atop the uppermost floor of the hospital, so in essence, we are still within the confines of the hospital," he explained, attentively studying her countenance to gauge her comprehension.

"Are you certain you have no recollection of what occurred in the bathroom last night?" he asked, his surprise evident as he, too, found himself taken aback by her lack of memory.

"I distinctly recall sinking into the warm water in the bathroom and succumbing to a sense of drowsiness as I floated between wakefulness and slumber, and then...," her voice trailed off as a myriad of vivid images flashed through her mind.

Her jaw visibly slackened as the full recollection of everything that had transpired inside the confines of the bathtub came rushing back to her, even the words that had passed between them. Promptly, she rose from the bed, fixing him with a wide-eyed, fraught gaze.

He, too, stood from the bed, bracing himself for whatever storm might brew from the revelations, as he remained uncertain of her reaction upon learning the truth of their shared experiences.

"This is all so mortifying," she lamented, her voice muffled as she pressed her palm against her flushed face.

"I'm deeply sorry. I should not have taken advantage of your vulnerability," he tenderly offered, sincerity undeniably etched in his features. As she raised her eyes to meet his, he was met with a gaze filled with an unspoken understanding.

"I recollect every detail of what happened. I initiated the first kiss; you did not take advantage of me. It is I who should offer the apology, having already been made aware of your sentiments," she avowed, holding his gaze unwaveringly.

"So, I apologize, Damien, for overstepping my bounds," she solemnly concluded, her contrite admission permeating the space between them. Her words stoked a tempest of emotions within him, evoking a tinge of frustration, yet he acknowledged that he alone was accountable for the chaos that had ensued—a responsibility he was now resolved to rectify.

With purposeful strides, he bridged the distance between them, standing before her with a quiet resolve.

"I lied," he confessed, his voice barely more than a whisper. In the charged stillness of the moment, a fervent mix of anticipation and trepidation hung heavy in the air as Damien locked eyes with her.

"Lied about what?" she inquired, a glimmer of hope piercing through the shroud of uncertainty that enveloped her, her every breath held in rapt expectation as she awaited his revelation.

As his gaze bore into hers, she seemed to radiate an ethereal presence, a testament to the very essence of grace and enchantment.

"I told you I didn't like you, yet the truth is that my existence would remain desolate and hollow if you had not found your way into my life. 'Like' pales in comparison to the profound depths of emotions that surge through whenever I hear your heartbeat," he expressed with solemn sincerity.

"I dont think I can live a day without you, you bulldozed your way into my cold heart and seized it with a death grip, lauren...." he continued, bridging the scant distance between them and tenderly intertwining his hands with hers.

"I've loved you and will continue to love you forever and a day more" he confessed, revealing a vulnerability she had never before witnessed from him.

Her breath caught in her throat. Never had she envisioned Damien laying bare his soul in such a profound manner, leaving her momentarily speechless as she grappled with the weight of his words.

He offered her a gentle smile as he observed her incredulous expression, delicately tucking a stray lock of hair behind her now-flushed ear.

"I never intended to deceive you before, but could I have acted differently upon learning, in the most reprehensible manner, the truth of my actions...? What I did was and still is unforgivable, and I couldn't fathom myself deserving of your understanding or forgiveness," he concluded, his voice tinged with a profound sense of remorse.

"Please, say something," he urged, his touch gently cupping the side of her face. Unconsciously, she leaned into his caress, her eyes closing as if in response to a familiar, soothing ritual.

When she eventually reopened her eyes, she enveloped him in a tight embrace against her slender frame. After what felt like an eternity, she relinquished her hold, her gaze ensnared by his captivating obsidian eyes, as if an invisible force were compelling her towards him.

She leaned in, a silent overture, on the brink of an impending collision of their lips, but their tender moment was abruptly shattered by the intrusive ring of her phone. It was a call from her aunt, Madame Veronica.