Chapter 60

• As Damien walked away from the café, he felt a simmering storm brewing inside him—a mix of frustration, jealousy, and confusion. The casual smile he’d worn while greeting Jake had masked deeper emotions, tensions that simmered just below the surface. Seeing Charlotte with another man had stirred something raw within him, an unsettling feeling he couldn’t shake off as he navigated through the buzzing streets.
• He took a calming breath, but it did little to ease the tightness in his chest. Jake seemed pleasant enough; he was good-looking and had an easy charm that clearly put Charlotte at ease. But as Damien replayed their interaction in his mind, he couldn’t help but feel an unsettling sense of possessiveness rising up, which he vehemently tried to suppress. She was on a date, nothing more. Yet, the very fact that she was with someone else—a guy he had just shaken hands with—felt like a punch to the gut.
• He glanced back over his shoulder instinctively, hoping to catch another glimpse of Charlotte, only to see her chatting animatedly with Jake, her smile illuminating the early evening air. A pang of yearning shot through him, sharper than he anticipated. No matter how much he tried to counter it, the memories of their time together flooded back—moments of kindness, laughter, and the simple joy of sharing life with her.