Ep 3: Why Are You Acting Weird?

Episode 3: Why Are You Acting Weird?

“Were you planning to run away from our engagement?”

…shit.

I looked at Damian.

Damian looked at me.

Then slowly—

both of us looked at the suitcase beside my bed.

“Okay,” I said carefully. “This looks bad.”

“It looks like you’re escaping.”

“Well when you say it like that, it sounds dramatic.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“Natasha.”

“Fine,” I sighed dramatically. “Yes. I was trying to leave.”

The assistants behind us gasped like I had confessed to murder.

Honestly, escaping toxic rich men should count as self-care.

“You were going to leave me at our engagement party?” Damian asked.

“Would you prefer I embarrass you publicly instead?”

Silence.

One assistant whispered, “Oh my god…”

I pointed at her immediately.

“Exactly.”

To my surprise—

Damian laughed quietly.

I froze.

Wait.

No.

That wasn’t supposed to happen.

In the novel, Damian Ashford barely smiled unless someone was actively dying.

So why was he laughing?!

Which honestly should’ve been illegal.

Nobody should look that good while holding a gun.

Actually— wait gun? Damn!!

why was he STILL holding the gun?!

My eyes suddenly dropped toward the weapon still resting in his hand.

I blinked.

Then blinked again.

“Are we just ignoring the fact that you walked into my bedroom carrying a gun?”

He glanced at it casually.

“Your cousin tried shooting me downstairs.”

“Oh.”

I paused.

“Did he succeed?”

Damian looked offended and said sarcastically.

“ you think? .”

“I’m just checking.”

Then casually, like he’d forgotten he was holding a deadly weapon, he tucked the gun behind his back.

“That better?”

“No. But thank you for the effort.”

To my surprise—

the corner of his lips twitched again.

Oh no.

The male lead was finding me entertaining.

That felt dangerous.

“You’re strange today,” he said suddenly.

Crap.

Right.

Original Natasha.

Elegant.

Quiet.

Graceful.

Meanwhile I was standing here arguing with a mafia heir while wearing pajamas and trying not to panic.

“I hit my head?” I offered weakly.

“With enough force to replace your personality?”

“That’s honestly possible.”

His grey eyes stayed on me.

Observing.

Studying.

Like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

It made me nervous.

Not because he was scary.

Okay maybe a little because he was scary.

But mostly because I knew how Damian Ashford ended.

Cold.

Possessive.

Manipulative.

Emotionally damaged.

And unfortunately attractive.

The deadliest combination.

I quickly grabbed my suitcase again.

“Anyway! I’m leaving before this story gets traumatic.”

“You’re still leaving?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

I blinked.

“…excuse me?”

“You’re not leaving.”

The calm confidence in his voice irritated me immediately.

Sir.

I already died once.

I was not about to stay here and become a tragic female lead again.

I crossed my arms.

“And who exactly is stopping me?”

His gaze darkened slightly.

“You really want an answer to that?”

Okay.

That tension?

Illegal.

My survival instincts were screaming.

Unfortunately, another part of me was noticing his face again.

This was how female leads died.

Damian slowly stepped closer.

Then closer.

Until my back lightly hit the wall behind me.

Oh.

That was—

wow.

His voice lowered slightly.

“Why are you acting so different today, Natasha?”

There it was.

The question I didn’t want.

I forced out a laugh.

“What? People can’t have personality development now?”

“That’s not personality development.”

His eyes narrowed.

“It’s like you became a completely different person overnight.”

My heartbeat stumbled.

Did he notice already?

No.

Impossible.

Right?

I smiled nervously.

“You’re imagining things.”

“Am I?”

“Yes.”

“You called me hot five minutes ago.”

“…that was a medical emergency.”

For the first time—

Damian looked genuinely amused.

And honestly?

That scared me more than the gun.

Because in the novel—

Damian Ashford never looked at Natasha Williams like this.

Not this early.

Not even close.

Which could only mean one thing.

The story—

was already changing.

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END OF EPISODE 3

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