Chapter 4 – "You're Mine, Right?"

Three months.

That was how long it took for the Hawthorne estate to realize something extraordinary.

Evelyn had stopped merely accepting Damien's presence.

She had started expecting it.

Every morning, she asked the same question.

"When is Damien coming?"

If someone answered, "Four o'clock."

She would simply nod and continue reading.

If they said, "He's busy today."

She would quietly ask,

"...Tomorrow?"

No complaints.

No tantrums.

Just hope.

Because in Evelyn's mind, Damien always came back.

One afternoon, Damien entered the conservatory carrying a stack of documents.

He had planned to finish reviewing them while Evelyn painted.

The moment she saw him, she looked up from her sketchbook.

"Damien."

"Yes?"

She pointed at the chair beside her.

"Sit."

The maids exchanged confused glances.

No greeting.

No request.

Just...

Sit.

Damien looked at the chair for exactly one second before walking over and sitting beside her without hesitation.

"As you wish."

The maids blinked.

"...Did she just order Mr. Ashford?"

"I think she did..."

Five minutes later...

"Damien."

"Hm?"

"Read."

She pushed a picture book into his hands.

He opened it without the slightest complaint.

"What page?"

She tapped the first one.

"All."

A nearby executive, who had come to discuss an urgent business contract, nearly dropped his briefcase.

The feared Damien Ashford...

...who had once ended a board meeting because someone wasted thirty seconds...

Was now reading a children's story about rabbits with complete seriousness.

"And then," Damien read softly, "the little rabbit found a field full of flowers..."

Evelyn listened intently.

Occasionally smiling.

Occasionally asking questions.

"Why is the rabbit sad?"

"He lost his way."

"...Will someone find him?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Only then did she relax.

At Ashford Group Headquarters...

The board of directors was in chaos.

"The CEO postponed another meeting."

"He said it wasn't urgent."

"Mr. Ashford said not urgent?"

"He even left before lunch."

One director whispered dramatically,

"...Do you think he's ill?"

Another shook his head.

"I think he's overworked."

A third sighed.

"Our CEO has finally lost his mind."

Back at the Hawthorne estate...

Evelyn had discovered something.

Whenever she asked Damien for something...

He almost always agreed.

Not because he had to.

Because he wanted to.

She tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Damien."

"Yes?"

"My blanket."

He immediately stood, retrieved the soft knitted blanket from the sofa, and gently draped it over her shoulders.

"There."

She smiled contentedly.

"Thank you."

A few minutes later...

"Damien."

"Hm?"

"Tea."

"What kind today?"

"The flower one."

"I'll make it."

Her mother couldn't help laughing softly.

"Our daughter has somehow made the most intimidating man in the country into her personal assistant."

Her father smiled.

"And he looks perfectly happy about it."

When Damien returned carrying the tea tray, Evelyn looked at him with complete certainty.

"You came back."

"I said I would."

"I knew."

"How?"

She answered as though it were obvious.

"...Because you're mine."

The room fell silent.

Even Damien paused.

She continued in the same calm, innocent voice.

"Not like... a thing."

She frowned, trying to explain.

"...You're my safe person."

"My Damien."

"You always come."

"So you're mine."

There wasn't a hint of possessiveness born from control.

Only the uncomplicated trust of someone who believed she had finally found a place where she belonged.

Damien's expression softened until it was almost impossible to recognize him as the ruthless CEO everyone feared.

He crouched beside her chair.

"If being your safe person means you'll never have to face the world alone..."

He smiled gently.

"...Then yes."

"I'm your Damien."

Evelyn beamed.

The smile was small.

But it reached her eyes.

The following week, Damien was in the middle of signing acquisition papers worth hundreds of millions.

His assistant entered cautiously.

"Sir..."

Damien didn't look up.

"What is it?"

"Miss Evelyn called."

The pen stopped moving.

"What did she say?"

The assistant checked his notes.

"She said..."

He cleared his throat.

"'Tell Damien to come. I miss him.'"

Damien closed the file.

"Reschedule the remaining meetings."

Every executive stared.

"Sir, today's agenda—"

"It can wait."

Without another word, he picked up his coat.

One brave executive finally asked,

"Mr. Ashford... is it really that important?"

Damien looked at him calmly.

"To me?"

"Yes."

"It is."

And he walked out.

When he arrived at the estate, Evelyn was sitting in the garden swing.

The moment she saw him, she raised both hands.

"Late."

He checked his watch.

"I am."

"You said four."

"It took me twenty extra minutes."

She looked at him very seriously.

"...Don't do that again."

He bowed his head slightly.

"I'll try not to."

The butler nearly choked on his tea.

The CEO of Ashford Group...

...had just accepted being scolded.

As the sun began to set, they sat beneath an old oak tree.

Evelyn leaned lightly against his shoulder.

After a long silence, she asked,

"If I tell you to stay..."

"I'll stay until you're ready for me to leave."

"If I tell you to read..."

"I'll read."

"If I tell you to walk with me..."

"I'll walk."

She looked up curiously.

"...Why?"

Damien's answer came without hesitation.

"Because none of the things you ask are meant to control me."

He gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"You ask because you trust me."

"And spending time with you is never a burden."

She thought about that for a long moment.

Then she nodded, satisfied.

"Good."

"What is?"

"I picked the right person."

For the first time that day...

Damien laughed.

A genuine, quiet laugh.

One heard by very few.

Watching from the veranda, Evelyn's father smiled.

"You know what amazes me?"

His wife looked at him.

"Our daughter thinks she's asking him for little favors."

He chuckled softly.

"But if you watch carefully..."

"What?"

"He never obeys because she's demanding."

"He does it because every single request she makes is something he already wants to give her."

And somehow...

That made the feared, untouchable Damien Ashford look freer than he ever had before.

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