Page 180 of My Ruthless Husband

As if sensing my gaze, he turns his head toward me, and a slow, lazy smile stretches across his lips that sinks deep into my chest.

His smiles aren’t the cold, calculating or arrogant kind like before. They’re gentle, easy, and utterly real. They’re absolutely beautiful, and every time he smiles at me, it feels like the world disappears and all I can see is him.

This version of Damian, the one I never thought I’d get to see, has completely taken over my heart. How could he not, after the two blissful weeks we spent in Scotland?

He’d barely left my side, only slipping away for a few hours to work. When he did, Morag would spoil me and Vicky as if we were her own. She made us feel at home.

When it was finally time to leave, even Vicky had teared up, hugging Morag fiercely.

When we boarded the jet, Damian had surprised me, telling me we weren’t going home just yet. Instead, he took me to London. We spent an entire week there. During the days, he was often away, handling work that kept him occupied. But at night, he’d sweep me off to the most beautiful places in the city. It felt like we were dating.

It felt like he was giving me pieces of the world, one night at a time.

From London, we flew straight here to New Zealand. When I asked why we weren’t going home yet, he just looked at me and said he used to come home only because I was there and now that I was with him, there was no reason to go back. That’s when I really understood just how hard Damian works.

His businesses span across the globe, yet he doesn’t delegate all his duties away. He personally oversees every operation, traveling constantly and working tirelessly to ensure everything runs smoothly. It’s like he carries the weight of his entire empire on his shoulders, all to protect what he’s built.

And now he’s sharing that part of himself with me, making me feel included in a world I’d only ever glimpsed from afar.

The month went by traveling around the world with him. And in this period, Damian and I have grown closer than ever, and honestly, it’s all because of him. He’s been so present, so attentive. He’s been putting in real effort, doing everything he can to make me happy.

I’ll admit, when we first left Scotland, I had my doubts. I thought the honeymoon phase had ended, that we were returning to reality. I kept waiting to see him slip back to thatdistant, ruthless man. But then he surprised me, whisking me off to London, then here to New Zealand, as if he was determined to show me just how much he cared.

And the way he’s treated me, it feels like he’s making up for every tear I shed because of him, showering me with the kind of attention I once craved but was too afraid to hope for.

I’d promised myself I won’t look back, won’t dwell on the past, and for once, I’m actually living in the moment. Here, now, with him.

Living in the present has made me happier than ever. I don’t feel like an empty vessel anymore, a body Damian used in the dark. I don’t feel hollow or lonely. Gone are the sleepless nights and the nightmares. With him, I’ve started to live and laugh again. We’re a real couple now, sharing meals, napping together, living the kind of life I thought was only for other people.

I feel complete, as if all the broken pieces of my heart have mended.

And yet, there’s a dangerous side to this happiness. I’ve started dreaming again, dreaming that this might last. I’m daring to hope that this life we’re building, moment by moment, is something real and permanent.

And, most dangerous of all, I’ve started to see things through his eyes. I’m starting to wonder if there’s more to the past than I realized. Maybe Damian’s hatred for my father isn’t without cause. Maybe, just maybe, he has his reasons. And while I don’t know what those are, I’m beginning to understand that even though Damian might have started this marriage as a means to settle a score, but lately, it feels like he cares enough to make this work. I can feel it in the way he looks at me, the way he holds me close and his efforts to change for me.

Still, some things remain unsaid. There are still some walls he hasn’t let down. For instance, we haven’t talked about my father or even approached the subject. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wantto know the truth. But neither of us has dared to bring it up. And I am relieved. Maybe that makes me a coward, but I don’t want to shatter what we have. I don’t want to risk a single precious second of this happiness.

Deep down, I know this can’t last forever. One day, the dream will fade, and we’ll have to wake up. But for now, I’m holding on as tightly as I can, savoring every second as if it’s my last. It feels like we’re living only for each other, ignoring everything else.

Maybe it’s because we both know this peace is only temporary, that we’ve pressed pause on our problems, we’re clinging to each moment, filling every second with memories that are ours alone. Because we know, somehow, that it won’t be ours forever.

I reach out, letting my fingers brush along his jaw, the faint stubble tickling my skin. He shifts his head, catching my fingers with his lips in a soft kiss. A tiny gesture, yet my heart stumbles over itself.

Damian feels less like my husband and more like my lover now. The thought makes me giggle.

He catches my laugh with a curious glance. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” I say, trying to contain my amusement. “Where are we going?”

A faint smile curves his lips. “It’s a surprise.”

Of course. Damian and his surprises. In our week in Auckland, he’s gone above and beyond. Each day, he had a surprise waiting for me: a dinner at an exclusive rooftop restaurant, a private art gallery tour and he even planned an aquarium date. I’ve seen nearly everything this city has to offer. What else could he possibly have up his sleeve?

As we wind down a picturesque road, the car suddenly jolts, sputtering before it slows to a stop. Damian frowns as he pullsover. “Just a second,” he murmurs, taking the sunglasses off and slipping out of his seat.

I climb out too as he pops the hood, a look of concentration on his face. I bite my lip as he rolls his shirt sleeves and examines the engine.

There’s seriously something wrong with me. Everything he does turns me on. But I have to admit, there’s something primal about the way he’s standing there, looking rugged and focused.

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