C2 Power Play

Damian

Control. Its what I've built my entire life on. Control your emotions. Control your environment. Control the people around you. That's the mantra that propelled me to the top and kept me there.

Tonight, that control had shattered in an instant, all because of one careless server.

"Sorry?" My voice was low, but the sharp edge in it silenced the murmurs around us. I stepped closer, fixing her with a cold stare. "Do you even realize what you have done'' The echo of shattering glass still rang in my ears as I stood there, drenched in champagne. The room seemed to pause, every eye turning toward me, waiting for my reaction. My suit,custom-tailored, charcoal gray, and spotless until five seconds ago-clung to me, soaked and sticky.

I looked up, locking eyes with the woman responsible. She stood frozen, clutching the tray to her chest like a lifeline. Her wide, dark eyes darted around the room before landing on me. Her face was flushed, her lips parted slightly as if searching for words.

"Unbelievable," I muttered, more to myself than to her.

She flinched, her knuckles whitening as she gripped the tray. "I-I'm so sorry," she stammered.

"I-" She looked down, her shoulders hunched. "It was an accident-"

''I don't care if it was an accident," I snapped, cutting her off. "You've made me a spectacle in front of the most important people in this city. Do you understand how damaging that can be?"

Her gaze flicked up to mine, and for a moment, something flickered in her expression-pride, perhaps, or defiance. "I said I was sorry," she said quietly, but there was steel beneath her words.

I clenched my jaw, my temper barely in check. "Your apology is worthless."

The murmurs around us grew louder. Sensing the growing attention, I straightened, brushing at my ruined suit. This woman wasn't worth my time. Turning sharply, I walked away without another word, leaving her to deal with the mess she'd created.

---

The rest of the gala passed in a haze. I forced myself to engage in the usual meaningless conversations, smiling and nodding as board members and potential investors talked at me. But my mind kept drifting back to her-Maya Evans.

She was everything I despised: careless, unpolished, and completely out of her depth. And yet, there was something about her that stuck with me. Maybe it was the look in her eyes-a mixture of fear and defiance-or the quiet strength in her voice when she'd refused to crumble under my anger.

"Damian!" Evelyn's voice cut through my thoughts.

I turned to see her approaching, her dress glittering under the chandeliers. She was smiling, but there was a calculating glint in her eyes. Evelyn had always been good at reading people, and tonight, I wasn't in the mood for her games.

"You seemed a bit... rattled earlier," she said, her tone light but probing.

"Nothing worth discussing," I replied briefly.

Her gaze flicked to my damp suit, and her smile grew tighter. "It's not like you to let something so trivial get under your skin."

"It didn't," I said, signaling a server for another drink.

Evelyn studied me for a moment, her polished mask slipping just enough to reveal a hint of frustration. "You know," she said, her voice softening, "if you ever need someone to keep things running smoothly, I'm just a call away."

"Noted," I said, already turning away.

By the time I left the event, the city was cloaked in darkness. I slid into the backseat of my car, gesturing for Victor to drive.

"Where to, sir?" he asked.

"Take the long route," I said.

Victor nodded, and the car glided into the flow of traffic. I leaned back against the leather seat, staring out at the glittering skyline. Normally, the sight of the city calmed me, reminded me of the empire I'd built. But tonight, my thoughts were restless.

Maya Evans. Her name lingered in my mind, uninvited.

She didn't belong in that room, not with her awkward movements and hesitant apologies. And yet, I couldn't stop replaying the moment she'd met my gaze, the flicker of defiance that had dared to challenge me. I closed my eyes, exhaling sharply. She didn't matter. She was a distraction, nothing more.

The night had started with so much promise. The gala was exactly what I needed-an opportunity to network, to show the world that Damian Greyson, CEO of Greyson Enterprises, was still at the top of his game. I had planned to make the most of it, rubbing elbows with potential business investors and partners who could take my business to greater heights, even though my business was at its peak and had been at the top for years since I took over, I never missed an opportunity to promote it. Everything had been going well until she showed up.

When I got home, I walked into the penthouse, the silence almost oppressive. The weight of the night settled heavily on my shoulders as I stripped off my soiled shirt, tossing it carelessly into the laundry basket and making a mental note to remind the help to get the laundry done.

I had no time to deal with the incident with Maya. Tomorrow was too important. My father was arriving.