Damian Cross is a reclusive billionaire, haunted by a past so dark that it keeps him isolated from the world and from love. A traumatic witness to his father's murder, he's spent years building an empire while secretly seeking vengeance on those responsible. But when Emma Blake enters his life as an undercover assistant at his luxurious resort project, everything changes. Emma, a determined journalist, has been tasked with investigating Damian for her father's alleged crimes. But the deeper she digs into Damian's past, the more she uncovers secrets, lies, and a connection that ties her father to the very tragedy that ruined Damian's life. Torn between loyalty to her family and a growing love for Damian, Emma finds herself trapped in a web of deceit, danger, and heartbreak. As sparks fly between them and their lives intertwine, Damian must confront the truth that has haunted him for years. Will Emma's bravery be enough to expose the sins of the past and heal the wounds of the present? Or will the shadows of betrayal and vengeance tear them apart forever?

Chapter 1 The relentless pursuit

Damian Cross was never the type to take a break. His office, perched on the top floor of Cross Enterprises, was both his sanctuary and his prison. The floor-to-ceiling windows revealed a panoramic view of the bustling city, but he never paused to admire the view. His focus was always inward on the numbers, the strategy, and the next move.

Day after day, Damian sat at his desk, eyes glued to spreadsheets and reports, his mind racing with calculations. He was the head of one of the most successful business empires in the world, but to him, it was never enough. Success was an addiction, one he couldn't shake. He had to keep pushing forward, and had to keep the empire growing.

His father, Peter Cross, had built the company from the ground up, but it was Damian who had turned it into a global powerhouse. And yet, despite all his accomplishments, he remained cold, distant, and alone. Trust was something Damian had learned to do without after that fateful night years ago when he lost everything, his parents, his home, his innocence.

The memories of that night were seared into his mind. He had been a young boy, no more than fifteen, when he had witnessed his father's murder at the hands of someone he had once trusted. His father's business partner, Aaron Blake, had conspired with Gary Salvatore, their rival, to kill Damian's parents in cold blood. The betrayal was so deep, it shattered the very foundation of his world.

Damian had barely survived the attack. He wasn't even supposed to be there that night, but fate had a different plan. He had seen it all-the cold, calculating murder, the blood, and the way his father had begged for his life. Damian's whole world had crumbled that night, and it had left him with one bitter truth: people could not be trusted.

Since then, he had lived under the guidance of his uncle, Henry Cross. Henry was the only family Damian had left, the only one who had not betrayed him. Damian respected him deeply, not just for taking him in when the world turned its back on him, but for his integrity. Henry had been a business partner to Peter Cross before the tragedy, and after the loss, he had taken the reins of the company, slowly rebuilding what had been lost.

But Damian didn't share Henry's optimism. He didn't trust anyone, and that included his employees, his colleagues, and even his closest allies. Every day, he worked tirelessly to prove that he could rise above the pain of his past. He trusted only himself, his intelligence, and his ability to make calculated decisions. He was meticulous, always five steps ahead, and never once let his emotions cloud his judgment.

For Damian, the business world was a battlefield, and he was always prepared for the next fight. Love, friendship, and social connections were foreign concepts to him, luxuries he could never afford. The only thing that mattered was the next victory, the next deal, the next step in building his empire. And so, he worked, and worked, and worked.

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Bound by Secrets by Anastasia Riley

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