Lila didn't sleep much that night.
Her mind kept replaying the scene in Damon's office — his cold accusations, his harsh words. It was like an endless loop, each time she thought she could escape it, it came crashing back.
Gold digger.
She hated that word. Hated that Damon had the audacity to use it, of all things. Did he really think so little of her? That was the part that stung the most. It wasn't the accusation itself — she'd heard worse. It was the fact that it had come from him.
She didn't know why it hurt so much. Maybe because, despite everything, she had started to believe that he was different. She had started to think there was a possibility that he could see her for who she really was — that she wasn't just some girl trying to climb the social ladder.
But I was wrong, wasn't I?
As she walked into the floral shop the next morning, her eyes were red from crying, her hands numb with the weight of her emotions. She wanted to block it all out, just focus on her work. But she couldn't. Not today. Not when everything felt like it was falling apart.
Damon had barely slept, either. But unlike Lila, he was consumed by guilt.
He paced his office for hours, running his hands through his hair, staring at the mess of papers on his desk. Nothing made sense anymore. How had he gotten so angry? How had he let his jealousy cloud his judgment to the point of accusing her of something so vile?
His mind kept replaying her last words:
"I don't need you. I never have."
They burned like acid in his chest.
But more than the words, it was the look in her eyes. The hurt. The anger. The heartbreak.
He'd broken something inside of her. And no matter how hard he tried to justify his actions, he couldn't escape the reality: he had pushed her away. He had been the one to destroy what little bond they'd built.
He couldn't lose her. Not like this.
By mid-afternoon, Damon had made up his mind. He couldn't fix what he had done with words alone. But maybe... just maybe, he could show her that he was sincere.
He arrived at the floral shop just as the doorbell jingled, signaling a new customer. Lila was at the counter, her back turned to him. She hadn't seen him walk in.
He hesitated, his heart pounding. There was a heavy knot in his stomach, but he pushed it down. He couldn't afford to back out now.
"Lila," Damon's voice broke through the silence.
She flinched but didn't turn around. "What do you want, Damon?"
"I... I need to talk to you," he said, his tone softer than it had been the day before. This isn't about business anymore. This is about her. "I... I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I can't let you walk away thinking that I think so little of you."
Lila didn't respond right away. She just kept her back to him, the tension in her shoulders clear.
"You were right," Damon continued, moving closer. "I let my jealousy get the best of me, and I said things I didn't mean. I was wrong. You're not a gold digger, and I shouldn't have ever said that."
Lila's lips trembled as she slowly turned around to face him. Her eyes were still red, but there was something in them — a guarded emotion that he couldn't quite place.
"You don't know what it felt like, Damon," she said quietly. "To hear you say that to me. To think... that after everything, you still saw me that way."
Damon's chest tightened. He wanted to go to her, but he didn't know if she would allow it.
"I know. I was a fool. I was scared. And I was angry... but that's no excuse." Damon took another step closer, his voice rough. "You've never asked for anything from me. And I was too blind to see that. The last thing I want to do is hurt you."
Lila stayed silent, staring at him. Her expression was unreadable, and for a moment, Damon wondered if she was going to push him away completely.
But then, to his relief, she spoke.
"You don't get it, Damon," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I wasn't asking for anything from you. Not your money, not your attention. I was just... trying to do my job. Trying to be someone who deserved to be here. I don't need you to fix my life. I don't need you to rescue me."
Damon's heart twisted. "I didn't think you did."
Lila's eyes softened just a fraction. "I'm not... like other women who want something from you. I don't need to be fixed. I don't need a fairy tale."
Damon swallowed, his throat tight. "Then why did you stay? Why did you put up with me?"
"Because I thought you saw me for who I really am," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "But after yesterday... I don't know anymore."
Damon's heart cracked. She's pulling away from me.
"Please, Lila," he whispered, "just give me a chance to show you that I can be more. I've been a fool, and I don't want to lose you."
There was a long silence, and Lila's gaze flickered to the floor. She was still hurt, still unsure. But Damon could see it — a small flicker of hope in her eyes.
"One chance," she said softly. "But no more games, Damon. I can't do that again."
Damon nodded, relief flooding through him.
"I swear, no more games."
The next few days were tense but filled with a new understanding between them. Damon made the effort, showing up at Lila's floral shop without expecting anything in return. He offered to help with small tasks, letting her see a side of him she had never known.
But Caleb remained a constant presence in Lila's life, and that wasn't easy for Damon to accept. Every time he saw the two of them together, his stomach turned with jealousy. But he kept his distance, hoping that his actions would prove to Lila that he had changed.
Lila, for her part, kept things professional. She didn't want to fall back into old habits — she couldn't let herself get hurt again. But she also couldn't ignore the pull she felt toward Damon, the way his presence affected her.