He was jogging near the property, that too late at night, the images kept flashing in his head, her words kept ringing in his ears.

Elena Gilbert really wanted him, regular him- she wanted him because he was normal.

Yes she had wanted him before but tonight was different.

She wasn't hurt because of her cheater ex-boyfriend, there was no talk about it being casual.

They had a real conversation and she admitted to wanting him.

It was the first time that he had fought hard to not give in.

He didn't want to give in, tell her he was completely in, when he wasn't.

Though Katherine had never made him feel what Elena made him feel- he still didn't want to repeat a mistake.

He stopped running, panting and wiping off sweat from his forehead.

Giving into Elena , being with her would be no less than entering heaven with no merit but what about the other side.

He would walk right into his father's world.

He had always wanted a girl like Elena for his precious Ace to bridge an opportunity for furthering business and Damon was here doing just that.

Sage was right, he used to detest his father's choices, no matter how beautiful they had been.

Yet he went ahead and fell in love with a girl just like that.

Elena Gilbert- former socialite, future Businesswoman- probably president.

And she didn't just want the career, she wanted the husband and kids too.

She wanted it all.

And there he was, he wasn't interested in any game his father was involving her in and he wasn't ready to even think about going through what he went with Katherine and Rome.

He didn't want to marry because of business and then have an heir to make him go through it.

He realised he could never do it, then he remembered the way she had looked into him, soft hair brushing against his face at night, the way her fingers had brushed through his hair earlier, the most delicate lips he touched for the briefest of moments, her soft disappointed sigh when he pulled away abruptly, the look in her eyes when she said she wanted him.

He would go through it all, jump through any hoop for that look.

All rational thoughts went out the window with that look, he was lucky to have escaped this once.

She was right, he was a coward.

But he didn't have it in him to fight her, he was very likely to throw all reason away and have what he wanted only to end up worse then ever.

When he came back, she was asleep.

He thanked god and got in bed , next to her, just looking at her face.

Dedededededede-dededededede

Elena woke up feeling miserable. That week she was started to get why Damon hated this place, it reeked of conspiracies and selfishness everywhere.

And now even he wasn't even talking to her.

There conversation was always small-talk. Though she did her best getting a reaction out of him whenever at Dinner or breakfast, she found a reason to give him a kiss or touch him.

Not that he minded it, she always felt his lips linger longer.

It was her only hope that he did want her.

Finally after a week, Damon's mother had started getting used to her and it worked in her favour, she was being slightly polite and civil.

"You want me to co-host your party?"

The woman shrugged, "The party is to announce my son is back home, you're his fiancée, it's better if you and I do this together."

She held on to that olive branch, "I would love to, actually."

That evening she gave the news to Damon, who had surprisingly went to work with uncle Zach on his insistence, thus Elena felt very couple-y giving him the news as she undid his tie when he was back.

"Tell her to not bother, I'll find a way to get out soon enough."

"You still don't have anything to blackmail your father with? That's why you went to work didn't you?"

He raised a brow, "Not yet, Damn- I have to be more vague, If you caught on, my father won't be far behind."

She chuckled, "Well did you ever stop to think that I actually know you?"

"Whatever- I just, please do not let my mother announce me to her stupid society friends."

She rolled her eyes, "No, Her and I finally getting along and I am not pissing her off."

"At the price of me feeling like shit?"

"Damon- your mother is the only woman who is speaking to me like a human being, you avoid me like the plague, so- therefore I have had to lower the bar for friendship." She said as she sat down on the foot of the bed, "its not like the invitations are going to say you're back for good, your presence is what's important."

"huh, what a splendid idea- I am going to be not here for that."

She got up and walked to him, "Like hell you will be-"

He added, "And I am not avoiding you. I am just being respectful of our agreement."

"Our agreement is suddenly remembered but not when I show interest in other guys."

Like fate, the door got knocked at, "Miss Gilbert? There is guests for you and Mr. Salvatore."

Him and Elena looked at each other before heading out, Damon hissed when he saw the guy.

Elijah Mikaelson and her grandfather.

"Pearl was to kind to show me around." He looked at Elena and him, "My-my If looks could kill."

"you'd be dead now." Damon seethed.

"Gramps- what is-

Elijah chuckled, mocking him by raising his hands in surrender, "Please don't shoot. I am actually here on invitation, Giorgio invited me and I did a little background check, took me too late to figure this out Elena." He huffed, "Of course being engaged to the heir of an empire as big as this-"

"He contacted me when Giorgio invited him, Giorgio looked into your past, apparently he found out more than I could, I thought it was best to accompany Elijah and show that, you and him- just share a professional background, prior to when we parted with Mikaelson."

"I was hardly a teenager."

Elijah rolled his eyes, "There is no age for love or apprenticeship. Besides, thank me for not exposing your fake relationship."

Elena hissed, "That is none of your business who I date, get engaged to or marry."

"Let's see if his father agrees after I tell him about this arrangement, and he disowns him. Maybe then you'd not be to eager to marry a peasant."

Jonathan pat Elijah on the back, a menacing look on his face, "You'd do no such thing, I have accepted your relationship but to the world, she will be on his arm, until I am alive."

Elijah bit the inside of his cheek, "As long as it's not real."

Jonathan gave the three a look before straightening his tie, "I want this thing intact, if I see any threads coming out at the seams- you're done. All of you." Then he walked out.

Elena glared at Elijah, then she turned to look at Damon who was looking at her like he was also asking.

"Our engagement might not be real but it is far more real than what I had with you." She spat before turning around.

He held Elena's wrist, turning her around back to face him, she heard Damon approaching, "I told you, I am not going to stop fighting for us."

She hissed, "Do not create a scene."

Damon pushed him away, "How dare you touch her."

"I am not in the mood to speak to Elena's servants. Especially ones who are delusional enough to believe they hold an important place in her life."

"That's enough, Elijah." Elena warned, "Damon just let him be."

Damon shoved him once more, holding her wrist and dragging her back to his room.

Once they were back, Elena pulled her hand back, "What's wrong with you?"

"You!"

She blinked a few times, "I don't follow."

"You- was he wrong about it? That all this is a sick charade-"

"You called it an agreement, not 10 minutes ago!"

"But I don't want it to be one-okay? I want to believe the things you said the other night, that if I had nothing- this wouldn't end."

She gritted her teeth, "You had nothing before."

"Yes but then that asshole had turned you down. Now he's here, offering you everything you wanted, the company is yours, Elijah left everything for you, he's willing to be yours, me- I don't want this, any of this- I just want you."

She swallowed thick, her breathing back to normal but her heartrate was up, "So do I." She murmured, slightly unsure before voicing it more firmly, "I think I stopped wanting him a long time ago, he was a fixation but when I got it- I realised, I had outgrown him a long time ago."

"Then why is he here?"

She shrugged, "To satisfy his bruised ego? To make sure I don't get out of his toxic-limbo, but I am done, I've been done for a while, I've finally realised what I want, it's not him."

"So now what?"

"Now it's your decision, if you want to recognise the only thing that's true in the midst of all this chaos."

He cupped her face, "Is it, true? I won't ask again I swear, you turn me down- I'll never bring it up, I'll still do what you want."

She shook her head, "I am not trying to trick you into this. I've thought about this, I realise that I can go on without him, but umm- not you."

"Okay." He got closer, slightly unsure, a bit nervous. She bit her smile back, she didn't want to discourage the look of happiness and relief that was slowly making his pupils dilate, his forehead resting against hers as he breathed her in, closing his eyes "I can't believe I am about to say this to you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Please."

"I am in love with you." He declared in a whisper, she sighed with relief, he kissed her, shutting up her surprised gasps mid-way.

It was passionate and fulfilling, at the same time awakening a need she didn't know would ever suppress after this. She had to have him. After everything outside, after feeling like a pawn all her life, she wanted to belong for once.

Damon was true. This was real

She shrieked when he so suddenly picked her up, wrapped her legs around him, crashing them on the bed.

"Oh god." She said bringing him down to her lips, she couldn't stop kissing him, he pressed his lips in kisses to her chin, her neck then down to her shoulders. "Elena." He whispered, "I love you." He said again, "More then he could, more than anyone could."

He didn't know until now how strongly he felt what he felt, it was as if he had been starving for ages. Elena didn't mind his passion, she did encourage it.

"I know." She threw her head back when he kissed down the valley of her breasts, quickly tearing off her silk dress. She fisted his dark hair when he got between her legs, kissing her inner thighs, teasing and worshipping her at the same time, she arched her back, "Damon please."

He loved hearing her want him, "What do you want princess?"

That word.

She stilled.

Princess types, the ones he loathed.

"Please don't call me that."

He held her wrist, noticing the tension, he looked up at her, going up her body to look into her eyes, she looked away at a spot on the wall, cursing the fact that he was so attuned to her emotions, feeling ridiculous about the fact that it took her so long to figure that if she could be with anyone, it was him.

"Why not?"

"I know."

"Know what?" he asked calmly, kissing her palm, causing shivers to roll down her spine from the delicate touch.

"How much you hate princesses, It's the reason that girl is your ex-girlfriend and that woman is your ex-wife."

He chuckled as if it was ridiculous, then shifted to be eye level with her, gazing down at her face, then as if he couldn't resist it, he kissed the tip of her nose, "But I can't help it, you're royal and perfect- just like a princess, the most beautiful one I've laid eyes on."

When she wasn't satisfied with his answer, he tipped her chin up with his finger, "Look- I've tried escaping what was expected of me, but not being with you is out of question, that first time in the elevator, I hated myself for being attracted to you, I tried to fight it long and hard but I can't seem to." He traced her lips with his finger, continuing.

"I don't care if this benefits our families or is a Bridge for business, I've fallen in love with you- the whole you, your antics, your dreams, your words- the songs you like- your coffee order."

Elena giggled, "My coffee order?"

"It's pathetic, I know- I like your Harry Winston Jewellery, and your Cartier bracelets, the Dior perfumes- the occasional floral skirts." He brushed his lips softly against hers, "The way you brush off any wrinkle from your skirt when you sit, how you instantly pick the lint on my sweater."

"When it says dry clean only- you dry clean it ONLY."

He laughed, "I love this too- your itch for perfection."

"Shut up." She said blushing.

"This too."

She melted under his gaze, his words touched the hurt parts of her heart, stomped on by her ex-boyfriend.

She cupped his jaw, spreading her legs, he kissed her softly, as she undid his pants.

She wrapped her legs around him, causing him to sink into her, inch by inch, she whimpered into the kiss, breaking from his lips, "Say that again." She whispered.

He knew what she meant, "I love you."

She moaned when he drove the point home by thrusting deep and hard, "Again." She moaned.

"I love you, princess." He kissed her neck, This time she blushed at the word, "Love your scent, your voice, your hair, your eyes, your mind." He said pounding into her with each word.

"oh god." She felt her toes curling from the intensity, her lips kissed down his neck as she tightened around him, feeling unbearably close to her orgasm.

"Your skin, your lips- the way you feel when I am inside you." He groaned, she screamed in pleasure, digging her nails into his shoulder, "Damon-"

"The way you say my name."

"So close"

"When you look at me like that." He groaned, she cried as she reached her climax, dragging her nails down his back, "When you fall apart around me-makes me fall in love, all over again."

She panted, "Come on baby."

"You believe me?" he asked , his jaw tense, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips, then his cheek, "Yes, I do."

She kissed his neck, "Come inside me, please." She panted his name over and over, pleading him.

"Elena oh-fuck." He came, feeling like she actually rocked his world.

A few moments of silence and breaths followed by soft kisses to his cheek and neck, her fingers brushing through his hair.

"You're so sweet sometimes, I like you sweet." He murmured.

She brushed her lips against his, "Is this what it's going to be like? Always?"

"Yes." He promised, she kissed him softly, he groaned into her mouth, falling in love all over again, "I can wait for you to say it back."

"I know, and I can't wait to say it but not here, back home, with each other."

His eyes widened with realisation.

She nodded, "I don't care, let's go back, you hate this place. I don't want Jonathan's approval if it hurts you."

"Baby." He cupped her face, "God! I don't deserve you."

"No, you do. You do deserve every ounce of love I want to give you, trust me. I know he has something on you, I promise it won't matter to me whatever he says. Don't let him blackmail you."

He raised a brow, she added, "I overheard you and your dad in your office before we came here. I know it's bad, but I can handle it." She sat up

"You can't." He pulled her to his lap, "You're so innocent."

"Am not, Damon-"

"No, no- this is really bad Elena, worse than whatever you're used to, I can't lose you just now when I have you, please." He kissed her, pleading with her.

She kissed him back, reassuring him, she felt his hand grip her a bit harshly, "Sorry. I Wish I could say it."

She murmured into his lower lip, "If you love me, say it."

"Can't, no- you'll hate me, it'll change everything, can't have you hate me, it's going to kill me."

She kissed him harder, turning in his lap and straddling him, "I am never going to hate you, say it, please. Don't be scared."

He shook his head, slipping underneath from her, Elena gasped as he got out of bed, grabbing his pants, "I-"

"Damon please." She pleaded, "We can have a fresh start, once you tell me, we can go back."

He swallowed thick as he zipped his pants, "I rather lose you than have you hate me forever."

He said grabbing his shirt and getting out of there, she bit her lip, running a hand through her messed up hair. She knew he was scared but she wanted to know.

She was sure that she wouldn't hate him. Just now when she was so sure about being in love.

Elena showered and changed into a new dress, she made her way outside, she had to ask Giuseppe.

He couldn't blackmail Damon into staying.

Instead of knocking, she walked into his office, but she was surprised to see him, the old man was crouching near his desk, a glass of water broken near by.

"Are you okay?"

She ran to him and saw how he was barely conscious.

"Oh my God, Giorgio?" she helped him up and got him to sit down on his seat. When she pulled out her phone to call an ambulance, he held her hand, "No- please."

Elena could see that he was shivering and trembling.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just feel dizzy."

"Giorgio, I am calling an ambulance."

"You can't! Then everyone will know." He groaned in pain.

"Know what?"

He bit his lip, Elena tapped his face, "What? What don't you want everyone to know?"

He attempted to push her off but wasnt strong enough, Elena poured him a glass of water from the tray and gave it to him. He drank slowly and backed away once he was feeling a bit better, "no need to worry, Elena, I have a doctor."

"If you don't tell me right now, I am calling Damon."

The man looked up, fury in his eyes, Elena thought he would kill her but instead he pleaded, "Elena- you cannot tell him."

"Tell him what?"

"That I am dying." He spat out, "I have a few months give or take- I've been trying to find Ace everywhere in the world to pass on what belongs to him, you cannot take it from me."

She gasped, "You're dying?"

He hissed, "Yes, we all will eventually, I am just a tad bit sooner." Holding the edge of the table he stood up, still shaking, "I have a doctor, please do not worry my son."

"He deserves to know, you cannot do this to him."

He stopped, "The illness that took his son is going to take his father? He doesn't want to know, trust me on this Elena."

He weakly headed outside, Elena watched as he murmured an order to his assistant and the man got a car ready for him, probably for the hospital.

Elena followed him, "Fine, If Damon can't know, but- I know, so I am taking you to the hospital."

She got in the car with him, hearing the old man curse.

They were quiet in the car, Guiseppe broke the ice, "I've been getting treatment, I am not letting it just kill me, but I don't want anyone to know."

"No one knows? Your wife? Stefan?"

He clenched his jaw, "No. They don't need to know, not when I can still walk and stand."

"But you can't."

"I've been feeling a little weak this week."

"When did you get this?"

He looked straight ahead, "Few years ago."

"When Rome got it?"

He tensed.

Elena's lips parted, "How did that happen? You and Rome, ending up being ill."

He glared at Elena.

"This can't be a coincidence."

He seethed, "I loved Rome, I hate that cheap waitress, but I loved that little boy. Do not dare accuse me of anything!"

Elena frowned, "I didn't accuse of anything. But did you? You were blackmailing Damon. What is it about Giorgio?"

His colour drained.

He looked out the window.

"What happened? Why does your son hate you?"

She could see Giuseppe's knuckles turning white from clenching.

His voice broke slightly, "He cant hate me, we have our ups and downs, but I know my son, he knows what happened wasn't what I wanted, there were mistakes."

"What mistakes?"

The car stopped at the hospital, she helped him out of the car and took him to his doctor.

The doctor told her he was incredibly weak, dehydrated, his condition was worsening, he had lost too much weight in little time and he didn't want to get any treatment for it.

As per him that was painful. He wanted to die peacefully. A powerful man like him couldn't be coerced into anything if he didn't want to.

They put him in observation, Elena waited, sitting next to him while the old man slept. She checked her phone.

Jonathan and Damon had called a dozen times.

Damon probably thought she took off.

She quickly typed a message saying she was out shopping for his mother's party and couldn't respond.

"Please don't ask anyone to come." Giuseppe said, she looked up from her phone.

"The doctor said you're really weak." She put her phone down.

"It'll be okay, I think I am burnt out from work."

She took a sigh, "Or because you have a fatal disease. You cannot hide this."

He bit his lip, "You seem to believe Ace hates me, why would anyone care."

"I want to know why you're blackmailing him, what do you have on him?"

He chuckled, "I don't have anything on him. But I know he blames us both for it."

"For what?" she asked frustrated.

"If he didn't tell you, it means he doesn't want me to either, I am not going to let him down this time."

Elena stood up, clicking her tongue, "Very well, then I can't be expected to keep your secret."

"Elena- please."

"Damon deserves to know." She scolded before heading out.

Dededede…dedededede

When she went back home, she was surprised to see Damon there, he was talking to Jonathan.

Her grandfather was tolerating Damon, she knew, for the purpose that his family was loaded but the second Damon would choose to walk out, his tolerance will as well.

Elena stopped by, they both stopped talking and her grandfather raised the glass of scotch to his lips, "We were just discussing you."

"I can imagine the conversation, both of you drawing my future for me is not what I want."

Damon bit the inside of his cheek, "The deal is benefitting both our-"

She interrupted, "What happened to a few hours ago, I don't want the stupid deal, I want the truth."

Johnathan raised a brow.

Damon got up, taking a step towards her but she held her hand up, "No thanks, I don't need to be shoved in another direction."

"Elena-"

"It can't be so horrible." She clutched his collar, "That it's easy for you to let me go."

"We're getting married, what else do you want?"

"No, not like this- not when you're here and I am there, that's the future you decided for me right- being married on paper?"

Jonathan got up, "As far as I remember, this was your initial agreement with this man. Elena your life is in California, the press would never find out."

She shook her head, "I don't want Giorgio's heir, I want Damon." She pushed her fiancé, "The one who told me he loved me, not the coward who would rather let me go."

She took off her ring and put it down on the table, "I am packing for home, Alone."

"Elena, stop right now." Jonathan warned.

"Make me." She announced and went towards her room.

Damon picked up her ring, rubbing it between his fingers, "I'll talk to her."

"Yes- knock some sense into her. She needs to make up her mind before I lose it."

Damon reluctantly walked into their room, the bed was still rough, sheets all over the place and Elena had a luggage bag in the middle of the room while she tossed clothes inside.

"Lena."

"Don't." She hissed, "You got what you wanted, now leave me alone." She said as she began throwing her stuff into it in the most unorganised manner, Damon knew how that irked her usually. She must really want to get out.

"Got what I wanted?"

She nodded, hot tears leaving her eyes, "Yes- made the princess want you more than she wanted anything, only to say she wasn't worth it."

He hissed, "How could you say that. I never said you aren't-" closing the distance between them, he took the clothes in her hand and threw them away, holding her hands, "I never said that, Elena, I love you more than anything, I can't- I can't have it all taken away from me so soon. The way you look at me."

She sighed when he pressed his lips to her, she shoved him slightly, "No- don't kiss me. If you go through with this, you'll lose me regardless so just tell me."

"But this way- I get to live knowing you feel an ounce of what I do, there's hope but if I tell you, when you know, I'll lose you, and there would be no way." He huffed shaking his head, "I can't."

She bit her lip as tears filled her eyes, she shoved him a step away, "You said it would be like it was today- forever, you promised me."

"I didn't know you heard my father and me that day."

"What does it matter? God-" she cupped his face, "Tell me, If any of that was real, If you don't want to break my heart, I promise I won't let it ruin us."

"huh."

She cupped his face, "Please-trust me, I swear to god nothing will change."

"Fine." He gave up, his shoulders slumped now, "I told you half the story."

"About?"

He swallowed thick, "My son."

She frowned, as he continued, "Rome- when he was born, I was too young, I'd been acting out against father for years, I finally needed his help. So I came back home, but I resented Katherine, the whole time she was pregnant, Yes- I took care of her but god, she had taken away the best years of my life, I had been so close to escaping, when Rome was born, I didn't accept him as soon as I should have. I was still going to college, Dad and Mom, they took care of him, Katherine was distracted, depressed- she ate too many pills, Fell in love with my brother. Rome had no one."

Elena waited for him to get to the part, so far she had heard it.

"I graduated and When I came back home I started working with dad, on this project he had started an year ago. Everyday, I would wake up, bathe Rome, dress him up- make sure Katherine was alive, and then head to work. I'd drop Rome in this day care near our site. Two months in, that's when Rome got sick, when he became my whole world, when I just fell in love with him. But he wasn't the only one.

Many kids got these fatal diseases- it became wildfire news, that our project had caused environmental damage so severe to cause this, some kids got sick but children with long term exposure suffered, Rome was one of them, dad would take him there so often, I know its not his fault but my son . But me- Damon Salvatore, had to go in front of the press and lie, and later testify that this was smear campaign by the opposition, that the waste from our project didn't cause it."

"Why?" she asked.

Damon looked up at her, "Because I was heading the project, even if I had recently taken charge, my dad wanted me to make the best impression- and if I didn't , he wouldn't pay for Rome's treatment, I didn't have that kind of money. A lot of people came to me, begged me to say the truth, support their class action, but I didn't want to risk it- I'd rather save my son- than save hundreds of others."

There was silence before he sighed, "But Rome died. So- it was all for nothing. I killed my son, and killed so many others."

"Damon- no."

When she cupped his face, his blue eyes were glassy, tears threatening to roll down.

"You know the day I left this place- I thought I'd never think about it, about my son- about the countless other sick children they showed in that courtroom. My father said that if I left I'd be nothing. I thought I'd become something, on my own- I loved the freedom, the opportunities, the fact that I found you."

She bit her lip, "You didn't kill him, you're not a bad person."

"I am. If I had been a good father, Rome would never have been exposed to the disease, I would never have had to make this choice, this soulless, disgusting choice."

She wiped the tear under his eye, "You made a bad choice, your son's life was on the line- I don't hate you."

"I hate me, so I wouldn't blame you."

"I don't – It's not your fault. At least not the way I see it. I admit, It's hard to swallow and shocking but, I can't blame you for choosing what you did."

He sighed when she kissed him reassuringly.

She wrapped her arms around him.

"I am sorry for hiding this from you, I feel like I've been hiding it from myself. It's like a nightmare, it's unbearably ugly."

When she pulled back to look at him, she cupped his face, "We will get through this, I promise. No matter what we have to do to make it right. I am with you."

"Okay."

"Okay." She murmured, "Um- you should talk to your dad."

"Not now." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, leaning in to kiss her again.

"Yes now- he needs you."

He narrowed his eyes, Elena sighed, "I promised him, I can't say but he's at the hospital."

"What happened?" he asked raising a brow, Elena sighed, "Just go."

Dededede …dededede

Authors note: hey readers. As promised another chapter.

Just one more left.

Now be good and leave me a review