Chapter 212 Was he in danger again?
Aria’s POV
That evening, I couldn’t get through to Damian’s phone. A cold knot of anxiety settled in my chest.
This wasn’t like him. He never went a full day without contacting me.
In desperation, I tried Rick’s number instead. I called several times, but he didn’t pick up either.
An hour later, my phone buzzed with a text from him:
[Sorry, Luna Aria. I was tied up with something urgent. Alpha Blackwood is dealing with an unexpected situation and can’t return right now. He’s also unable to contact you directly. Once he’s free, I’ll have him call you personally.]
Even with Rick’s explanation, the knot in my chest only tightened.
Something was wrong. Damian had promised he’d come back today. If something came up, he would have told me himself—no matter how busy he was.
What could possibly keep him so occupied that he couldn’t even send me a single message?
I stared at the ten unanswered calls and multiple texts I’d sent him, my unease growing with every passing second.
I tried messaging Rick again, but this time he didn’t respond at all.
Maybe I was being too pushy. If it really was something serious, constantly badgering them wouldn’t help.
But why did I feel this way? Like something was terribly, horribly wrong?
---
I tossed and turned all night, my mind racing through worst-case scenarios. When dawn finally broke, I grabbed my phone immediately, hoping to see a reply.
Nothing.
Our chat thread still ended with my unanswered messages.
I waited until 8 AM—a reasonable hour—and called Rick again.
No answer.
By the time I arrived at V&A Group that morning, Rick finally sent another text. His message was almost identical to the one from last night.
That was it. I couldn’t take it anymore.
I called him back immediately. The phone rang for what felt like an eternity before he finally picked up.
"Luna Aria..." His voice was oddly low, like he was trying to hide something.
"Where’s Damian?" I didn’t bother with pleasantries. My frustration bled through every word. "Why hasn’t he replied to any of my messages? Did something happen?"
Even if he was swamped with work, sending a quick text to let me know he was okay shouldn’t be that hard.
"He’s..." Rick hesitated. "Alpha Blackwood has been in back-to-back emergency meetings since yesterday. They haven’t stopped. And his phone... his phone got damaged yesterday. I’ll make sure he contacts you as soon as possible. Please don’t worry, Miss Smith."
I frowned. There was something off about Rick’s tone—like he was scared. Almost like he was trembling.
"His phone’s broken?" I repeated slowly.
"Yes. I’m currently... helping the Alpha entertain some guests, so I need to go. Miss Smith, please don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll contact you very soon."
"Rick—"
Before I could say another word, he hung up.
I stared at my phone screen. The call had lasted less than a minute.
My confusion hit an all-time high. Was I being paranoid? Was my lack of security making me spiral?
---
I’d barely stepped into V&A Group when my phone buzzed again. This time it was the group chat with my core team—Diana, Jennifer, Kyle, and Leo.
Someone had forwarded an entertainment news article and tagged me:
"Aria, isn’t this Alpha King?!"
"It looks like him... but isn’t that she-wolf the one from the engagement party?"
"Her name’s Vanessa. I saw her in the news last time—she’s doing some kind of charity influencer thing... but wait, didn’t she and Alpha King already—??"
The group was exploding with messages. Everyone was worried about me, asking if it was really Damian in the photos.
If Damian and Vanessa were still tangled up together, what was I supposed to do?
I’d been worried sick about him all morning. I didn’t even glance at the other messages—I just clicked the link.
Within seconds, five intimate photos loaded onto my screen.
I recognized him instantly.
Damian. And Vanessa.
There were shots of them getting into the same car together. Photos of them standing close outside a hotel late at night.
Pictures of them holding hands in some rural area, their heads tilted toward each other like they were sharing secrets.
The images were grainy, like they’d been taken from a distance by paparazzi. But the intimacy between them was undeniable.
My hands started trembling as I scanned the headline:
"Vanessa Crane Spotted with Mysterious Alpha on Charity Trip—Romance Rekindled? His Profile Sparks Wild Speculation"
The internet had been speculating for months about the mystery ex who’d supposedly wrecked Vanessa’s mental health and forced her out of the spotlight.
Now that these photos had surfaced, people were going wild trying to figure out if it was Damian.
He rarely appeared in public.
Seeing Vanessa photographed with any man—let alone someone like Damian—was practically unheard of.
And of course, people loved a good love story. Damian’s looks alone were enough to make him the subject of endless fascination. Even in blurry side-profile shots, his commanding presence was unmistakable.
Some comments were harsh, calling Vanessa weak for being so obsessed with a man that she’d nearly destroyed herself over him.
But most people seemed... supportive? They were saying things like, *"If that’s really her ex, I totally get why she couldn’t move on,"* and *"He looks incredible—she deserves to be happy."*
There were even people congratulating them, hoping he’d finally appreciate her this time.
I felt my head buzz, a dull ringing filling my ears.
I wasn’t upset about the gossip itself—Damian had already told me about Vanessa. But why hadn’t he contacted me yet?
Was he in danger again? Like last time?