Chapter 239 What do you like about me?
Aria’s POV
"The doctor said you have inflammation and you need to take your medication on time," I announced, finally ending the call.
I immediately went to prepare his pills and get him water.
Damian coughed lightly, and I spun around in alarm. "That’s it—I’m calling the doctor back over to examine you again."
"The doctor left less than two hours ago," Damian said, catching my arm gently. "I just need rest. I’ll take the medicine."
"But—"
"Aria." His voice turned serious despite remaining soft. "Can you respect the patient’s wishes? Just this once?"
I deflated slightly. "Fine."
I brought him the water and carefully placed the pills in his palm, watching closely as his throat worked to swallow them down.
Once I was satisfied, I tucked the blanket more securely around his legs and tried to help him up.
"I don’t want to sleep yet," Damian said quietly, pulling me down to sit beside him instead and drawing me against his chest. "What did Victor want to talk about tonight?"
"Just more Smith family drama. Sylvia’s still trying to make me slip up at V&A Group, and she ran out of people to use so she went to Uncle Victor..." I trailed off halfway through, suddenly worried Damian might take it personally.
"Anyway, we talked it through. Uncle Victor isn’t like Sylvia—he doesn’t care that much about power."
"Did Sylvia use me to try and distract you this time?"
Even though I hadn’t spelled it out, he’d already pieced it together. He’d ordered a complete media blackout on his accident before he’d even lost consciousness.
"Don’t worry," I said quickly. "She can’t get to me. The inheritance rights are mine—what can she actually do?"
I could already see the light dimming in his eyes.
"You don’t need to make impulsive decisions for my sake," he said, his brow furrowing slightly. His voice remained even, but I could hear the guilt weighing down every word.
"This V&A Group project is important. You shouldn’t have left."
He’d never liked being a burden to anyone—least of all someone he cared about.
"If someone’s impulsive all the time, they’re crazy," I said gently.
"But if someone never acts on impulse at all... then they’re not really human. I want to do the right thing most of the time. But sometimes, I just want to follow my heart."
I pressed closer against his chest, listening to the steady, strong rhythm of his heartbeat. Relief flooded through me all over again.
I was so grateful I’d gone to him immediately when I’d heard he was lost. Even if Uncle Victor had actually helped Sylvia in the end, I wouldn’t have regretted my choice for a second.
"Aria..." Damian’s voice dropped lower, heavy with hesitation. "Can I ask you something?"
I rarely heard him sound so uncertain. I looked up at him, confused. "Of course."
"What do you like about me?"
He lifted his chin slightly, and I caught a flicker of something I’d never seen in his eyes before—genuine vulnerability.
Then he quickly added, "I mean... what if I’m completely different from what you imagine? What if the person you think I am is just a surface? What if I’m not as good as you believe—"
"Is this what happens when someone’s too accomplished?" I interrupted, unable to help laughing softly. "The more successful you are, the harder you are on yourself?"
I understood that Damian hadn’t grown up pampered and spoiled. His father Andrew had been severe and demanding—maybe enough to leave some real scars.
But he was still Damian. The sole heir to the Blackwood legacy.
The Alpha King who commanded respect from the entire supernatural world. Strip away all those titles, and he was still breathtaking just standing there.
When I’d first met him, I never imagined I’d end up here—that someone like him would want someone like me. If anyone should feel insecure in this relationship, it was me.
"Tell me," Damian pressed, his gaze intent and serious. He clearly wasn’t going to let this go until he had a real answer.
"You have so many good qualities that I admire," I said slowly, thinking it through. "But I don’t love you just because of those qualities.
I love you because being with you makes my life feel meaningful and full of hope. Because I want to spend the rest of my life exactly like this—with you.
"And anyway, I don’t think loving someone should require specific reasons or logic. When you fall for someone, you just naturally want to be with them.
No matter what they’re really like underneath everything, you’re willing to accept and embrace all of it. As long as they’re them, you’ll love them."
I met his eyes steadily, trying to convey how much I meant every word.
He stared back at me with such intensity that I found myself reaching up to cup his face gently.
"I know the honeymoon phase doesn’t last forever," I added softly. "I know marriage changes things. I don’t need you to revolve your entire world around me.
I just need you to be yourself. Besides, we made a promise, remember? Trust comes first. And the very first thing we trust is that we’re going to make it to the end together."
"..."
Damian looked at me for a long moment. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, but the smile never reached his eyes.
Damian’s POV
Her words moved me more than I could say—and that only made the shame cut deeper.
She was so honest with me. So certain of me. She’d looked me in the eye and promised to love whatever was underneath—without the faintest idea of what underneath actually looked like.
A wolf that could slip its leash at any moment.
And I couldn’t even bring myself to tell her. She’d handed me a hundred openings tonight—trust comes first—and I’d smiled and said nothing was wrong.
I was too afraid. Too terrified of losing her. So selfish that I didn’t even want to give her the choice.
The shame twisted deeper—and my wolf felt it.
*Enough. *The growl rolled through my skull, low and rising. *You’re drowning. Let me out. Let me handle this.*
*No.*
*She’s our mate. She should know what she’s bound to. *
It surged forward, pressing against the inside of my skin, and for one terrifying second I felt my canines ache, felt heat flood through my body. If you won’t show her, I will—
*I said NO.*
I clamped down with everything I had. It was like wrestling a river—the wolf thrashed and snarled, clawing for the surface, furious and frightened in equal measure.
My muscles locked. Sweat broke along my spine.
Aria was asleep against my chest, and I held myself absolutely still, walling the beast in brick by brick until, at last, it subsided—sullen, defeated, retreating into the dark.
*This isn’t over, *it muttered. *She’ll see me eventually. Better it’s on your terms.*
*I know,* I answered, exhausted. *Tomorrow. I’ll find the words tomorrow.*
Even I could hear the lie in it.