Alpha Damien's Breeder: The first night
Chapter 83: Damien’s reputation needs safeguarding

Chapter 83: Damien’s reputation needs safeguarding

As Aurora and Damien embarked on their journey, her hand remained firmly grasped by his, even inside the car. It seemed either Damien was intentionally holding onto her hand or he had forgotten that they were no longer in the public eye.

Aurora, however, began to feel uncomfortable with their prolonged hand-holding. The situation was so awkward that even their driver couldn’t help but steal glances at them through the rearview mirror. Finally, Aurora spoke up, suggesting, "You can let go now, we are out of sight."

Without diverting his gaze from the passing scenery outside the window, Damien responded nonchalantly, "I don’t need a reminder." He tightened his grip on her hand, causing her to squirm in discomfort.

Despite her growing annoyance, Aurora attempted to reason, "But..." She was trying to find an excuse to free herself from his grasp. Damien had a knack for getting on her nerves, even when she was trying to maintain her composure.

Frustrated, she pouted and turned away, acting as if she were mad at him. A small smirk played on Damien’s lips as he glanced down at their intertwined hands. He hadn’t intended to hold her hand for such an extended period, but he had momentarily forgotten and decided to continue until they reached their destination.

The car journey continued for another thirty minutes before coming to a halt at a bustling venue. The sight of the large crowd made Aurora nervous, it had been a while since she had been in such a densely populated place. She couldn’t help but wonder about the occasion and why so many people were gathered there.

Sensing her unease through their connected hands, Damien asked Enoch, who was seated beside the driver, "Is there another entrance?"

Enoch replied regretfully, "No, I am afraid this is the only route."

Aurora noticed Damien’s attempt to find an alternative for her and decided to gather her courage, preparing herself to disembark.

"I am fine, let’s go," she assured, her hand resting on the door lock. However, before she could fully act on her intention, Damien suddenly pulled her back, causing her to stumble against his sturdy chest.

"I never said you should leave," he muttered, raising an eyebrow inquisitively at her. Realizing her misstep, Aurora lowered her head in apology.

Damien took off his suit jacket and draped it over her, effectively covering her from prying eyes. "W... why?" she muffled her words against the fabric, her voice slightly distorted.

"Meet me inside the hall," he instructed Enoch before stepping out of the car with Aurora securely held in his grasp.

Shielded by the suit jacket, Aurora’s view of the world was now blocked, and she had to rely on Damien’s guidance. However, the curious onlookers and reporters still had their views unobstructed, their attention fixated on the sexy figure beside the renowned single CEO.

"Who could she be?"

"Has he finally found a girlfriend?"

"The lonely CEO is no longer single?"

"Quick, start streaming live, this is big news. Silver Damien is with a woman!"

Whispers of gossip circulated among those situated behind the red carpet. They desperately sought answers through their gazes, yet nobody dared to approach Damien for fear of his known cold dismissal.

"Mr. Damien, could you tell us who the fortunate lady by your side is?" A bold young reporter managed to push aside her apprehensions and extended a microphone toward Damien, halting his movement.

"May fate be kind to her."

"She’s quite naive, isn’t she?"

"Perhaps she’s new to this industry?"

Sympathetic words were exchanged about the young reporter, as many anticipated Damien’s usual silence. After all, he was known as one of the country’s business tycoon who detested social interactions, usually offering no comments unless they pertained strictly to business matters.

Unexpectedly, Damien declared, "She’s my girlfriend." The declaration left everyone stunned. The shock was palpable, causing some who had been eagerly chasing the single figure to lose their balance.

Damien was speaking in public about something unrelated to work? Moreover, he had a girlfriend?

Headlines were created, bloggers ran with the news, and gossip spread like wildfire. The true purpose of the event was overshadowed, as the new revelation had everyone focus on Damien.

The timing was strange, Damien Silver had seemingly vanished from the public eye for over half a decade, only to reappear as if nothing had happened.

In the midst of the crowd, three women stood, their expressions betraying their lack of engagement with the unfolding spectacle.

"What’s so astonishing about a man having a girlfriend?" Remarked one of them, her red shawl draped dramatically. She rolled her eyes as she spoke, her tone dripping with boredom. It was evident that Damien’s presence held no appeal for these three, and irritation clouded their expressions.

"Exactly! Why must they make a fuss out of it?" Chimed another woman, her blue shawl indicating her agreement. She emitted a hiss of annoyance, clearly irked by the dramatics.

"Well, it is surprising in a way, but honestly, who really cares?" The third woman, her shawl green, added indifferently before the trio arrogantly turned and strolled away.

"Why are you covering her face? Is she some kind of celebrity?" The reporter’s persistent question grated on Damien’s nerves, fueling his irritation. This was precisely why he avoided interactions with reporters, they were insatiable for news and often inconvenienced others in the process.

Unbothered by the reporter’s inquiry, Damien pulled Aurora closer to him and continued walking towards the hall.

Naturally, they would have paused for photographs on the red carpet before entering the venue. However, given Damien’s reputation and preferences, nobody dared approach him for a snapshot.

"The revered Silver Damien, CEO of McPherson Enterprises, has openly announced his relationship and is currently present with his girlfriend at the All Stars venue," a reporter’s voice rang out as they passed through the crowds.

Aurora strained to hear over the commotion, her apprehension mounting at the thought of potentially encountering hateful comments if her face became visible and unsatisfactory to the public. Damien seemed to hold considerable significance amid the paparazzi frenzy, even though he wasn’t particularly media-friendly.

If only Aurora had known what kind of man she was signing a "breeder’s contract" with, she might have fled for her life long before.

As they proceeded into the hall, every step they took seemed to fuel the fires of gossip.

"Damien Silver, you have grown even more handsome," a man in his late thirties approached Damien with a friendly tone, prompting Aurora to wonder if Damien had any friends at all.

"You are still terrible at flattery," Damien retorted in a bored tone that made Aurora tut in disapproval. Couldn’t he at least pretend to care?

"And you are still the same. Don’t be a bore now that you have a girlfriend," the man teased, playfully smacking Damien’s arm.

"I’d decline if your offer was to make me more like you," Damien shot back, eliciting hearty laughter from the man, an unexpected reaction that surprised Aurora.

Seeing how the man didn’t take Damien’s responses seriously, it seemed that this was how Damien conversed with everyone. However, he seemed more carefree and flirtatious with her, which she found annoying rather than boring.

The man picked up two glasses of wine, handing one to Damien and keeping the other for himself. "Did you bring anything for me?" The man inquired.

"Of course," Damien casually replied, taking a sip from his glass.

"That’s new, I can’t wait to see it!" The man’s excitement was evident, as he anticipated the unknown gift from Damien.

Aurora, still enveloped in Damien’s suit, began to feel increasingly uncomfortable. The suit was becoming stiflingly hot, and she wished to remove it, but she hesitated, wanting Damien’s permission due to his like for control.

Giving Damien’s waist a slight pinch, she peered through the suit, attempting to catch his attention. However, he deliberately avoided looking at her, intensifying her frustration.

"It’s a book on how to be a better husband, you’d like it," Damien quipped, taunting the man.

"I should have known it was a lie," the man responded, shaking his head in disappointment at Damien’s jest.

"Prince!" An angry-looking woman called out just a few steps away, addressing the man with a furious expression.

"Talk about being a good husband!" The man said, before swiftly making his escape.

"I am feeling hot," Aurora complained as the couple vanished from sight.

"If you are not going to get nervous again, go ahead and remove it."

Aurora’s nerves were the least of her concerns now, the heat was becoming unbearable.

With a sigh of relief, she removed the suit jacket, her posture now relaxed. She smoothed her hair and neatly folded the suit jacket.

She reached out to grab a glass of wine from a waiter’s tray, but Damien’s intervention stopped her.

"I want one!" She whined, pouting disapprovingly at Damien for denying her the chance to take a glass.

"I don’t need my girlfriend ogling other men, my reputation needs safeguarding," Damien teased, reminding her of the tipsy behavior she had displayed at the welcome party they had organized for him.

"That was different. This is a formal wine, they are mostly non-alcoholic," she defended, explaining that such events often served fruit wines for guests who couldn’t tolerate alcohol.

"Does this seem like a formal party to you?" Damien pointed out.

"You are just being mean," she muttered, pouting and turning away from him in annoyance.