Chapter 190:Saturday I

Chapter 190: Chapter 190:Saturday I

Damian dreamed of Vivienne.

Again.

Except this time, it felt real.

They were on their way to East Junction for their Foundation assignment, seated alone in the back of the car.

The driver was in front.

The university had already disappeared behind them.

Vivienne sat beside him, looking out the window as the city passed by.

Damian glanced at her.

She looked beautiful.

Of course she did.

He had spent the entire previous night thinking about what Julian had told him.

Look at her.

Stay close.

Flirt.

Make her understand that you want her.

So he did.

His gaze lingered.

Vivienne eventually noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

She smiled.

"You’ve been looking at me."

"I know."

She raised an eyebrow.

Damian smiled.

"I wanted to."

Her cheeks colored slightly.

The confidence surprised even him.

Apparently, Julian’s advice worked.

They continued driving.

A few minutes later, Damian noticed that Vivienne hadn’t fastened her seat belt properly.

"Wait."

He reached across her.

His fingers caught the strap and pulled it gently across her.

Vivienne looked at him.

Their faces were suddenly close.

Much closer than necessary.

Damian’s heart beat faster.

He didn’t move away.

Neither did she.

He could smell her perfume.

He could see the faint flush in her cheeks.

His gaze dropped briefly to her lips.

Then returned to her eyes.

Vivienne noticed.

Her expression changed.

"Damian."

"Yes?"

"You’re doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Looking at me like that."

He smiled.

"Maybe I want to."

Her breath caught.

The car continued smoothly down the road.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Vivienne’s lips curved into a small, almost shy smile.

Damian felt his heart pound.

This was different.

It felt so real.

He leaned closer.

Slowly.

Giving her time to pull away.

She didn’t.

His hand moved toward hers.

Their fingers touched.

Vivienne looked down.

Then back at him.

Damian’s pulse thundered.

He was going to kiss her.

He knew it.

She knew it.

And—

"Damian."

He stopped.

Vivienne was looking directly at him.

"I know what you’re doing."

His heart jumped.

"You do?"

She nodded.

"Yes."

For one glorious second, Damian thought—

Finally.

She understood.

Then Vivienne’s expression softened.

"Can you stop?"

Damian froze.

"What?"

"I know you’re trying to make me see you differently."

Her voice was gentle.

"But..."

She hesitated.

"I like Christopher."

Everything inside him went still.

Damian stared at her.

The warmth disappeared.

The car seemed to become silent.

Even the sound of the road faded.

Vivienne looked almost apologetic.

"I’m sorry."

Damian’s eyes widened.

"No."

And then—

He woke up.

Damian sat upright in bed, breathing hard.

For several seconds, he stared into the darkness.

Then—

"Fuck."

He dragged both hands over his face.

Even his dreams were against him now.

His own subconscious had apparently decided to remind him exactly what he was afraid of.

Christopher.

Christopher.

Christopher.

He groaned and fell back against his pillow.

"That was a dream."

He stared at the ceiling.

Just a dream.

Nothing more.

He hadn’t lost anything.

Vivienne hadn’t actually said those words to him.

And he still had time.

Damian sat up again.

"I can change her mind."

The certainty came almost immediately.

He didn’t know how yet.

But he could.

He had barely started.

He couldn’t let one ridiculous dream convince him otherwise.

He glanced at the clock.

It was still early.

Good.

He had time.

Damian got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

By the time he returned, he had showered and was dressed.

He stood in front of his wardrobe.

For a normal Foundation Saturday, he wouldn’t have thought twice about what to wear.

Today was different.

He reached for a shirt.

Then stopped.

No.

He wanted something that looked effortless.

Not overdressed.

Not formal.

But something that made him look good.

His fingers eventually settled on a fitted Oxford shirt in a deep blue that complemented his complexion and dark hair.

He held it up.

That would do.

He paired it with tailored dark trousers and a leather belt.

The shirt fit neatly across his shoulders and chest without looking deliberately tight.

He buttoned the cuffs.

Straightened the collar.

Then looked at himself in the mirror.

Not bad.

He adjusted his hair.

One side.

Then the other.

He stepped back.

His hair was already fine.

He fixed it again.

Damian stared at his reflection.

This was ridiculous.

He had never spent this much time preparing for a Foundation assignment.

He ran a hand through his hair one final time.

There.

He looked good.

He knew he did.

That had never been the problem.

Women had noticed him for years without him doing anything.

But now—

For the first time—

He wanted one particular woman to notice.

Julian’s voice came back to him.

Use the face.

Damian almost smiled.

Fine.

Maybe he would.

He picked up his phone.

His thumb hovered over Vivienne’s name.

Should he text her?

He thought about it.

No.

They would meet at the Foundation anyway.

She’d probably arrive with Claire and the others.

There was no reason to interrupt her morning.

He slipped the phone into his pocket.

He would see her there.

And this time—

He wouldn’t hide.

Damian glanced at his reflection one last time.

The dream had been ridiculous.

Damian glanced at his reflection one last time.

The dream had been ridiculous.

It didn’t matter.

Vivienne liked Christopher.

That much was obvious.

But they weren’t together.

They weren’t even close to being together.

They had exchanged numbers on Sunday.

They had been texting for only a few days.

Vivienne had barely gotten to know him.

That meant Christopher hadn’t won anything.

Not yet.

Damian’s expression sharpened slightly.

He still had time.

And if Julian was right, then what mattered now wasn’t confessing.

It was getting there first.

Before Vivienne’s curiosity about Christopher became something deeper.

Before their conversations turned into something more.

Before Christopher became the man she wanted.

Damian adjusted his cuff.

He had a chance.

He simply had to make Vivienne see him differently before Christopher got the opportunity to become more than a name on her phone.

He picked up his things and left his room.

This time, he was determined.

If he wanted Vivienne—

he had to make her want him first.