The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Damien’s unexpected proposal caught Nova completely off guard. In her mind, she wondered, *I haven’t done anything to deserve this. Why is he suddenly asking me such a thing?* The whole situation felt bewildering, almost nonsensical.

Yet, to Damien, this was as natural as breathing.

Damien’s journey had been nothing short of extraordinary—rising from the depths of slavery to claim the summit of power. In his youth, he had relentlessly pursued status and influence, driven by an unyielding obsession.

He had established the Shadow Sanctum, the world’s most formidable assassin organization, controlled 80% of the global arms trade, and owned a 30% stake in legitimate enterprises.

His reputation as the most ruthless man alive was well-earned. But beneath that fearsome exterior, few understood that money and prestige held little meaning for him.

When he desired something, he pursued it without hesitation or compromise. The moment he realized his feelings for Nova, he approached her directly, testing the waters carefully.

After several meetings, one fact became clear to him: he enjoyed her presence and wanted her by his side.

Driven by desire, Damien acted decisively—because he liked her, he intended to claim her. That was simply how he operated. So, he made his offer: he wanted Nova to become his wife.

In exchange, he promised to provide the poison doctor she desperately needed and was even willing to hand over control of Shadow Sanctum itself if she agreed. The only thing he truly wanted was her.

“Oh?” Nova responded, masking her surprise with a calm demeanor. Internally, she was stunned, but she met his gaze with a teasing glint. “Marry you? Are you sure about that?”

In the shadowy world of international crime, alliances between powerful figures were rarely about love—they were transactions, marriages of convenience to consolidate power.

Such unions appeared glamorous on the surface, but behind closed doors, affairs were common. Men kept mistresses, women found lovers—mutual exploitation masquerading as partnership.

Nova thought carefully, *Damien’s probably proposing this to forge an alliance with the Bloodblade Mercenary Corps. We’re rivals now, and marriage could be a way to bind our interests. It’s a smart move, and maybe this rivalry does need some kind of resolution.*

She was no naive girl; she didn’t fall for his promise of “marry me, and I’ll give you Shadow Sanctum” easily. To her, it sounded more like a strategic alliance than a romantic proposal.

Her eyes drifted over Damien’s strong, well-built frame. *Even clothed, his power is unmistakable. In this ruthless game where neither love nor profit truly matters, maybe I won’t lose after all.*

Suddenly, she reached out, grabbed the collar of his shirt, and pulled him closer to her level. With a playful smile, she locked eyes with him and said, “Marry you? Fine. But I’ll have to inspect the goods first. What if you’re not up to the task?”

*I’m not about to make a bad deal,* she thought firmly.

Damien’s face remained unreadable as she tugged him, but his eyes darkened with the challenge. He caught her wrist gently but firmly, his voice dropping to a magnetic, husky tone. “Then let’s put it to the test. You won’t regret it.”

As he leaned in, Nova’s smile turned mischievous, almost like a carefree teenager who had just won a game.

But before anything could happen, a furious voice shattered the moment.

From the staircase, Charles bellowed, “So it’s you! You’re the one who bullied my daughter at the ball. How dare you come to our home! What did you do to her?”

Charles’ suspicion had been growing all day. He had gone upstairs to check on Nova and caught Damien gripping her wrist, leaning in as if to kiss her.

Only then did Charles recognize Damien as the notorious black market figure he had heard about earlier. At the gate, he had failed to identify him because Damien hadn’t been wearing his usual mask.

Enraged, Charles grabbed a broom and charged at Damien. “I don’t care who you are. You dare bully my daughter? Get out! Now!”

Nova didn’t bother to explain. She allowed herself to bask in her family’s fierce protectiveness, silently promising to guard this warmth with everything she had.

She nodded softly. “Don’t worry.”

*****

Since Damien’s arrival, the entire family believed Nova had been threatened by a dangerous black market figure. To protect her, they never brought it up again.

For a while after, Maxwell drove Nova to and from school, with Hannah always by her side, carefully keeping Damien at a distance.

Time flew by. Two weeks passed in what felt like the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, Frank, the head of Verdant Reign, had been forced out of Ravenport under threat from Damien.

Victor had successfully negotiated a deal with Brody at the ball. Without Verdant Reign’s pressure, Frostwave Bar began to thrive—business was booming.

Everyone at Frostwave Bar was working tirelessly. Victor was too busy to reach out to Nova, granting her a rare period of peace.

The SLRA encouraged students to engage in various club activities, urging them not to bury themselves solely in books during their youth. They needed to experience life, do what was right for them.

Because of this, the school hosted many events each year: the birthday banquet, duel tournaments, wilderness survival programs, and more.

One day, between classes, Sophia leaned over her desk and asked, “Nova, are you going on the school hot springs trip tomorrow? It’s three days out of state. Something fun is bound to happen.”