- Are you sure you're all right? - Damien was kneeling in front of me and holding my hands in his. I nodded. Ever since we arrived at Damien's house, I had been in a state of shock after seeing my father again. Several questions surrounded my mind, questions I couldn't ask him because at the moment I just wanted to get Julia out of his clutches. So why are you still crying, my darling? - He ran his thumb over the apples of my cheeks and his blue eyes studied me with concern. - Where's Julia? - I diverted the subject. - She's in her room. I asked George to bring her something to eat. She's fine. - I need to find a way to get him back. - I got up from the bed. - He has to stay away from them. I started pacing the room while I tried to process things. Why had he come back? I doubted very much that it was out of forgiveness. Maybe he needed something, maybe some money. I looked at Damien right away. - What if he wants money? What if he's here because he knows about both of us and kn
- He had recorded our first time and the video had spread around the college like a virus. Everyone on campus had seen the video by the end of the day. I'd never felt so humiliated and exposed... I sniffled. - But I was stupid enough to think that he wasn't to blame. He couldn't have been. He had promised me so many beautiful things, he had told me he loved me, so how could he do something like that? People don't deliberately hurt the ones they love. That's why I went to him. I asked him to help me get rid of that shame.I had to stop because I started sobbing. How it hurt to remember my naivety.- Darling... - Damien sat down on the bed and pulled me into his arms.But he didn't protect me. On the contrary, he laughed at me in front of everyone. - I confessed against his shoulder. - He told me that I had been foolish and naïve. That men like him didn't really get involved with girls like me, they just had a bit of fun and I hadhad given in because I wanted to. So I only had myself t
- Of course not. I'm promising. Ellen is mine now and you mustn't go near her or talk to her. - Damien took Stephen by the collar again. - Much less refer to her in any useless conversation you have, because if you try to hurt her or denigrate her in any way, it'll be the last thing you do. - You... You're suffocating me... - Stephen complained. - Damien... - I tried to move closer, but Damien signaled me not to. - Now listen carefully. You're going to kneel in front of her and ask for forgiveness. - What? - Stephen tried to free himself from Damien's grip, but to no avail. - You heard right, but you can decide whether to do it for good or for bad.And I think you've already seen how my patience is today. - Damien pushed Stephen and he fell to the ground next to me. - Damien, there's no need... - Of course it is, darling. And believe me, I'm doing less than he deserves. - He turned to Stephen. - Come on, tell him he's an asshole and apologize. Stephen looked at me full of ang
- He was smiling when I arrived. He was hugging something that Jenny had given him and from the size of his joy, I could already imagine what it was.- I won a Supernatural box set, Ell! - He clutched the package in his arms.- Yeah, it was at a good price online. - Jenny smiled at me.- Thanks, Jenny. - I thanked her. - How are you feeling, David?- Bald. - He joked and laughed, making us share in his joy. - Where's Julia?- She stayed at Damien's. We left her sleeping. - I replied.- And where is Damien? - My brother suddenly became serious.- He's outside. - I felt my forehead wrinkle. - Why is that?- I want to talk to him.I heard Jenny let out a squeaky laugh.- You want to talk to Damien? - I repeated.- Yes, I do. Ask him to come in and wait outside, please. This time Jenny laughed without holding back.- What?- I have a bad feeling about this. - Jenny paraphrased and David laughed, leaving me confused.- Have you seen the movies I lent you? - He asked Jenny.- All of them, D
I looked for my soap and found it next to his. Then I smiled weakly as I realized how things had gradually changed. Damien's once manly bathroom was now filled with feminine things that were gradually saturating the space. Had he noticed the difference? I couldn't say, but I knew that having accepted Damien's Damien's offer to move out temporarily could have been a big mistake.Despite reducing the distance to the hospital, spending every night in his arms was complicating things, because I had been enjoying the experience too much. And I shouldn't do that, because it wouldn't last. Damien was getting more and more calls from New York and he was constantly upset at the end of each one. at the end of each one. I knew that something serious must be going on, but he refused to say anything about it. According to Damien, David was the only issue that really deserved our concern. Unfortunately, preparing for the bone marrow transplant was a grueling task for my brother. He was given medica
- I'm so sorry.The doctor dashed my hopes with just two words. That was the answer I had been dreading. Not even our aunt could be David's donor. She was also incompatible.- And what can we do? - I heard Damien ask next to me, but I couldn't pay enough attention to the doctor's answer.Suddenly, the small room was like a vacuum. The sounds became low and indiscernible. I could only think of David and a growing pain spread throughout my body. What if I couldn't save him? What if we couldn't find help? Everything was becoming more and more complicated. Why weren't things working out? What had David done to put up with so much? I clasped my hands in my lap and realized I was about to cry. It was when his hand found mine and I heard his voice soothing me:- Calm down, darling. There's still hope. - He held my face and made me look at him. - I promised, remember?I nodded and a tear escaped from my eye. Damien wiped it away lovingly.- I'll do the tests too, doctor. - He spoke with his e
- I have a surprise for you. - He said after I'd left.- A surprise?- Wait here.Damien kissed me once more and then got up from the bed.- What are you going to do?He went over to the television and turned it on. Then he programmed something and came back to the bed with the controls. He lay down next to me and pulled me into his arms.- You need some rest. - He kissed the top of my head.- Let's watch your favorite movie. I spent all morning looking for it. I mean, George did.- Top Gun? - I looked perplexed at the television screen.- Yes. I know how much you like old movies, so let's start with this one and then we'll watch the others I've selected. Arianna gave me some information.- Arianna?- Yes. - He smiled amusedly at the look on my face. - I had to know exactly what to select. I want you to distract yourself a little darling, you've been under pressure all week with these exams and I can't see you crying anymore.- Damien... - I smiled with emotion and ran my fingers alon
It wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.Perhaps it was because the conversation didn't last very long. Julia and David were wary, but they still wanted to meet our father. In part, it was a wise decision to trust Damien. Meeting him made my brothers less afraid, as he was now just a thin, tired-looking man. Damien and I stayed in the room the whole time. At the end of the meandering conversation, he wanted to hug his children. David agreed first, Julia was still fearful, but eventually accepted.- I'll come back later, when the results are in. - He stopped in front of me.- Okay. - I agreed without looking at him.- Can I hug you? - He asked. His voice was again full of melancholy. I didn't answer, but tightened my arms around Damien.- You'd better go. - Damien spoke for me. - The results will be ready at three.And then he finally left.- Is he staying with us now? - Julia threw the question into the air.- No, he won't. - I rushed to answer. - You c
BONUS DAMIENI stopped before entering the balcony, just enjoying it. She looked even more beautiful against the classic Italian backdrop. Her hair took on bronze tones in the sunset and the exposed skin that slipped through her robe glowed, capturing my attention. To think that the woman sitting on the parapet with her eyes focused on the Italian landscape was my wife filled me with pride and relief. I tightened my fingers around the glass, silently thanking her for having me. I wouldn't risk losing her ever again. I would take care of her. My eyes went down to her abdomen with our little miracle that still had no sign. I would take care of them both.She wouldn't suffer any more, I would make sure that everything for her went full and happy. That's what she deserved after so much suffering. I made her my life from the moment we walked up the aisle on the island of Solstice and I would love her until the very end.Ellen raised the coffee cup next to her to her lips and her well-drawn
To my surprise, Nicholas and Arianna managed to get along and ended up giving a speech together. Damien and I danced together once again in the Golden Room, to the same music we danced to the first time. When I heard Michael Bolton's final chord, I managed to snatch him into the garden before we were surrounded once again by guests. He looked as surprised as I had imagined when he saw himself in the hotel's empty garden. - Where's my present? - You'll have to look for it. - I nibbled my lower lip and took a step back.Damien frowned in confusion. - All over the garden? - In the immediate vicinity. - I nodded positively. He smiled and ran his hands through the hair on the back of my neck. Then he looked around and I smiled when I realized he was lost as to which direction to go first. - Look, Mr. Mason! - I urged him. Damien looked at me and smiled in my direction and then started walking towards a flowering bush. - It's not there. - I warned him. He stopped immediately. Then
" - I promise to protect and respect you, loving you and our family above myself and my desires. I'll be there every time you need me, because you're the woman I've always hoped for and the only one I've ever really loved, Ellen. As long as my heart beats, it will beat for you and to you."His words still rang in my ears, like a sweet dream. I closed my eyes to remember the recent emotions I had experienced in front of the altar, when he promised me that we would be each other's forever. I opened my eyes and looked at my reflection in the mirror. The happiness was so great that I couldn't keep the tears at bay. We decided on an informal ceremony on the beach before sunset. sunset. Solstice Island was the chosen location. There, six months after an intense night, Damien and I exchanged the vows that would last the rest of our lives. rest of our lives. It was almost impossible to believe that after the troubled way we met, things would end in such a beautiful way.However, things weren'
- No, no, no... - He pulled me close and wrapped his suit around my waist. I wanted to help him, but I was feeling weak and dizzy.- My love, don't... - Damien sobbed and his lips touched my forehead. - It's all my fault...I reached out slowly and took his arm. He hadn't forgotten me. He had come back to me, as he had promised. And although I was in a lot of pain, my heart warmed inside with happiness.- You came back... But when you called me... I thought...- Ellen, forgive me... - her fingers brushed my right cheek.- It was supposed to be a surprise... I wanted to make you happy...He seemed to despair even more and his sobs became louder.I held his face between my hands.- It's all right... Damien, I... - I felt a twinge and let out a groan, but I didn't give up. I had been foolish to hide my feelings from him and now there was no turning back. It was the deadline. - I love you. I love you with everything I am.Damien let out an agonized moan and more thick tears rolled down hi
I spent Monday trying to distract myself. I bought ice cream and rented romantic comedies to watch, even alone. Jenny and Arianna tried to persuade me to go to a club in Urca, but I refused on the grounds of feeling unwell. Which, in a way, wasn't a lie. They accepted my excuses, but assured me that they would come and visit me later.At lunchtime, I put a supermarket lasagna in the oven and mixed it with some rice. At times I couldn't help shedding a few tears and convinced myself that I was only doing it out of emotion for a few scenes in the movies. At least that's what I'd tell Julia and David when they arrived in the evening. I curled up on the sofa and stared at my cell phone. I'd called Arianna just before four o'clock, but she hadn't picked up or returned my call. She must still be at the club with Jenny. So I kept my cell phone in my hand, staring at his name.I should have told Damien. Told him how I felt. He was right when he said he was the only one fighting for what we ha
I watched the black liquid drip down and gradually fill the cup with dishes of the same color. I continued to pour it slowly and without any pretense of paying attention to the task at hand. That's how I'd been acting since that morning after the Solstice.The cup finally reached the goal I had hoped for. I sighed and brought it to my lips, trying to convince myself to face the hours that awaited me outside. I concentrated only on the taste of the strong coffee for a few moments, but soon the scene was back in my mind. His blue eyes had a melancholy glow and were as hazy as the cloudy morning sky when we arrived at theinternational airport. He tried to convince me to accept the keys to his house one more time, but I stood firm in my decision.Finally giving up, he gently took my hand and brought it to his lips, placing a kiss full of devotion under my skin. I choked back a sob and Damien moved closer, placing his cupped hand on my left cheek.- Are you sure you don't want to come wit
He seemed to hesitate and then let out a long sigh.- I need to go back. - He revealed what I already knew, but added something more.Things in New York have changed a lot and I'll have no choice but to leave. My trip is scheduled for tomorrow. - Then I finally understood what was happening. The whole thing was our farewell. It was to end our relationship. I felt my heart speed up and then tighten in my chest. This was the momentthat I had always dreaded, even though I knew it was bound to happen. Damien and I were from different worlds and at some point the gap between us would become apparent.- It's all right. - I stroked the hair on the back of his neck and held his gaze, but when I felt my eyes getting teary, I put my face on his shoulder. - I'll understand.I had nothing to complain about. When we got together, our time together became something precious to me. So it wasn't fair to spoil the moments he had prepared for us with tears.- Ellen. - Damien called me, but I couldn't
Damien rested his free hand on my waist and we walked to the garage as if we were once again going to one of the usual parties. He chose the Ferrari this time and before long we were crossing Rio de Janeiro.Damien kept silent about our destination and really surprised me when he maneuvered the car and parked it in front of the international airport.- You'll be well looked after, Mr. Mason. - A man in a suit with an airport badge met us. - The platform is ready for you.- Platform? - I looked at Damien without understanding.He just smiled and led me into the airport. Another employee greeted us with a smile and I was stunned when we stepped onto the take-off platform.- Your private jet is ready, sir. I wish you a safe journey.He waved goodbye.- Jet? Damien, we're going...- We're going somewhere special. And since I know how much you like that airplane movie, I got a bit of inspiration since I know how to fly and I think I look better than Tom Cruise. - I let out a laugh.- Wait
David had a huge smile on his face when he entered the house and the first thing he did was announce that it was time to catch up on his series. Jenny and Arianna were also with us. Aunt Meiry had gone to the hospital, but couldn't follow us home, promising to come and see us later.- Things seem to be getting back to normal. - Arianna glared at me as I finished sorting out the chocolate cake I had made for David.- Yeah. It looks like they are. - I agreed.- What is it, Ell? - Jenny stopped pouring herself a soft drink next to me and stared at me. - You don't seem very excited.- I am. - I smiled at her. - I'm very happy that David is finally home.- But... - Jenny insisted. - You can't fool us, my friend. Go ahead.She gestured to Arianna who went to the door leading to the living room and then came back.- David is explaining something about that series he likes to Julia and Renata. We can talk about it.- I'm fine. - I assured them. They both looked at me incredulously. - Damien i