~NEXT DAY~~SIERRA~I took my satin high-cut slit golden dress, I haven’t worn it in years. It was for special occasions, but since I was going to try and convince Gilbert—I needed to look beautiful. I sat on a chair to curl my hair, but as I picked the curler, I remembered what Cassie said—she was the one who picked up Damian’s phone, she told me he asked her to pick it up and tell me to stay away. Well, Cassie reminded me of the time she returned when he threw divorce papers at me. She reminded me how he wanted nothing to do with my kids, and I thanked her for picking as I was really stupid to think that Damian deserved to know about my kids when he refused them even before they were born.
TEXAS, HOUSTON 2023~SIERRA~I couldn’t believe it. Gilbert was here having fun while I blamed myself for his leave when he actually left to come for his reasons. I felt so stupid that I even palmed my forehead. “It’s…it’s not what you think, I…I can explain.” I shook my head and turned to leave. Of course, he came running but stopped by the door as he was still naked. “Sierra! Please, l–let me get dressed so we can discuss this.” I didn’t listen as I walked to my car, and the guard opened the door for me. How could he explain this? He was drugged, because clearly he wasn’t since he had the guts to complain when she tapped him. “Ms. Reid, is everything okay?” My driver asked as soon as he noticed my mood.I rubbed my forehead and then nodded. “Can you take me to the nearest bar, please?”“Alright,” he agreed as he nodded and made a turn. My guards suggested to the driver a bar with privacy, they wanted to avoid fans.It didn’t take time to arrive at a bar, as the driver pulled over a
TEXAS, HOUSTON 2023~SIERRA~I couldn’t believe him, so because I almost kissed him, he thought I wanted to sleep with him. I gestured to my guard to pay for the bill and stood up. "Please,” he begged. I only looked at him and attempted to walk away, and he stood too, and held me by my hand. But before I could ask him to let me go, one of my guards came and got between us. “Sierra, I didn’t mean for it to come out like that,” he apologized. "Please stay, let’s chat,” he said, but I shook my head and walked out with my other guard holding my hand while the others held him. Luckily, the bar was not filled with people as it was still early, so no dramas.
TEXAS, HOUSTON 2023~SIERRA~Nana was right, Ava couldn't keep anything from Damian. I can't believe I trusted her. I didn't want to sound guilty, as I didn't do nothing wrong. “I don't know what you're talking about, and what gave you the right to call me this late?”“I had already done DNA on them, you will not keep them from me anymore, I will be in their lives. God, Sierra, I can't believe you did this,” he said."Wait, are you serious right now? Are you sure you haven't taken alcohol because...”
~SIERRA~I couldn't believe it. Why hasn't Lily told me that she has a crush on Damian? Nothing made sense. “Detective, are you sure? This is a serious accusation.”“I'm very sure, Ms. Reid, we have proof to back up the accusations. I suggest you talk to her and listen to her side of the story.”“I will,” I said, clearing my throat, then asked, “So what do you plan to do now that you have the suspects?”"Well, I was hoping you add anyone that you suspect or...”“I don't have anyone in mind,” I said, sidestepping him."Well, in that case, we will start with our interrogation, we will visit each of them one by one and ask a few questions,” he said, but I didn't want that to happen now, I didn't want any scandal, especially now that Damian found out about the triplets.“Detective can't that wait, at least start with it after a month, a lot is going on now, and I want to focus on one problem.”“I'm sorry, Ms. Reid, but your father's case is the one we have been wanting to solve for years.
~SIERRA~But as we reached the garden, my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't believe the sight before me. Damian was with my kids and looking at them, I could tell they loved him. Ingrid even plucked a flower and put it in his blazer pocket. I couldn't believe how happy they all looked. Atlas, who never liked talking was giggling while playing with Damians’ wristwatch. Tears welled in my eyes as I once again found myself imagining our life if Damian had accepted them when I was pregnant. Maybe Atlas could not be this slow at talking, as he looked happy with Damian. “Ms. Reid, is everything okay?” Anna shook me out of my thoughts. I caught the tear that almost escaped my eyes and sniffed before I turned to her and told her I was okay.“
~SIERRA~I wanted Damian to explain his meaning by saying they were in danger. I knew he knew about the notes, maybe because of the attack the other day at the club, but I felt like he was hiding something else since the detective said he knew Carl, so I asked him to go for coffee so we could talk, and he agreed. After telling Anna that the kids would be picked up at the same time we went to a nearby cafe, I got in my car, and he went in his and followed us.At the cafe, I got in with two of my guards—for security, I sat down. Damian was still in his car, so I ordered two cups of coffee. It took him five minutes to join me. “Wait, are we talking in front of your guards?” he asked, sitting across from me. I looked at my guards, who were standing beside me, and turned to him.“I don't see a problem, I trust them and I need security.”“That's the reason I need to be in their lives, Sierra, I can't afford to lose them, I need to be there to protect them.”“You know,” I cleared my throat,
~SIERRA~I couldn't believe it. Was the detective perhaps right about Nana being responsible for the cards? But how could that be possible? Nana raised me. Yes, when the fights between Mom and Dad got worse, I ran to live with Nana. She treated me like her own daughter, despite my father hating me. She didn't care that her son wanted nothing to do with me; instead, she embraced me and gave me everything I needed. I sat on the chair as I felt my knees go weak. Why would my grandmother betray me like this?“Ms. Reid, are you there?” the detective's voice brought me out of my thoughts I had even forgotten that I was on a call with him, I cleared my throat and tried to speak but I could not form any words, “I just thought to let you know why I
FLORIDA, ST. AUGUSTINE 2023~DAMIAN~Ingrid did a good job keeping Sierra out, as it has been over two hours and they haven't returned to the house yet.The sun was setting and everything was perfect; we didn't need to do much, just the colorful lights, as the house was clean already.“Bottle is here,” Nathan excitedly said as he brought the bottle of juice. The bottle was the same as the one for champagne, and since they were too young for alcohol and Sierra was in that condition, we decided to settle for juice.“They are coming,” Atlas, who had been at the window, alerted us, and I quickly stood to my feet and hid the little box."Okay, wish me luck,” I said, and they both nodded, then Atlas switched off the light so that the candles could stand out.“Let us know when she says yes,” they said in unison before they hid behind the sofa.I was nervous. I've never been this nervous, even when I was handling court cases. I never got nervous, but Sierra, God, her reaction scared me.As I
FLORIDA, ST. AUGUSTINE 2023~DAMIAN~Whoever said love was a drug was damn right because I was high on it. Watching someone sleep for over an hour and simply enjoying the view is crazy because for the past week that's all I've been doing—watching Sierra sleep. It somehow gave me peace.After Sierra was released from the hospital, we stayed a week so I could sort everything.Ethan took over the head at the Winters, Sierra, and Thomas caught up as he left the detective work since Sam was not happy with it. Sierra gave them one of her restaurants in Texas, and they moved there—living in Sierra's home while Jane and her family moved into Sierra's mansion, the one in Georgia. Beatrice and Lana took mine as I wanted to express my gratitude for helping Sierra raise my children.After sorting everything, I booked tickets to Florida for a vacation since the holidays were in a month. We were still choosing a place to settle and start a family, as Georgia and Texas held bad memories, so we were
~DAMIAN~The first days we used protection, but after a few, we just couldn't control ourselves as we would get in the moment and only think of protection afterward. I didn't need protection; Sierra was my wife, but she always brought it up.Well, I was just so happy that we were going to have a baby—that Sierra gave me another chance.I walked to her bedside, kneeled, and started apologizing.“I'm sorry, I...”“It's okay; I know you did it to protect me.”“Still I hurt you; I should have told you; I shouldn't have pushed you away like that.”“And I understand; I forgive you; I do.” She was now holding my hands. “Please get up.”“Sierra I…”“Now Damian,” she demanded, and so I was left with no choice but to get up.“I'm really sorry; I promise that was not my intention; I was just trying to protect you and our kids. Ava called me; she threatened me.” She nodded her head in understanding and then squeezed my hand in a comforting manner.“Do you want to feel her heartbeat?” she asked, a
~DAMIAN~ “I was not planning to kill you, but...” Ava said as she walked close to Sierra, the burning matchstick still in between her fingers. My hands were now in the air, pleading with her. “Please… Whatever I have done, please just... Just let Sierra go, punish...punish me.” "Oh, sweet Damian, my cousin is in love,” she mockingly said, “but this is not about you; it's about her, her mother!” she yelled. “Actually,” she calmed herself, “it's about the both of you; your father did my mother dirty and her mother did my mother dirty, and so you are both going to pay.” It was not the Ava I knew; this woman sounded crazy. “Ava…” “Kneel!” I didn't want to argue, as I knew trying to reason would not work, so I kneeled my eyes on Sierra and the matchstick between Ava's fingers. “Good,” she mockingly said and blew to the matchstick so the fire could go as it was below her finger. “Do you want to hear a little story?” She asked as if I had a choice. Then she started talking about h
~DAMIAN~“Speed up!” I yelled, and Thomas agreed with me as he asked the driver to drive faster. Each second we were wasting was ticking as Sierra's life was in danger.When Atlas returned, he told me about the people who kidnapped him and how they told him that I was his father. I knew it wasn't the right time, but I took him upstairs to his siblings and told them the truth—that I was their father and that Sierra and I were once together.I didn't tell them about the contract as I thought it might be complicated for them, and so I told them about making a horrible mistake that made Sierra walk away. They were understanding, as they didn't judge; instead, they were happy that I was their father.I was not in a better mood, so I forced them to eat and helped them get ready for bed before I left Mrs. Woods with them as Jane had to get home to her baby. Sam and Thomas stayed downstairs with the officers, who came to help check for clues, and waited in case the kidnappers called—they thou
~SIERRA~Ava explained planning Damian’s parents' deaths because, as she said, the company and everything the Winters owned belonged to her. She explained how she got Damian on a drug so he would have terrible headaches. “I haven't been giving it to him lately, so he seems to be overcoming it,” she added. Then she explained using Carl to have her revenge on Mr. Reid since Damian’s parents were out of her way now."Oh, and the second man who left my mother couldn't be found. Turns out my so-called father wasn't useless as he took him down, leaving his son and wife in the streets.”“Son?”"Yes, your brother.”“What?!”“Ow, don't tell me the detective hasn't told you that you're his sister; that's why he has been protective over you; it's because you're his little sister.”“What?!” again I asked, as this was too much. How was it possible that Detective Thomas was my brother? Okay, nothing was making sense.“The man your father was cheating with was Thomas’s father.” She said, but I shook
~SIERRA~I haven't seen Ava since forever; she said to be in New York working with patients. How was it that she was here? My eyes roamed the room, and I realized, unlike where Lily took me, this place seemed like a home as I was on a sofa. I was almost relaxed, but when I saw that both my legs and hands were tied, I panicked.“W-what's going on? Why am I here? And…”“This is not the time for questions, Sierra; trust me.” Ava cut me as she picked a glass of wine on the table and took a sip before she placed it down and then stared at me.I still didn't understand what was happening, but something was clear: Ava tied my legs and hands, which meant she was the one who caused that accident; she was the one who kidnapped me.“Ava I…”“I will shut your mouth for you if you don't shut it; it's me to talk, not you.” She calmly said, and I nodded my head. Then she stood up with the glass of wine in her hands and said, "See, years ago, Rosemarie was just an innocent girl who didn't know the w
~SIERRA~I cleaned my cheeks and then walked toward my car. My driver was standing out as he opened the door for me. “To the station,” I told him as he waited for my instruction."Yes, ma’am,” he said and then started the car.Again, I found my hand traveling down to my flat belly. I never planned for this, and now that Damian didn't want the child, I was not going to keep it. I haven't seen myself pregnant for over five years, especially with Damian's child again.Or maybe he knew that I fell pregnant and he was doing the same thing he did years ago, running away. I closed my eyes and tried to focus. No, I couldn't let this distract me; I won't let it get in my way of finally having peace.“Ms. Reid,” the driver's voice shook me out of my thoughts. I then realized we had arrived at the station. “Should I come in with you?” He asked as he opened the door for me. I shook my head and told him to wait for me there; he just worked for me; I didn't need him to mix with my problems.When I
~SIERRA~No, this was not happening; I won't let it happen again. So I banged once more and the door flew open, and Damian, who looked healthy like he was not just in a coma, opened and asked me to come in. I could tell by his facial expression that something was wrong.“Do you want anything?” He asked as I took a seat on the sofa. No, I was calm. I was not the same Sierra from years ago who burst when he started acting like this. I was a mature, respectful woman. I couldn't act on my emotions, so I asked him for a glass of water.He walked away to the kitchen, and my eyes couldn't help but roam the area; it was just the same as I left it, in Cassie's style.“Water,” Damian's voice made me turn to him. I took the glass from his hand and thanked him, then placed it on the table.“Okay,” I cleared my throat as he looked restless like he wanted me to leave. “The doctor called me and told me you left without his consent.”"Yeah, I'm feeling fine; why should he keep me there?” He sounded r