~DAMIAN~
I didn't understand why Cassie had Sierra's photo. I removed the pillow to check if there was more, and I found a note. Reading it, I realized it was the note Sierra was talking about: “What are you doing?” Cassie came to me and tried to grab the photo from me, but I refused. “Damian, give it to me.”
“What are you doing with Sierra's photo and the note? Where did you get this?”
“It's not your concern.”
“It is,” I said, standing up. “This is the mother of my children's photo, are you the on
~DAMIAN~I just got back from school, I solved all the maths problems our teacher gave us and I couldn't wait to show them to my dad so when the driver parked the car I jumped out and ran inside, I knew my dad would be in his office so I ran straight there, the door was slightly open so I knocked but he didn't say anything, I heard noises which meant he was inside so I tried again but didn't respond, realizing that maybe he was busy I used my chubby tiny hands and pushed the door open, I was expecting to find my dad seated on his seat but instead he was standing so close to a woman on the window, they were both not dressed and when they noticed me the woman tried to cover her body with her hands, the woman was not my mother and seeing this caused my eyes to tear up.“Oh fuck! What are you doing here?” Dad sounded angry; I didn't respond, so he came to me and pushed me out. I was six, so I was not too young to understand what was happening here. Dad was cheating on Mom. “Okay, go and r
~DAMIAN~“Fuck!” I cursed and sat up, it was just one of those tormenting dreams—dreams that I hated. I scratched my sweaty forehead and then glanced at the clock. It was already early in the morning. I wanted to go and see my children, so I went to the bathroom and took a quick shower.After the shower, I walked out and went straight to the cupboard. I wanted to be there before they started learning. I picked up my office clothes as I would be going to the office from school, and after making sure I was good to go, I took my office bag and left the room. “Cassie?” I called her, but she didn't respond.I knew she was not mad at me for last night, as the past couple of days Cassie had been calm. Maybe it was because of the pregnancy, as in the past five years she would even go a week without talking to me just for disagreeing with her on something, she would not even visit, and when I tried to go to the company so we could solve it, she asked security to kick me out. Of course, securit
~DAMIAN~I didn't even bother trying to go in with my car, as I knew they wouldn't open, so I parked aside the road and got out. It would be difficult for the guards to hear me, but I was not giving in, so I walked to the gate and banged on it, calling Sierra's name. I was glad this neighborhood was peaceful and quiet, as I couldn't afford another drama.“I will not leave until I talk to you, so better order your guards to open this gate now!” I continued hitting the gate, and surprisingly, the small gate opened, and two guards came out. “I want to see your boss,” I said, and they shook their heads.“She's not here.&rd
~DAMIAN~I couldn’t believe it was Lily suggesting I file for custody. I looked at Ethan, who looked as shocked as me. “I know it’s totally weird, trust me, I never thought I would say this, but I do understand how you feel, you are still my friend, and I only want the best for you,” Lily said as she walked towards us. She had some documents in her hands, which I assumed she came to drop.“I… I thought you were on Sierra's side, you never even talked to Damian, what made you change your mind?” Ethan asked exactly the questions I wanted to ask.“I know, I know I’ve been on Sierra's side, but this time, I think she’s wrong. Those kids need you just as much as you need them, so if filing for custody works, then do it, I’ll support you.” Lily made sense, but I still didn’t get why. When Sierra and I got divorced, she was against me, she never even wanted me to talk to her about Sierra, she hated me for divorcing her, so this made me question for a minute whether Sierra sent her to trap me
~DAMIAN~I could hear the detective speak but my mind was far gone. I was reminded of Mr. Reid, Sierra’s father. Did he perhaps find out what happened to him? Was I in trouble? “Mr. Winters?” The detective's voice shook me out of my thoughts.“Uh-um, I'm so sorry. What were you saying?”“I said I've been working on this case with Ms. Reid.”“Sierra?” I panicked. Did she perhaps know something? Is that the reason she stopped me from being near my children?“Yes, Ms. Reid,” he said, suspiciously eyeing me.“What does she know?” I ignored his weird look.“I'm sorry, Mr. Winters, but I do not understand your question.”“I mean, what did she tell you about Mr. Reid's death?” I nervously cleared my throat.“Nothing we didn't know before. I would like to ask you some questions. I don't have an interrogation warranty yet, but if you would like me to get it first, then I…”“It's okay. I have nothing to hide. You can ask me now.”“Good,” he said, clearing his throat, then brought out a notebook
~SIERRA~After that day, when Damian left in the middle of an important conversation, I realized he didn't care about my children. Of course, he had me fooled with the way he was with them in the garden but after that I realized he never did, as long as we were not Cassie, he would never care and time for competing with her had passed. I needed him regarding Carl's identity, but that reminded me that I've never needed him. I've lived five years protecting them without him, I knew I could figure this out myself. So after giving strict orders to the school, I permitted the detective to start his interrogation.Anna called me and told me about Damian's visit to the school, and I was satisfied when she told me he looked disappointed. I was at the station talkin
~SIERRA~“Thank you, Sierra, I promise you will see that I’m very innocent in this,” she said, but I didn’t respond; instead, I ended the call and took the telephone."Gilbert, are you there?” I asked as I thought maybe he had hung up.“I’m here, where are they?”"Oh, just a minute,” I said and then left the office. Lana was in the living room, so I told her I was going out and then told her about the call. “Gilbert is on the line, but please, they shouldn’t speak for more than an hour, it’s already late, they need to bathe and have dinner. I might not be back by then,” I informed her, and she agreed, then I walked out. From afar, I could see my guards chatting but stopped as soon as I reached them. “Miss Lily is here,” one informed me, and I nodded and told them I knew. Then I walked back to the cars and asked one of the drivers to drive me. I didn’t trust Lily, so I went in my car with two guards. When the car reached outside, I saw Lily, who was now pacing around her car. She loo
~SIERRA~I couldn't believe it. Ava was calling me a monster. I cleared my throat, as I didn't know how to respond to her. “This is the reason I stopped talking to her, when Lucas died, she blamed me instead of her cousin; she's Damian's puppet.” Lily tried to defend me."Oh, family comes first. I'm sorry you were not able to protect yours, that's the reason Lucas died.”“Don’t you dare mention Lucas’s name ever.” Lily gritted her teeth.“Or what? You can't do anything to me, it's impossible. Lucas is dead, there's no use holding on to him, he's dead, he will never come back.” Ava provoked, and Lily slammed the table and stood up. My guards luckily held her. “Ow, you want to hit me?” Ava challenged."Ava, please just go.”"Well, I'm suddenly in the mood for a cup of coffee. You called me here, so yes, let's drink,” Ava teased. I shook my head, as I didn't know how else to stop her. “Fine, I'll leave, but you should be prepared, Sierra. I will not give up until we have custody,” she sa
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