I feel a lot better. I woke up without any pain at all, but maybe it's just the effect of the painkillers I'm on.I've been trying to convince myself all morning that I had that conversation with Damien in my dreams. It was some terrible nightmare and most importantly, it never happened. He would never say such things to me. Why would he want to end us when this war barely started? But there's a dull ache in my chest that tells me otherwise, that the sooner I acknowledge that he practically broke up with me, the better.I can't accept that. I can't sit by idly as he ruins us, ruins what we have. He's scared and I get that, but we can't give up now. There's no point in me leaving now. What's done is done. I already lost our baby. If we can't get through this, we can get through anything. What's the worst that could happen?What could they possibly do to me that hasn't already been done?All morning I tried to keep myself from falling asleep because I have to see him. I can't miss him t
"Answer the question."The man before him opens his mouth and blood gushes right out of it and down his chin in torrents. Damien feels no sympathy for him. This is the man who burned his nightclub down. He shouldn't have lit that fucking match. What's worse? He refuses to cooperate; he won't tell him who sent him.That just won't do."Please," he says. This is all he says. He can't understand why these men would rather beg than tell him who sent them. It's a simple question. His knuckles hurt. He's spent far too much time on this idiot and he isn't even getting anywhere. Every minute he wastes could lead to his undoing and this only serves to fuel his fury. He doesn't like this one bit. He gestures at Howie to pick the bucket of ice up. He pours it all over the man, who hisses in pain. His fingertips are blue, but this doesn't faze him. It's either he talks or he ends up dead."I have a family," he says through chattering teeth. "Please.""We all do," Damien replies coldly. "We're fam
The pain is starting to kick in. I'm sweating and I have no idea how to make this pain go away. I've already had some over-the-counter pain medication, and it helped a little. Everything hurts, from my wrist to my uterus. PI've always had issues with my period, but this is a little worse. I bought maxi pads, too, and I'll need to change soon. I'll also need to change the bandage around my wrist. I have no idea of where to go. Every time I stumble across a hotel, I wonder if I won't be too exposed. I'm not ignorant to what's happening; anyone could try to use me to get to him, exactly the way Elizabeth did. My plan is to hide out for a few days and then find him and try to convince him that we can't be apart. I've been walking for the past two hours and I haven't stopped. I didn't take a cab simply because I don't want to open this duffle bag. I could get robbed, that's also a frightening possibility. My lower back is on fire, I can't keep this up. I need to find a place to rest as
Devon parks the car beneath an apartment building.I recognize it. I was here with Brad last time. He didn't move? That's surprising. He's constantly on the move, so the fact that he's been here for nearly two weeks amazes me. He glances at me as if he heard my thoughts I wouldn't be shocked if he did. "I'll move out in a couple of days."I don't say anything. He moves to grab the duffel and I inch away from him. I don't want him to know what's inside, but I bet that he already knows. It's not that I think Devon is a thief, but he isn't above hiding the bag from me so I have no means of going anywhere and that can't happen. He knows what I'm carrying. I'm sure he knows.I follow him inside.I'm trying to figure out a way to get rid of him. He can't be following me around, that won't do. Sooner or later, Damien's going to try to find me and if I don't find a way to communicate with him, I'll ruin everything and that wasn't part of my plan. If Devon keeps following me, I'll lead him str
Two days before...Elizabeth met the infamous Felix Baldwyn in a bar late at night.She had never heard of him, as shocking as that seems. Before the last couple of weeks, she wasn't heavily involved in the business aspect of their lifestyle. She contacted her godfather and told him she wanted to help, but only because she had her own plans, and she wanted to see them through.First and foremost, she wanted to make Damien suffer.They'd broken up a couple of months ago and she'd been with other men, sure, but that didn't erase the humiliation she felt when he sent her away. After the day she went to his office to try to mend things and ended up being dragged out by security, something inside of her snapped. Everything she ever felt for him disappeared. None of the good memories were left. He'd been with her for eight years and only proposed because she'd asked him to, in a way. He didn't want children, yet she heard from Eduardo's sources that he was happy about the child that spying
My ears are ringing.I'm so disoriented that for a second, I don't know where I am. I look around and I'm stunned. My vision is blurred, I can't see much. I'm dizzy. How'd I get here? What's the meaning of this? It feels like I've woken up from a coma and I'm unsure about where I am. I try to move and everything in my body hurts. My wrist, especially. I cry out in pain.I look up and my duffel bag is hovering above me. How is this possible? It's literally above me. I could try to touch it if I wanted to, but I won't risk feeling pain again.I look around again.There are cars all around us, and suddenly, I remember. Devon wanting to leave in a hurry. The black car following us. The van heading straight towards us. It hit us. I look up again, then realize that I'm not looking up at all. I'm hanging upside down. The duffel is beneath me, not above.I look to my left and I see Devon, also hanging upside down. There's blood dripping down his face, his nose especially. He's unconscious. I
Felix is in and out of the place.Mostly, it's just the two of us. A man was here earlier, I assumed that he worked for Felix. He looked my way briefly before resuming his conversation with him. I couldn't hear what they were talking about, but I wished I could. I have to know what's happening; have they communicated with Damien? If so, what happens next?It's getting dark and we're still here. He's always on the phone, and he's clearly anxious. He kicked a crate an hour ago, so maybe things aren't going according to plan? That pleases me. I hope Damien ignores him. I hope he doesn't walk into this trap they're laying out for him.I don't want him to die because of me.I had good intentions, even though I was a little careless about the execution of my plan. For starters, I could've taken a cab, but I thought walking would be safer. Besides, how could I take a cab when I didn't know where I was going? It's too late to think about these things, but this will haunt me forever if things
But of course he didn't die.Devon Tyler is a tough son of a bitch. He broke his arm and his nose and lost three molars, is on the verge of losing his left eye, but he's alive. He's in a stable condition, too.He's been in and out of consciousness for hours. He's already been told what happened, not that he needed an extensive explanation. He felt it in his bones when that van hit them. His last thought was 'fuck' as the car rolled over. He doesn't remember a single thing after that. What he wants to know is how Amelia is. He's been asking about her, but no one seems to hear him. He doesn't even know if he's talking or if it's all in his head. Why won't anyone answer him?He doesn't want to hear bad news. She can't be dead. He took most of it. They both had seat belts on. If she's hurt, it can't be anything life-threatening. He tells himself this over and over again, but without news, he's slowly driving himself insane. He wished vehemently that he didn't care, but there's no point in
Six months have passed.They've been peaceful and for the most part, quiet. Tremendously busy, but I'm used to that part now. Working alongside Damien is the best part about it. I get to be with him all day and make sure that he isn't exerting himself. He has a lot more work now; he had to take over Ethan's duties. Theo helps, but there are certain things only Damien can handle. When Ethan was here, he took care of it, but he's been gone for half a year and there's no one capable enough to replace him. I think that deep down, Damien doesn't want anyone to take over Ethan's job, but he'll never admit it out loud. I help him whenever I can. There's a lot I still don't understand, but I'll get there.It's only a matter of time.He doesn't ever ask me to go home when there are people coming over to meet with him. We never talked about what happened with Ash, but it changed a lot of things. I gained some respect after I killed him. I see it in the way people look at me whenever we're at so
I help him peel his blazer off.This day has been mentally exhausting for him. He rarely leaves the office early, but I'm glad he did today. I'm glad, because at least we have the whole day ahead of us. It's going to be just the two of us. Theo rarely comes here, she prefers to stay in the city. It's closer to everything else. I love it here, because it feels like we're all alone in the world. I stare out the window and all I see is the vast sky, green hills, nature. I don't even see the guards surrounding the house. They're invisible to me.It's peaceful here, and breathtakingly beautiful. It's home. I understand why Damien is so attached to this place. It's not simply because he grew up here. I feel safe, here, untouchable. The first time I was here, I felt like an intruder. Our relationship was so different back then, I can't help but marvel at how everything is so different now. I never would have guessed that we'd end up here, closer than ever, madly in love. We've come a long wa
Today's an important day.I've been on edge all morning. Damien has called for a Keller family meeting. We're all going to be there, including Ethan and Penelope.He announced that there'd be a meeting only last night during dinner, and he asked Theo to give Ethan a call. I was startled by the news and so was she. He didn't tell me what he'll say to Ethan, but we can guess what it is. He wants closure. Ethan owns a third of everything, and that matter needs to be resolved. I doubt that Damien will allow him to return to the company. I just don't see it happening. Ethan himself never mentioned it to Theo, not that he'd dare to.Theo told me that he's out of the hospital. She said he hasn't left the country yet because he wants to see Damien first. Damien, however, wanted nothing to do with him until yesterday. He's asked after him, but he didn't want to see him. He's still hurt by what Ethan did to us, his betrayal is a wound that will never quite heal for him. And if it ever does, it'
I'm afraid of opening the door.I've been standing here for a full minute with my heart in my throat. My hand is on the knob, ready. I can't bring myself to turn it, though, simply because I know that Damien's on the other side. There's a lot we need to talk about, so much in fact that I wouldn't know where to start.I hold my breath and close my eyes. I've been standing out here for too long. I remind myself that he's my husband, he's the man I love, and we'll get through this. We'd get through anything together. I've been in a far worse position before. This time, I was actually focusing on the well-being of our family.I open the door slowly.Only the bedside lamp is on. I see him right away; he's seated on the couch across his bed. He's staring out the window with a distant look in his eyes. I take a few steps towards him, my eyes on his handsome face. My heart's thumping against my chest. I'm overcome with emotion, but I put a hamper on them for now. He's a little pale, I notice
Amelia's going to hate him for this, but that's okay, because he doesn't plan on ever seeing her again.He means it this time. He's done with this shit. He had his chance, he fucked it up a hundred years ago. It's time to get over it. If there was ever a part of him that thought he'd get a chance with her, that part of him died a while back. She loves Damien Keller. He lost her a long time ago. That doesn't necessarily mean that he's content with the outcome, but he'll admit defeat. Staying here is slowly killing him.She's going to be alright. Leaving her back there was a dick move, sure, but he stands by what he said to her; when everyone finds out that she did it, there will be no revenge. He helped her along the way, but no one needs to know that. The Huntingtons won't dream of touching her, especially when the truth about Damien comes out. It would be an entirely different story with him.He glances at his watch. Five more minutes in there and he'd miss his flight. He can't miss
I've never been so glad to see him in all my life."Devon," I say, the word a gasp. "How did you—"He doesn't let me finish. "Did he hurt you? Are you hurt?"I shake my head. "No, but how did you—""I'll explain later," he assures me. "Right now, we've got to get this asshole tied to that chair. Quickly, before he wakes up. Bring that chair over there. I have rope under the bed."I grab it and Devon grabs a duffel bag from under the bed. He opens it and fishes out rope and a couple of knives. He's been lying under the bed the entire time. It's clear that he planned this thoroughly.He didn't abandon me. He said he'd help me kill Ash and here he is. I tell him, "I thought you weren't going to show up. I thought you tricked me.""I don't blame you for assuming the worst," he says, looking up at me. His eyes are glinting with mischief and something else, something I won't dare name. He points at my gun. "You know how to use that thing?"I stare at it. "Yes."He's watching me intently. "A
It's quarter to midnight.The clock is ticking and my heart is racing. I'm ready, my small gun is hidden in my underwear. I've made sure to wear an extra tight pair just for the occasion. The dress is scarlet and flowy, perfect for tonight.I'm waiting for him in the lobby. This time, I'm early. It makes me feel more in control of the situation even though that's far from the truth. I take a small sip of champagne and look back at the entrance. My heart's in my throat, making it hard for me to breathe. I have to remain cool, though. There's a lot at stake.Everything depends on this."Anything else?" the bartender asks me while pouring someone else a drink. I shake my head, I can't even speak at a time like this.I'm taking another sip of champagne when I finally spot him. There are two men walking behind him. He's saying something to them as he looks around. For me, no doubt. I fix my gaze on him and hold my breath as I wait for him to see me. He doesn't, which is fairly disappointin
"Leave," Damien says to the nurse. She scurries out of the room as soon as he mutters the word.He's in a terrible mood and he doesn't want anyone around him. He has finally moved from that awful, desolate place and he's home. He made sure that they didn't change any decorations. They lost a lot of antiques and furniture that was in their family for decades, but he's made sure that everything else remained the same. He's sure that he'll recover in no time here, he already feels better. He's not in bed, he's sitting on the sofa beside his bed. He's supposed to be resting, but he's done enough of that.He can't sleep when he's worried sick about Amelia.The fact that no one gives him any news is a bad sign as it is. They're hiding something from him, he can feel it. The last time he spoke to her, she told him that she wasn't going to turn back, that she'd go ahead with the plan. He has no idea of what her plan might be, but he knows it won't be anything he'll agree with. He wonders if p
I can't stop chewing my thumbnail.I force myself to put my hand down. I'm in agony; I don't know what to do and I'm running out of time. I'm supposed to be meeting Ash tonight. This was supposed to end it all, according to Devon, but he let Ethan go so what happens now? The only reason why I'm agreeing to everything is because of him. It isn't, but that's what Ash thinks. Am I still expected to show up? Why would he do this?I can't figure it out.I wish I had a way of contacting Devon to let him know that everything went to shit, but I don't have his number. I don't know where he's currently residing. I don't think I'll be seeing him anytime soon; tonight, maybe but not earlier. In the meantime, what do I do? I can't ask anyone's advice. My family is against me entirely. Theo probably thinks that our negotiations with Ash have come to an abrupt end, but she doesn't know half of it. I'm planning on killing him once and for all, I made a promise to myself that I would.For Damien.I h