Chapter 22

After they had finished calling Damien and explained the situation to him, he promised to return home immediately. 

They waited patiently in the sitting room, desperately praying that he would arrive in time before anything worse happened. 

Emma was still in shock over what Ever had told her. She could not believe her sister could be so cruel. She stared at her from where she stood, her face held a smugly smiling, arms crossed, and her taunting expression almost unbearable for Emma. 

Emma wondered what her sister would gain from ruining or possibly ending her life.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the door suddenly sprang open, revealing Damien, who strode into the room with determination. The atmosphere in the sitting room shifted instantly. He held a small, ornate vial in his hand, his gaze steady as it landed on Emma’s frail form.

“Perfect timing,” Damien said coolly, walking toward her.

Emma's parents moved aside, relief washing over their faces. 

“Damien thank goodness you are here,” her mother urged. “She is getting worse by the minute, please do everything you can, please,”She pleaded. 

Damien nodded without saying anything. He knelt down beside Emma. He uncorked the via, the faint scent of herbs wafting through the room. 

“Drink this,” he instructed, his voice firm yet gentle. Emma hesitated for a moment, her hand trembling as he reached for the portion. Her trust in Damien outweighed her fear, and she sipped the liquid into her mouth. It was bitter, but almost immediately, a soothing warmth spread through her body. Her breathing ebbed, her trembling subsided a little bit, and cooler returned to her pale cheeks.

Her parents exclaimed in unison, tears of gratitude streaming down their faces. 

“Thank you, Damien,” her father said, his voice heavy with emotion as tears rolled down his cheeks. The same relief was evident in her mother’s expression, though it quickly turned sharp as she shifted her focus toward Ever. Her face was tense, and it looked as though she was restraining herself from unleashing all her anger at once.

“Why, Ever?” her mother asked coldly, her voice trembling with restrained fury. “Why would you do this to your sister? Do you want her to die?”

For the first time that evening, Ever’s confidence faltered. She shifted uncomfortably under their accusatory gazes. Finally, she exploded, her voice filled with frustration and pain. “I’m sick too!” she shouted. “I’m always treated like I don’t matter. I’m ignored while Emma gets all the attention, all the praise. Why? Why am I not good enough? Am I not your child too? Why do you treat me like this?”

“So because of that, Ever, you wished for your sister to suffer, maybe even die? You had something that could save her, and you chose hatred over compassion? Why, Ever? Is this who you really are?” her mother asked, her voice cracking as tears of anger welled up in her eyes.

Damien raised a hand to calm her. “Ma’am, please, take a breath,” he said before turning to Ever, his voice firm yet calm. “Ever, no matter how badly you feel, this isn’t the way. No one, no matter the offense deserves to be left to die. I expected better from you. You know, I’ve never asked you for anything. Have I? But I helped you anyway. Remember that embarrassing situation I saved you from when I gave you my card? I didn’t owe you that, yet I did it because I cared, even if you hadn’t earned it.”

He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. “And yet, this is what you do to your own sister? Not a stranger, but someone so close to you? That’s worse than anything. This isn’t about how others treat you, Ever. It’s about who you choose to be.”

Ever’s face fell, her defiance crumbling under Damien’s words, striking her like a blow to the heart. She remembered that moment all too well, the shame she had narrowly avoided because of Damien’s intervention. The thought of that memory silenced her defiance for a moment, and she sighed.

“Fine,” she muttered, looking away. “I’ll help her, but only because of you,” she added begrudgingly.

Her parents watched her closely, their expressions a mixture of disappointment and cautious hope. Ever’s reluctant agreement did little to erase the pain she had caused, but it was a small step toward her parent anger.

That night, everyone dispersed to their rooms. Emma’s parents stayed by her side, tending to her every need as she gradually regained her strength.

As the clock struck midnight, Emma was taken to her room and gently laid on her bed. Her mother tucked her in, ensuring she was comfortable before leaving. 

Once the house was silent, Damien slipped inside. His movements were quiet and deliberate, his presence calming yet intense.

“Damien,” Emma whispered, her voice soft and tired as she noticed him pulling up a chair to sit beside her.

“I wanted to check on you,” he said, his voice low and steady. “And to warn you,” he added with a low husky voice.

Emma frowned, her gaze sharpening. “Warn me? About what?” She question with a squeezed face. 

Damien leaned in slightly, his expression serious. “I found where Ever usually hides her potions. You need to be very, very careful, Emma. don't ingest anything without knowing exactly what it is,” he explained.  

Emma stomach tightens at the mere thought “Do you think she will try something something again?”

“I will not put it past her,” he admitted. Then, He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial “but remember this,” he said handing it to her. 

“The party is in two days. You need to be prepared,” he reminded her.

Emma took the vial, her fingers brushing against his as she examined it. “How am I supposed to use this?”

“You’ll know when the time comes,” Damien replied, his tone firm yet mysterious. His gaze held hers for a moment, steady and reassuring. “Just trust me.”

Emma nodded, clutching the vial tightly. “I will.”