Chapter 10

THE NEXT MORNING ~ DAMON'S ROOM

Morning sunlight streamed into the luxurious bedroom through sheer curtains, spilling warmth across the king-sized bed.

Damon opened his eyes slowly, his arm tightening instinctively around something soft and warm. His brows furrowed.

He looked down , only to see Selena sleeping next to him.

She was curled up against his chest like a kitten, her cheek resting on his broad shoulder, and one of her hand gripping his shirt like a lifeline.

A small, peaceful frown sat on her face, as if even in sleep she was still running from fear.

He didn’t move, he simply raised his hand and smoothed her eyebrows. Last night he had left his room door unlocked cause he had the feeling that she might have nightmares and need someone by her side.

And here she was, Right where he expected her to be.

She stirred softly, mumbling something in her sleep.

“Please… don’t push me…”

Damon’s heart twisted.He brushed a gentle hand across her hair, calming her without a word.

She relaxed into his touch, her breathing evening out again. Damon watched her in silence, struggling with a strange pull in his chest.

Just then, Ivy’s eyes blinked open.

They widened the moment she realized where she was!! in Damon’s bed. Clutching him. Practically on top of him.

She gasped, trying to pull away, but his arm held her still.

“You’re awake ” he said in a low, husky voice.

“I-I’m sorry ” she stammered, avoiding his gaze. “I… I had a nightmare, I didn’t know where else to go ”

“ it's fine, I left the door open on purpose ” he said.

She blinked, startled. “You… did?”

He nodded once. “I figured you might come after everything that happened, I didn’t expect you to sleep peacefully ”

Her lips parted in surprise but she didn't say anything.

She sat up slowly, hugging her pillow as her cheeks pink.

“Thank you ” she whispered and he chuckled and Pat her hair.

“ You can come and sleep with anything you want Doll I will always have a space in my bed for you ” he muttered then stood up and went to the bathroom.

Ivy sat on the bed feeling flustered by Damon's words and care.

RANDY’S PENTHOUSE

Hazel groaned as her eyes fluttered open. Her mouth was dry, and her head pounded like someone was drilling her skull.

She sat up slowly, confusion washing over her.

Where was she?!!

She looked around the unfamiliar room. Big windows. Gold accents. A designer rug. She was in a stranger’s bed wearing a shirt that definitely wasn’t hers.

“WHAT THE—?!”

The door opened.

Randy walked in, holding a glass of orange juice.

“Morning ” He said casually, and dropped the glass of orange juice on the bed stand table.

Hazel gasped and yanked the covers up to her chest. “Who the hell are you?! What did you do to me?!”

He raised a brow. “Relax, I didn’t touch you You were completely out of it, so I brought you here to sleep it off ” He explained.

She stared at him, trying to remember.

Then flashbacks hit her like a wave.

She remembered getting drunk and leaving the bar with Randy and how she screamed and embarrassed herself.

“Oh my God, I did all that” she groaned, covering her face.

Randy smirked. “ Yeah , You screamed in public that I was trying to kidnap you, challenged me to a race, and fell into my arms twice.........”

“stop talking about it and also who gave you the right to change my clothes creep!!! ” Hazel cuts him off.

“What ? Did I do bad ? ” he asked with a smirk.

“You creep!! I am going to kill you!!! ” she yelled and jumped off the bed and pounced on Randy , she started pulling his hair.

“Calm down wildcat I didn't change you my female friend did , I swear!!! ”he screamed and Hazel finally lets go of his hair.

“Where are my clothes ?” she asked.

"Inside the bathroom " Randy said and pointed at the bathroom.

She went inside the bathroom and locked the door from outside, Randy stood on the same spot with a baffled smile on his face.

LEAH'S APARTMENT

The kitchen was hot and quiet except for the soft clatter of plates as Leah washed the last of the dishes. Her back ached, her hands sore from hours of cleaning, and the smell of lemon-scented disinfectant clung to her clothes. She moved carefully, afraid of making a single sound that might set Daniel off.

Daniel had become more difficult and cranky than usual ever since he gotten beaten up by an unknown person on his way home.

He was on the couch again like always ,feet up, with a can of beer in his hand, his eyes glued to the TV.

“You didn’t vacuum in here, did you?” Daniel called out without looking at her.

“I did, earlier this morning,” Leah said softly, drying her hands on a towel as she stepped out of the kitchen.

“Then it was a lousy job,” he muttered. “This place still looks like shit ”

Leah didn’t respond. She just turned away, blinking back tears as she quietly reached for the mop.

The front door slammed open, jolting her, and Daniel’s mother swept into the house like a storm heels clicking, perfume too sharp, lips pulled tight in a permanent scowl. In her grip was little Luis, their four-year-old daughter, sobbing quietly as she was practically dragged inside.

Leah froze.

Daniel’s mother shoved the child forward. “Here,take your little crybaby ”she snapped

Leah rushed forward, her heart dropping. “Luis? Baby, what happened?”

Luis clung to her, hiding her face in Leah’s stomach as she wept.

“She tripped,” Daniel’s mother said with a disgusted shake of her head. “Over nothing. She’s soft just like you. I’m telling you, Daniel, you should’ve married someone stronger. Maybe then you’d have a son by now ”

Leah blinked, stunned.

“She’s four,” she whispered. “She’s just a child…”

“A weak child!” Daniel's mom barked. “You gave birth to a daughter. One who cries over a scratch. That’s what you’ve contributed to this family. No son. No strength, Just weakness ”

Daniel didn’t defend her. He didn’t even look up from his phone.

Leah felt her throat tighten as she knelt and gently examined Luis’s scraped knee, whispering comforting words. But inside, her soul felt like it was caving in. She didn’t just feel small, she felt invisible.

And the worst part?

She wasn’t even surprised.

Leah held Luis close and walked out of the living room , away from Daniel’s silence and his mother’s cruel eyes. Her daughter’s soft sniffles echoed in her ears like gunshots. She pushed open the bedroom door and gently laid Luis on the bed, brushing her curly hair from her face.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” she murmured, grabbing the first-aid kit from the nightstand. “Mommy’s here ”

Luis winced slightly as Leah cleaned the scrape, but she didn’t cry this time. She was trying to be brave. Leah kissed her temple, feeling her heart twist. A child this small shouldn't have to learn strength this way.

As she placed a bandage gently over Luis’s knee, her hands stilled.

Her mind drifted unwillingly, uncontrollably.

Back to the past, Back to college.Back to when Daniel wasn't like this.

FLASHBACK

It was raining that night. They had just left the library, soaked from the downpour but laughing like kids. Daniel had held her hand as they ran beneath the flickering streetlights, then suddenly stopped near the old benches outside the campus chapel.

He knelt right there in the rain, no ring, no crowd, no speech just him, with that crooked smile that used to make her stomach flip.

“I don’t have anything fancy,” he had said, voice cracking with emotion. “No money, no car, no future mapped out. But I love you, Leah. More than anything. Will you be mine… forever?”

She had laughed through tears and thrown her arms around him. “Of course, Daniel,” she whispered, her heart thudding like a drum. “You’re all I need ”

Back then, he was everything.

He brought her lunch when she forgot to eat. Stayed up all night helping her cram for finals. He would text her cheesy good morning messages and trace hearts into her palm when they held hands. He made her feel safe.

He made her feel loved but now she feels now is pain and regret, she hated herself for being naive.

FLASHBACK OVER

A tear slid down Leah’s cheek before she even realized it.

She blinked out of the memory and looked down at Luis,who was now dozing peacefully in her lap. She stroked her daughter's hair and whispered, “He used to be kind, He used to love and cherish me ”

But something had changed.

Daniel didn’t become a monster overnight. It was slow ,subtle at first. The missed dates. The ignored texts. The sharp tone when she questioned him. The shift from lover to stranger.

Then came the insults.

Then the control.

Then… the silence and beating whenever he gets angry or things doesn't go his way .

Leah wiped her tears and tucked Luis beneath the blanket, her fingers trembling slightly.

She had thought of escaping several times but she had no money to care for her and Luis , her salary were mostly used to pay the debt Daniel had caused due to his gambling addiction.

And whatever remains of the money is used to buy foodstuff and pay the house rent and every other bill.

"Leah , do you want me to starve to death come and serve me!!! " Daniel's mother's voice came from downstairs but Leah ignored her and remained by her daughter's side