Freedom

You just made the right choice,” Damien said calmly.

He walked toward Ethan and extended his hand.

Ethan stared at it. His eyes lingered on Damien’s hand, hesitation filling him at first.Slowly, Ethan reached out. His hand was weak as he placed it in Damien’s whose grip was strong and without hesitation pulled him up.The moment Ethan stood, his legs trembled violently beneath him. His body, weakened by torture and starvation, could barely support his weight. He staggered slightly, nearly collapsing, but Damien’s hand remained on him, holding him steady.

Damien’s cold eyes scanned him briefly, observing his fragile state. His gaze dropped to Ethan’s trembling legs, and his expression hardened slightly.

“You’ll slow me down,” Damien said.

Before Ethan could react, Damien stepped forward and lifted him effortlessly.

Ethan froze instantly, shock flooding his face. Embarrassment burned through him as he realized he was being carried.

“W-what are you doing?” Ethan asked weakly, his voice filled with disbelief.

Damien didn’t look at him.

“Saving time,” he replied coldly.

Ethan’s face burned with humiliation. He avoided Damien’s eyes, his fingers curling slightly against his shirt.

“Don’t worry… I can walk,” Ethan said quietly. “You don’t have to.”

Damien ignored him completely and continued walking.

When they reached the door, it opened immediately. The guards outside froze the moment they saw Damien Blackwood carrying Ethan Vale in his arms. Shock filled their faces, but none of them dared to speak. None of them dared to question him Damien Blackwood except they were wishing for death.

Damien walked past them without slowing down, they got to the car and Damien dropped him inside. Ethan heaved a sigh of relief a breath from the embarrassment he just had to go through. As the car started , he looked at the prison one last time, thinking he was going to make sure he was never going to come back here, no matter what it takes.

They got to the car by night. As they were in the car, Ethan realized that Damien was a really busy person; he was making calls and all and working. He didn't even notice when they got to the house; it was the driver that reminded him, "Boss, we've arrived."

Damien looked up and realized they'd gotten home. Ethan looked at the magnificent house that stood tall in front of him; it was very beautiful, it screamed wealth. When they got inside, there was a contrast to the beauty. The inside was full—the curtains were grey and black. Ethan felt this represented Damien very well.

As they entered inside, Ethan, who was assisted by the driver, saw a trail of men inside. Their heads were bowed, greeting Damien, "Welcome, boss." A man walked towards Damien and collected his laptop and suitcase from him. He greeted him, and Damien nodded and just went upstairs, leaving Ethan downstairs.

Ethan was confused in what to do. The man who took Damien's bag was looking at Ethan; Ethan could feel his gaze. The man walked to him and stretched out his hand. "You must be Ethan Vale. Nice to meet you, I'm Elijah, Damien's Assistant."

Ethan managed to shake his hand with the remaining strength he had. He then introduced those men as the housekeepers; Ethan was surprised that these huge men were housekeepers that looked more like bouncers. After that, Elijah instructed the driver to take him to a room upstairs for him to freshen up.

Ethan was taken upstairs to a room. He was nervous, as he thought he'd be sharing the same room as Damien, but when they reached, he realized he wouldn't. He was grateful for that. After the driver left Ethan in the room, he left shortly after. Ethan was left alone in the room. He first sat on the bed, as he couldn't remember the last time he had felt a bed before. He felt dirty, as the bed was neat and he was covered with blood and he was sure he was stinking; he wondered how Damien carried him without throwing him from the smell in his body.

As he was struggling to remove his prison shirt, the door opened and someone entered. Ethan was lost in his frustration to remove the clothes, but he couldn't because his injuries had affected his other arm. He was surprised when he heard a voice say, "Let me help you."

He looked back quickly and was shocked to see an old woman staring at him with a smile. He was speechless, as he thought that as the rumors said, "Damien hated women and never allows women near him," then who was she?

The old woman moved closer. She dropped the tray of food she brought on the bed as she moved closer to help Ethan. Ethan looked at her and asked her, "Who are you, please?"

The woman smiled and said, "I'm the head maid here, child. You can call me Anna."

Ethan managed to form a smile back at her. Anna told him, "I must say you're really beautiful, child, with your golden hair. It's unique."

Ethan felt shocked she called him beautiful and she wasn't scared, as she didn't seem affected by the blood on his body or the prison uniform he wore that clearly stated Metropolis Prison. He said, "Thank you, ma'am."

Anna smiled and came closer to him, helping him to remove his clothes. She saw the whip marks on his body. She touched it; Ethan hissed in pain. She said out of anger, "People are really heartless. How could they do such a thing to a poor boy like you?"

Ethan was surprised she considered him a "poor boy" and didn't think maybe he deserved it. She finished and helped him to bandage his wounds. The way she treated him carefully, asking him if he was in pain as she did it, it made Ethan emotional as she reminded him of his mother; she cared about him the same way.

Back in Damien's study room, he was treating some files when a knock was heard on his door. He said, "Enter."

Elijah entered and saw Damien working. He came to him and stood in silence. Damien looked up at him through his reading glasses and said, "Speak."

Elijah came to report, "Sir, the Vale boy has been taken to his room."

Damien said, "Hmmm. Have you called Dr. Richard to treat him?"

Elijah replied, "Not yet, sir. I was waiting for your orders."

Damien said, "Then do that now."

Elijah said, "Yes, sir." He was about to leave when he stopped in his tracks. He said, "Sir, I have a question."

Damien looked at him, giving him the signal to speak.

Elijah said, "Sir, are you sure he can do what you want?"

Damien said, "Yes, I'm sure. Why do you think so?"

Elijah said, remembering the image of Ethan his delicate skin, his weak hands when he shook him. He was practically weak; the only thing he had was a pretty face. He said, "Sir, he appears too weak for a job like that."

Damien said, "I see. He is weak, but he's a Vale and I'm going to use that".After Elijah left the study room, the silence in the room felt heavy. Damien's cold expression finally cracked. He reached out, his hand trembling slightly, and picked a picture of a woman up. He stared at her face for a long time, his eyes filled with a dark, painful longing.

He held the frame so tight his knuckles turned white, and he said, "I'll make them pay for what they did to you."