CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

 

(DAMIAN POV)

 

 

About two hours later, my car purred softly as I navigated through the  quiet residential neighborhood Alina had directed me to.

 

The houses in the area  were quite modest, lined with small lawns, and occasional rusted mailboxes.

 

 

Alina’s  house itself was humble, its white paint was fading.

Their garden had  a few blooming flowers scattered among overgrown grass.

 

It was a far cry from the opulence I was used to, and for some reason, it made me feel even more out of place.

 

As I turned off the ignition, I immediately noticed

a figure emerging from inside the house, stepping out onto the porch.

 

 My heart jolted as I looked closer, my brows lifting in recongnition.

 

It was Alina.

 

She walked with this air of quiet confidence,

 

 Her hair was neatly combed,

Her simple yet elegant blouse was  paired with fitted jeans making her natural beauty more obvious.

 

 

She was even prettier than I had imagined with my drunken eyes.

 

“Damian,” I murmured to myself, I was at loss for actual words.

 

 

 

 I locked the car behind me and walked out briskly toward her, adjusting my tie.

 

“Alina”

 

 I greeted her,

my voice calm but carrying a warmth I hadn’t intended to reveal.

 

She nodded back politely,

 “Damian.”

 

There was a slight awkwardness between us, a tension that neither of us seemed willing to address yet.

 

Finally I gestured toward the car.

 

 

 “Shall we?”

 

Her gaze shifted to my hand as I extended it,

 

She hesitated for the briefest moment before placing hers in mine.

 

 

 Her fingers were so soft, there was a strength in her touch that surprised me.

 

 

I led her carefully toward the passenger side.

When we reached the car, I opened the door for her and stepped aside.

 

 

She glanced up at me briefly, her expression unreadable, before sliding gracefully into the seat.

 

 

As I closed the door behind her and locked it, something suddenly caught my attention.

 

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed another figure hurrying out from the house.

 

 

 It was a young lady, with similar dark hair as Alina but a less striking presence.

 

 She wore a simple floral dress and sneakers, her steps tentative as she walked halfway toward us.

 

Then she froze.

 

 

 

Her wide eyes locked on me, and her face dulled visibly.

 

 She looked like she had just seen a ghost. For a moment, I thought she might say something, but instead, she abruptly turned around and ran  back into the house,

 her ponytail swinging wildly behind her.

 

 

 

I frowned, narrowing my eyes at her retreating figure.

 

 

 What the hell was that about? I glanced back at the house, but the door had already slammed shut.

 

My confusion deepened as I turned back to the car, shaking my head slightly.

 

 

Maybe it was nothing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The restaurant we later chose  was modest but elegant,

 

 

The faint aroma of freshly baked bread and roasted herbs coated the air.

 

 

Alina was  sitting across from me, her eyes scanning the menu quietly.

 

I pretended to do the same, though my attention kept wandering to her.

 

 

I could sense the slight nervousness in her movements, the way her fingers fidgeted with the edge of the menu, as she mouthed the names.

 

 

 

 

When the waitress came over, I quickly ordered

grilled salmon with a side of roasted vegetables and a glass of sparkling water.

 

Alina allowed  a brief pause before asking for chicken alfredo and  lemonade.

 

 

The waitress nodded, scribbled down our orders, and disappeared into the kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

When the food arrived, I tried to focus on the meal, cutting into the salmon and taking a deliberate bite.

 

The flavors were exquisite, but I barely noticed. Alina ate her food slowly, her eyes on her plate.

 

 

 

 

For eight long minutes, we ate in silence,

Finally, unable to stand it any longer, I set my fork down and sat up straighter, clasping my hands together on the table.

 

“Alina,”

 

I began, my voice low and hesitant.

 

She looked up, her eyes meeting mine.

 

“I’ve been thinking about what happened last night,” I said, shifting uncomfortably in my seat.

 

 

“When I saw… the bloodstains, I felt terrible. Like I had crossed a line I had no right to cross.”

 

 

My words hung in the air, heavy with the guilt I have carrying for over a day now.

 

 

 “I snuck out because I couldn’t face what I had  done. I thought I had  taken advantage of you.”

 

Her cheeks turned pink, and she looked down at her hands, twisting them nervously.

 

Then she spoke.

 

 “Damian,” she whispered.

 

. “Stop blaming yourself.”

 

I blinked twice at her, caught off guard by the firmness in her tone.

 

 

 She still didn’t look at me, she kept her eyes on her plate..

 

 

“I am not  exactly blameless,” she admitted in the same manner.

 

 

 “I drank way too much. And… yes, there was some force, but it wasn’t…”

 

She paused, her throat working as she swallowed hard.

 

 

“It wasn’t entirely one-sided. I guess the best way to describe it is… a drunken but consensual encounter.”

 

Her words landed heavily, and I didn’t know how to respond.

 

 

I watched her, the vulnerability in her posture, the way she kept avoiding my gaze.

 

 

I opened my mouth to say something….anything..

but then I froze.

 

Over her shoulder, near the entrance to the restaurant, I caught a glimpse of someone.

 

 

 A young woman. I squinted, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. She was gone in an instant, but I could’ve sworn it was the same girl I had sighted earlier at Alina’s house.

 

“Damian?” Alina’s voice pulled me back. She leaned forward slightly, her brow furrowed in concern.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

I didn’t answer right away, I was still staring at the spot where the figure had been.

 

Was I imagining things? My eyes narrowed as I scanned the room again, searching for any trace of her. I saw nothing.

 

“Damian,”

 

Alina repeated, more insistent this time.

 

I turned back to her, my confusion evident.

 

I opened my mouth to ask if she had a sister, but before the words could come out, my phone vibrated loudly on the table, interrupting the moment.

 

I looked down at the screen, and my heart skipped a beat.

 

 The name flashing on it made my stomach drop.

 

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, my fingers tightening around the phone.

 

“What’s going on?” Alina’s voice was sharper now, her eyes wide with concern.

 

“What's going on please” She repeated.