Chapter 5

We stepped out of the café, and Damian held a big umbrella over both of us, making sure every drop of rain fell only on his side, never touching me. Just that small act already felt so different—Ethan never even bothered to wait for me when it rained before, let alone share an umbrella or keep me dry. He would always walk ahead, leaving me to run after him while I got soaked, carrying all the bags myself.

A sleek black car pulled up right in front of us immediately, and Damian opened the passenger door for me, holding it open until I was safely seated inside. The car was warm, clean, and smelled like fresh pine and expensive cologne—nothing like the old car Ethan drove, which always smelled like cigarette smoke and cheap perfume I later realized belonged to Clara.

As Damian got into the driver’s seat, I twisted my hands nervously in my lap. “Damian… are you sure about this? You said I’d have my own place, my own job… all of this costs so much money. I haven’t even worked for you yet, and you’re already spending so much on me. What if I turn out to be bad at the job? What if I can’t pay you back?”

He started the engine and glanced at me with that soft, patient smile I was already starting to love seeing. “Chesca, how many times do I have to tell you? You don’t owe me anything. And I have no doubt you’ll be amazing at your job. Do you know why?”

“Why?” I asked quietly.

“Because you care,” he answered simply, turning onto the main road. “Most people work just to get paid. They do the bare minimum, they don’t care if things are right or wrong, they don’t care if people are happy or not. But you? You care about everything you do. Even when you were selling flowers, you arranged them perfectly, you spoke kindly to everyone, you made sure every bouquet looked beautiful. Even when you were cleaning, you scrubbed every corner until it was spotless, like it was your own home. That kind of heart and dedication is something money can’t buy. That’s what I need in my company, and that’s what you bring.”

I felt my eyes getting wet again, but this time from happiness, not pain. “No one has ever said things like that to me. Ethan always told me I was too soft, too careful, that I wasted too much time on things that ‘didn’t matter’. He said I was too simple, too ordinary…”

Damian reached over and gently took my hand in his, his grip warm and firm. “Ethan was a fool. He looked at you and saw nothing but what he thought he could get from you, and when he got used to having you, he stopped seeing your value entirely. He doesn’t understand that the things he called ‘simple’ and ‘ordinary’ are actually the most precious things a person can have. Kindness, loyalty, a heart that loves fully and honestly—those are rare, Chesca. You are rare.”

We drove in comfortable silence for a few more minutes, until the car pulled up in front of a quiet, clean building, far away from the busy streets where I used to work and live. It looked modern, safe, and peaceful, nothing like the crowded dormitory I had stayed in for weeks.

Damian got out and opened my door again, leading me inside to the second floor, stopping in front of a door with a small golden number on it. He pulled out a set of keys and handed them to me.

“Here we are,” he said softly. “This is yours.”

I took the keys with trembling hands and unlocked the door, stepping inside slowly. My breath caught in my throat. It was beautiful—small, but bright and clean, with big windows that let in plenty of light, a soft sofa, a neat bed, a small kitchen fully stocked with food and drinks, even fresh flowers in a vase on the table. Everything was ready, everything was perfect.

I turned to look at him, tears already spilling down my cheeks. “Damian… this is… this is too much. I can’t accept all of this. It’s too nice, too expensive…”

He closed the door behind us and leaned against the wall gently, watching me with understanding eyes. “Why not? You deserve a good place to rest, Chesca. You deserve to sleep in a soft bed, to have enough food to eat, to live somewhere safe and warm. After everything you went through, don’t you think you’ve earned this?”

“But I have nothing to give you in return!” I said, my voice shaking. “Ethan always made me feel like everything he gave me was a favor, like I owed him everything, like I had to work twice as hard just to be worthy of a roof over my head. He would always say things like ‘I bought this house for you, I pay for everything you have’, like every meal I ate or every dress I wore was a debt I had to pay back with my obedience and my love. And now you’re giving me all of this… and you don’t want anything?”

Damian walked over to me, gently wiping the tears from my face with his thumb, his touch so soft and careful it made my heart ache. “Listen to me carefully, Chesca. There is a big difference between Ethan and me. Ethan gave you things because he wanted to own you. He gave you things so he could hold them over your head, so he could make you feel like you were nothing without him, like you were lucky he even bothered to take care of you. That is not love, that is not kindness—that is control.”

He paused, looking deep into my eyes, his voice sincere and steady. “I give you these things because I respect you. Because I see your worth, and I believe you deserve to be treated well. This apartment is not a gift to make you owe me. It is a place for my employee to live comfortably, so you can focus on your work and not worry about anything else. Everything here is yours, no strings attached. If tomorrow you decide you don’t want to work for me anymore, if you decide you want to go somewhere else, you can take the keys and leave, or stay, whatever you want. You never owe me anything. You are free here, Chesca. Always.”

I leaned against him, tired and overwhelmed but so incredibly happy, resting my head against his chest. For weeks I had been cold, hungry, scared, and alone… and now, suddenly, I had everything I needed, and someone who treated me like I mattered more than anything.

“Why are you so good to me?” I whispered. “I was just a stranger on the street a few hours ago. Most people wouldn’t even spare me a second glance.”

Damian wrapped his arms around me gently, holding me like he was holding something precious. “I told you. I saw you long before today. I saw you when no one else did. And honestly? I think the universe sent me to you that day. Maybe it was fate. Maybe you needed someone to save you, and maybe… I needed someone like you too.”

I pulled back slightly to look at his face, curious. “You needed me? Damian, you have everything—money, a good job, respect from everyone. What could you possibly need from someone like me?”

He smiled, a little sad this time, but still warm. “I’ve spent years surrounded by people who only care about what I can give them. People who smile at me because they want money, or connections, or favors. Everyone around me wears a mask, everyone has an agenda. But you… you are real. You are honest, kind, genuine. You don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Even when you had nothing, you still shared what little you had with others. Even when people hurt you, you never became bitter or cruel. That is something I have been looking for my whole life. Someone real.”

He took my hand and led me to sit on the soft sofa, sitting right next to me but keeping a respectful distance, like he knew I still needed time to get used to everything.

“Chesca, I know you are scared,” he said softly. “I know trusting someone again after what Ethan did is hard. You think that if you let someone close, they will hurt you, use you, or throw you away again. And I can’t promise you that nothing bad will ever happen, or that things will always be easy. But I can promise you this: I will never lie to you. I will never betray you. I will never make you feel small, or ordinary, or like you are not enough. And no matter what happens, I will always be on your side.”

I took a deep breath and looked around the room—this small, beautiful place that was finally mine. For so long I thought I would never have anything of my own again, that I would always be just the ex-wife, the woman everyone judged, the woman who lost everything. But right now, sitting here with Damian, I realized I had gained something far better than anything I lost.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice clear and strong. “Thank you for trusting me, for believing in me, for giving me a second chance. I promise you, Damian… I will work hard. I will prove that you didn’t make a mistake helping me. I will show everyone—especially Ethan—that I am not nothing. That I am worth so much more than he ever saw.”

Damian smiled, proud and happy, and squeezed my hand. “I know you will. And whenever you are ready… we will face everything together. Ethan, the rumors, the judgment, everything. You don’t have to fight alone anymore.”

He stood up and walked towards the door, turning back to look at me one last time. “Rest tonight. Sleep well, eat well, do whatever you want. Tomorrow morning, I’ll come pick you up at eight o’clock to go to the office. Okay?”

“Okay,” I answered, smiling from ear to ear.

After he left and closed the door behind him, I walked around the apartment, touching everything gently like I was scared it would disappear. I went to the big window and looked outside, at the city lights glowing in the distance. Somewhere out there was Ethan, probably living it up with Clara, telling everyone lies about me, thinking I was suffering and miserable.

But as I sat down on my soft bed and pulled the warm blanket over me, I smiled to myself. He was wrong. He thought leaving him was the end of my life. But it wasn’t. It was just the beginning. And with Damian by my side… I knew I was going to be okay. Better than okay. I was going to be happy again.