MasukChapter Two Hundred and Twenty NineHe had returned to Canada like nothing had changed.The schedule picked up immediately. Meetings, calls, decisions waiting for him the moment he stepped back into his role. The Greyson name didn’t slow down for anything, and Damien didn’t expect it to. He moved through it the same way he always had focused, composed, efficient.From the outside, there was nothing unusual about him.He sat through meetings with the same steady attention, listened more than he spoke, and when he did speak, his words were clear and direct. There was no distraction in the way he handled business, no sign that anything had shifted beneath the surface.If anything, he seemed more controlled.More precise.But quieter.Not in a way that drew immediate concern, but enough for someone who knew him well to notice.Victor did.It wasn’t something he pointed out directly. He simply observed it in the way Damien responded to things. The way he no longer lingered in conversations
Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty EightThe morning didn’t rush her out of the house.After the conversation with her father, Aria stayed seated at the table a little longer than usual, her hands wrapped loosely around her cup as the last bit of warmth faded from the tea. The house was quiet again, settled into its usual rhythm, but something inside her had shifted in a way she couldn’t ignore.She wasn’t overwhelmed.She wasn’t emotional in a way that demanded action.But she wasn’t the same either.Her father’s words hadn’t pushed her into anything. They had simply stayed, steady and clear, leaving her with something she couldn’t avoid thinking about.By the time she stood up and got ready for work, her movements were calm, almost routine. She dressed simply, tied her hair back the way she always did, and stepped out without hesitation.From the outside, nothing looked different.But inside, her thoughts were no longer scattered.They were focused.The hospital greeted her the same way
Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty SevenThe morning felt calm in a way Aria wasn’t used to anymore.Not because everything was perfect, but because nothing was rushing her. No urgent thoughts, no need to push anything aside just to get through the day. It was quiet, steady and almost gentle.She sat at the dining table across from her father, a plate of breakfast in front of her that she hadn’t touched much yet. The smell of tea filled the room, familiar and comforting, the kind of small detail that usually helped her settle into her day.But today, she wasn’t thinking about work.Her fingers rested loosely around the spoon in her hand, her gaze lowered slightly as if she was gathering her thoughts before speaking. She had been quiet since she came into the room, and her father had noticed. He always did.He didn’t interrupt her immediately. He simply watched her for a moment, his expression calm, patient, waiting for her to speak when she was ready.And she was.“Dad… there’s something
Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty SixThe ride back home felt longer than usual.Aria sat by the window of the taxi, her gaze fixed on the passing streets, but she wasn’t really seeing them. The city moved like it always did—cars passing, people crossing, life continuing without pause—but none of it settled her the way it normally would.She wasn’t restless.She wasn’t overwhelmed.But her mind wasn’t quiet either.It moved slowly, carefully, like it was trying to understand something it had avoided for too long.By the time the taxi stopped in front of her building, she barely noticed how long the ride had taken. She paid the driver, stepped out, and walked inside without hesitation, her movements steady, her expression unchanged.Everything about her looked the same.But inside, something had already started shifting.Her apartment greeted her with the same calm it always did. Clean. Organized. Predictable. The kind of space she had built for herself after everything had fallen apart.
Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty FiveThe plane had already taken off by the time Damien finally allowed himself to settle into the quiet.Not the kind that came from absence.The kind that came when there was nothing left to do.No decisions to make. No conversations waiting. No room to turn back.Just time.He sat by the window, his seat slightly reclined, one hand resting loosely against the armrest while the other stayed still on his lap. The low hum of the aircraft filled the space around him, steady and consistent, almost enough to drown out everything else.Almost.Outside, the sky stretched endlessly, clouds layered beneath them like something distant and untouched. He wasn’t really looking at anything in particular, but his gaze stayed there anyway.Still.Focused.Not because he was trying to escape his thoughts.But because he wasn’t avoiding them either.For the first time in a long while, he let everything come as it was.No resistance.No defense.Just honesty.Minnesota h
Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty FourAria didn’t make the decision all at once.It didn’t come like urgency or panic or some sudden rush of emotion she couldn’t control. It came slowly, building through the quiet moments she couldn’t ignore anymore. The way her father’s words had stayed with her. The way the memory of that evening kept replaying—not what she said, but how quickly she had said it. How certain she had been, without giving him space to speak.She had gone to bed that night thinking it would pass.It didn’t.The next morning, she told herself to focus on work. Patients, reports, schedules—things that made sense, things she could control. And she did. She showed up the way she always did. Steady. Composed. Reliable.But somewhere in between conversations and consultations, her mind kept drifting back to him.Not the version she had known before.Not the man who had hurt her.The one she saw now.The one who didn’t argue.The one who didn’t push.The one who had simply… left
Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-SixBy the time they arrived in Canada, Damien had exhausted himself from shouting Clara’s name. It didn’t matter. No amount of pleading changed anything. The convoy split the moment they left the airport grounds. Clara was taken elsewhere, dropped off at her own pla
Chapter Eighty SixThe double doors swung open, and Aria’s stomach dropped like someone had punched her.Damien came through first carried between two security guys, his arms hanging loose, head tilted sideways like it was too heavy to hold up anymore. His eyes were shut. Lips parted just enough to
---Chapter NinetyThe private jet touched down smoothly, the wheels rolling against the runway with a muted screech. No cheers. No excitement. Just the soft hum of the engines winding down, the click of seatbelts releasing.Aria remained in her seat, hands tightly clutching her bag. She didn’t spe
Chapter Eighty-TwoTwo weeks Later Same space. Same routine.She moved slowly, careful with every step, like her body no longer trusted her. The sickness had started days ago. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just sudden waves that came without warning. She would bend over the sink, throw up quietly, rinse







