The Last ExposureDamian's POVThe soft glow of the city skyline came in through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, splashing across the table where Eliot sat. Since he read the last letter from his mother, he hadn't moved. His eyes kept going back to the box of letters from his childhood that were now all over the polished surface. I leaned against the window frame and watched him take a few deep breaths to calm down. The silence between us felt heavier than any accusation."Damian..." His voice broke the silence like a mirror. I moved closer again and put a soft hand on his wrist. He was shaking as he held the letter loosely in his hands. “This is much for me to process.”He pointed to the papers on the table, which were contracts and metadata from the scholarship files. In clean black ink, each sheet spilled shame and truth. Eliot clenched his teeth. "This contract," he said slowly. “This is where she got my signature from.”His eyes were filled with tears. Pain,
Mother’s ReturnDamian’s POVThe letter trembled in Eliot’s hands that afternoon, its envelope sealed and pristine like a secret too fragile to break. I watched him walk slowly toward me, steps hesitant, his chest tight. The sun was shining through the window in golden bars that made the moment feel holy and scary at the same time. He said in a rough voice, "This... is from her." His eyes were wide with shock.I slowly leaned forward and put my hand on his shoulder. My heart got heavy, but not with happiness. It was heavy with fear. How would he face her? He looked torn between hope and hurt. "Let me see the letter." I offered gently. He took a breath, fingers brushing over the inked name.Eliot didn’t say much while tearing open the letter; he just stared at me, confused. “She… wants to meet,” he said finally. His voice was barely steady. I swallowed and nodded. This was a delicate situation. We stood in silence as he looked over the envelope, anxiety etched in his jaw and arms
Standing ProudDamian’s POVIn the early morning, light cracked through the blinds and made long lines on the floor of the living room. My heart felt like it was on fire—like everything we had been through was beating under my ribs, ready to break. There was still fire behind my eyes from the kiss Eliot gave me yesterday: so soft, sudden, and rebellious. At that moment, I didn't feel like a son of legacy. I felt like a man who chose the truth.My phone buzzed on the table. I saw messages from friends, partners, and even strangers cheering us on coming up on the screen.. “You two are incredible,” it said. “Let love win.” I let the phone land on its back. I moved and leaned forward, clenching my shoulders. Eliot grabbed my hand and squeezed it hard. He didn't say a word. But his hand held a promise.Lila then lightly knocked and slid in smiling a moment later. She had two tea mugs in her hand. She said in a soft voice, "You two look like you have a lot on your mind." I let her
Chapter 112 – The Last TrialDamian’s POVThe air outside the funeral home felt heavier than usual, as if even the clouds felt the weight of our loss. As the hearse drove off into the crisp morning air, we could hear the trees moving along the street. My hands clutched the edge of Leo’s sleeve, knuckles turning white. Every step toward the church felt like a mile.There was silence inside the church, with soft whispers coming through the stained glass windows. The service began with hymns. The sound of voices rising in solemn unison was like generations saying goodbye. I sat between Leo and Lila, and Eliot sat on the other side. We were all rigid with sadness. When the pastor began speaking, his words felt distant, like they belonged to someone else’s ceremony.As the first speaker walked up to the podium, soft tissues were passed between us. It was a longtime friend of Maxwell's who was talking about his childhood successes and early business successes. Every time I thought about
Maxwell’s DemiseDamian’s POVThe courthouse doors shut behind me with a weight that echoed inside my chest. I was hoping for relief after Aaron was sentenced to six years in jail and more rehabilitation for fraud and illegally obtaining property. But instead, there was a hollow silence I couldn’t place. Even though the judge was being fair, it felt empty. Leo put his hand on my shoulder. “We did what we had to,” he said in a low voice. I clenched my jaw and nodded, trying to hide an ache I couldn't put my finger on.The drive back home felt oddly peaceful. The city was busy with evening life, oblivious to the chaos Edmund forces had tried to unleash. I should have felt light. Instead, every breath felt like it was a mistake. I sat beside Leo with emails open on my phone, responses I pretended to type but never sent. The world around us seemed ready to move forward. But still, I felt stuck, like I was in the air.Two days later, the ringing tone of my phone pulled me from that dead si
Aaron’s EndgameDamian’s POVThe afternoon sunlight felt deceptively serene through the penthouse windows, as if nothing dark was ever brewing. But I felt it in my chest, a soft pressure, like a pulse warning me something was wrong. I gripped the court paperwork in my hand, proof Blake’s claim had been tossed but my heart beating wouldn't stop. It felt good to win, but I knew that peace was fragile.Leo and I walked in with cautious steps, his little smile was shaky but real. The living area was warm with laughter. Eliot and Lila were curled together on the couch, huddled over a laptop. The way they smiled at each other made me feel at home.A quiet happiness spreads through me, the kind that can only be felt when you're finally with safe people.“Hey," I said softly, trying not to show how happy I was.They looked up, shocked, and then smiled when they saw me and Leo holding the file.“We won!" Leo yelled with pride in his voice. I stepped forward presenting the official ruling. Eli