The room went dead quiet after Chairman Cruz shouted. It was the kind of silence that made it hard to breathe. Everyone at the table watched Damien, waiting to see if he would obey or blow up. He was known for always causing trouble, and they expected the same today, especially with the chairman looking so angry.“Damien, don’t do anything reckless… The chairman’s already furious,” Gilbert said carefully.Damien didn’t turn around. He simply stood there, one hand slipping into his coat pocket as if the warning meant nothing. His lips curled faintly, that dangerous smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth."You’re not letting me leave?” His voice was quiet, almost playful as if they were all throwing jokes around. Slowly, he looked over his shoulder at his father. "And how exactly do you plan to stop me?"Chairman Cruz’s jaw tightened. He snapped his fingers, and almost immediately, four guards stationed by the door stepped forward, blocking Damien’s path. Their broad frames filled t
Damien leaned back in his chair, watching their faces as if they were strangers rather than family. The room was too quiet until Gilbert broke it, his voice strained."Can’t you be reasonable for once?" He said through clenched teeth.Damien didn’t answer right away. He tilted his head, eyes cold, waiting for the lecture he knew was coming. Weren’t these people too familiar, their lines too predictable?Eleanor stepped in next, her voice softer but no less insistent. “I know you’re angry at me and your father… but can’t you at least respect the fact that he’s getting old? He doesn’t need the stress of a grown son refusing him at every turn."Damien almost laughed, feeling the word respect dangled in the air like a joke told at the wrong time. Finally, he let out a short chuckle, one that grew into a louder, sharper laugh."Respect?" His voice dripped with disbelief, and the sound alone made Chairman Cruz stiffen in his seat. The old man’s face darkened, and he began coughing again. El
Damien walked into the living room and found Lyriel already there. She looked up at him, her eyes quickly running over his outfit."Are you going somewhere?" she asked, curiously.Damien nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Seems like they already found out I’m back. My dad just called… he wants me home."An "oh" slipped from Lyriel’s lips before she could stop herself.He tilted his head at her expression. "What’s that? You don’t want me to go?" He asked. "I could stay, you know. But… it might come with consequences later." His eyes twinkled with mischief as he said it.Lyriel quickly shook her head. "Of course not. You should go see your dad."Damien stepped closer, catching her wrist gently and pulling her into his arms. He held her tightly, his chin resting briefly against her hair as he held her to himself. "Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to rush back here the moment I’m done," he murmured.She nodded against his chest, her lips curling into a soft smile. He pulled back jus
When they stepped out of the airport, a sleek black car was already waiting for them. Beside it stood Finn, Damien’s late mother’s secretary. He bowed slightly before moving forward to take their luggage."Welcome back, Joven señor," Finn greeted politely, his Spanish accent clear in every syllable."Don’t be so formal," Damien muttered as he opened the door for Lyriel. She stepped in quietly, and Damien followed. Soon, the car pulled away, leaving behind the airport’s noise and crowd.Lyriel sat by the window, watching the streets of Mexico roll past. The air, the buildings, even the faint smell in the breeze stirred up memories she thought she had buried. Her chest tightened painfully.Damien noticed her silence. "Is something on your mind?" He asked gently.She forced a small smile. “It’s just… been a long time. I think I was about ten the last time I was here.”“You’ve been to Mexico before?” He asked.She nodded slowly. “Yes, I was still a kid then. This is where I lost both of
Lyriel came running, her breaths uneven and her eyes red—not from the run, but from the fear of losing him. She knew that if he left now, she wouldn’t see him again for years.She stopped just a few steps away from Damien, her voice trembling slightly."You really thought I wouldn’t come? After everything we’ve been through together?" Her lips quivered as she fought back the tears. "And you were going to leave without me? Aren’t you too cruel?"The tension in Damien’s shoulders finally loosened. A broken chuckle slipped from him, though his voice sounded dry and tired. "You’re late.""Better late than never," Lyriel shot back, lifting her chin stubbornly. But the tears in her eyes betrayed her. She stepped closer, voice cracking, "Next time… if you even dare think of leaving me again, I swear I’ll never forgive you and it will be the end… for both of us."Her words hit him hard… Could he really live without her? No way. Damien slowly reached forward, his fingers brushing against her
“Come on, Lyriel, why are you crying like you dreamed I died?” Lorenzo joked softly, trying to lighten her mood.But his words only made her cry harder. She hugged him tighter, shaking her head."Please… never leave me again, alright? It would be so hard to live without you," she whispered between hiccups.Lorenzo gently pulled away from the hug so he could look at her face. He used both hands to wipe away her tears, his heart softening at how fragile she looked."I’m not going anywhere anymore," he promised quietly. "I’m sorry for leaving back then… especially at the moment you chose to stand against me your only family and continued seeing that Victor..." Lyriel sniffled, pressing her lips together. Of course, he wouldn’t understand what she truly meant, not about her memories of the past, not about the pain she had already lived through back then. But that didn’t matter. She didn’t need him to understand, she just needed to save him this time.She turned slowly toward the doctor,