Chapter Two

I stand frozen in the living room. The phone lies on the floor where it dropped. My mind feels empty. My father has been shot. The words keep repeating inside my head but they do not feel real.

Damien steps closer. His face looks serious now. “Lila, what did she say exactly?”

I bend down and pick up the phone. My hands shake so much I almost drop it again. “She said come to the hospital now. He has been shot.” My voice sounds small and far away.

For a second Damien says nothing. Then he moves fast. “Get your bag. I will drive you.”

I want to tell him no. I want to say I can go alone. But my legs feel weak and the hospital is far. Liam’s safety comes first. “Liam,” I whisper.

Damien nods once. “I will call my mother. She can stay with him. Go change into proper clothes. We leave in two minutes.”

I walk to my room like a robot. I pull on jeans and a simple top. My chest feels tight. My father is strict and cold most of the time but he is still my father. The thought of losing him makes my eyes burn with tears. I wipe them away quickly. I cannot break down now.

When I come out Damien already has his keys. Liam stands beside him with wide eyes. “Mom, is Grandpa okay?”

I pull him into a tight hug. “I do not know yet sweetheart. But I will call you as soon as I know something. Be good for Grandma.”

Liam nods but his small hands hold me longer than usual. Damien watches us quietly. For once his eyes do not look cold. They look worried.

His mother arrives fast. She gives me a small nod but says nothing. Damien and I walk out to his car. The drive to the hospital feels endless. The city lights pass by in a blur. I keep my hands pressed together in my lap so he cannot see them shake.

Damien drives fast but carefully. After ten minutes he speaks. “Your father is strong. He will be fine.”

I stare out the window. “You do not have to say that. You never liked him anyway.”

He stays quiet for a moment. “That does not mean I want him dead Lila.”

I close my eyes. Nine years of marriage and this is the first time he says something almost kind. It feels too late. Everything feels too late.

We reach the hospital. The emergency area is bright and noisy. I run inside and see my mother sitting in the waiting room. Her face looks pale and her eyes are red from crying. Victoria sits beside her. My sister. Damien’s first love.

Victoria stands up when she sees us. Her eyes go straight to Damien. For a second something soft passes over her face. Then she looks at me. “Lila. They took him to surgery. Someone shot him outside his office. The police are here too.”

I feel like the floor moves under me. “Shot? Who would shoot him?”

Mom shakes her head. “We do not know. He had many enemies in business. Your father never trusted easily.”

I sit down beside her and hold her hand. It feels cold. Victoria keeps glancing at Damien. He stands a little away with his arms crossed. His jaw is tight. I can see the muscles move. He looks like he wants to say something but holds back.

Time passes slowly. Every minute feels like an hour. I think about all the fights I had with my father. He was angry when I got pregnant at eighteen. He pushed me to marry Damien even when it was clear Damien did not want me. Now he might die and I feel guilty for every harsh word between us.

A doctor finally comes out. We all stand up at once.

“The surgery went well,” the doctor says. “The bullet missed major organs but he lost a lot of blood. He is stable for now but we are keeping him in intensive care. You can see him one at a time for a few minutes.”

Relief washes over me so strong that my knees almost give out. Mom goes in first. Then Victoria. When it is my turn I walk into the room slowly.

My father looks small in the big hospital bed. Tubes are everywhere. His face is pale. I sit on the chair beside him and take his hand.

“I am sorry,” I whisper even though he cannot hear me. “For everything. Please wake up so we can talk.”

Tears fall down my cheeks. I do not wipe them. For the first time in years I let myself cry without hiding.

I stay there until the nurse tells me time is up. When I walk back to the waiting room Damien is still there. He did not leave. Victoria stands close to him talking in a low voice. She touches his arm for a second. The sight makes my stomach twist even now.

Damien looks up and meets my eyes. He steps away from Victoria and comes toward me. “How is he?”

“Stable,” I answer. My voice cracks. “He looks bad but the doctor says he will make it.”

Damien nods. Then he does something I do not expect. He lifts his hand and gently wipes a tear from my cheek with his thumb. His touch feels warm. For a moment I forget how to breathe.

“You should go home and rest,” he says quietly. “I can stay here if you want.”

I step back. His kindness hurts more than his coldness. “Why are you doing this Damien? You hate me. You said it yourself.”

He looks at me for a long time. Something changes in his grey eyes. “I do not know anymore.”

Before I can answer my phone rings. It is Sophia. I answer quickly.

“Lila? I just heard about your dad. I am coming to the hospital right now.”

“Thank you,” I whisper. I need my best friend. I need someone who is truly on my side.

I end the call and look back at Damien. Victoria watches us from a few steps away. Her face looks tight.

The air feels heavy with things we cannot say. My father is alive but everything else in my life feels broken. And for the first time Damien is looking at me like he sees me. Really sees me.

I am scared of what that means.

Because I am done being second choice. But my heart still races when he stands this close.