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An Unannounced Visit

Author: ANGEL
last update publish date: 2026-09-20 04:33:49

Chapter 16

Damien — 3rd Person

Damien didn't need to turn around to know who had just opened his office door without knocking. Only one person in his life had the full permission to budge into his office without considering knocking.

“Mother.”

Eleanor stood in the doorway, composed as always, dressed for a lunch appointment rather than an unannounced visit to her son's office. Still, something in the set of her shoulders told him this hadn't been on her calendar an hour ago either.

Her gaze mov
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  • WHEN THE PAST CHOSE US    Telling My Father

    Chapter 17Serena — 1st PersonI don't remember leaving Damien's office.I remember standing in the elevator with the photograph's folder pressed against my chest, my fingers wrapped tightly around the edges as if the thing inside might disappear if I loosened my grip.Thirty-two floors shouldn't have felt that long.By the time I reached my apartment, I'd rehearsed the conversation with my father a dozen different ways.None of them sounded right.There was no gentle way to say Victor Blackwood already knew about the photograph.No easy way to tell him Victor wanted him at his house on Saturday.And there was definitely no soft way to explain that Victor had specifically asked for the photograph—the one with the blurred figure standing beside my father and Eleanor.The stranger neither of us could identify.I dropped my bag beside the couch and stared at my phone.I sat on the couch, staring at my phone, wondering how much my father had known all these years already.My hands were st

  • WHEN THE PAST CHOSE US    An Unannounced Visit

    Chapter 16Damien — 3rd PersonDamien didn't need to turn around to know who had just opened his office door without knocking. Only one person in his life had the full permission to budge into his office without considering knocking.“Mother.”Eleanor stood in the doorway, composed as always, dressed for a lunch appointment rather than an unannounced visit to her son's office. Still, something in the set of her shoulders told him this hadn't been on her calendar an hour ago either.Her gaze moved from Damien to Serena, then to the folder still sitting between them. Something flickered across her face too quickly for Damien to identify before she smoothed it away.“I didn't realize you had company,” Eleanor said, in the careful tone of a woman who had realized exactly that the moment she opened the door and was now deciding what to do with the information.“Ms. Hart was just leaving,” Damien said.He didn't move to make that true.Neither did Serena.“Please. Don't let me interrupt.” E

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  • WHEN THE PAST CHOSE US    Sunday Dinner.

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