Chapter 5

AVA’S POV

I felt so weak and emotional inside, but I fought with everything I had not to break down in front of him. I pulled myself together, looked straight into Damien's eyes, and made sure every bit of my anger came out in my voice;

"I don't care about you anymore, Damien!" I yelled, my voice full of bitterness. "I don't care what happens to you! If you want to die right now, then die! I don't give a damn! Go far away and never come back into my life again! You mean absolutely nothing to me!"

Damien flinched slightly, but I did not stop. I stepped closer to him, letting him hear every single word clearly.

"Do you really think I came here for you?" I shouted, laughing bitterly. "The only reason I stepped foot into this cursed house was because of my son! That is the only reason! And first thing tomorrow morning, when the sun comes up, Lucas and I are leaving this place for good!"

Damien opened his mouth, his eyes wide as he tried to speak. "Ava, please, just listen to me for one minute...”

"Shut up!" I screamed, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence. I raised my hand, shocked and exhausted, not wanting to hear a single lie from his lips ever again. "Do not say another word to me! Keep your mouth shut! I don't want to hear anything from you ever again! Just get out! Leave this room right now!"

Damien stood there, locked in place. He stared at me for a few long, agonizing minutes, looking like he wanted to reach out, but my sharp gaze held him back. Finally, he let out a quiet sigh, turned around, and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

The moment the latch clicked shut, Lucas stirred on the bed. The sound of our voices had pulled him out of his sleep. I took a deep breath, wiped my face quickly, and walked over to him. I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his small body tightly into my arms.

"Everything is okay, baby," I whispered softly, doing my best to ensure my voice stayed calm. "Everything is going to be okay. Mommy is right here."

Lucas wrapped his tiny arms around my neck, holding onto me tightly. He pulled back slightly, rubbing his sleepy eyes with his little fists, and looked up at me. "Mommy," he asked in a small, confused voice, "are we in our own house? This place feels so peaceful and quiet."

His words hit me straight in the heart. I was completely shocked that he thought this dark, cursed house felt peaceful compared to what we had been through. But I kept my face soft.

"We are going to go somewhere even more peaceful than this place, okay?" I promised him, kissing his soft cheek. "A really nice place where it will just be you and me."

"Okay, Mommy," he murmured, his eyes already closing again.

I patted his back gently, humming a low song until his breathing turned slow and steady. Soon, he was fast asleep in my arms again.

The next morning, the very second I opened my eyes, one frantic thought consumed my mind, we had to run away right now.

I gently lifted my sleeping son into my arms, held him close against my chest, and carefully stepped toward the bedroom door. I turned the handle softly, pulled the door open, and took a step outside.

My heart dropped right into my stomach.

Standing right in the hallway, blocking the exit, were two heavily guarded men. They were tall, broad, and dressed in dark clothing. The moment they saw me holding my son, they both smiled at me in a creepy, respectful way.

"Good morning, Miss Ava," one of them said politely.

Fear, mixed with wild anger shot through my veins. I didn't reply to them. Instead, I pulled back instantly, slammed the door shut with a loud bang, and locked it from the inside. I was furious, my heart racing against my ribs like a trapped bird. He had guards around.

Only a few minutes later, the door handle jiggled. The key turned in the lock, and Damien walked calmly into the room.

The sight of his cool, composed face made something snap inside me. I completely lost my mind, marched right up to him and screamed directly into his face.

"Stop treating me like a slave!" I yelled, my chest heaving. "Stop keeping me trapped in this house! You have no right to hold us here! I don't want to stay in your horrible house! Let me go right now!"

Damien stood there, completely unbothered by my rage. His face remained calm, his eyes steady as he looked down at me.

"I will let you go, Ava," he said, his voice smooth and untroubled. "I promise you I will. But not right now. Not until everything is properly settled between the two of us."

"Settled?!" I shrieked, my voice echoing off the walls. "Nothing will ever be settled between us! You are a monster, Damien. You are a pathetic coward, a liar, and a disgusting human being! I hope you burn in hell for everything you did to me!”

I spewed every horrible word I could gather from the bottom of my heart, wanting so badly to hurt him, to see him bleed, to see him cry or lose his temper.

But Damien did not care. He did not flinch even. He did not get angry, and he did not raise his voice at me.

Instead, he took a slow step forward, completely ignoring my harsh words. He reached out, grabbed my arms gently. In a way I couldn't pull away even if I tried. He leaned down toward my face. A small, infuriating smile spreading his lips. Before I could process what he was doing, he leaned in and pressed a warm, gentle kiss directly onto my forehead.

"I hear you, Ava," he whispered softly against my skin.