Lahat ng Kabanata ng Broken Vows, Rising Flames : Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

Damon’s POVEthan sighed softly on the other end of the phone. “Yes,” he admitted after a moment. “It was about Maurice.” A brief silence stretched between us. My grip tightened around the glass, waiting for him to continue, but he didn’t. “How bad is it?” I finally asked. There was another pause, a bit longer than the former, like he was debating what to say. “He’s sick, Damon. Leukemia." The word Leukemia landed like a punch I wasn’t expecting at all. I barely knew that kid, why did my chest feel like it was caving in? I pushed back from my seat, a frown tugged across my lips. “The doctors say it’s advanced,” Ethan continued.He stopped and exhaled a shaky breath. “He needs a bone marrow transplant, and soon. They’re searching the donor registry, but the odds are low.” My brows pulled together. “A transplant?” “Yes, Damon,” he confirmed. “And Clara isn’t a match.” Of course. How was she going to be a match? She said the boy was her adopted son. “How did you know

Clara’s POV I knew the game Damon was trying to play. He knew I couldn’t say no to Maurice, so he tried to pull that card with me. “Please, Mummy,” Maurice's faint voice came through again, pressing harder this time for me to give in. Of course I gave in. I had to. “It’s fine, my love,” I said, forcing a smile that never reached my eyes. “Uncle Damon can stay.” “Yesss!” he exclaimed softly, his smile wider than before. Only God knew what kind of bond they both shared.They had no idea they were related, and yet Maurice’s mood brightened the moment he saw Damon. “Uncle… let’s play a game,” Maurice whispered. Damon held his hand, a smile tugged at his lips. “What would you love to play?”Their voices faded into soft echoes as I slowly walked out of the room.Maurice didn’t know why I left—he didn’t even notice.My chest tightened painfully as I stepped outside and gently closed the door behind me. I leaned against the wall, listening to Maurice’s weak laughter seep through the

Damon’s POVClara’s words echoed in my mind again.“Focus on your cheating wife and bastard son.”If Ethan hadn’t ratted me out, I wouldn’t have been insulted like that.I frowned as he stretched out his hand for a handshake, like he hadn’t gone behind my back and aired my dirty laundry.“Clara told me you paid them a visit at the hospital. I’m happy you at least listened to me .”I said nothing, my anger simmering beneath the surface.I finally brushed past him, halting suddenly as he caught my hand.“Where are you going? You look like a kid that got his candy stolen.” I let out a humorless chuckle, more of a huff, as I slowly turned to meet his gaze.“You told Clara about Prince. About the DNA test. You had no right.” The small smile that was tugging at his lips when I came down vanished with the air. His lips parted slowly, yet he couldn’t even find the words to defend himself. I yanked my hand from his grip. “Stay away from me,” I said firmly, before walking for the exit. I

Damon’s POV Just before I left the hospital with Camilla, the doctor told me one last time. “No stress, no emotional trigger, and most importantly, no confronting her with painful memories.” He said it in a joking manner, but I was wise enough to take it as seriously as the sound of a warning bell.After the final checkups and payment were completed, I led Camilla outside, guiding her until we reached my car.I opened the door, and slowly, she slid into the back seat. The ride home was quiet.All the way, she leaned against the car, close to the window, her eyes shut—she was asleep.It wasn’t until we got home did I wake her up. The moment she woke up, she glanced outside the car, taking in the surroundings.“Everything looks different. Did we move?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.I shook my head gently. “No. It’s the same house,” I replied with a smile. “You’ve just been away for a while.” The smile on my face was never a sign of happiness, and the words I told her

Clara’s POVThe air was heavy with the heavy smell of medicine after Damon left, and the constant beeping of machines disturbed our silence. Outside, footsteps thudded endlessly against the ground, stretchers rolled away on and on and the constant flickering of the dim lights was over us.My heart raced hard as I held fast to his hand, clutching as though that alone would save him, my eyes bawling with tears and soft sobs. Seeing him lie on the bed every day wasn't a kind of pain I could describe to just anyone. It was the type only a mother could understand, the one when you watch your child, your blood, waste away to nothing and you just sit and watch, unable to do anything.Maurice's breathing was somewhat steady as he stared into the ceiling; the monitor by the corner beeped steadily, forming a rhythm I had come to understand, just to keep him safe.My chest swelled with pain as I tried to cover my lips, staring at the door. The sheets ruffled softly as he stirred, his pale fac