One Last 111

Chapter 111
Damien’s POV:
The house felt hollow without Irene. A strange void took hold, a kilence that was more disturbing than calming, as if something vital had been removed. I attempted to remain strong for Charlie’s sake, but it felt like every room was filled with. her absence. Her scent, the barely-there hum of her presence, the way she’d hurn under her breath while organizing things
all of it haunted me.
Charlie was unusually quiet too, though he tried to keep up a cheerful front. However, I could sense that he also experienced the void, like me. I thought a different environment could benefit us both. Taking my keys, 1 faced him, lounging on the couch, his young face filled with unasked questions,
Charlie, what do you think about going on a small adventure? I inquired, wishing to boost his morale. I saw his eyes: brighten, and I was confident it was the correct decision.
We spent a lot of time outdoors, exploring his favorite park, getting ice cream, and playing all the games he wanted to play His laughter made me smile genuinely as well. His happy emotions were rubbing off on me. And it was supposed to be a day that should have been carefree, but I couldn’t shake the feelign that something was missing. I felt like a person tryign to hold onto memories that were slowly fading away, her absencz causing a pain that continuously lingered.
On our way back, Charlie’s laughter faded, and he looked up at me with a heartbreaking question.
“Daddy Damien, is my mummy coming back soon?”
swallowed hard, reaching over to ruffle his hair. “She’ll be back, buddy. She just needed a little break. But we’ll see her soon.”
He gave a nod, but kept his eyes glued on the road ahead, as if he was looking for her in the far distance.
Upon our arrival, I quickly placed my keys down only to find Eva standing in the hallway with her arms crossed, displaying a blend of annoyance and entitlement on her face. I felt the air shift, tension creeping in as I met her gaze. Charlie, sensing the change, instinctively moved closer to me.
“Charlie, go up to your room for a bit, okay?” I told him, hoping to spare him from whatever confrontation Eva had brewing. He nodded reluctantly, casting a quick glance at Eva before heading up the stairs.
Once he was out of earshot, I turned to face her, bracing myself
“You know, Damien,” Eva began, her voice thick with accusation, “I’m getting pretty tired of watching you play house with a bastard son while your actual child is right here.” Her hand moved to her stomach in a gesture that was meant to be tender and motherly, but only filled me with disgust.
I took a huge breath, trying to keep my voice calm. “Charlie is my son. Don’t you ever speak about him that way again.” I corrected her in a stern tone. Even though we are yet to process the adoption, I already considered him my own.
She rolled her eyes, letting out a humorless laugh. “You think that little attachment of yours means anything now! When your real child is on the way?”
This is not a competition, Eva,” I replied while squeezing the bridge of my nose. “You’re only trying to turn me agains my own family, and I’ve had enough.”
She moved closer, her words lowering into a resentful murmur Maybe if you stopped acting like you owe her and her brat some sort of loyalty, you’d understand. This “she gestured between us”-is what’s real now. “We are what matters.”
I met her gaze, feeling a flash of something cold settle in my chest. “What matters is giving that child, if they’re truly mine, a
2/2
Chapter III
stable, healthy environment. But if you think you can manipulate me into abandoning my family, you’re wrong”
The smirk on her face faltered, replaced with something darker, colder. “Keep living in that fantasy, Damien,” she sneered. “But remember, loyalty to people who drain you dry will leave you with nothing”
With a bitter scoff, she turned on her heel, leaving me standing alone, every nerve tense with the weight of her words, I slumped into the seat, feeling the tiredness envelop me like a thick quilt. The walls seemed to be getting closer, whispering the same unanswered questions I had been avoiding.
Ans as I was about covering my face with my hands, I heard footsteps getting closer. Looking up, I saw Delores standing in the doorway, gazingz at me with a blend of empathy and slight exasperation.
“Having a tough day?” she inquired softly.
I managed a wry smile. “You could say that?
She walked over, taking the seat opposite mine. “Look, Damien know I’m not exactly an expert in all this, but.. you don’t look like yourself lately. The stress is eating away at you.”
I scratch the back of my neck and uttered a hollow laugh. “Delores, it’s difficult to remain composed. Every time I believe I’ve made progress, someone or something knocks me back.
She studied me carefully, her eyes sharp with that innate understanding she always seemed to have. “Maybe the problem isn’t that you keep getting knocked back,” she began slowly, “but that you keep expecting to have all the answers yourself. Damien, this isn’t just your burden to carry. Irene’s been right there, and she’s dealing with this chaos too. Have you thought about what she must be going through!”
Her words settled like a stone in my chest. She was right. I was so immersed in trying to defend everyone and maintain order, that I didn’t fully recognize what Irene was going through. The barriers I had built around me were meant to protect her from my uncertainty as well as to protect myself from facing my own insecurities.
“But she left,” I murmured, almost more to myself than to Delores. “She walked out.”
Delores placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. “Maybe she needed to,” she said softly, “Taking a step back is the only way to see things clearly sometimes.”
I let out a sighhhand ran my hand across my face. “Do you believe I have been going about this the wrong way?”
“No,” she answered, a faint smile in her eyes. “I think you’re giving this the best effort you can. But maybe it’s time to let someone else in-to actually work together and share the load instead of bearing it all alone.”
I sat there, considering her words, letting them sink in. For so long. I’d seen this struggle as mine alone, a battle to protect my family from every threat. But maybe Delores was right-maybe it was time to stop treating Irene as someone to shield and instead as someone to trust.
“Thanks, Delores,” I finally said, my voice rougher than I intended. She nodded, her gaze warm, as though she knew exactly what I was feeling.
She left me alone then, retreating to check on Charlie upstairs, and I sank back into the chair, staring at the ceiling as the silence closed in once again.
SEND GIFT