Chapter 86
Damien’s POV:
How did Eva get here before me? The thought barely registered before I stepped into the house, my mind racing. I hadn’t expected her to be here. I didn’t even want her to be here. My focus had been on Irene, and seeing Eva only added to the tangled mess of emotions I’d been fighting for days.
I glanced back at Irene, who stood stiff in the doorway, her arms crossed defensively. Her eyes were wide, flickering between me and Eva, as if she couldn’t quite make sense of what was happening. I felt a deep pull of guilt. I was the one who had let things get this bad, wasn’t I? But there she was, the woman I loved, standing right in front of me, guarded and distant.
“Irene…” I started my voice low, trying to break the icy silence between us.
But before I could say anything more. Eva cut in. “I didn’t expect to find you here so soon, Damien,” she said, her voice calm. and composed. Too composed. She glanced at Irene, her expression soft, like she was genuinely concerned. “Trene, you know he’s been worried sick about you and Charlie, right? He’s been searching everywhere.”
Her words twisted like a knife in my gut. I could see the conflict on Irene’s face, but I couldn’t tell if she was more surprised or angry at seeing Eva. I wanted to believe that Eva was just trying to help, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Yet here she was, trying to play the part of the concerned sister.
I took a deep breath, stepping further into the room. “Irene, please, I just want to talk. I just want to understand why you left, why you didn’t tell me where you were going. We can fix this… if you just come home.
Irene’s gaze met mine, and for a second, I saw something break in her expression. It was subtle, but I knew her well enough to catch it–the flicker of uncertainty, the hesitation. But then, as quickly as it came, it was gone, replaced by that cold, defensive stare.
“I left because I didn’t feel safe anymore, Damien. Not with her around.” She nodded toward Eva, her voice sharp, edged with bitterness. “You don’t see it, but she’s manipulating you. She’s manipulating everything. And I couldn’t keep Charlie around that.”
Eva, of course, gasped softly, placing a hand on her chest as if she’d been wounded by Irene’s accusation. “Irene, that’s not fair,” she said, her voice soft, pleading. “I’ve done nothing but support Damien, support both of you. I would never hurt you or Charlie. Why can’t you see that?”
Irene’s jaw clenched, and I could tell she was trying to hold back her frustration. I felt torn–torn between my love for Irene and the doubt Eva had been sowing in my mind. For days, Eva had been telling me that Irene had abandoned me, that she wasn’t the woman I thought she was. But standing here, seeing her face–to–face, I couldn’t believe that. I didn’t want to believe that
“Irene,” I said, my voice softer now, “please. I don’t care about the past or whatever misunderstandings we’ve had. I just need you back. We can work through whatever this is, together.”
She looked away, her arms still tightly wrapped around herself, clearly battling her emotions. I could see how hard this was for her. But I also knew how hard it was for me, for us. I stepped closer, careful not to crowd her, burclose enough that I could feel the tension between us like a wall.
“I can’t just ignore everything that’s happened, Damien. You.. you don’t understand what’s really going on.”
Eva, ever the opportunist, stepped forward and spoke before I could respond. “Irene, I know you think I’ve somehow wronged you, but that’s not the case, I care about Damien, and care about you too. I’m not trying to replace you or cause problems. I just want what’s best for everyone. And what’s best is for you to come home, for Damien’s sake if nothing else.”
I watched as Irene’s face flickered with indecision. I could see the exhaustion in her eyes–the weariness from carrying the weight of this conflict alone. She looked between Eva and me, probably trying to make sense of the chaos, probably wondering if coming back would lead to more of the same worries.
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11
Chapter 86
“Irene, please,” I said, my voter a bit firmer now. “Whatever happened, whatever you think is going on, we can work it our Just come home. Let’s talk it through. Don’t do this to us,”
Her lips parted as if to respond, but she hesitated, glancing briefly at Eva. I felt the cold knot of fear tighten in my chest. I didn’t want Irene to leave agam. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her for good,
And then something in her seemed to crack. She sighed, her shoulders shumping as if the weight of everything had finally become too much “Fine,” she muttered, her voice barely audible. I’ll come back. But this isn’t over, Damien. I can’t just pretend everything’s okay.”
Rehet surged through me, but it was laced with tension. I knew this wasn’t a victory, not really. She was coming back, but she wasn’t convinced. Not yet. And Eva’s presence only complicated things further. But I’d take what I could get. I couldn’t lose her again
Eva stepped forward, her expression softening into what I could only describe as fake relief. “I’m so glad you’re making this decision, Irene. For all of us.” She placed a gentle hand on Irene’s arm, and for a moment, I thought I saw Irene flinch, but she didn’t pull away
Irene looked at me, her eyes hard and unreadable. “I’ll pack Charlie’s things. Give me some time.”
I nodded, stepping back to give her space. My heart was still pounding, but it wasn’t from relief–it was from the gnawing uncertainty of what would happen next. I knew that getting Irene to come home was only the first step. There was still so much left unsaid, so much that needed to be resolved. And with Eva hovering around, things were only going to get more complicated
As I watched Irene head toward the small bedroom to gather Charlie’s belongings, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were standing on the edge of something dangerous, something that could still tear us apart.
Eva sidled up next to me, her voice barely a whisper. “You did the right thing, Damien. She needs to be back where she belongs. And you–you’ll see that everything will work out. I’ll make sure of it.”
I glanced at her, my gut twisting with unease. Eva’s words were meant to be reassuring, but all they did was remind me of the mess we were in. Still, I couldn’t afford to lose focus. I had to believe that once Irene was back, once we were all under the
same roof again, I could find a way to fix this.
But deep down, I knew it wasn’t going to be that simple.
As Irene emerged with Charlie, her movements were careful, measured, and her gaze still held that wariness, like she was walking into enemy territory. I wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, that I’d fight for her, for us, no matter what
it took
But the words stuck in my throat.
I wasn’t
revens
sure if I believed them myself.
As we drove back toward the house, the tension between us thick and suffocating, I kept my eyes on the road, my thoughts consumed with what lay ahead. Irene was coming back, but the fight had only just begun.
And with Eva in the picture, I wasn’t sure how we’d come out of this unburnt.
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