ANNA’S POV
I was crying so hard, my body trembling uncontrollably. The weight of everything was crashing down on me, each sob tearing through my chest like it was too much to bear.
My face was soaked, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I curled into my dad's arms.
He held me tightly, his presence grounding me, but nothing could stop the pain.
Nothing could stop the ache that had been festering inside me since the day Damien walked away.
I had worried myself to sleep for days, not knowing if I would ever see him again. I had seen him on the TV, like a stranger, an unfamiliar man who had betrayed me, who had left me when I needed him most.
There was no explanation. No reason. He just... left.
And now, here he was—standing in front of me like nothing had happened between us.
As if he hadn’t shattered my heart, as if he hadn’t walked out on me without a word. He broke up with me.
"Anna," my dad said softly, his voice calm despite the chaos that swirled inside me. "Listen to him. Let him explain. Please."
I shook my head, the tears flowing faster as the bitterness and hurt clung to me like a second skin. "What’s there to explain, Dad?" I whispered, my voice thick with pain. "He doesn’t love me. Not enough, anyway."
Dad gently cupped my face, his hands warm against my cold skin. "Just hear him out. You owe it to yourself to understand what happened."
The door to my room opened slowly, and I froze, my heart catching in my throat.
He walked in again, his gaze fixed on me, and I felt that pull again. That undeniable connection, the bond between us that had never truly faded, no matter how much I tried to deny it.
My heart hammered in my chest as he stepped closer, his presence overwhelming me.
He stopped beside my bed, his eyes searching mine like he was looking for forgiveness, for understanding.
Before I could say anything, he took my hands in his, his touch warm, comforting, but so full of regret that I could feel it deep in my bones.
"Anna," he said, his voice low, filled with the weight of his emotions. "I need to explain. I never meant to hurt you. I’ve made so many mistakes, and I’m so sorry for everything."
My heart was still raw from the last time I had heard his voice, but it ached now, a different kind of ache.
"I kept you at a distance because of my enemies. I thought that if I pushed you away, they wouldn’t have any reason to hurt you," he continued, his voice thick with regret. "I thought I could protect you by staying away, but I was wrong. I was so wrong, Anna. You deserve better than that. You deserve someone who will fight for you, no matter the cost."
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. He had done all of this to protect me? But why hadn’t he told me?
Why had he left me in the dark, making me feel like I wasn’t worth the fight? My throat tightened as I tried to find my voice.
"Why didn’t you tell me, Damien?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why did you just... leave me? It hurt so much. I felt like I didn’t matter. I thought you didn’t love me anymore."
He looked pained, his eyes filled with sorrow. "I never stopped loving you, Anna," he said urgently. "I still love you, more than anything. I made a stupid plan, a stupid mistake. And now I have to live with it. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right."
I could feel the sincerity in his words, but the hurt, the betrayal, still lingered. "You broke up with me," I said through my tears, my voice breaking. "You walked away when I needed you the most. How can I just forget that?"
Damien’s hands tightened around mine, and he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me. "I know I hurt you," he murmured, his voice soft but firm. "And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know how else to protect you. But I promise, I’ll never leave you again. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you."
I was crying again, the tears coming faster now, but this time, it was different.
This time, the anger, the hurt, was mixing with something else—something that made my heart ache in a way I wasn’t ready to admit. I pushed against his chest, my hands hitting his shoulders in frustration.
"Why did you do this to me, Damien?" I sobbed. "Why did you think this was the right thing to do?”
I kept hitting him, my fists pounding against his chest, but he didn’t pull away. He didn’t stop me. Instead, he just held me, taking each hit like he deserved it, like he knew he had to pay for the pain he caused me.
His face was stoic, but I could feel the anguish in him. He wanted to fix this, to make me feel better, and yet, I could see that he didn’t know how.
"Keep hitting me," he whispered, his voice full of guilt. "Let it out, Anna. Let all of it out."
I continued to hit him, the frustration and anger bubbling up inside me, but slowly, it began to fade.
The tears were still there, but the rage was burning off, and all that was left was a quiet kind of sadness.
I stopped, my hands falling limp at my sides. Damien pulled me into him, his arms wrapping around me tightly, like he was afraid I might slip away.
And then, without warning, he kissed me. His lips pressed against mine gently at first, but then it deepened, his desperation and longing pouring into the kiss.
It felt like he was trying to tell me everything he hadn’t been able to say with words.
I couldn’t stop myself from responding, my lips moving with his, my heart racing as the kiss turned into something more.
But then, my stomach growled.
I pulled away from him, laughing through my tears. "I guess I’m really hungry," I said, wiping my eyes, a little embarrassed by the sudden interruption.
Damien raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You’re hungry, huh?" he teased, his tone light. "Well, we can’t have that."
I nodded, a genuine smile breaking through my tears. But then, something else hit me. A rush of excitement, a wave of happiness that I hadn’t expected.
I grabbed his hands, my heart racing again, but this time, it wasn’t out of sadness.
It was something else. "Guess what?" I asked, my voice trembling with excitement.
Damien furrowed his brows in confusion. "I’m not good at guessing. Did something good happen?"
I grinned at him, my heart soaring. "I’m pregnant," I said, my voice full of joy, the words spilling out before I could stop them.
Damien’s eyes bulged wide open, and before I could react, he scooped me up in his arms and spun me around, laughing. The dizziness hit me, and I gasped.
"Damien, put me down!" I giggled, clutching his shoulders.
He didn’t listen, spinning me around a few more times before he finally let me down, his face lit up with joy. He looked down at me, his eyes shining.
"Are you serious?" he asked, disbelief in his voice.
I nodded, my heart full of warmth. "I’m serious," I said, my smile widening. "I’m really pregnant, Damien."
He pulled me into his arms, his lips finding mine once more. "I love you," he whispered against my lips. "I love you, Anna. And nothing will ever stop me from loving you. Nothing will ever pull us apart again."
Before I could reply, he kissed me again, passionately, desperately, as if he feared I might slip away.
The world around us disappeared, and all that mattered was the two of us. I was finally back in his arms. And this time, he wasn’t going anywhere.