Outside the police station
Damien thanked Detective Donovan as they left. They shook hands and agreed to keep in touch the following days until the case officially closed. Despite having Alia's face on the photo, she was only the subject of it and the club was still the owner of the photoso technically, she really did steal the photograph. With this, Damien would have to contact the club owner and settle it amicably. As for the photo, Alia had to let go of it.
All five of them left the station and were on their way ho. In the Range Rover Sport, Markus was in the driver's seat, Felix sat on the front passenger seat while Damien and the two won were at the backon his right was Katherine while on his left was his mother. The car ride was quiet and the tension in the air was thickit was suffocating. Felix attempted to clear things up so he called, "Damien"
"Later," Damien abruptly stopped the conversation before it even began so Felix nodded and kept quiet.
He had been on a long flight and he was honestly tired as he was still working even in the plane. Damien just wanted to close his eyes and wake up tomorrow, hoping that everything would be better and less pain in his ass.
Feeling a delicate hand touching his hand, he looked down and saw Katherine interlacing her fingers with his. Turning his head to the right, he watched her sleep for a bit before carefully laying her head on his shoulder and adjusting the coat that he had placed around her earlier to cover her up. Despite being mad, he couldn't just let her freeze knowing that she easily gets cold.
Alia leaned her head back on the headrest while she stared outside the window, watching the lights and buildings that they passed by. She was still buzzed but compared to earlier, her energy had already died down and she wished that she could just crawl into her bed. She tightened Felix's jacket on her subconsciouslyhe had given it earlier before they left the stationwhile she imrsed herself in her thoughts.
All she could think about was the picture. She could still rember the day that photo was taken like it happened just yesterday. Who knew that it had already been thirty years? Back then, Damien was still inside her belly when her life was sweet and also a ss.
"I was only a few weeks pregnant when we took that photo. It was taken shortly after I told him the news" she whispered. Her voice was soft and low but it was enough for Damien to hear her as he was sitting right beside her.
He didn't have to ask what she ant. He already understood that she was clearly talking about that photograph that she stole from the club. His mother looked impassive but the way she spoke sounded so lancholic that he was hurting for her. He recalled the photograph in his head and he could see that his parents looked so happy in it. It was the only ti that he had seen his father smile like that. Never, not even once, had he seen his father smile as he did in that picture while he was still alive.
Damien didn't say anything, but he placed his hand over his mother's hand and gave it a squeeze. At this point, he didn't think that there were any words that could comfort her. Alia sniffed but she suppressed her tears and just closed her eyes for the rest of the ride with her son's hand giving her the comfort that she needed.
...
Golden Phoenix Residences
The n brought the two won up the 61st floor penthouse and put them in their respective bedrooms. After laying Katherine down on the bed, Damien covered her with a blanket and decided to check on his mother first.
Since the n couldn't touch Alia beyond what was appropriate, they just let her sleep in her dress, tucked her in and left. Damien, however, stayed behind and sat on the bed next to his sleeping mother. There were still a lot of things he wanted to know about her but after seeing her bearings that night, he couldn't even get mad anymore. How could he after knowing all that earlier?
He took out his phone and tapped it a few tis before putting it away. The next second, Alia's phone on the nightstand lit up and he opened it, tapping on his own ssage that he sent herit was a picture that he took of that old photograph at the station earlier. He stared at it for a while and even though he knew she couldn't hear him at the mont, he still spoke, "I promise I'll get you that picture. I hope this is enough for now."
After making sure she was tucked in, he left the room and went back to Katherine's bedroom. Once he entered, he heard a belching sound from the bathroom. "It's disgusting," he heard her complain when he found her by the toilet bowl.
"Who told you to drink?" He walked towards her and helped her clean up. "Didn't I tell you not to drink when I'm not around?" he scolded as he handed her a toothbrush.
Not wanting to speak, Katherine only pouted as she brushed her teeth with her eyes closed. Her head was still spinning so she leaned against the wall by the sink. She had sobered up a bit but she still felt awful. There were shuffling sounds sowhere nearby but she was too tired to even check what Damien was doing. When she was done, he gave her a set of sleepwear, which she wordlessly changed into.
Katherine zigzagged her way to the bed, dove in, and curled into a fetal position. Then, Damien sat next to her quietly and pulled her blanket up to her shoulders. It was quiet for a bit before she raised her gaze at him, pleading as she touched his hand, "Please stay with "
Damien didn't bother to argue. He was exhausted and honestly, he didn't even know if he should stay mad. Especially since they were already back ho and she was safe. Heckshe was never even in dangerCraig was the one in a pitiful state. But that didn't change the fact that he was still worried because so many things could have gone wrong that night.
So, he changed out of his clothes and wore a set of sleepwear that he had in his luggage, then he climbed in bed with her. "You misbehaved," he muttered as soon as she snuggled up to him.
"I'm sorry" Katherine pressed tiny kisses on his neck and jaw.
"What am I going to do with you?" Damien sighed and he couldn't help but pull her closer. "You'll probably not even rember any of this tomorrow."
"It was her birthday"
"What?"
"Alia. It was her birthday today."
He froze when he heard her as he was unsure of what to say to that. He felt her shift in his arms and he listened as she continued, "You should have seen her, Damien. Your mom looked so pitiful alone, I almost cried." Her words sounded lazy, she was mumbling while her eyes were closed. "I like your mom... She's so fun to hang out with. I just wish she wasn't sad anymore. You'd like her, Damien... She's nice..." Her voice trailed off and Damien knew she was already very sleepy.
"Go to sleep now," he whispered above her and she nodded softly.
Damien couldn't sleep right away after that as he tried to imagine what the two won in his life did while he was away. Realizing that Katherine bonded with Alia on her birthday, he felt an inexplicable warmth in his chest. Hugging her tighter, he kissed her forehead and whispered, "Thank you."
"I'll prove it to you, Damien. I promise, I will," she murmured.
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