Chapter 75 75

Chapter 75 75
Chapter Seventy Five.

Damien_

As I lay there, my head resting on Tess’s lap, the memory of everything that had happened replayed in my mind. We had just moved her mother to a private facility, a place far from the prying eyes and threats that now seemed to loom over us like a dark cloud. 

The room was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of the wind outside the window. The sterile, clinical feel of the hospital was replaced with the warmth and comfort of this secluded place, but the tension in the air was just as thick.

Tess’s fingers gently combed through my hair, her touch soothing the frayed edges of my nerves. She hadn’t said much since we arrived, and I hadn’t pressed her. 

We were both drained, the weight of the last twenty-four hours pulling us under like a riptide. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to sink into the comfort of her presence, letting the outside world fade away for just a moment.

But even in the silence, Helen’s words echoed in my mind. Her threats, her anger….they were impossible to ignore. And then there was her father. 

The messages he’d sent were a stark reminder that this wasn’t just about Helen anymore. It was about power, control, and the lengths some people would go to maintain both.

Tess’s hand stilled in my hair for a moment, and I opened my eyes to find her watching me. 

There was concern in her gaze, a softness that cut through the fog of fear and exhaustion that had settled over me. “You’re so tense,” she murmured, her voice low and gentle. “What’s on your mind?”

I hesitated, not wanting to burden her with more worries. But there was no point in hiding the truth. She deserved to know everything. “Helen,” I said quietly, “and her father. They’re not going to let this go easily.”

She nodded, her expression grim but determined. “I figured as much. But we’ll deal with them, Damien. Together.”

Her words were a lifeline, a reminder that I wasn’t alone in this. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “I just don’t want you to get hurt, Tess. You and your mom have already been through so much.”

“We’ll get through this,” she said again, her tone firmer this time. “But you need to stop blaming yourself. None of this is your fault.”

I wanted to believe her, but the guilt was a heavy weight on my shoulders. “I should’ve seen this coming. I should’ve protected you better.”

She shook her head, her hand resuming its slow, soothing motion through my hair. “You’ve done everything you can. Now we just need to focus on what’s next.”

I nodded, though the worry still gnawed at the edges of my mind. But Tess was right.

We had to focus on the future, on how to deal with Helen, and how to keep Tess’s mother safe. The thought of her in that hospital, so vulnerable, had been a constant source of fear.  

Now, in this private facility, with round-the-clock security, I hoped we had finally found a place where she could rest and recover in peace.

For a while, we didn’t speak. The only sound was the soft rhythm of Tess’s breathing and the distant murmur of voices in the hallway outside. 

I let myself drift, lulled by the warmth of her touch and the quiet comfort of the room.

But sleep wouldn’t come. My mind was too restless, too tangled with thoughts of what might happen next. 

I shifted slightly, lifting my head to look at Tess. “We should talk to the staff here, make sure they know who might come looking for us.”

Tess nodded, her eyes meeting mine with a seriousness that belied her exhaustion. “Good idea. We can’t be too careful.”

I hated that we had to think this way, that we had to be constantly on guard. But it was the reality we were living in now. 

I pushed myself up into a sitting position, wincing as the tension in my muscles made itself known. Tess watched me, her expression unreadable, but I could see the worry in her eyes.

“I’ll talk to them first thing in the morning,” I said. “For now, we should try to get some rest. It’s going to be a long few days.”

She nodded, though I could see she was as uneasy as I was. But there was nothing more we could do tonight. We were safe here, at least for now. 

I lay back down, pulling Tess with me so that we were both lying side by side. She nestled into my side, her head resting on my shoulder, and I wrapped an arm around her, holding her close.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my lips brushing against her hair. “For being here. For everything.”

She didn’t respond with words, but the way she tightened her grip on me said everything. In this moment, despite everything, we had each other, and that was enough.

As I lay there, the darkness of the room pressing in around us, I tried to focus on the steady rhythm of Tess’s breathing, the warmth of her body against mine. 

Slowly, the tension began to ease, and the weight on my chest lifted just enough for sleep to finally claim me.

But even as I drifted off, Helen’s voice was still there, lurking in the back of my mind like a shadow. This was far from over, and I knew the days ahead would be some of the hardest we’d ever faced..

And so, with that thought, I finally surrendered to sleep, holding onto the one thing I knew I could trust.

The Next Day.

The next morning arrived far too quickly. I woke to the soft light filtering through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Tess was still beside me, her breathing slow and steady.

For a moment, I just watched her, feeling the peace that sleep had brought her, and wishing I could share in it.

Reality came crashing back the moment my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I glanced at the screen, my heart sinking when I saw the name flashing across it was Helen. 

Despite the voicemail I had listened to the night before, she wasn’t done. She never would be. I let it go to voicemail, knowing that whatever she had to say could wait.