Chapter 71: AHHH, DISASTER

ANNABEL

After the whole pandemic of chaos that almost sent my heart landing in the hospital and perhaps laying next to him, I agreed to us going home, but he didn't take us back to his mansion. He took us to an estate—a fully guarded estate with lots of buildings sprawling across manicured grounds.

"Wait, you own these? All of these?" I asked, gesturing at the impressive structures before us.

He just nodded, his eyes warm but his face somehow distant, like he was hiding something, protecting something, and it was making me quite worried.

"Are you sure that you're strong enough to leave the hospital?" I pressed, studying his pale complexion with concern.

We were supposed to leave the next day as requested by the doctor, but for someone who had just woken up from a coma, he decided we should leave today, saying something that had to do with vulnerability and hating anesthetics.

"I'm very fine, cupcake. I love that you worry about me a lot, okay? But I'm good," he said, holding my chin gently. I nodded my head, my stomach fluttering at his touch, and fuck, I was also falling for him—maybe not that deep, but I liked him. Or was this just a part of lust?

I closed my eyes, ready for him to kiss me since we haven't kissed since the hospital, but instead I felt a soft, cold kiss on my forehead. I blinked my eyes open, hoping this wasn't real, but it was.

He pulled back, holding my hands, but I was still shocked. It was obvious—he was avoiding kissing me, and now I didn't know what to think about this. My head was swarming with different thoughts at that point, until the driver broke through my mental spiral.

"We are here, Boss," the driver announced.

We stepped down, and the mansion in front of us looked more luxurious than the previous one. This was a private estate and it looked impenetrable, like it was a fortress designed to keep the world at bay.

"Whoa..." I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

I saw Damon turn to look at me, his hands still on mine, but they felt cold, more distant, like he was trying to give me some space after confessing to me. But hell, I didn't need any damn space—I needed him. I needed him to make me feel alive again after this torture of keeping me in the dark and not seeing him for a week.

"Do you like it?" he asked, and I nodded my head, still not denying the fact that this place was gorgeous.

"Yes, it's beautiful, daddy..." I whispered. Fuck, I missed calling him that, and I felt he did too because I felt his hands go stiff for a while before they relaxed.

Good, I thought.

"And where is the swimming pool? I need to swim," I asked, and he smiled—the first genuine smile I'd seen from him all day.

"Well, let me show you around," he said, walking me toward the mansion.

I hadn't failed to notice how his eyes kept wandering to his phone every few seconds, and I don't know—I felt jealous. Jealous that he might be conversing with someone else, someone more important than me.

Fuck, I was going insane. I needed to speak with someone so badly.

He took me to a room that looked like something straight out of a royal movie. The stunning chamber was decorated in rich blues and blacks, with ornate furniture that screamed luxury. Golden accents caught the light from crystal chandeliers, and the massive four-poster bed was draped in silk that looked softer than clouds. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the estate's gardens, and everything about the space whispered of kings and queens from another era.

"Cupcake, I will be back soon. I have some business to attend to," he said, pecking my cheek and looking sad that he was going to leave me alone again.

"You just came back from the hospital. You need to rest, not conduct business, Damon," I said firmly, and he shook his head, guilt written across his face as he slowly placed his hands on my chin. My eyes met his and he gave me a thorough look, as if he was analyzing my face, memorizing every detail, and it felt kinda hot.

Fuck, what he does to me.

"You are right, cupcake, but I'm working in my office, and you can come see me if you get worried," he said, placing a simple kiss on my lips—short, not deep, just lips touching lips, more like a peck. Without allowing me to say another word, he left the room, leaving me confused and aching for more.

I was shocked, trying to process everything that had happened.

I crashed onto the bed, arms spread wide as I breathed in slowly. Something was off about Damon, and I needed to find out what it was. Had he lied about still liking me? What the fuck had changed?

Things hadn't been the same after his accident, and the fear of losing him to someone else made my heart tighten painfully.

"Fuck, Anna, get a grip on yourself," I muttered, slowly standing up as I discarded my clothes.

I walked into the luxurious marble bathroom, which had a beautiful aesthetic bathtub. There was wine, a book, candles, and other items that would make anyone instantly relaxed just at the sight of them.

I put on some music while I soaked myself in the warm water, the fragrance of whatever oils were in the water soothing my nerves and loosening every tension I had, blurring every anxious thought as I indulged in this much-needed self-care.

I opened the book and saw a folded paper tucked into the first page. My heart skipped as I unfolded it.

"If you are reading this, I know you will be mad at me. I've been a jerk, going off for one week, putting myself at risk and acting cold towards you. I didn't mean it that way—it's just that a lot has happened and I really want to tell you once everything cools down. I hope you wait a little bit longer for me, because I owe you a lot of explanations. I love you, Annabel, with every fiber in me and every breath in me."

Tears dropped from my eyes as I read through the letter. Fuck, the paper even smelled like him—that intoxicating scent that was purely Damon. He was going through something terrible and he couldn't tell me, and here I was, thinking like a selfish jerk.

I stood up from the bathtub abruptly, water cascading down my body. Fuck, I was going to find him and hug him and be there for him. He needed me, even though he was trying to act so strong. He still needed me, and I was his woman. The thought of that made my heart race and my cheeks flush with excitement. I loved being called his woman, and I knew I didn't need to wait another day to tell him how much I loved him.

I walked out from the bathtub, throwing on simple clothing as I grabbed my phone. Just then, my phone beeped with a message from a strange number.

At first I wanted to ignore it, but curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to check it out.

When I clicked on the message, the first part was text and the second contained media—I think two videos and twelve images that made my blood run cold.

The message read: "I think you'd want to know where he's truly been for the past week, because he lied to you about everything."

My heart froze, my chest tightened, and my hands went completely still.

I clicked on the first video, playing it with trembling fingers. My face turned white, my hands went numb, and I felt—for a second, or was it two, or maybe more—like my heart had stopped beating entirely.