Chapter 302

Chapter 302
The house was silent.
Too silent.
Damian rubbed his face with both hands, trying to breathe, trying to think, trying to make sense of the world that suddenly flipped upside down.
His daughter… the child he had been searching for…
Was upstairs.
Alive.
Breathing.
Safe.
And Serene had kept it from him.
He felt joy fighting against rage.
Guilt fighting against relief.
Happiness fighting against heartbreak.
His chest hurt. Everything hurt.
He sat there, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. “I don’t even know what she looks like,” he whispered. “I don’t know her voice. Her smile. Her laugh. I don’t even know the shape of her hands…”
Serene swallowed hard from across the room.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Damian didn’t answer. He was too lost inside his own mind.
Upstairs, Sia stood frozen at the railing, blanket tight in her fingers. Mira stayed behind her like a shield, but Sia didn’t move.
She peeked again.
The man downstairs didn’t look scary.
He didn’t shout.
He didn’t hit things.
He didn’t curse.
He just sat.
Broken.
Like someone took something from him.
Something big.
Sia felt something strange in her chest again — a soft ache.
Mira whispered behind her, “Do you want to go to your room?”
Sia shook her head.
Her voice barely came out.
“No… I want to see him.”
Mira blinked. “Are you sure?”
Sia nodded again.
Serene heard them and inhaled sharply.
“Damian,” she whispered. “She… she wants to come down.”
Damian froze.
Every muscle in his body locked.
Slowly… painfully… he lifted his head.
And then he saw her.
Sia was standing at the top of the stairs.
Small.
Fragile.
Barefoot.
Hair tied messily.
Wearing Reid’s oversized T-shirt because hers were still in the wash.
A blanket wrapped around her shoulders like a shield.
Her eyes were big and dark — scared, but curious.
Damian stood up too fast. His chest twisted. His throat tightened. His hands shook so much he hid them behind his back.
For one second… the world stopped moving.
That was her.
Sia.
His baby.
His missing child.
His lost blood.
Five years of searching.
Five years of crying.
Five years of nightmares.
The child Layla hid from him.
And now… she was right there.
Sia took a step down.
Then another.
Her small hands gripped the railing hard.
Damian couldn’t breathe.
Serene whispered softly, “Damian… don’t move too fast. Don’t scare her.”
He nodded slowly.
His eyes locked on Sia like she was the only thing in existence.
Halfway down the stairs, Sia stopped. Her voice was tiny.
“Um… hi.”
Damian’s heart shattered.
That one small “hi” felt like someone stabbed him with happiness and pain at the same time.
His voice was rough and soft.
“Hi… sweetie.”
Sia blinked, surprised. Adults usually sounded annoyed with her. Not gentle.
She reached the bottom step and looked up at him.
She didn’t know why she was shaking.
She didn’t know why her throat felt tight.
She didn’t know why her eyes were stinging.
She didn’t know this man.
But her heart whispered something strange…
He feels familiar.
Damian crouched slowly, lowering himself to her level with trembling hands.
He didn’t reach for her.
He didn’t touch her.
He didn’t want to scare her away like a small bird.
He whispered, “Can I… talk to you?”
Sia nodded shyly.
Damian’s voice cracked as he asked, “Are you… are you okay? Did anyone hurt you? Did someone scare you?”
Sia shook her head. “No… but I was alone.”
Those words stabbed him.
“I know,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
Sia stared at him, confused. “Why are you sorry?”
Damian swallowed.
His eyes glistened again.
“Because you shouldn’t have been alone,” he said softly. “Someone should have been there to protect you.”
Sia hesitated.
Then she whispered, “Serene found me.”
Damian nodded. “I know. And I’m glad she did.”
He stared into her big, soft eyes — eyes that looked a little like his when he was younger.
“I’m Damian,” he said softly.
Sia nodded. “I know… Serene told me.”
There was silence.
Then—
“Are you… angry?” she asked nervously.
Daemon’s chest broke again. “No. I’m not angry at you. Never. Not ever.”
Sia looked down at her bare toes. “Everybody else gets angry at me.”
Damian shook his head fiercely. “Not me.”
Her head lifted slowly.
And for the first time… their eyes locked properly.
Something warm flickered inside her chest. Something that scared her a little — because she didn’t understand it.
“Can I ask you something?” she whispered.
Damian nodded.
“Why were you crying?”
Damian froze.
He didn’t expect that.
He looked away, eyes wet again. “Because I thought I lost something forever… but I didn’t.”
Sia blinked. “Something important?”
“One of the most important thing in my life,” he whispered.
Silence.
Sia hesitated… then took one tiny step closer.
“Um…” she whispered nervously, “…do you want a hug?”
Damian’s heart stopped.
Serene gasped.
Mira’s hand flew to her mouth.
Damian’s knees buckled as he slowly opened his arms—shaking, barely breathing.
“You… you want to hug me?” he whispered like he didn’t believe it.
Sia nodded. “You look sad.”
That was it.
Damian broke.
Tears streamed down his face as Sia wrapped her small arms around his neck. He held her gently, like she was made of glass—afraid to squeeze too tight, afraid she might disappear.
His daughter.
In his arms.
At last.
Sia felt his tears fall on her shoulder. She didn’t understand everything, but she hugged him tighter.
And for the first time since Serene found her…
She didn’t feel alone.
And for the first time in five years…
Damian felt whole.