Chapter 173: SO CLOSE TO THE END

Damien's Pov

I couldn’t sleep a wink, The bed beneath me felt too familiar, its softness too cruel. Every time I moved, the mattress seemed to recall Lena’s weight, how she curled slightly on her side, how she always looked like she was guarding something precious even in her dreams.

I stared at the ceiling long after the lamp went off. My eyes burned, and my chest felt tight.

She had slept in this very bed.

That thought wouldn’t leave me.

Here. In this room. Breathing. Thinking, even for a moment, that I didn’t love her. That I wanted her only because of Noah. The idea clawed at me until my jaw ached from clenching.

I pressed my palm against my face and dragged it down slowly, as if I could wipe all the bad thoughts away.

I could never forgive myself for that video.

Never.

The night dragged on endlessly, each second ticking by like a quiet accusation. I replayed her face in my mind, imagining how she’d look if she knew how close I was. So close. Close enough to smell the shampoo lingering in the sheets, close enough to feel like fate was mocking me.

By the time sunlight began to filter through the thin curtains,I jumped up, I hadn't really slept at all, But adrenaline surged through me. Today was the day. It had to be. There were no more dead ends, no more small towns that swallowed hope whole.

The bus would be ready.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, bracing my hands on the mattress for a moment as the room steadied around me.

My heart raced, as if it knew what my mind hadn’t caught up to.

I was going home.

I stepped into the small kitchen, where the smell of tea and toasted bread filled the air. Mary was already awake, sitting at the table as if she hadn’t slept either. Her silver hair was neatly braided, and her cardigan was buttoned all the way up.

“You’re up early,” she said gently, peering at me over her cup.

“I didn’t sleep,” I admitted.

She nodded, as if that was exactly what she expected. “Of course you didn’t.”

I paced back and forth, unable to sit. “The bus—”

“Will be there,” she interrupted calmly. “But sit. Eat something. You look like a ghost.”

“I can’t,” I said, the words tumbling out. “I have to go. I’m too close now. I can feel it. If I sit down, if I wait…”

“The bus won’t disappear because you ate breakfast,” she said dryly.

Despite my impatience, something loosened in my chest. I stopped pacing and looked at her properly. She watched me with the same sharp kindness she’d shown since the night before, as if she saw straight through all my defenses.

“I just want my family back,” I said quietly.

Mary’s expression softened.

She stood up and moved closer, placing a steady hand on my arm. “Then calm your heart,” she said. “You’ll need it whole when you see them.”

I exhaled slowly and finally sat down.

She poured me tea and pushed a plate toward me. I forced myself to eat, even though every bite felt like a delay. As I drank, my gaze drifted to the hallway and the closed door of the room I’d slept in.

Lena had slept there.

She’d rested her head on that pillow. Perhaps she cried into it. Maybe she stared at the ceiling like I had, wondering if I was still searching for her or if I’d already given up.

The thought nearly broke me.

“I’ve been so close,” I murmured. “So close

this whole time.”

Mary watched me over the rim of her cup.

“Life does that,” she said. “Brings you right to the edge and then asks what you’re willing to lose before it lets you cross.”

I swallowed. “I won’t lose her. Not again.”

She reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “Good.”

I don't know how many hours had passed before she gave me the go ahead, and insisted on walking me to the door herself.

The morning air felt cool, sharp with promise. My bag was light—too light for everything I felt—but my chest was full to bursting.

Mary stood in the doorway, hands clasped in front of her.

“Wait,” she said.

I turned back to her.

She stepped closer and placed both hands on my shoulders, her eyes suddenly intense.

“I give you my blessing,” she said firmly. “Your wife. Your child. You will be protected. Nothing will tear you apart again.”

Something thick rose in my throat. I nodded, unable to speak for a moment.

“Thank you,” I finally said. “For everything.”

She smiled then, warm and teasing. “You should come visit soon. I want to meet this Noah boy everyone’s talking about.”

I let out a breath that might have been a laugh. “I promise. I will.”

She reached into her pocket and tried to press a few bills into my hand.

I shook my head right away. “No.”

“Don’t be stubborn.”

“I’m serious,” I said, gently pushing her hand back. “I have more than enough.”

She studied me for a long moment, then clicked her tongue. “Men like you always say that.”

Instead, I pulled out a pen and a scrap of paper, scribbled a number down, and placed it in her palm. “If you ever need anything,” I said. “Anything at all. Call this number.”

She squinted at it. “What do you think I’ll need? A new cane?”

“Anything,” I repeated.

Her eyes softened. She tucked the paper away and surprised me by pulling me into a hug. It was brief but fierce.

“Go,” she said, patting my back. “Your family’s waiting.”

I stepped away, my heart pounding harder with every step toward the road. The sun was higher now, bright and unapologetic. Somewhere out there, Lena was holding Noah. Somewhere out there, my son was waiting for his father to come home.

Not for much longer.

As the bus came into view, I felt it—no more loopholes, no more cruel delays. This time, nothing would take me off this path.

I was finally going back to them.