The Wife He Never Wanted

Chapter Seven

The house is quiet. Liam sleeps peacefully in his room. I lie in bed staring at the ceiling. My mind will not rest. Damien is still here on the couch. I left the door unlocked and now I feel stupid for it. Weak. But my heart keeps pulling me toward him.

I get up and walk to the living room. The lights are off. Only the moonlight comes through the window. Damien sits up when he hears me. He looks tired but his eyes soften when they meet mine.

“Lila,” he says. His voice is rough. “You cannot sleep either?”

I shake my head. I sit on the chair across from him. My hands twist in my lap. “Everything feels too much. My father. The police. You. I do not know what I am doing anymore.”

He stands up slowly and comes closer. He kneels in front of me so our eyes are level. “I know I hurt you. Every day for nine years I hurt you. I was angry at the world and I took it out on you. But tonight when they took me away all I could think about was you and Liam. I realized I cannot lose you.”

Tears fill my eyes. “Then why did you wait until I left? Why now Damien?”

He takes my hands. His are warm and big. “Because I was scared. I thought if I let myself love you I would lose control. Victoria was safe. She was the past I knew. You… you made me feel everything. And I hated it. But when you handed me those papers I felt the biggest fear of my life. Fear of waking up without you.”

My chest tightens. I want to believe him so badly. “I still love you,” I whisper. The words come out broken. “Even after everything. I hate myself for it but I do.”

Damien’s eyes shine with tears. He has never cried in front of me before. He pulls me into his arms. I let him. His body feels strong and familiar. He holds me like I am something precious. Like I matter.

“I love you Lila,” he says against my hair. “I love you. Not as second choice. As my wife. As the woman who gave me the best thing in my life. Our son. I was blind but I see you now. Please give me one chance to prove it.”

His words wrap around my broken heart. I cry harder. He kisses my forehead. Then my cheeks. Then my lips. The kiss starts soft but becomes deep and full of all the years we lost. I kiss him back. My hands go to his face. For a moment the pain disappears. There is only us. Only this warmth.

We pull apart breathing fast. He rests his forehead on mine. “Stay with me. Let us start over. I will fix everything. The business. Your father. Us.”

I nod slowly. Hope blooms in my chest even though fear still sits there. “I am scared Damien. Scared you will go back to being cold.”

“I will not,” he promises. “I will show you every day.”

He carries me to the bedroom. We lie down together. He holds me close all night. His hand strokes my back. I fall asleep feeling safe for the first time in years. His heartbeat under my ear feels like home.

Morning comes too fast. Damien makes breakfast. He smiles at me across the table while Liam eats happily. It feels like a real family. My heart feels full.

But then the doorbell rings.

Sophia stands there with a strange look on her face. She holds an envelope. “This came to my apartment this morning. Addressed to you Lila. No sender.”

I open it with shaking hands. Inside is a single photo and a note.

The photo shows Damien and Victoria together. They are kissing. The date on the bottom is only three weeks ago. After I asked for the divorce but before it was final.

The note says in cut letters:

He never stopped loving her. He only wants you back to protect his image. Ask him about the money he gave her last month.

My stomach drops. I feel sick.

I look up at Damien. He sees the photo and his face goes white.

“Lila… it is not what you think.”

I step back. The warmth from last night turns to ice. “You kissed her three weeks ago? While I was still your wife?”

He reaches for me but I move away. “I can explain. Victoria was threatening to tell everyone about old secrets. I met her to stop her. The kiss… she forced it. I pushed her away right after.”

Tears burn my eyes. “And the money?”

He looks down. “I gave her money to keep quiet. About something from the past. Something that could hurt Liam.”

The room spins. Sophia stands beside me. “I knew it. He is lying Lila.”

Damien steps forward. His voice breaks. “Please believe me. I love you. Last night was real. I want us. I will tell you everything but you have to trust me.”

I stare at the man who held me all night. The man who said he loved me. My heart shatters again.

But then he says the words that change everything.

“The person who shot your father… it was not my company. It was Victoria. She wanted your father out of the way so she could force me to marry her. I have proof. I was trying to protect you from knowing.”

The room goes silent.

Victoria. My own sister.

I feel the floor disappear under my feet.

Everything I thought I knew just flipped upside down.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​