Chapter 3

With my mind having endless flashbacks, I began feeling suffocated in the room, so I got out of bed and decided to take a walk in the garden. The garden was supposed to be my escape. Flowers in bloom. Soft petals brushing my fingertips. The scent of earth and roses filling the air. It used to calm me. But sadly, it did nothing this time. I sat on a bench for as long as I could remember until it was finally night time, then I decided it's time I head back to my room. My chest felt tight. My steps were slow. The moon hung overhead, silent, but watching my every move. A staged death… a new beginning… yet here I was, still stuck in the past. I walked the path back to my room, wiping the tears from my cheeks. I hated crying, but my heart was shattered beyond repair. I thought I was numb after discovering Damien’s betrayal a year ago. Turns out, I still had room for pain. As I pushed open the side door leading to the guest rooms, I froze. A soft moan. My head snapped toward the sound. One of the doors was cracked open. I didn’t want to look. I tried to walk away. But something stopped me. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was rage or curiosity, because it's definitely not jealousy. I'm done being jealous over a man whore. I moved quietly toward the door and looked inside. And my whole world broke again. Damien’s back was to me, his shirt tossed aside. His hands gripping Vanessa’s waist. She was naked beneath him, hair a wild mess, lips swollen from his kisses. The room was filled with sighs and low moans. They didn’t even try to hide it anymore, they are now doing it under the same roof with me. He turned suddenly, like he sensed someone watching. Our eyes met through the gap. My breath stopped. He didn’t look shocked. Just annoyed. “Lia,” he said, wiping his mouth casually like he'd just finished dinner, not his mistress. “This isn’t what it looks like.” Vanessa laughed, still spread out beneath him. “Come on now, Damien, don’t lie to her. She’s not that dumb.” she gestured at their naked bodies. I stared at him. At them. My heart wasn’t beating. It was just… cold. Damien sighed, stood up, and grabbed his shirt. “Listen. I’ll be fair about this. I’ll treat Vanessa the same way I treat you. You two can share everything. My time. My protection. My love.” My fingers curled, nails digging into my palms but sadly I couldn’t feel the pain anymore. His time? Protection and love? I almost scoffed out loud because when has he ever gave me his time? When has he ever loved or protected me? My voice came out low and empty. “You want me to share my mate.” Damien shrugged. “You should be grateful. You can’t shift. You can’t even protect yourself. But Vanessa? She’s strong. She’ll be useful. And I still want you. Both of you.” Of course, he definitely still wants me to be their surrogate... Their children making machine. Something within me snapped. Not loudly. Not raging. But deep, frozen, and absolute. I looked at him one last time. And in that moment, my heart finally stopped beating for him for good. That night, my heart turned to ice. And I began planning my escape meticulously. I will take everyone of them unaware.