Chapter 62: The truth

Emily stared at Damian’s name on her screen.

She had called him twice earlier.

Now he was calling back.

Her thumb hovered over the answer button.

She almost let it ring.

Then she picked up.

"Hey, love."

"Hey."

His voice sounded normal.

"You sure you’re okay?"

Emily looked around her room.

"Yeah."

"You said you had a rough day."

"I did."

"What happened?"

She closed her eyes.

There it was.

The question she’d been avoiding for weeks.

"Can we talk?"

"Of course."

"Like...properly."

Damian paused.

"Do you want me to come over?"

Emily’s fingers tightened around the phone.

"Yes."

"I’ll be there."

About twenty minutes later, Damian knocked.

Emily opened the door.

He took one look at her and stopped.

"You’ve been crying?"

"No."

"You look like you’ve been crying."

"I said no."

"Okay."

He didn’t push.

That almost made her cry again.

She stepped aside.

Damian walked in and sat on the edge of the couch.

Emily remained standing.

For several seconds, neither said anything.

Then Damian looked up.

"What’s going on?"

Emily swallowed.

"My mom’s still in the hospital."

Damian’s expression changed.

"What?"

"She got into an accident a while ago."

He stared at her.

"What accident?"

"The car accident."

"Emily..."

"I didn’t tell you."

"No."

"I know."

"How long?"

She looked down.

"Since before we went to the hospital?"

Damian’s voice became quieter.

"How long has your mom been there?"

"Almost a month."

He leaned back slowly.

"A month?"

Emily nodded.

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"I didn’t want you to feel like you had to fix it."

"Fix it?"

She gave a small, nervous laugh.

"You know what you’re like."

"I don’t."

"You do."

Damian looked away.

She continued.

"You started making money, things got better for you, and suddenly you’re trying to solve everyone’s problems."

"I would’ve helped you."

"I know."

"Then why?"

"Because I didn’t want you helping me because you felt responsible."

Damian looked at her again.

"You’re my girlfriend."

"I know."

"You could’ve told me."

"I was scared."

That stopped him.

Emily sat beside him.

"My mom’s bills kept getting higher. I sold some things. I tried handling it myself."

"And Adrian?"

She froze.

Damian noticed.

"What does Adrian have to do with this?"

Emily’s eyes dropped to her hands.

"He gave me a loan."

Damian didn’t speak.

"How much?"

She told him.

His jaw tightened slightly.

"When?"

"A few weeks ago."

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"I already told you why."

"No. You told me why you didn’t tell me about your mom."

Emily looked at him.

"This is different."

"How?"

She hesitated.

"Because there was something he wanted."

Damian’s expression hardened.

"What?"

Emily took a breath.

"He wanted me to spend time with him."

"Okay."

"Dinner. Events. Hanging out."

Damian stared at the floor.

"And you agreed?"

"My mom needed the money."

He nodded slowly.

"Okay."

"I told him it was only a transaction."

Damian finally looked at her.

"And the kiss?"

Emily’s face fell.

"You know?"

"No."

"Then..."

"You just said his name, and you looked like you were about to throw up."

She looked away.

"He asked me to kiss him."

Damian didn’t move.

"I said no."

Her voice shook.

"But after everything with my mom... I felt trapped. I gave him a quick kiss."

Damian’s eyes closed for a second.

"It was a mistake."

"I know."

"I regretted it immediately."

He said nothing.

"I love you, Damian."

"I know."

"I didn’t want that kiss."

"I know."

She looked at him.

"I’m sorry."

Damian remained quiet.

Emily wiped her eyes.

"There’s more."

His attention returned to her.

"What happened?"

She told him.

Not every detail.

She didn’t need to.

She explained that Adrian had invited her over, that she’d gone because she thought they were going to talk, and that he had tried to cross a boundary she’d clearly told him not to cross.

"I left," she said.

Damian’s hands were clasped tightly together.

"He didn’t hurt you?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He nodded.

Then he stood.

Emily looked up at him.

For a moment, she thought he was going to leave.

Instead, Damian walked toward the window.

He stood there silently.

"Damian?"

"I’m here."

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

"I just need a second."

Emily nodded.

He rubbed his face.

"I’ve spent the last few months thinking I finally figured something out."

"What?"

"Money."

He gave a small, humorless laugh.

"I thought that was the hard part."

Emily said nothing.

"I thought if I made enough, I could stop worrying about things."

He turned toward her.

"And then I find out you were sitting in a hospital trying to figure out how to pay for your mother’s treatment while I was sitting on millions."

Emily’s eyes watered.

"Don’t do that."

"Do what?"

"Make this your fault."

"I’m not."

"You are."

Damian shook his head.

"No. I’m angry."

"At me?"

"No."

He looked at her.

"I’m angry that you felt like you had to handle all of this alone."

Emily lowered her head.

"I didn’t know what else to do."

"You could’ve called me."

"I know."

"You don’t have to ask me to fix anything."

She looked up.

"I know."

"Just tell me."

Her eyes filled again.

"I’m sorry."

Damian walked over and sat beside her.

"I don’t want you keeping something like this from me again."

"I won’t."

"And Adrian?"

Emily went quiet.

"I’ll deal with the loan."

"No."

"Emily."

"I can pay him back."

"You don’t owe him anything beyond the money."

"I’ll pay him."

"You’re not going back there."

She nodded.

"Okay."

Damian took out his phone.

"I’ll transfer the hospital money."

Emily immediately shook her head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because—"

"I’m not asking you to marry me."

She almost laughed through her tears.

"Damian."

"I’m serious."

He put his phone away.

"You don’t have to take the money right now. But if the hospital needs something, you call me."

Emily stared at him.

"You really don’t understand."

"What?"

"You’re still you."

"What does that mean?"

"You’ve got all this money now, and you’re still sitting here arguing with me like you did when you barely had anything."

Damian smiled faintly.

"I’m still broke where it counts."

She laughed.

A real one this time.

Then she leaned against him.

Damian wrapped an arm around her.

Neither spoke for a while.

Later that night, Damian sat alone in his car.

He didn’t start the engine.

His phone rested on his thigh.

Five million dollars.

Westbridge.

The acquisition.

Everything he’d been building.

He’d spent months learning how to make money.

But tonight, he realized he hadn’t learned something just as important.

How to make sure the people he cared about didn’t have to struggle alone.

His phone buzzed.

Ethan:

Bro football tomorrow. Don’t disappear again.

Damian stared at the message.

Then smiled.

Damian:

I’ll be there.

Another message arrived.

Ethan:

Good. Rich man still has responsibilities.

Damian shook his head.

"Idiot."

He started the car.

For the first time that night, his mind wasn’t on Adrian.

It was on what came next.

He had money now.

Maybe it was time he actually started living like it.

Not to prove anything.

Not to impress anyone.

Just because he could.

And Ethan was definitely going to be dragged into it.