CHAPTER 45: WOUNDS, WIVES, AND WHAT-THE-HELL MOMENTS

Damien –

Honestly, Sophia’s a good person. I guess. Better than Logan, at least. No way I’ll be able to fall asleep in this mini-mansion Livana owns, though. Because Logan was there... nearly killed me a while ago.

The second we walked into the foyer, Logan gave me the death glare special. He made a beeline for Livana, hugging her like he’d just returned from war. He even kissed her cheek, all while throwing invisible daggers at me.

"I’m okay," she told him just as I slid an arm around her waist, nice and casual.

"I’ll take care of her, Logan," I said with a grin, guiding her toward our room.

As soon as we stepped inside, Laura practically tackled me. She shoved me onto the bed with more strength than she had any right to, considering the fresh injury on her arm.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" I threw my hands up in surrender, laughing. "Laura, no." I gently placed her million-peso purse on the side table. I’d been holding it forever like a loyal bag boy. That thing probably had better health insurance than I did.

"What?" She frowned, wincing as she glanced at her arm. "I’ve been visualizing what I’d do to you all day."

Okay, hold on. Why do I feel like the damsel here? Did we just switch roles?

"So," I said, crossing my arms with mock suspicion, "you were planning to seduce me like a man?"

She tilted her head, then shook it like I’d said the dumbest thing imaginable.

"Anyway, I’m hungry. Sex later. We need to fuel up."

"Fair," I nodded. I helped her undress, walked her to the bathroom, scrubbed her back, and checked her over for injuries. Aside from the stitched-up wound, she was perfect—as usual.

Once we were dressed, we headed downstairs. And what do you know? Sophia had actually cooked. She was wearing an apron, and Kai was practically throwing heart eyes at her.

"Is Dr. Reyes here?" she asked, scanning the room like a hawk.

"No, I don’t think so."

"You need an x-ray," she said, very matter-of-fact. "You had bruises on your back."

"I’m completely fine, baby," I replied, wrapping my arms around her from behind and kissing her neck. She giggled as I patted her sides. "This one’s hungry," I added, pulling a chair out for her like the perfect gentleman.

Kai slid a plate in front of her with flair. "I tested it. No poison," he said with a wink.

"Good," Laura replied coolly. "Because if Damien got poisoned, he’d be useless to me."

I raised an eyebrow at her. Logan, meanwhile, left the kitchen in a quiet huff. Sophia sat down with zero fanfare, eating like she hadn’t been dragged into a melodramatic soap opera. Kai complimented her cooking, and she rewarded him with a stare sharp enough to filet a fish.

I sighed and looked over at Kai, who was now fully immersed in his food.

"Kai, where’d you go?" I asked.

He tilted his head, chewing.

"Bro, I’ll explain later."

"I don’t care what happened today," Laura cut in. "I’m just glad we’re all alive and in one piece." She glanced at Kai. "Is my sister coming home?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I told them what happened. They left about five hours ago. Should be here soon. Get ready to get toasted."

That confirmed it. He wasn’t involved in the whole bombing mess. But that left one burning question—who the hell was?

After dinner, Laura and I took a stroll in the garden. She was burping and rubbing her tummy like she’d eaten Thanksgiving dinner.

"Let’s not make love tonight," she said between burps.

"Totally fine with me." I grinned. "I respect a woman full of food and sass."

"What’s taking Dr. Reyes so long?"

I shrugged, thinking it over. "Did we send anyone to escort him?"

"Nope," she replied, popping the ’p’.

"Laura," Sophia called from the veranda. "Your father’s here."

"Oh," we both said in unison. Same tone. Same suspicion. Same ’uh-oh’ energy.

When we reached the great room, her dad was already fussing over her, looking like a worried sitcom father. Beside him stood the aunt—or was it the stepmom? Either way, she looked like she’d practiced that ’sympathetic’ expression in a mirror.

"I’m perfectly fine, Dad," Laura said, barely hiding her eye roll.

"Come home, alright?" he said, kissing her forehead like that would erase everything.

"I’m perfectly fine here, Dad."

"Where’s your sister?" he asked. "Why did she dump all this responsibility on you? She could’ve just asked—"

"Dad." She cut him off with a sigh.

Gregory did his whole faux-concerned act, and I just stood there in the corner, playing background decoration. Until he shot a glare at us—well, mostly at Kai. I elbowed him, but Kai looked too innocent to be guilty.

"Dad, stop making assumptions," Laura snapped.

"You need a break. Hand things over to your aunt, okay? When you’re back, the company—"

Laura took a step back and glared at the woman. Then she laughed—loud and dark, like a Disney villainess.

"Oh, please. You just came to make sure I’m not dead," she said coldly. "Leave, Father."

"Laura, it’s not— You misunderstood—"

She stared at him down in complete silence. But I could see it in her eyes—words she wasn’t saying.

Cheater. Greedy. Irresponsible.

"Sorry, Dad," she said, voice cool and clipped. "But if I or Livana die, the company’s assets go to charity. I don’t know who tried to kill me. But I don’t trust this family—only my sister."

Gregory was left speechless, mouth opening and closing like a broken ventriloquist doll.

"I’m only trying to look after you, Laura. You’re my daughter."

But Laura wasn’t buying it. Not with the way her father had betrayed her mother—with her mother’s half-sister, no less.

I still can’t figure it out. What’s in that company that’s got everyone acting like it’s the Holy Grail?

– Laura –

I knew his tactics like the back of my well-manicured hand. This man—my father? Please. He’s a cheater, a greedy little gremlin in a suit, and a world-class expert at being barely present. I displayed him and his entourage like exhibits in my personal disappointment museum. The sheer presence of him made my head throb.

Dr. Reyes arrived fashionably late and looked like he’d run a marathon through a sauna—pale, sweaty, and very much not okay.

"My apologies, Miss Laura," he said breathlessly.

"Hmm," I hummed, giving him a look that said you’re late and suspicious but go on. He set his leather duffel bag on the table and started pulling out his gear. The usual doctorly stuff—stethoscope, gauze, probably some holy water in case I combust from the stress. But his hands... they were shaking. And not in a too-much-coffee kind of way.

The poor guy was being blackmailed. I could feel it. Someone wanted him to kill me. And let’s be real—he could. He’s skilled enough to inject me with something that would knock me into the next life without a trace. But I wasn’t going down that easy.

"Dr. Reyes," I said sweetly, throwing a glance at Damien, who instantly caught on and nodded like the loyal psychic sidekick he is. "Can you check on Damien too? Just in case."

"Yes, of course," Dr. Reyes replied, trying to compose himself.

Kai moved like a shadow—very ninja of him—and Damien peeled off his shirt like we were at some medical Magic Mike audition. Dr. Reyes examined him from bead to toe. That’s not a typo. Damien was sweating enough to make a rosary bead nervous. The bruises on his back were gnarly, but they didn’t need much—just a hot pad, a cold compress, and maybe a vacation.

Dr. Reyes had been our family doctor for years. Faithful. Reliable. Like an old dog, but with better hygiene. Once he finished the check-ups, he recommended ointments and handed me prescriptions instead of the usual meds he brought with him. Which was a big, flashing sign: I don’t want to be implicated in anything fatal today, thank you very much.

Then a tiny voice echoed like a Disney movie cue.

"Papa!"

We all turned at once.

I blinked. There she was—the sister, standing tall and gorgeous beside her man. Holding his arm like some kind of royal decree. With them stood a four-year-old ball of energy and a woman dressed like she was heading to the opera. Betina. Dr. Reyes’s wife.

The doctor immediately went soft, hugging his daughter with glassy eyes. He looked like a man seeing light after years in a tunnel.

"Sis!" I rushed over dramatically, pointing at my bandaged arm. "Look! I got a deep wound. They say it’s gonna leave a scar." I said it loud enough to be heard from the moon although I know that she couldn’t see it.

"Oh," she replied coolly, like I’d told her the soup was cold. "Don’t worry. We have surgeons. You can have it laser-removed."

Damon scoffed in the background. "Oh, please. Stop acting like a child, Laura." He ruffled my hair, and I smacked his arm like the mature adult I am.

"Dr. Reyes, I think you should check on my wife," he added.

"I’m perfectly fine," Livana said flatly. "I just had my period."

"Oh," I nodded. That explained the ghostly pallor. Livana’s periods weren’t just bad—they were apocalyptic. I’d seen my mom have to hook her up to a dextrose and put her on bed rest more than once.

"Miss Livana," Dr. Reyes said in full doctor-mode. "Hot pads. Ginger tea. And food. You need to eat."

"I got it, Doc. Thank you."

Damon, all loving and protective, scooped her up bridal-style and carried her off like she was made of glass. I sighed and turned back to Dr. Reyes and his family. Something still felt off. I didn’t trust that he—or his family—was safe from whatever this twisted situation had become.

I followed Damon and Livana upstairs. I leaned casually against a table in their room while Livana snuggled into her pillows like a pale little burrito, and Damon tucked her in like the devoted husband of the year.

"Damon," she murmured, "can you get me food, please?"

"Yes, of course, my love." He kissed her cheek with the softness of a man who’d kill for her if she asked.

It was honestly sweet. A little nauseating. But sweet.

Once he left, I sat beside her and hugged her gently. "Sis, Dad came here earlier. With her."

"Hmm?"

"He wants me to hand over the company—like it’s a bag of chips."

"It’s up to you," she said, reaching over and placing her hand on mine.

"Of course, I won’t." I huffed. "I hate him. I hate her. The nerve of that woman coming in here looking like some over-budget soap opera villain."

"We don’t have heirs..." Livana said quietly. "I can’t get pregnant. All we can do is pass the company to our children—to protect Mom’s legacy, through you. And I know Damien can safeguard it. He won’t betray you."

I chuckled, nodding. "Damien... he’s the best. And by the way, your evil little plan to get me pregnant? It’s probably going to work. Don’t tell him I know."

I felt her smirk without even looking.

"I just want to see his face when he finds out. The drama. The pure chaos. I live for it."

She laughed softly. "Whatever, Laura. You and your games."

"I love him. Just let me have this, okay?" I kissed her cheek and smiled.