Damien’s POV
Five years. It felt like a lifetime and a heartbeat all at once. I had stayed away. I had tried to honor the space Elena needed, built my empire higher, buried myself in work, told myself it was for the best. But the pull never left. The love never faded. The regret never stopped whispering in the quiet moments.
I had kept tabs, discreetly. I knew she had a son, built a life with Sofia and Marcus. I told myself it was none of my business, she was happy and I had lost her. But the need to see her one last time won. I drove to her apartment building that afternoon, parking across the street where I could watch without being seen.
The door opened. Elena walked out with a little boy. My heart stopped. The boy was four, maybe five. Dark hair. Sharp features. He looked… like me.
