Damian paced in his study, his heart pounding in his chest. his father’s words, Lina’s smugness, and the image of Aurora haunted him. His hands shook as he grabbed the decanter of whiskey on his desk and poured himself a drink.
The glass shattered against the wall moments later, the fiery liquid dripping down like blood.
“I can’t take this anymore,” he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair. His mind was a storm of rage and frustration.
He opened a drawer in his desk, pulling out a sleek black gun. He stared at it for a moment, his jaw clenched. He had played his father’s games long enough.
It was time for answers.
*****Confrontation******
The grand hall was quiet when Damian entered, the sound of his footsteps echoing on the floors. His father and Lina were seated in the parlor, their conversation halting when they saw him.
“Damian,” his father said, his sharp eyes narrowing. “What are you doing?”
Damian didn’t respond. He stepped closer, his expression cold and unreadable, until he was standing a few feet away.
Then he raised the gun.
Lina gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Damian, what are you doing?!”
“Shut up,” Damian said coldly, his eyes locked on his father. “I want answers.”
His father’s jaw tightened, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes fear. “Put that down,” he said firmly. “You’re not thinking straight.”
“I’ve never been more clear,” Damian said, his voice low and steady.
“Damian, this is madness,” Lina said, her voice trembling.
“I said shut up!” he barked, pointing the gun at her briefly before returning it to his father. “I’m not playing games anymore. Tell me where Aurora is.”
His father frowned, his expression hardening. “Damian, I already told you Aurora is gone. There’s nothing you can do about it.”
“That’s not good enough,” Damian said through gritted teeth. “I want to know where she is. Right now.”
“She’s not your concern anymore,” his father said. “Put the gun down before you do something you’ll regret.”
Damian laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “Regret? The only thing I regret is trusting you. You ruined her life, and you ruined mine.”
“I saved you from yourself,” his father said, his voice rising. “Aurora was a distraction, Damian. She would’ve destroyed everything we built.”
“You destroyed her!” Damian shouted, his hand trembling as he gripped the gun tighter. “You took everything from her. And for what? To keep your precious reputation intact?”
“You don’t understand,” his father said, his tone softer now. “This was for your own good.”
Damian’s lips curled into a sneer. “For my good? Don’t make me laugh. This was never about me. This was about you. Your greed, your ambition, your need to control everything and everyone.”
“Damian”
“Enough!” Damian yelled, firing a shot into the ceiling.
The sound was deafening, and Lina screamed, covering her ears.
His father froze, his face paling as he stared at the bullet hole in the ceiling.
“I’m done listening to your excuses,” Damian said, his voice cold and deadly. “Tell me where she is, or the next shot won’t miss.”
******Fear and Power*****
His father held up his hands slightly, his eyes narrowing. “Damian, put the gun down. We can talk about this.”
“We’re done talking,” Damian said, stepping closer. “You’ve been lying to me for years. Manipulating me. Controlling me. But not anymore.”
“You think this is how you fix things?” his father snapped, his fear giving way to anger. “Pointing a gun at your own family?”
“You stopped being my family the day you sold Aurora,” Damian said coldly. “I don’t care what you think of me. I hate you.”
His father flinched, his expression hardening. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do,” Damian said. “I’ve hated you for years. For everything you’ve done. For everything you’ve taken from me.”
Lina, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “Damian, please,” she said, her voice shaking. “This isn’t the way.”
He turned the gun on her, his eyes cold. “You stay out of this,” he said sharply.
She froze, her hands trembling as she stared at the barrel of the gun. “I… I didn’t do anything,” she stammered.
“You did plenty,” Damian said, his tone bitter. “You’ve been manipulating me just like he has. Playing your little games, trying to control me. But it ends now.”
“Damian,” his father said, his voice firm but edged with fear. “Don’t do something you’ll regret.”
“Stop telling me what to do!” Damian roared, pointing the gun back at his father. “You don’t get to control me anymore. You don’t get to make decisions for me. Tell me where she is, or I swear I’ll pull the trigger.”
His father’s face was pale now, his hands shaking slightly despite his attempt to remain calm. “Damian, listen to me,” he said slowly. “Aurora is safe. She’s… she’s with someone who can take care of her.”
“Who?” Damian demanded, his voice sharp.
“Lucas,” his father said reluctantly.
Damian froze, his mind racing. “Lucas?” he repeated. “You gave her to him?”
“He has the power to keep her in line,” his father said quickly. “She’s safe with him, Damian.”
“You don’t get to decide what’s safe for her,” Damian said, his voice shaking with rage. “You gave her to a monster.”
“She wasn’t your responsibility,” his father said firmly. “She never was.”
“She was mine!” Damian shouted, his voice breaking. “She trusted me, and I failed her because of you.”
His father flinched at the raw pain in Damian’s voice.
“You have no idea what you’ve done,” Damian said softly, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “You’ve destroyed everything.”
*****A Warning******
Damian lowered the gun slightly, his chest heaving as he tried to steady his breathing.
“You listen to me,” he said, his voice deadly. “You’re going to stay out of my way. Both of you.”
His father frowned. “Damian, what are you”
“I’m going to get her back,” Damian interrupted, his voice firm. “And if either of you tries to stop me, I won’t hesitate to do what I have to.”
“You’re making a mistake,” his father said.
“No,” Damian said. “The only mistake I made was trusting you. But that’s over now.”
He turned and walked toward the door, the gun still in his hand.
“Damian!” Lina called after him, her voice trembling. “You can’t just leave like this.”
He paused, looking back at her with cold, unfeeling eyes. “Watch me.”
Then he was gone, leaving the mansion and the shattered remains of his family behind.