The sound of the elevator was a strange comfort as Damian leaned against the polished metal wall, one hand resting gently on Emma's small shoulder.
Her frame was tense beneath his touch but she didn't flinch away like she used to. Small wins, he told himself.
She was holding onto her teddy bear.
They had just left Dr. Reynolds' office and though there were no new developments, the doctor had spoken gently, explaining how trauma could trap a child in silence and how only time and patience could help her find her voice again.
Damian exhaled slowly.
He had heard that line enough times to recite it in his sleep.
When the elevator chimed open on the ground floor, Emma stepped out first, her little shoes barely making a sound. Damian followed her, his gaze scanning the waiting area instinctively.
She wasn't there.
The woman from earlier, Elena.
The name lingered in his mind far longer than it should have.
There had been something in her eyes, something that resonated with the ache inside him.
Pain
Loss
Silence that spoke volumes
Why was she at the hospital?
She didn't look injured. She wasn't waiting on anyone, at least not that he could tell. She had looked like someone trying to disappear in plain sight. Like someone on the edge of a decision.
A dangerous one.
Emma tugged his hand gently. She didn't speak but the soft gesture brought his attention back. He offered her a reassuring smile and crouched slightly.
"Want to stop for ice cream on the way home?" he asked.
Emma looked at him for a while, then gave a small nod.
The bell above the door jingled as they entered the small shop two blocks from the hospital.
The place smelled of waffle cones and chocolate and for a moment, Emma's eyes flashed with interest.
She pointed to the glass case, towards the mint chocolate chip.
Damian ordered two scoops in a waffle cone and handed it to her.
She took it carefully, like it might disappear if she moved too fast.
They sat in a booth by the window.
Emma licked her ice cream in small bites, her eyes focused on the melting swirls.
Damian watched her quietly, feeling his chest tightening.
. So small. So fragile. She hadn't spoken since the accident.
No cries, no whimpers. Just silence.
He hated that silence more than anything.
"Your Dad used to love this place" he said softly, unsure why he said it.
Emma didn't respond but her eyes moved toward him briefly. "He would always sneak extra whipped cream when we were kids. Got scolded every time"
Emma's lips curved. Just slightly.
But it was enough.
For the first time in weeks, it felt like the sun broke through
Back at the penthouse, Damian poured himself a drink and stepped out onto the balcony after tucking Emma in.
The city was filled with lights and glass but the glow didn't reach the hollow inside him.
He remembered the call. The police. The rain. His brother's car flipped in a ditch.
The child seat had saved Emma.
But nothing could have saved her parents.
Damian rubbed a hand across his face. His brother, Dennis, had been the better one.
Warmer, softer, always the peacemaker.
The thought that Damian was the one left to raise his daughter felt like a joke
And yet… here he was. Trying.
His phone buzzed.
Leo
"If this is about the board meeting, I swear..."
"I won't even mention it" Leo said mockingly. "I saw the news about your Backwood's estate, it sounds like the vultures are circling"
"They have been circling since the funeral" Damian muttered.
"They think because I'm not married and don't have a traditional family setup, they can challenge custody."
"Your grandmother still has your back?"
"For now" he said. "But she made it clear. If I want to keep custody of Emma, I need to give the family and the board some... assurance"
Leo sighed. "Marriage?"
Damian didn't respond.
"Damn, that is cold. Image is everything. especially in the Blackwood empire"
He turned away from the city. "It's not just about the board. It's the press, the lawyers, the whispers. Emma doesn't need more instability."
"So, what are you going to do?"
"I don't know yet" Damian said. "But I'll find a way."
An hour later, Leo showed up at his door in a hoodie and jeans.
"You're lucky I didn't bring tequila" he said, striding in and pouring himself a scotch. "I've been thinking...."
"That's dangerous" Damian replied sharply
Leo shot him a look. "I'm serious. You need to do something soon. The board's going to call an emergency session if they think you're incapable of handling things. Even if you win, the press will get wind of it. It will make Emma feel unsafe"
Damian clenched his jaw. "I'm not dragging a stranger into this mess"
"Then maybe it doesn't have to be a stranger" Leo said
Damian raised a brow. "Go on"
"I'm talking about contract marriage.
No strings. No expectations. Just an arrangement to shut them all up. Someone smart. Discreet. And willing."
Damian scoffed. "You think women just sign up for that?"
Leo shrugged. "Some do. Especially if they've got their own reasons. And money is not a problem for you. Offer them stability, safety... something in return."
Damian swirled the liquid in his glass.
As if conjured from memory, Elena.
That brief moment outside the hospital. Her gaze. The haunted shadow in her eyes. And the way she said, "She's lucky to have you"
Not flattery
He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her.
After Leo left, Damian stood bathed in the dim light of his computer screen. He'd told himself not to search, Not to look her up.
He sat down.
Typed: "Elena + hospital + patient records"
Nothing official came up.
He narrowed the search. Still nothing.
Damn it.
Maybe she was a visitor. Or... maybe a patient under a restricted listing.
He rubbed his eyes. What was he doing? She was a stranger. One with secrets of her own.
And yet...
She hadn't recoiled from Emma's silence. She hadn't looked at him with pity or awe. Just... quiet comprehension.
Damian walked through the hallway, stopping at Emma's room. He peeked inside.
She was still asleep, the teddy bear tucked beneath her arm. Her chest rose and fell in soft, even breaths.
He whispered a promise he hadn't yet made aloud.
"I won't let them take you"
His voice caught on the last word.
He closed the door softly behind him.
Back in his room, he sat at the edge of his bed and opened his phone again. He didn't know her last name. Just Elena.
But somehow, her name carried more weight than most titles in his contact list.
He remembered the way the sunlight had caught on her hair in the courtyard. The way her fingers had tightened slightly when he said Emma was silent.
What pain was she carrying?
What had brought her to the hospital that day?
More importantly, why couldn't he let it go?
He lay back against the cold sheets, eyes tracing the ceiling.
There were decisions to be made. Risks to take.
" Elena" He whispered it once into the dark
Then closed his eyes.