Chapter 17
Rick
I want to be aler
alene. Just leave.
Damien’s lips pressed into a thin line. He stood there in strace for a second longer before turning around and stepping out of the room
The second the door closed behind him. his entire expression darkened
He was about to ask where Nancy had gone when she suddenly appeared in the living room. her eyes red and puffy from crying, she rushed up to him with a worried face, playing the role of a concerned angel.||
Danden, how is tack? Is he okay now?
Damien’s face remained cold and unreadable. He didn’t lose his temper outright… because as much as he disliked her, Nancy had once saved Rick’s life.]
Back then, she was the one who had discovered the infant boy outside his front door. Without her, Rick might not have survived. Damien had even suspected jer at first…. wondering if it had a
all been a setup.
What if Nancy had hidden the boy’s mother, then placed Rick at his doorstep just to get close to him? That kind of plot was straight out of a third–rate melodrama.
But after a thorough investigation, hard found nothing suspicious. Her discovery of Rick really had been accidental. She had nothing to do with the boy’s birth. nor with the disappearance of the mother
So even though Damen didn’t like her, he had always treated her politely and kept her at a respectful distanc
For Rick’s sake….because the boy lacked maternal affection Damien never stopped her from visiting. That, in turn, fueled public gossip: many assumed the was Damien’s lover or even Rick’s biological mother.
But those close to Damen knew the truth.|||
He had never given Nancy false hope.
He did her.
And he certainly didn’t love her.
As he descended the stairs with a grim face, his eyes landed on the fresh white bandage wrapped around her arm
“My apologies “he said flady. Rick injured you.
“Oh, its nothing!” she said quickly, her voice soft with fake concern. “I’m
“I’m just worried about Rick. The moment he saw ma today, he lost his temper. Is he upset because I’ve been away filming for so long? Maybe he feels distant from me now? [
she wore a sweet, darless expression, pretending the had no idea what she’d done wrong
Damien ‘s gaze sharpened. He wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what had set Rick off her reckless claim that they were going to get married.]
He cut to the chase. “No. Ite’s missing his birth mother.”
At that, a flicker of lattertiess passed across Nancy’s face. Her fists clenched at her sides, though she tried to mask is behind a forced male
Of course Of course
was het Always her.||
That woman was a thurs in her side one she couldn’t even let alouet
replace ||
Nancy had been overjoyed the day she found Rick. For her, I had seemed like a miracle.. a golden ticket straight into Damien Crawford’s life ||
When Damientried to repay i
y her, the’d told him |
Children in single parent homes suffer. For Hicks well being, why not t
not let me marry your Even if only in name ||
The thought she’d played her cards perfectly
But Damien shut her down without hesitation ||
He told her bluntly that he couldn’t marry her… because he was still married
If he remarried now, it would be bigamy.[]
want an option.]
All he could offer was compensation.]]
The memory still made her seethe. All these years later, she still hadict golten what she wanted
Can you believe it? No love, no tide, nothing!
just the most frustrating thing in the world?
Nancy seethed internally, her resentment boiling beneath her carefully painted trade
In her heart, she loathed three people more than anything:
Rick’s biological mother, Damien’s legal wife whom no our had ever seen and the child himself, Rick
Every single day, she fantasized about making the three of them disappear from this world.
But on the outside, she wore a pitiful self–blaming expression.]
“This is all my fault,” she said gently. “I haven’t given Rick enough maternal love that’s why he clings to the idea of his real mother so desperately. It’s even making him sick
Damien looked at her, tone icy but truthful
Ir not your fault. It’s normal for a child to miss his birth mother. You’re not her. No matter how hard you try, you’ll never give him the kind of love he really
Straight Brotal. Honest.
That was just how DamienCrawford operated
And once again, Nancy’s pride shattered into a thousand tiny pieces
She could try everything… pretend, manipulate, guilt trip but there was one thing she could n
could never change
She wasn’t Rick’s mother. And never
FT would be.]
Just as she opened her mouth to argue, Damien cat her off coldly.
Tick’s soental state is worsening. Lindess it’s an emergency, I don’t want you coming here anymore. If you have to visit, call me first.
Nancy’s eyes widened, “What?”
she was bring banned from the house?|||
What
at did that make her past another thirsty socialite trying to get close to Damien 7||
he panicke
“All decisions are based on whats best for Rick. Thats i
He didn’t leave room for discussion. It was punishment for what she said to Rick earlies ||
Danuenbad told her point blank he would never marry her, yet she still dared to run her mouth in front of his son
To be honest, he’d never liked her hanging around in the first place ||
Nancy was furing inside, humiliated and latter. But seeing how serious Damien was, the didn’t dare defy him further. She could only leave in silence.
Afterward, Damientated to the butler.
min pos on, if the comes, don’t let her in Call me first.“[]
Not long after, Glenn… Damien’s close friend and a licensed psychiatrist… rushed in, a fr
a frown etched into h
» his face as Damien filled him in
After hearing the full story, Glenn sighed and said,]
“If Rick reacted this strongly today, then his hipolar disorder is definitely getting worse. This is looking good.“||
“He’s been taking his meds regularly.“]
Then just about medication,” Glenn explained. The root mase is psychological. The boys obsession with his mother is too deep. If you could bring her back into his life, it marhi fix everything ||
Danden lit a cigarete, visibly agitated|||
If finding her were that easy, would he still be here struggling?
He’d even tried hiring someone
one to pretend to be her hased on Rick’s memories
But Rick was sharp he’d seen through the act instantly and threw a massive fit
Seeing his friend on wound up. Glenn sighed.]
“Okay. If you really can’t find her, then maybe it’s time to bring in a child psychologist Someone who’s qualified to stay close to him long term…. nanny, but with dinical credentials |
They could help him open up, get inside his head, maybe even start to heal some of the trauma.]]
Worst case, they can monnor him around the clock and prevent another breakdown like today.”
Damien nodded. “Do you know anyone?
“Not right now. no.” Glenn admited. “But if you’re okay with having a a stranger living in your house, ril look into it.
blog that matters.
Don’t worry about me,” Damen said calmly. “Rick is the only thing that
For the sake of his son, Damien would give up anything…his pride, his time, even his life, so tolerating a litle chaos? That was nothing||
Alright then.” Glenn nodded. I’ll start searching as soon as I get back.
like a live–in
Just then, banden ‘s phone rang
The second be awered, a panicked voice came through the line]
Boss bad news! Miss Win dior escaped=“|||
Damien Sexpression turned dark. “She ran
“Yes, sir. The lauilding’s fire alarms suddenly went off. People rushed out in a panic… it was chaos. That woman used the commotion to slip away-
Damien’s face sank into a cold fury||
You couldnt even watch uise woman? Useless. ||
His vore was cold as for, laced with Fury. He yanked at his the, suppressing the building pressure in his chest |
“How did the alarm get triggered?” ||
“Someone set off a smoke bomb in the basement. That’s what activated the system. But we could identity who it was, the surveillance it was disabled. / Someone wiped the footage clean.
dangerous gleam flickered in Damien’s eyes ||
stroyed cameras. A perfectly timed escape:
just casual help… someone very capable:[]
He’d aliment believed she was just a struggling single mom who brought along a mischievous kid. But clearly, he’d underestimated her
Too soft. He’d or too soft ||
Track her down.” Damienordered, his voice low and lethal.1 want her found and brought back.-||
“Yes, star
