n

n

nNow that Cassidy appears to be more than willing to tell her story, Damien finds himself feeling more bewildered than ever.

nHe knew how much she insisted to keep her past as a secret. Before she lost her memories, she never told anyone about it. Her tenacity to never reveal it was like some precious keepsake she got from her deceased grandmother-in-law who also happened to be the one behind her arranged marriage with Adrian.

nCertainly, there was a reason why Cassidy was hiding her background from everyone. But now, Damien is getting the feeling that this reason is something that she has forgotten.

nSince she couldn't remember anything past the age of eighteen, it could mean that she found the reason not to tell anyone about her past only after she met her husband.

nWhen her memories were stolen by that tragedy, a lid had been opened - one that had showed everyone her true character. It showed a personality that she kept hiding for five whole years.

nAt this moment, Damien has come to realize something. Perhaps, that lid has also opened an opportunity for others to know her secrets, including those that have something to do with her background.

n

"You're... an orphan...?

" Damien repeated in disbelief, baffled as for why his great grandmother would choose an orphan out of all the women out there to be his uncle's wife.

n

"Do you know your biological family, though?

"

n

"Never met my father. But my mother...

" Cassidy trailed off before casting down her gaze and smiling sadly.

n

"She died when I was still very young.

"

n

"O-Oh... Umm... How did she...

"

n

"It was a blurry memory. All I remember is that there's a thunderstorm that time. Both of us are trapped inside something at somewhere. Though I don't completely recall, I know that it's a horrific experience to even have a small glimpse of.

"

nAfter hearing that, he suddenly felt guilty.

nHe did not mean to make her recall a bad memory. It's just that he felt the panic to know more about her. With how impossible this scene could've been if she still had her memories, he felt like she was going to stop talking about it in any second.

nFurthermore, the reason why Damien couldn't believe that Cassidy was an orphan was because it somehow came out like a random thing to do on his great grandmother's part.

nThat time, Adrian had lots of potential marriage partners who would be able to contribute to the family. Many ladies were in line for his hand in marriage - daughters of their closest business partners, affluent figures, famous celebrities and wealthy heiresses.

nDamien isn't really trying to look down on his aunt here, though. He is just being practical - thinking the same way as the other members in the Millicent family would. If he wants to clarify things, he needs to do this.

nWhat's more, Damien thought that if only Cassidy hadn't been chosen by his great grandmother, she wouldn't have to suffer under a loveless marriage for years. Though Adrian did end up catching feelings for her, it was totally last minute. She doesn't see him the same way anymore.

nDamien felt bad for the previous Cassidy who worked hard to earn his love - yet only to accomplish that when she already lost hers.

n

"I'm so sorry to hear about your mother, Aunt. I didn't know that you went through something like that...

" Damien muttered with a heavy-hearted expression.

n

"Someday, I want to visit her grave if I can. May I pay her my respects, Aunt?

"

n

"My, what a courteous young man you are...

" Cassidy cooed with a sweet and flattered smile - which then turned sad once more along with her gaze.

n

"The thought is more than enough, Damien. As much as I want to let you do so, unfortunately, I don't know where she's buried or if she even has a grave to begin with.

"

nDamien feels his heart sinking much more than it already did.

nDespite her reassuring smile, he can tell that Cassidy feels worse. But instead of pretending to be fine, she appears more like she has long accepted that harsh truth. Then again, something as miserable as not knowing where her deceased mother is has long been the reality she keeps living in.

nShe was an orphan, had her parents taken away from her at a young age, suffered under a loveless marriage, encountered a deadly incident, and so on. Looking at all these, such a life could never be not considered as despairing and tragic.

nEven then, Cassidy can still smile and look after people like this.

nThis also goes with Adrian - the husband who treated her coldly for half a decade. Unlike him, she didn't push him away when he fell in love. Though she doesn't reciprocate his feelings anymore, she still didn't cut him off completely. She spends time with him at least.

n

"Aunt, how can you do that?

" Damien asked out of nowhere.

n

"Do what?

" Cassidy blurted out while blinking at him in puzzlement.

n

"Even though you didn't receive as much love and care as you deserved, you continued to do that to other people. You didn't cancel others out no matter how much they hurt you before.

"

n

"You know, Damien... People aren't the ones you should throw out - it's the relationships you had with them. You would never know, after all. Maybe, those people would change one day. You might come to need them too. Life is full of possibilities.

"

n

"But they still hurt you. They still did something bad. What if their future actions did not justify nor correct their past ones? What if they're not enough to make up for everything?

"

n

"If I think about those, I'll be the one at a loss. It's better to live without holding any persisting grudge. Not that I'm saying you should just move on and be done with it. It's alright to be mad, vengeful or unforgiving for a while, but never let those feelings linger on for too long. Otherwise, you may never be truly happy again.

"

nDamien feels like he's listening to a mother's advice. His eyes keep softening in each enlightening word. As if her voice isn't soothing and reassuring enough, her words of wisdom have to be just as pleasing to hear.

nAt this point, Cassidy is becoming such a heartwarming existence to him.

n

"Now then, enough chit-chats. You should sleep...

" she continued before reaching out for his head and patting it gently, making him blush.

n

"I can tell why you asked all those things, but I assure you that it's good now. No need to worry.

"

n

"Thank you for telling me about them, Aunt, though I don't really get why you can open up to me that much,

" he confessed while still blushing at her affectionate gesture.

n

"That's because Damien is comfortable to talk with. It's not only about how mature and understanding you seem, but I just kinda sense that it's alright to tell you.

"

n

"You trust me that much?

"

n

"Yeah. And I know you deserve it.

"

nWhile she simply smiles and caresses his head, he only continues to stare back at her with a flushed face. His eyes keep glistening with admiration and gratefulness the whole time, drinking her in as if trying to swallow every little bit of her presence that he has failed to admire before.

nThat night, Damien felt like he had heard the most precious compliment that mattered to him - one that taught him not to completely close himself off from other people no matter how good or bad they'd been to him. It's fine to feel things, but in the end, it's his decision if he'll continue to let those people in.

nAfter all, everyone is not always the same as who they make themselves appear to be.

n---

nOn the next morning, everyone gathered around the dining hall for breakfast.

nCassidy and her nephews went downstairs to find both Adrian and Edward already awake. The boys greeted their father and exchanged a few words with him before settling down on their seats. That's until something quite unexpected happened.

nDamien walks up to Adrian out nowhere - with his brows slightly scrunched together and his firm gaze so steeled at him that it flummoxes him. In the middle of their mini staring contest, Cassidy and the others catch sight of them looking at each other intently instead of eating their breakfast.

nFrom that moment on, they only watch in bafflement, wondering what is up all of the sudden.

n

"Damien?

" Edward called for his son, confused at how he appeared to be confronting his uncle.

n

"What is it, Damien...?

" Adrian asked him, feeling just as confused as his brother.

n

"Don't you like the breakfast we prepared-

"

n

"Uncle Bossman...

" Damien then suddenly cut him off, nonplussing everyone even more.

n

"If you make Aunt Cassidy cry again, my brothers and I will take her home for real this time.

"

nAt the very second Damien drops that threat, Adrian stiffens on his seat while Cassidy and Edward jolt in surprise.

n