Chapter 19

The days that followed their conversation at the café were marked by an almost palpable shift in their relationship. Damian had been quieter, ”ore distant at times, as though the weight of his own unresolved past had become even heavier. Despite his earlier assurances that he wasn’t going to keep any more secrets from her, Sophia could feel the walls he had built around himself slowly coming back up. She had seen glimpses of the man beneath those walls—the man who was vulnerable, who cared deeply—but he wasn’t ready to completely open up to her. Not yet.

She wasn’t sure how to respond to it. She wanted to press him for answers, to demand that he share whatever it was he was hiding, but she also didn’t want to push him away. The fear of losing him, of him pulling away from her again, was enough to keep her in check.

Sophia found herself caught in an emotional tug-of-war. On one hand, she understood that Damian had his own struggles, his own demons that he had never allowed anyone to see. But on the other hand, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still keeping her at arm’s length, even as he claimed he wanted to move forward with her.

Her thoughts were interrupted one morning when she arrived at the office to find a message waiting for her. It was from Damian.

“Can you meet me for lunch today? I have something important to discuss.”

Her heart raced at the words. She hadn’t seen him all morning, and the tension between them had been building ever since their conversation. Whatever he wanted to discuss today, she knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

She quickly responded, agreeing to meet him at their usual spot. It wasn’t far from the office, a small bistro where they had shared countless lunches and brief moments of connection amidst their hectic schedules.

When she arrived, Damian was already sitting at the table, his eyes fixed on the menu, but there was a distant look in his gaze—like he was somewhere far away, lost in his thoughts. His usual composure seemed to have cracked, revealing a man who was struggling to keep it together.

Sophia sat down across from him, trying to gauge his mood. “Damian,” she began softly, “what’s going on?”

He looked up at her, his expression serious, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. But it was quickly gone, replaced by a calmness that made her feel even more uneasy.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what we talked about the other night,” Damian began, his voice low and measured. “About me not being honest with you.”

Sophia nodded, bracing herself for whatever revelation he was about to make. “And?”

“I’m ready to tell you,” he said, his gaze unwavering. “But I need you to promise me something first.”

Sophia’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Promise you what?”

“That you’ll listen, really listen, without judgment,” he said, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “And that you won’t walk away. No matter what I tell you.”

Her heart skipped a beat, her stomach knotting with a sudden unease. She didn’t know why, but she had the feeling that what he was about to say would change everything.

“I promise,” she said, her voice steady, even though her hands were trembling slightly under the table.

Damian exhaled deeply, running a hand through his hair as he collected his thoughts. The silence between them was heavy, almost suffocating. Finally, he spoke, his words coming slowly, as though he were piecing together something that had been buried for far too long.

“There’s something you don’t know about my past,” he began. “Something I’ve kept hidden from everyone—because I was afraid it would change the way people saw me. But it’s not something I can keep running from anymore.”

Sophia’s heart pounded in her chest, but she didn’t interrupt. She could feel the tension building in him, the rawness of whatever he was about to share.

“I was involved in something…illegal,” Damian continued, his voice tight. “When I was younger, I got caught up in a mess I couldn’t get out of. It was my fault, and I don’t expect you to understand, but I’m telling you now because it’s affecting everything I do. The reason I’ve been so guarded, so distant, is because I’m afraid that if you find out about my past, you’ll think I’m the same person I was back then.”

Sophia’s breath caught in her throat as the weight of his confession sank in. Her mind raced, trying to process the words he had just said. But the one thing that stood out to her more than anything was the guilt in his eyes, the regret that seemed to weigh on him like a heavy burden.

“I was involved with people who…weren’t good people,” he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. “And I made choices that I regret every day. I’ve tried to bury it all, to make up for it by building my business, by becoming someone people can respect. But the truth is, no matter how hard I try, my past is always there, lurking in the background. And I’m terrified that you’ll see me as that person again.”

Sophia sat in stunned silence, her mind swirling with a thousand questions. The man she had been falling for, the man she had seen as strong and successful, had a past so different from the one she had imagined. The walls he had built around himself were not just to protect his heart; they were to protect others from the mistakes he had made.

For a moment, the silence between them felt suffocating. Sophia wanted to say something, to comfort him, but she wasn’t sure what to say. She hadn’t expected this—hadn’t expected to find out that Damian was carrying such a heavy burden.

Finally, she found her voice. “Damian…” she started, her voice trembling slightly. “I don’t know what to say. I wasn’t expecting this. But you don’t have to carry this alone. I’m not going to judge you for your past. We all have things we’re not proud of. What matters is what you’re doing now. Who you are now.”

Damian looked up at her, his eyes searching hers as though he were trying to see if she meant it. “You’re not going to leave me?” he asked quietly.

“No,” Sophia replied, her voice firm. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here.”

For the first time in what felt like forever, Damian’s face softened. The weight he had been carrying seemed to lift, just a little, as though her words had given him a sliver of hope.

They sat there for a while longer, the conversation moving into quieter territory as they discussed the future—both their personal one and the business. It wasn’t easy, and there were still so many unknowns. But for the first time in a long while, they both felt like they were walking forward together, instead of apart.

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