Where Darkness Learned Breath by Rylor Dusk 121

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121 Chapter 121: Olivia Advice

Aria pov

“You are terrified.” Olivia nodded. “I get it. But Aria, you can’t live in fear forever. At some point, you have to decide whether you’re going to let the past control your future or whether you’re going to be brave enough to risk your heart again.”

“I hate when you’re right.”

She grabbed her coat from the back of the chair. The fabric made a soft rustling sound. I could smell her perfume–something light and clean that reminded me of the hospital where we’d first met years ago. “Get used to it.” She stood, stretching. “Now, I have rounds at the hospital, but tonight we’re having wine and you’re telling me everything. Including whether you two finally had sex again.”

“Olivia!”

“What? I’m invested in this story now!” She laughed. “Plus, you two have enough chemistry to set off smoke alarms. It’s inevitable.”

After she left, I sat alone with my thoughts and my rapidly cooling coffee. The photos were still all over my phone–evidence of feelings I’d been trying to suppress.

My phone rang, it was an unknown number.The ringtone cut through the quiet apartment. My chest tightened as I stared at the screen, watching it light up and go dark with each ring. The numbers glowed white against black. My thumb hovered over the answer button. Something cold settled in my stomach. I almost didn’t answer because it was mostly Marcus who called with unknown numbers but something made me pick up.

“Hello?”

“Aria Monroe.” A woman’s voice, cold and sharp. “Or should I say Aria Blackwood? Since you’re crawling back to that title.”

“Who is this?”

Sophia Clarke.” Of course. “I saw the pictures from last night, you look very cozy with my ex.”

“Damien and I”

“Are making a huge mistake.”

I stood up and walked to the window. The glass was cool when I pressed my

forehead

12:32

1/0/

121 Chapter 121 Olivia Advice

against it. Outside, cars moved through the streets below. Their horns were faint from up here. My reflection stared back at me–dark eyes, tense jaw. I looked tired. The phone felt heavy in my hand, and I could hear Sophia breathing on the other end, waiting.

Her voice

rdened. “He’s using you, Arla. Just like he used me. Just like he uses everyone and when he’s done, he’ll throw you away again.

“Is there a point to this call?” I kept my voice steady.

“The point is that you should know better.” Sophia laughed bitterly. “He destroyed you once, left you pregnant and alone and now you’re stupid enough to believe he’s changed? Men like Damien Blackwood don’t change, they just get better at lying.”

I laughed hollowly, after all her pretense of trying to help she finally shows her true colors. “Are you done?”

“I’m trying to help you.” But her voice said otherwise. “Save yourself the heartbreak, take your son and your company and run. Before he ruins you again.”

“Thank you for

your concern.” My voice was cold. “But I can handle my own life.”

“Can you?” She paused. “Because from where I’m sitting, you look like a desperate woman trying to create a fantasy family with a man who will never love anyone but

himself.”

“Goodbye, Sophia.” I ended the call, hands shaking.

But her words echoed. Men like Damien don’t change.

Did they? Could they?

“Mama?” Noah’s voice pulled me from dark thoughts. “Can we call Daddy? I wanna tell him about my dinosaur fort.”

“Sure, baby.” I forced a smile. “Let’s call Daddy”

I dialed Damien’s number, putting it on speaker as Noah climbed onto my lap. His hair was still messy from sleep, sticking up in the back. I smoothed it down without thinking. The phone rang once, twice. Noah bounced his legs against mine, humming to himself. He answered on the third ring.

“Aria, is everything okay?”

“Noah wants to talk to you.” I handed the phone to our son.

“Daddy! I built the biggest fort ever! With towers and a volcano and everything!”

121 Chapter 121: Olivia Advice

“That sounds amazing, buddy.” Damien’s voice was warm. “Can you show me when I get home tonight?”

“You’re coming home?” Noah’s face lit up.

“Of course. I live there now, remember?” A pause. “With you and Mama.”

“Yeah!” Noah bounced excitedly. “And Daddy? Mama was looking at pictures of you guys dancing, she smiled really big.”

“Noah!” I tried to grab the phone.

“Did she?” Damien’s voice held laughter. “That’s good to know.”

“Uh–huh and Dora says you guys are in love and Mr. Peterson says”

“Okay, that’s enough sharing Mama’s business.” I took back the phone. “Say goodbye to Daddy.”

“Bye, Daddy! Love you!”

“Love you too, Noah.” Damien waited until Noah ran off, then: “So. You were smiling at pictures of us?”

“Noah exaggerates.” But I was smiling again.

“He’s four, he doesn’t know how to lie yet.” His voice dropped lower. “Aria, about those

pictures”

“I know.” I cut him off. “The whole city thinks we’re back together.”

“Are we?” He asked quietly. “Together?”

“I don’t know what we are.” Honesty felt easier than pretending. “But Damien, I got a call just now. From Sophia.”

His tone changed instantly. “What did she say?”

“That you’re using me, that men like you don’t change. That I’m stupid for believing you.” I paused. “She’s wrong, right?”

“Completely wrong.” His voice was fierce. “Aria, I don’t know what I need to do to prove that I’ve changed, that this is real. But I’ll keep doing it every day until you believe me.”

“I want to believe you.” My voice was small. “I’m trying to believe you.”

“Then keep trying.” He said softly. “And Aria? Those photos from last night? That wasn’t an act. That wasn’t strategy. That was me unable to hide how I feel about you for even one second. So if the whole world thinks we’re together, maybe that’s because in every

121 Chapter 121 Olivia Advico

way that matters, we are

My breath caught. “Damien”

“I know you’re scared.” He continued. “I know you need time. But I’m not going

anywhere and eventually” His voice roughened. “Eventually, you’re going to realize that

than what we lost then. That we can build something

what we have now is worth mora?

stronger because of what we survived.

“You really believe that?” I whispered.

“I know it.” His certainty wrapped around me like a blanket. “Because Aria, loving you now–really loving you, not the broken version from before–is the easiest thing I’ve ever done. And I’m going to keep doing it until you love me back.”

“What if I already do?” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Silence. Then: “What?”

“I didn’t mean” I started to backtrack.

“Don’t.” His voice was urgent. “Don’t take it back, tell me again.”

“Damien”

“Please. I need to hear it again.”

I closed my eyes, gathering courage. “I think I might be falling in love with you. Again or still. Or” I laughed shakily. “I don’t know. It’s terrifying and confusing and I don’t trust it yet, but it’s there. This feeling that maybe, possibly, we could actually make

this work.”

“We will make it work.” He sounded like he was smiling. “Aria, we’re going to make this work because neither of us is walking away. Not this time.”

“Promise?” My voice was small.

“I promise.” His voice was absolute. “Now, I have to go into a meeting, but tonight- tonight we’re talking about this. Really talking. No running, no hiding.”

“Okay,” I whispered.`

“And Aria? Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being brave enough to try.” His voice was thick with emotion. “For letting me love you. For loving me back even a little. It’s more than I deserve and I’m going to spend every day earning it.”

121 Chapter 11 Cheb Aruke

After we hung up, I sat there for a long moment, phone in hand, heart racing, Olivia was right. I was being a coward. Letting fear control me instead of choosing happiness.

But maybe just maybe it was time to be brave.

My phone buzzed with a final text from Damien.

“P.S. – That red dress? Keep it. Because I meant what I said last night. When you’re ready, I’m making love to you in it before I tear it off you. That’s a promise too”

Heat flooded through me as I saved the text, smiling despite myself.

Noah ran back into the kitchen. “Mama, you’re blushing!”

“Am not,” I lied.

“Are too! Is it ‘cause of Daddy?”

“Maybe,” I admitted.

“Good.” He hugged me. “‘Cause when you think about Daddy, you look happy. And I like when you’re happy.”

I held my son close, thinking about promises and possibilities and the terrifying beauty

of second chances.

Outside the windows, the city hummed with life. Somewhere out there, Marcus was planning his next move. Sophia was probably plotting revenge. The media was dissecting every photo from last night.

But in this moment with my son in my arms and hope blooming cautiously in my chest -I felt something I hadn’t felt in years.

I felt like maybe, just maybe, everything was going to be okay.

My phone buzzed one more time with another headline notification. “Vivian Monroe Seen Leaving Psychiatric Facility: Claims Sister Stole Her Life”

The article included a photo of Vivian, disheveled and wild–eyed, screaming at

reporters. Below it, a statement: “Aria destroyed everything. Our family, my

relationship with Damien, my reputation. But I’m going to make her pay. She’ll wish she never came back to Ravenwood.”

My blood ran cold.

“Mama?” Noah looked up at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, baby.” I closed the article, pulling him closer. “Nothing at all.”

121 Chapter 121: Olivin Advice

But as held my son, looking out at the gleaming city that held so much danger and possibility, I knew one thing for certain: The real battle was just beginning,