"Mr Karlson, a man named Paul Haiden is here. He's claiming to be this girl's uncle."
Hearing Leo's words, Damien stretched his neck to glance at the little girl on the bed. His brows pulled together when he saw Kaya quietly lowering her head.
"Do you know a man named Paul Haiden, Kaya?" he asked gently. She simply nodded.
"Is he really your uncle, dear?" Damien questioned again.
Kaya squeezed her eyes shut and nodded her head again.
Damien turned toward Leo, his tone turning clipped. "Bring him inside."
Leo nodded and stepped out. Kaya's heart thudded painfully in her chest. She didn't want to see that man. He wasn't human. He was the monster she'd been running from that day. But she knew better than to speak the truth. The fear he had carved into her soul was suffocating. She couldn't dare tell anyone what he had done to her, how much he had hurt her-mentally, physically, endlessly.
"Kaya..."
She clenched the bedsheet the moment that voice hit her ears, the very voice that haunted her even when she closed her eyes. She didn't raise her head, she couldn't look at him.
"Kaya, are you alright, my child? You don't know how worried I was."
Damien and Zia watched the man, who somewhere in his mid-forties, sit beside her. He cupped her face, and Kaya's nails dug into the sheets. Her skin crawled. Her soul shrank back in fear.
"Why did you leave home that day? I've been searching for you everywhere," he said softly, but Kaya didn't look at him or respond.
"We are truly sorry, Mr Haiden," Zia said, guilt choking her voice. Paul looked at her with watery eyes.
"Kaya is in this state because of me, and I'm really very sorry. I'm genuinely guilty," she whispered, joining her hands. Tears welled in her eyes.
"My wife is right, Mr Haiden. We're deeply sorry for what happened," Damien added. Paul sighed and turned back to Kaya's bowed head.
"My Kaya has always been like this," Paul said, rubbing his thumb across her cheek. Kaya shivered violently. "She thinks of others before herself."
"But where are her parents?" Damien asked.
Paul looked at him. "They died in a car crash when she was eleven. Maybe that's why she threw herself in front of that car to save your wife. She's always been desperate to help others." He glanced back at Kaya, tears sliding silently down her cheeks.
"She has no one in the world except me. I'm her father Ken Haiden's elder brother."
The tears in Kaya's eyes grew heavier, yet she said nothing, not because she couldn't speak, but because terror chained her voice.
With every passing second, Damien and Zia's hearts softened further, filling with sympathy for the broken girl.
"How is her health? Will she ever talk again?" Paul asked.
Damien exhaled. "The doctors will try their best. We believe Kaya will regain her voice soon."
Kaya slowly lifted her watery gaze toward Damien. His words sparked a faint hope inside her. Something about him felt safe and warm. Even his wife, Zia, radiated a kindness she had longed for since the day she lost her parents.
"What will her treatment cost? I mean..." Paul hesitated and Kaya instantly understood where his cunning question was going.
"You don't have to worry about her treatment. I will cover all the expenses, and my wife and I would be grateful if you let us take care of her well-being from now on, Mr Haiden," Damien said, glancing at his wife. She nodded in agreement.
"I will be more than grateful to you both for this because I..." Paul lowered his head.
"I could barely manage to pay for her basic livelihood. I know I shouldn't say this, but your help will be more than appreciated," he added.
"Don't worry, Mr Haiden. From now on, Kaya is part of the Karlson family. We will do our best to cherish her in every possible way," Zia said, sending a warm smile to Kaya. Kaya's heart ached at the words, but she couldn't respond.
She looked at Zia, but Paul stepped in front of her, blocking her view.
"Hope my Kaya is going to get her voice back soon," he said.
Her body quivered at his words, especially the way he was staring at her. She lowered her eyes again and closed them, while Damien watched her every reaction closely.
✧✧✧✧✧
A week later, Kaya was discharged from the hospital. Paul insisted on taking her home, and Zia and Damien knew they had no say.
Damien offered to drop them off, and Paul agreed. During the ride, Damien noticed something unusual. Not only was her voice silent, but her entire demeanor seemed numb. He couldn't figure out what was going on in her mind.
He stopped the car in front of the address Paul had given. All three got out.
"This is our home," Paul said. Damien saw a small, modest house in front of him.
"Please come inside, Mr Karlson," Paul added.
Damien nodded and looked at Kaya. As usual, she kept her eyes fixed on the ground, and it unsettled him.
They entered the house. Damien noticed it had only one small bedroom and a bathroom. He took it all in silently.
"Please sit," Paul said.
"No, I have to go now. I will visit another time, Mr Haiden," Damien replied, turning to Kaya. He walked toward her, and her head remained lowered.
Damien kneeled in front of her. He tenderly took her small hand in his.
"Kaya..."
She slowly lifted her head, and Damien froze, seeing the tears glistening in her eyes.
"Why are you crying, dear?" he asked gently. She just shook her head, clutching his hand tightly as if she didn't want to let go. Paul stepped in and pried her hand away.
"She's probably going to miss you and your wife. That's why," Paul said with a smug grin. Damien gazed into her watery eyes and placed a gentle palm over her cheek.
"You're always welcome to come to our home, my child. Zia and I will try our best to come see you, so please, don't cry."
She slowly nodded. Damien smiled, then rose to his feet. Standing tall, he addressed Paul.
"Take care of her. You can contact me anytime if you need help with anything. The doctors will visit her every day, and I'll try to come by soon."
Paul dipped his head. Damien's gaze fell back on Kaya, noticing a tear slipping down her cheek as she silently stared at him. He realized in that moment that something wasn't right because fear and pain lingered in her silence.
Twirling on his heels, Damien walked out. Kaya watched her only hope to escape that torment, leave her behind.
The door clicked shut, and her glossy eyes met Paul's wicked gaze. Horror washed over her as she saw his clenched jaw and fisted hands.
"Your little game is over, my Kaya," he hissed.
She staggered backward, her body trembling with fear.
"What makes you think running from here will save you?" Paul's vicious grin sent shivers through her. "Did you forget what I did last time you tried to escape?"
Her eyes filled with tears as she recalled that day-the pain, the brutality, the way he had destroyed her body and soul. She clasped her hands together and shook her head violently. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Paul chuckled, cruelly.
"It's better you've lost your voice. No need to tape your mouth to silence your screams anymore."
Kaya backed up until her back pressed against the wall. She clenched her hands and begged through her tears, knowing the merciless animal in front of her had never shown an ounce of pity.
Paul stepped closer, grinning viciously. Kaya collapsed to the ground, clutching her hands in front of her, gasping and crying, terrified of what he was about to do.
"No one is going to save you from me, Kaya..." Paul lowered himself, reaching for her.
"No one-" His words cut off as the door burst open.
Kaya's eyes snapped wide, and relief flooded her as she saw the figure in the doorway.
Damien's eyes blazed with fury. Lifting his gun, he aimed it directly at Paul, freezing him in terror.
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Thank you for reading... 𓆩❤︎𓆪
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