Damien stepped into the room and found Zia sitting on the bed, gently caressing Kaya's head. The girl had fallen asleep with her cheek resting on Zia's lap, still looking fragile even in her slumber.
Zia looked up as soon as she sensed him. Damien let out a tired breath and walked over. He sat beside them and glanced at Kaya's small face. The dried tear marks on her cheeks made his chest tighten.
He slowly brushed her hair with his fingers. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that his own son had spoken so cruelly to the girl who had saved Zia's life without thinking twice about her own.
"Did you scold him?" Zia asked, worry softening her tone.
Damien nodded. "I didn't want to, but he didn't leave me any choice, mi vida." His voice carried exhaustion and a hint of pain. He never enjoyed raising his voice at Zian. Everything he did was for the boy's good.
"After the way he spoke to her... the things he said... I couldn't ignore it anymore."
Zia let out a small sigh and placed her hand over his, giving it a comforting squeeze.
"It's alright," she murmured. "Sometimes we have to be a little strict with our children, so they grow strong enough to face the harder things in life."
She could tell how restless he was after scolding their son. Damien adored Zian more than anything, but he also didn't want the boy stepping into the darkness he himself had chosen once.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Zia whispered with a soft smile, looking at Kaya's peaceful face.
Damien's expression warmed slightly, and he nodded.
"We need to make Zian understand she isn't here with any bad intentions. She doesn't even have... intentions," he said, shaking his head. Zia agreed.
"Give him a little time. I believe he'll understand one day. Maybe he'll even accept her as part of the family," she said, hopeful.
Damien sighed quietly and nodded. His gaze lingered on Kaya's calm face as he murmured, "I hope he understands her soon."
But understanding was nowhere near Zian's mind. All he could think about was how his own parents had scolded him because of that mute girl. In his eyes, they had chosen her over their own son, and that bitter thought was burning him alive.
Zian gripped the railing of his balcony, fingers turning pale from the pressure. The night outside was pitch-dark, but his mind was louder than ever. Every moment from earlier replayed in his head, fueling his anger. Sleep refused to come. All he could think about was one thing... getting that ugly rat out of his house before she ruined whatever he had left with his parents.
✧✧✧✧✧
The next morning, Zia and Damien were already in the kitchen, moving around each other with the ease of habit. They never stopped cooking together, and breakfast was usually their shared routine.
They were mixing batter and checking the oven when a soft knock on the kitchen door made them look up.
"Kaya," Zia said with a warm smile. The little girl stood at the doorway, offering a small smile in return.
"Come here," Zia said gently. Kaya walked toward them, and both of them welcomed her with bright expressions.
"Why did you wake up so early, sweetheart? Didn't you sleep well?" Zia asked. Kaya shook her head and used her hands to explain she slept fine but always woke up early. They already knew the reason without her needing to show it.
Damien didn't let the mood shift. He picked up a cupcake and held it out with a playful tone.
"Will our Kaya do us the honour of tasting the cupcake we made for her?"
Kaya's eyes lit up. She nodded and took it shyly. After the first bite, her golden eyes sparkled with joy. She showed them a thumbs up, making the couple chuckle.
"Thank you so much. Do you want more?" Damien asked. Kaya's cheeks warmed in embarrassment. How could she admit she wanted another one? She lowered her head and shook it.
Damien smiled and crouched in front of her with the whole tray.
"You don't have to feel uneasy asking us for anything. Giving you happiness feels like a blessing to us, because you came into our lives as a blessing, Kaya."
She slowly lifted her head at his words. Damien placed a warm hand on her hair.
"By saving my Zia, you saved my life too. That makes you a blessing to me, my child."
Kaya's heart softened at the tenderness in his voice. After losing her parents, no one had spoken to her with such warmth. Yet these two people who had been strangers only weeks ago were slowly carving out a place in her heart.
Without thinking, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Damien's neck, hugging him like a child clinging to a guardian. Both Damien and Zia smiled softly as he held her close, cradling her head with gentle affection.
"Okay, now finish these cupcakes, our beautiful little muffin," Damien said, unable to resist gently squeezing her soft, chubby cheeks. Zia laughed, and Kaya let out a tiny soundless giggle of her own.
They fed her piece by piece, and Kaya's eyes grew glossy. The sweetness on her tongue was a sharp contrast to the memories of Paul that suddenly crept in, who barely gave her food, keeping her hungry just to force her into obeying his cruel demands.
The couple noticed her eyes filling, and the reason behind it was obvious to them. Zia cupped the girl's face and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.
"Don't let those bad memories take away your happy moments, my baby. Focus on what makes you smile, because your Uncle Damien and I will protect our Kaya from every bit of sadness. We promise," Zia whispered as she wiped the tears from Kaya's lashes.
At her words, Kaya leaned forward and wrapped her small arms around Zia, burying her face in her neck. The warmth, the safety, this was the kind of love she had always longed for. And now, her fragile, broken soul was finally beginning to feel it.
✧✧✧✧✧
"We still can't say when she will get her voice back," the therapist told Damien. He had come to Damien's home for Kaya's session, and now that it was over, he was updating her condition.
"But let's not lose hope. The chances are low, but they're still there."
Damien let out a slow sigh and nodded.
"And yes, the thing I mentioned. Bring it to her as soon as possible. It will help her emotionally and mentally, and it'll be good for her safety too," the therapist reminded him. Damien nodded again.
"Take care," he said before leaving.
Damien headed to the garden and saw his wife and Kaya playing together. Both had wide smiles on their faces. He smiled and went to join them.
By afternoon, Kaya was sitting on the sofa watching a movie. She had chosen it all by herself.
She was enjoying it until the hero suddenly pecked the heroine's lips. Kaya's cheeks flushed pink. She quickly changed the channel with a shy smile, but then her whole expression dropped when she saw that person walking into the hall.
His cold blue eyes landed on her, making her swallow hard. His words from last night echoed in her head. Turning the TV off, Kaya climbed down from the sofa and ran away.
Zian scowled, watching her bolt like he was about to kidnap her. Ugly little rat. He frowned and took out his phone. Dialing his friend John's number, he spoke as soon as the call connected.
"Yeah... I'll be there tonight. Prepare everything," Zian said, unaware that tonight... something was going to happen. Something that would change not just his life, but hers too. Something so dark it would twist his irritation for her into a cruel, burning hatred.
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Thank you for reading so far... 𓆩❤︎𓆪
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