Damien ✔️

The Truth

"You have a brother?" Mia exclaimed in shock as he pulled her away from the disaster zone.

Damien never told her about his family. In fact, he had warned her that they were horrible people. Well, his parents at least.

"Not now Mia." He clipped.

He was in the midst of leading her out of the pumpkin patch, trying to get far away from Wesley Rivers.

Mia stopped walking, causing Damien to lug her dead weight for a moment.

When he realized there was extra resistance, he turned around to see her lips downturned in a frown.

"Mia, please. Can we just go?"

Mia didn't like his tone but nodded anyway. She was empathetic to his situation and tried not to take his displaced anger personally.

They continued walking in silence as they left the pumpkin patch, almost arriving at his car.

The sun was setting outside, painting the sky a beautiful orange and pink. The sky's bright and calm colours were a stark contrast to the dark and depressing emotions that were swirling in Damien's head.

"I'm sorry." He apologized when they were in the car.

Mia nodded and offered a small smile. She joined their hands in a comforting manner squeezed them to show support.

~

Damien drove them to a Starbucks, where Mia ordered a hot chocolate, and he requested a black coffee.

Instead of sitting in the car, Mia proposed taking a walk to the park that was a couple minutes away.

As they walked out the front door, a comfortable yet straining silence surrounded them.

"I know you have questions baby." Damien spoke first.

He looked up to the colourful sky and sighed.

"I didn't want you to know this side of my past." His eyes flickered to hers before he spoke absently. "It's not pretty"

Mia squeezed his hand before attempting to wrap her arm around his waist in a comforting manner.

He chuckled and let out a breath, trying to focus on the sound of their footsteps.

"No one knows the full story of my childhood; not even Liam."

Mia nodded, encouraging him to continue talking.

"The man you met today was my brother. I was adopted by his parents when I was a child. We're not biologically related."

They turned into the park and Damien led them to an empty bench where Mia snuggled into his side.

"Wesley's father was a drug lord, the top drug lord in North America. He had a wife and later, a son. When Wesley was 8, his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was young so it was a shock. Although the only thing she was devastated about was the fact that she couldn't have any more kids."

Damien clenched his jaw and turned his head to the side, letting out an amused huff.

"Her husband was distraught; she was his life. He adopted an abandoned kid from an orphanage to try and lift her spirits. And it did."

He looked down at Mia now, locking his eyes with hers.

"Then she died."

Mia's heart palpitated in her chest. She could feel that this story was going to take a turn for the worst.

"I was 6 at the time. Too young to fully understand what happened but old enough to know that she wasn't coming back. The husband was a mess. He completely lost his mind after she died, and I was there to worsen his sanity."

His voice got deeper as he continued the story.

"I was a living reminder of what his wife wanted; her dying wish. He beat me every day, ridiculed me and all Wesley ever did was watch." He chuckled bitterly and bounced his knee as he spoke.

"When I was 16, I stuck a fork in his neck after he told me that I was a useless piece of shit that would amount to nothing. I knew that Wesley would receive his father's title as the heir to his empire, but I wanted him to feel inferior. The way I felt during our childhood."

Damien shrugged and licked his lips. "So, I got into the same business. I started selling drugs, buying guns and all of this other shit just so the Rivers name wouldn't continue in their legacy. You would think he would stop; that he would step down. It's the least he could do for you know, doing nothing."

Another sarcastic laugh escaped his lips, and he shook his head.

"But he didn't. He continued selling drugs and collecting money, so naturally we became rivals. I don't like him; I hate him and I don't know why he acts like there's no bad blood between us when I know that's he's spilt some of mine."

No words were spoken after that and Damien didn't dare look down at the small girl in his lap.

Mia didn't know what to say after hearing the traumatic story.

Damien was adopted? He killed his father?

Her thoughts were running wild, and she was truly at a loss for words.

"Has he told you why he didn't help you when you were kids?"

Mia finally asked softly.

Damien rolled his eyes at her question.

"No and I don't want to hear it."

"But don't you think he will understand your side if you talk to him about it?" She questioned again.

Damien furrowed his brows and hardened his gaze defensively. Deep down he knew what she was saying was true, but he wasn't ready to face that fact.

"Baby I know you're trying to help but the last thing I want to do is be in the same proximity as him."

Mia nibbled on her lip and nodded before pressing once more. "I-I just think that you would be happier without this hatred in your heart. I don't want you to be mad all the time." She worded carefully.

Damien played with the ends of her hair and sighed. "I know baby, but it runs deeper than that. He's been working with people to try and destroy me. That can't be forgiven."

Mia tugged on her sleeves and opened her mouth hesitantly. "How do you know?"

Damien furrowed his brows. "I just do."

Mia frowned at his answer but didn't add anymore of her input. Instead, she reached her hand up and touched his cheek, caressing it softly.

His eyes turned down to meet hers and they softened at her nurturing gesture.

"Thank you for telling me." She said after a moment.

Damien moved his eyes away from her blue ones and nodded absentmindedly.

They sat in silence, although their minds were buzzing with thought.