Chapter 88- A Ride Through Regret

The journey to Maria and Mason’s felt like an eternity, weighed down by a suffocating sense of dread. My thoughts spiraled around Baby Damon, the uncertainty of his care gnawing at my sanity now that I had been forced away from him. My stomach twisted violently at the possibility of Valia stepping into the role that should have been mine. The mere thought was unbearable—each moment spent away from my son felt more agonizing than if I were to pluck every strand of hair from my head one by one.

Damon had truly lost his grip on reason if he believed he could keep me separated from our child. This version of him—the furious, irrational, and wounded side—was capable of cruelty beyond measure. Yet, despite it all, I couldn’t deny the truth: I loved him more than I had ever loved myself. But there were moments when I wished that love didn’t hold such a firm grip over him. His devotion made him reckless, weak, a fool whenever it came to me. I couldn’t keep participating in this never-ending cycle.

If he ever tried to win me back, I wasn’t even sure I would accept him.

The silence in the car was broken by Bullet’s uncertain voice. “A-Are you alright, Mrs. Ava? Do you need me to stop somewhere?”

I barely spared him a glance, my eyes locked on the dreary view outside the window. “Damon told you to take me straight to Maria’s, didn’t he?”

Bullet hesitated. “He did, but… I don’t know if he truly meant it. I think he’ll come to his senses soon. He loves you.”

I caught his fleeting gaze in the rearview mirror. The worry in his eyes made me smile faintly, though I doubted his words.

“This isn’t something he can just snap out of,” I murmured. “It’s not just the two of us anymore, you know.”

A soft chime interrupted my thoughts as Bullet glanced down at his phone. His fingers fumbled across the screen before he cleared his throat. “Uh… He just texted me.”

I sat up immediately. “What does it say?”

“He wants Maria back at the house… Immediately.”

I rolled my eyes, frustration bubbling to the surface. “Of course. He gets left alone with his own child for a few minutes and can’t handle it.”

By the time we arrived, Maria was already waiting at the door, bags packed, poised for departure. Mason stood just behind her, watching us with quiet apprehension. Bullet circled to open my door, murmuring under his breath. “I’ll try to talk to him—”

“Don’t bother,” I interrupted, stepping out of the car.

Maria reached for me, pulling me into a warm embrace that did little to soothe the aching in my chest. The separation from my son was unbearable, a deep, gnawing wound that refused to heal.

“He’s done it again, hasn’t he?” Maria said softly, pulling back to search my face.

“I hate him,” I whispered bitterly. “How could he do this to me? I thought he loved me.”

“He does love you, Ava,” she countered, attempting to ease my pain. “That’s why he’s acting like a fool. Baby Damon will be in good hands, you don’t need to worry.”

I scoffed, my anger barely restrained. “Do me a favor… Poison him for real this time.”

Maria smirked. “It’s not him I’m looking to poison,” she muttered, shifting her focus to Bullet. “That wretched little pest that’s wormed her way into his life—she has everything to do with this.”

Relief flooded me. “You hate her too,” I realized.

“I’ll be back soon,” Maria assured me. She turned to Bullet, her expression firm. “Take care of your father.”

Bullet dipped his head in acknowledgment before she climbed into the car, disappearing down the driveway.

The evening dragged on, thick with unspoken emotions. Mason prepared dinner—a simple meal, but the scent of salmon filled the small home, making my stomach rumble. Their house had only one bedroom, so I settled onto an old couch in the basement, only venturing upstairs when the smell of food became too tempting to ignore.

“It smells delicious,” I remarked as I approached Mason, who hovered over the oven.

He jumped slightly, turning toward me with a tired smile. “Hope you’re hungry.”

“I’m starving.”

As he plated the food, he paused. “Tiffany called earlier asking for you. I told her you’d call back.”

I cursed under my breath, darting toward the phone. She was bound to have a million questions.

The phone barely rang once before Tiffany’s sharp voice cut through the line. “That better be you, Ava.”

“How is he?” I breathed.

She hesitated. “He’s… broken. I’ve never seen him this devastated. What exactly did Damon do to him? And why?”

Malios hadn’t told her anything. Maybe it was better that way.

“He fired him,” I said simply.

“What?” Tiffany’s tone sharpened. “But why? Malios is one of the strongest hybrids in the ranks. He’s the best Damon has! Why on earth would he fire him—especially now, when your child was just kidnapped?”

I sighed. “Damon’s going through something. He’s been acting strange.”

“Strange how?” she pressed.

“We had a fight… and he kicked me out. That’s why I’m here.”

Her explosion of outrage was instant. “WHAT? What the hell is wrong with that man? When will he learn?” Her voice was so loud I had to hold the phone slightly away from my ear.

“I just can’t stand being apart from the baby,” I admitted.

Her tone turned dangerous. “Tell me that witch isn’t still there. Because if she is cuddling up to your child in your absence—”

“I don’t even want to think about it,” I groaned, nausea rising at the mere idea. “Whenever I imagine it, I feel sick.”

Tiffany stayed on the phone with me as we ate, filling the gaps of silence with conversation. I chose to omit the part about her son being fired for loving me—I doubted she’d want to hear that.