"I'm not angry, Celia. Like I said, I'm just done with her. Honestly, if I were really angry, I wouldn't have even come with you in the first place to come see her."“Okay, if you say so. But I won’t blame you if you’re angry—honestly, you have every right to be, after what she did, she betrayed your friendship.” Celia said, giving Damon a soft smile that told him she wasn’t judging him at all.Damon returned the smile, feeling pleased by her words. She understood things clearly and didn’t jump to conclusions, even when she hadn’t fully grasped everything yet. He couldn’t help it—his heart played a little trick on him, racing at the sight of her beautiful smile.“But she said she misunderstood you. Maybe there’s more to it than you think. Just listen to her—you might finally understand what really happened,” Celia said gently.“She had every chance to explain herself while we were inside, but she didn’t say a word. I’m not wasting any more time on her. I’ve already put her—and everyth

"You don’t have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable. I’m sorry for asking—I didn’t mean to push," Celia said gently, noticing Damon’s reaction. She could see the way his expression shifted, the tension in his jaw. The question clearly unsettled him, and she instantly felt guilty for bringing it up.Damon stared into space for a moment, lost in thought. The word family brought back memories—how they had cast him out that night, without mercy, even though he was just a child."Damon, I’m really—" Celia began, thinking he was upset with her for asking too many questions. But before she could finish, Damon cut her off."I don’t have a family," he said flatly. "My mother is dead. Since then, I’ve had no one. I’m completely alone in this world—and honestly, that’s better."Celia gasped softly. He didn’t seem angry or even uncomfortable, but something about the way he spoke… it felt like he was hiding the pain, masking it so he wouldn’t look broken."I'm sorry… I didn’t know. I shouldn’