CHAPTER 77: 77 - DON’T LAST

77

~Lisa’s POV

He was still here.

I didn’t know how to feel about it. My body tensed automatically. I pulled the thin blanket closer to my chest like it could protect me from whatever came next.

He was sitting on the chair by my bed, legs crossed, hands folded neatly on his lap. Calm. Too calm.

I swallowed hard and slowly sat up.

"W-Why are you still here?" I whispered.

He tilted his head. "I didn’t feel like leaving."

My lips parted, but I couldn’t say anything. What was I supposed to say? Thank you? Please leave? I didn’t even know anymore.

I licked my lips nervously. "If I’ve done something wrong... please don’t punish me." My voice cracked. "I’ll be good, I promise. I won’t be fearless again. I swear I’ll behave."

His eyes twitched slightly, and then he gave me a soft, amused smile. "Fearless?" he repeated, chuckling a little. "You think that was fearless?"

I looked away, ashamed. "I just wanted to go home."

"I know," he said quietly.

I turned back to him, shocked by the calmness in his tone.

"I know, Lisa. And for what it’s worth... I like that you stand up for yourself. It’s fun to watch."

"What?" I blinked. "You like it?"

"Yeah," he said with a smile. "You think you’re being all brave and tough, and it’s actually... kind of cute."

I snapped. I didn’t even know where the strength came from, but my voice rose, firm and angry.

"Stop messing with me!" I yelled. "You think this is a game? I know the kind of person you are, Damon. Don’t act like you’re my friend now!"

His smile dropped.

"You’d never dare to be friends with someone like me. Don’t pretend. I don’t want your kindness, and I don’t want your trouble either."

He stared at me for a long moment.

Just when I thought he might get angry, a knock came on the door. I turned quickly, startled, as the door creaked open.

Naomi walked in, holding a tray. Her expression was pinched and irritated. "Why aren’t you at your duty post..." She paused mid-sentence, her eyes widening when she spotted Damon.

Her mouth fell open, and the tray nearly slipped from her fingers. "M-My Lord!" she gasped, quickly lowering her head and bending into a deep bow. "Forgive me! I didn’t know you were here. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful..."

"Get out," Damon’s voice cut through the room like a knife.

Naomi looked up, stunned.

"My Lord, please..."

"Did I stutter?" he barked.

Naomi flinched, bowed again, and scrambled out of the room so fast she left the door slightly open behind her.

I stared at him, completely stunned.

He had taken my side.

Why?

"You... you didn’t let her talk to me like that," I said slowly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Damon turned his head to me. His face was calm again, unreadable. "No one talks to you like that when I’m around."

I didn’t know what to say.

Everything inside me was spinning. I didn’t understand this man. One minute, he was a monster, terrifying and cold. The next minute, he was smiling and defending me.

I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to steady my heart.

"I don’t get you," I said quietly. "I don’t know what you want from me."

He stood up slowly, adjusting the sleeves of his shirt. "Maybe I just want to see who you really are."

"I’m not anyone special," I murmured.

He scoffed, telling me that was for him to decide. He stood up, explaining that he needs to be in the meeting and would order someone to bring me breakfast.

"What?!" I screamed. He stared at me for a while before leaving.

As soon as the door closed behind Damon, I just stood there, still frozen. My heart thudded so loud, I thought the whole room could hear it.

Did that really just happen?

He... took my side?

I kept replaying everything in my head. Damon, standing up for me. Yelling at Naomi like she was some disobedient child. Then that last part, him turning to me and saying softly, "I need to get back. Someone will bring your food soon."

And then he just left. Just like that. No punishment. No lecture. Nothing.

I sat down slowly on the edge of the bed, staring at the door like I expected him to walk back in and say it was a joke. But minutes passed. Silence filled the room.

And then... a knock.

I stiffened.

The door opened, and Naomi stepped in, holding a tray of food. Her face was hard, her steps even harder. She didn’t say anything at first. Just walked in and dropped the tray on the table like it was some dirty object.

She didn’t even look at me.

"I don’t know what you did to him," she said coldly. "But enjoy it while it lasts."

Her words stabbed deep. I didn’t know what to say. She turned to leave but then paused at the door, not looking at me.

"Girls like you don’t last here," she added, and then she was gone.

I stared at the tray for a long time.

Steam still rose from the plate. It looked like rice and vegetables. There was meat. Even a small slice of fruit.

I was hungry. My stomach ached for food. But my heart...

It was racing.

Suddenly, I remembered Cecilia.

The tray she gave me that day.

The drink.

How I had felt my body shutting down slowly, like someone had pressed a switch.

I couldn’t forget that day. The panic. The pain. The way my chest had tightened, how I struggled to breathe after findin g out.

I stood up quickly, eyes still on the tray like it was a trap.

What if Naomi did something to this food?

What if this was payback?

"What if the triplets are trying to kill me?

I rushed to the corner of the room, grabbed the waste bin, and poured everything inside. I didn’t even hesitate. The smell of the food made me nauseous, not because it was bad, but because of the fear. The memories. The trauma.

I wiped my hands on my clothes, trembling.

I wasn’t sure if I was being smart... or paranoid.

But I wasn’t ready to take chances.

Not again.