Damien went on the offensive.
Not with lawyers.
With soldiers.
And the cartels learned that they had awakened a sleeping giant.
But while he was fighting the war outside, another war was brewing at home.
And Christabel was losing.
The offensive began at dawn.
Not a press conference. Not a negotiation.
A raid.
Cole led the team. Former special forces. Former intelligence. Former protectors.
They hit three cartel safe houses simultaneously.
No warning. No mercy. No survivors.
The news spread fast.
The cartels were stunned.
They had never been attacked like this.
They had never faced an enemy like this.
They didn't know that Damien Moreau was not just a billionaire.
He was a soldier.
Damien watched from the command center.
Screens. Maps. Reports.
Cole's voice came through the speaker.
"Target one secured. Hostiles neutralized."
"Target two secured. Hostiles neutralized."
"Target three secured. Hostiles neutralized."
Damien nodded.
"Casualties?"
"None on our side."
"Good. Pull back. Debrief in one hour."
"Copy."
Christabel was in the doorway.
She had been watching.
Not the screens. Him.
"You're different."
"I'm the same."
"You're not."
"I'm fighting a war."
"You're becoming someone I don't recognize."
He turned to face her.
"Then look closer."
She walked to him.
Stood in front of him.
"I've been looking at you for years. I know every line on your face. Every scar on your hands. Every shadow in your eyes."
"Then what do you see?"
She was quiet for a moment.
"I see a man who's losing himself, i guess as the saying goes power corrupts and absolute power corrupts completely. Reminds me when i firdt followed you. And we warned eachother we destroy the other. You becoming the monsters you fighting and taking out. You lost your way and went astray. Its in your eyes damien.
"I'm not losing myself. I'm finding myself."
"Same thing."
"Tell yourself what ever help you to sleep well at night but your consciousnesd
She walked away.
He didn't follow.
He couldn't.
There was a war to fight, and he was too prepared and too busy to handle anything emotionally unless it was related to the war.
But the war at home was the one he didn't know how to win.
That night, Christabel put Lena to bed.
Not Damien. Her.
Lena was full of questions.
"Mama, why is Papa always gone?"
"Because he's helping people, and if he doesnt do so,such people life will be miserable, and it gives him joy putting smiles on people face"
"Why can't he help people here?"
Christabel was quiet for a moment.
"Because the bad people are far away."
"Then why does he have to be far away too?"
Christabel didn't have an answer.
"There are some things i can explain you to you when you older ok"
Damien came home late.
The penthouse was dark.
Christabel was sitting on the couch.
Waiting.
"You're still awake."
"I couldn't sleep."
"The raid was successful."
"I know."
"We hit three safe houses."
"I know."
"No casualties on our side."
"I know."
"Then why are you angry?"
She looked at him.
"I'm not angry."
"Then what are you?"
She was quiet for a moment.
"Tired."
---
He sat beside her.
Took her hand.
"I'm doing this for us."
"You're doing this for you."
"For our family."
"Our family is here. In this penthouse. With Lena. With me."
"The cartels don't care about this penthouse."
"They care about you and you putting us and our family in cross fires with cartels and government. The DEA had been fighting it for decades. 10 fall 20 more will rise.
She pulled her hand away.
"I can't do this anymore."
"Do what?"
"Pretend that everything is fine when it's not,we both drafting way for a long time now and you notice but you too polite,pre occupied or just too body becoming a public figure and symbol of a just and working system right?"
"Then stop pretending."
"I'm trying ok am trying for lena i only stayed this long cause of my daughter if not i would have gone some months ago ok"
"Try harder."
She stood.
Walked to the window.
Looked out at the city.
"I'm scared."
"Of what?"
"Of losing you."
"You're not going to lose me."
"You're already gone,theres an invisible barrier widening the space between us.
He stood.
Walked to her.
Stood behind her.
"I'm right here."
"Your body is. Your mind isn't."
"I'm thinking about the war."
"You're thinking about everything except us."
---
He was quiet for a moment.
"What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to come home."
"I am home."
"No." She turned to face him. "You're in a building. With screens. And maps. And reports. That's not home. That's a command center."
"The command center is where I protect you."
"You don't need to protect me. You need to be with me, i need you lena needs you she asks everyday for you,when she saw you on TV or wjy you away most times how do you think i feel with such questions huh
He pulled her into his arms.
"I love you."
"I know."
"I love you in ways I didn't know I was capable of."
She touched his face.
"I know. Because I love you the same way."
"Then let me do this."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm watching you disappear,and become a shell of the man i first saw smiled at when he kissed me for 3 perfect seconds"
She walked to the bedroom.
Closed the door.
Damien stood in the living room.
Alone.
The city was dark.
The war was waiting.
But the war at home was the one he didn't know how to fight.
First Line of Chapter 183(Teaser):
"The one hundred thirty-eighth week, the cartels retaliated. Not against Damien. Against Christabel. They sent her a letter. Not a threat. A photograph. Of Lena. At school. And everything changed."