ra froze for a second before quickly catching on and grabbing the phone from him. "I didn''t buy anything. That''s probably just a message about discounted airline tickets."


    Damon was about to dig into it but held off when he saw she wasn''t up for the conversation. ra had never lied to him before, had she?


    He set his phone down, gave a small nod, and was about to wash up when ra stopped him and pulled a first-aid kit from the cab.


    "A ss shard scratched your back. Let me help with that," she said.


    Damon hesitated, then sat on the couch and shrugged off his jacket. A small cut came into view. It wasn''t deep. No one had noticed since it was on his back, except ra.


    He observed her as she carefully cleaned the wound with a cotton swab, his mind slipping back to that letter. "ra, about the letter today—"


    She cut him off before he could finish. "Keep the wound dry when you showerter, or it might get infected. And be more careful next time you get in a fight. No one''s going to be around to patch you up after this."


    Damon missed herst words because his thoughts were suddenly interrupted.


    He looked up. "What did you say?"


    ra shook her head, tied off the gauze, and headed to the bedroom.


    By the time she finished blow-drying her hair, Damon had already showered ande out. He slipped his arms around her waist and leaned in for a kiss, but she turned her head, dodging the warmth of his lips.


    Her tone was light. "I''m on my period. I want to get some rest."


    Damon didn''t push it. He tucked the nket around her and switched off the light.


    ...


    The next morning was bright and clear.


    ra was in the bathroom when she heard amotion downstairs. After freshening up, she stepped out to find Giselle arriving with a group.


    Damon leaned against the doorway, frowning. His tone held its usual impatience. "What are you doing here?"


    Before Giselle could answer, a few of his friends jumped in with teasing grins. "Gigi said she just had to thank you in person for saving her yesterday!"


    Right on cue, Giselle pulled out a huge bouquet and a neatly wrapped gift as if pulling off a magic trick "Damon, I really appreciate what you did for me yesterday. I got you these as a little thank-you!"


    Damon didn''t reach for them, though his expression looked much better.


    Seeing that, Giselle ced the flowers straight into ra''s hands. Her tone was anything but polite. "These are Damon''s favorite Blue Moon roses. Mind putting them in a vase?"


    Damon''s brow furrowed at that. His voice turned cold. "Don''t im it''s my favorite when it''s really yours. And just so we''re clear, ra is my wife, not the housekeeper."


    The room fell silent at his words, but ra''s face remained unreadable. She nced down at the bouquet in her hands, realizing for the first time what they were.


    Blue Moon roses? So these were the flowers Giselle was obsessed with. No wonder Damon had spent a fortune growing them in his greenhouse. But ra didn''tment.


    She handed the bouquet to the housekeeper and said, "Please bring down a few vases from the disy cab on the second floor."


    Giselle''s gaze sharpened, but ra ignored it and took her breakfast to the balcony. Only a window separated her from the living room, so she could hear their conversation loud and clear.


    "Damon, aren''t these the paper


    bunnies used to fold back in middle


    school? You''ve kept them in a


    crystal box all this time? I could make you some more tomorrow if


    you like them that much.


    "And what''s this fashion doll set doing here? I remember tossing it in the trash. Did you actually dig it back out?


    "Wait, are these the maple leaves we collected at Scented Hills? You really turned them into bookmarks and kept them all these years?"


    As Giselle went on like she was uncovering hidden treasures, ra thought back


    to the first time she hade to this vi. She had asked Damon about these things once.


    "Oh, just some little gifts from my cousin in kindergarten. I figured I''d keep them," he''d exined.


    Back then, she''d believed him


    without a second thought. She had<ppletely missed how his eyes flickered with something far moreplicated. His eyes, filled with love and hate, longing and frustration, clearly spoke of a love affair.