Damon headed straight to the hospital.


    Giselle was getting discharged that day. Last night, she wouldn''t stop bugging him about wanting to see his childhood photos, so he''d gone home just to grab them for her.


    As he made his way to the elevator, carrying a heavy bag, he brushed past a stranger. A faint trace of perfume clung to the man. It was Giselle''s favorite


    scent


    Had he juste from her ward? Was he a friend of hers?


    Doubt flickered through Damon''s mind, but the elevator doors slid open before he could dwell on it. He let it go and pressed the button for the seventh Прос


    The moment Giselle saw him, her face lit up with a bright smile.


    They flipped through the photo album together whileughing and reminiscing. Talking about old


    memories pushed everything else from Damon''s mind. Around noon, the Suttons showed up to take Giselle home. As soon as they saw Damon, they started thanking him.


    He waved it off right away. His tone waspletely humble. "Gigi''s injury is partly my fault. Taking care of her is the least I can do."


    Hearing that, Giselle gave his hand a light pat. "I keep telling you-


    it''s not your fault. Damon, I had your parentse by yesterday to clear everything up, so please stop ming yourself, okay?"


    Her father, Walter Sutton, nodded in agreement. "Bernice and I have been caught up with work all these years. weren''t looking after her. We''re the ones who should be thanking you."


    Gigi would''ve gone off the rails if you


    Giselle approached Damon and leaned on him yfully, but her mother, Bernice Hill, stepped in and pulled her aside. "You''re both


    adults now, Damon, you''re married, but Gigi keeps hanging on to you. Don''t take it the wrong way. She''s just being immature. We''ll make sure she pulls herself together so she''s not a hassle for you anymore."


    The room tensed at Bernice''s words.


    Damon picked up on the underlying message right away. His breath hitched for just a second before steadying again. The smile he''d been wearing faded. It was reced by something more distant and reserved.


    Giselle''s face shifted too, but she yed it off like she didn''t get what Bernice was implying.


    She shed a grin at Damon and steered the conversation elsewhere. "Olcay, that''s enough. Damon and I go way back. You can''t call me ''a hassle'' to him. Besides, he said he''d drive me home, right?"


    Damon looked up and was about to say yes, but the intense stares from Walter and Bernice stopped him. The words caught in his throat and came out all wrong.


    "I did say that, but my assistant just called. Something urgent came up at the office. Mr. and Mrs. Sutton, since you''re already here, I''ll let you take over from here." With that, he walked out without another word.


    He hadn''t gotten far when Bernice


    called after him and handed him the photo album. "Gigi didn''t treat you r didn''t understand how rare genuine feelings are. I just hope you Won''t hold it against her." ''


    right in the past, Damon. She was young and


    watched Damon grow up, and now there was deep regret in her eyes.


    Bernice had


    Damon gave a small shake of his head. "I''ve already let the past go, Mrs. Sutton. I don''t hold anything against Gigi. You don''t have to worry."


    Bernice let out a sigh. Her gaze was


    filled with remorse. "It''s Gigi''s loss. Fate just didn''t have the two of you meant to be. Your mom t you married is a good daughter-inw and you two seem to get along well.


    "Treasure her. She''s the one truly worth your devotion- the one you should grow old with.


    told me the woman