Words That Cut Deeper Than Bullets
News spread fast.
Too fast.
By morning…
Everyone had heard.
The explosion.
The fire.
Isabella was gone.
And just like that—
The woman who walked into the mansion like she owned it…
Was nothing but ashes.
Elara stood by the window.
Still.
Silent.
Her mind replaying everything.
The bar.
The betrayal.
The pain.
Her chest tightened.
Because no matter how much she tried—
She couldn't erase it.
She saw it.
With her own eyes.
And that was enough to destroy everything.
The door opened.
She didn't turn.
Didn't need to.
She knew it was him.
Damian stepped inside slowly.
Careful.
Like approaching something fragile.
"Elara…"
His voice was softer than usual.
Not the Devil.
Just him.
He walked closer.
Then reached out—
Trying to pull her into his arms.
But—
She pushed him away.
Hard.
The force shocked him.
She stepped back instantly.
Her breathing uneven.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"She's dead…"
Her voice cracked.
"And now you remember me?"
The words hit instantly.
Sharp.
"Done with all this?" she continued bitterly.
"I have the money."
A pause.
"I'll pay you back."
Her hands trembled slightly.
"Just forget everything."
Silence.
Damian stared at her.
Confused.
Hurt.
"What are you saying?"
His voice lowered.
Elara let out a broken laugh.
"You're pretending now?"
She looked at him in disbelief.
"Like you don't know what you did?"
Tears blurred her vision.
And in that moment—
Something inside Damian…
Cracked.
Because he understood.
She believed it.
Every part of it.
The betrayal.
The lie.
Everything Isabella created—
She believed it.
"I'm sorry."
The words came out quietly.
But they carried weight.
Because Damian didn't apologize.
Not to anyone.
Ever.
Elara froze.
Just for a second.
"I was protecting you," he added.
And that—
That broke something deeper.
"Protecting me?"
Her voice rose.
Anger.
Pain.
"You call that protecting?"
She stepped closer.
Her fists clenched tightly.
"Tell me!"
Her hands hit his chest.
Once.
Twice.
Not strong—
But filled with everything she couldn't hold in.
"I hate you!"
The words shattered the air.
"I hate you so much!"
Damian didn't move.
Didn't stop her.
He just stood there.
Taking it.
Because somehow—
That hurt more than anything he had ever endured.
"Don't ever call my name again," she cried.
"Stay away from me!"
Her voice broke completely.
"I don't need you…"
Silence.
Heavy.
Final.
Elara turned.
And walked away.
Step by step.
Each one pulling her further from him.
Damian didn't follow.
He couldn't.
Because for the first time—
He felt it.
Not anger.
Not rage.
But something far worse.
Pain.
Real pain.
The kind that didn't bleed—
But destroyed you from the inside.
His chest tightened.
His breathing slowed.
His vision blurred slightly.
Because the one person…
Who saw him beyond the Devil—
Who loved him for who he truly was—
Now looked at him like a stranger.
Like a monster.
Like everything he tried not to be.
His head dropped slightly.
And for a moment—
He wasn't the Devil anymore.
Just a man…
Who had lost something he could never replace.
Because bullets healed.
Scars faded.
Enemies died.
But words…
Words like hers—
They stayed.
Forever.