(Sapphire's POV)
The car ride was slow, too slow.
But I didn't even mind, not really.
My mind just kept going back to all that had happened.
Someone had wanted Damian's painting enough to burn my studio for it.
Or did they even know it was there?
Maybe they just told her to steal the best looking one and burn the rest.
"What are you thinking about?" Damian's deep voice broke through my thoughts.
"About the whole thing." I replied honestly.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"I will get it back." He said with so much certainty.
I wanted to believe him so bad, but I just couldn't.
"I just don't understand." I murmured and stared down at my hands. "How did anyone even know it existed."
Damian didn't answer immediately, which meant he was thinking about the same thing.
"That is exactly what I intend to find out." He finally spoke.
The car slowed as we turned into a private road.
I looked up and a large, quiet villa stood in front of us, surrounded by tall trees and iron gates.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"My other house." Was his reply.
Of course he had another house, why was I even surprised?
"This place is secured," he reassured me as the car came to a halt, "no staff except the guards. You can relax here."
Relax.
That sounded impossible right now.
I nodded as we stepped out of the car and walked inside.
Damian led me to the living room and turned to me, "you should get some rest. I'll send one of my team to get us lunch."
"I'm not tired or hungry."
That was a big fat lie.
But sleep or food was the last thing my mind wanted.
Damian studied my face for a moment, then his expression softened slightly.
"Call your friend." He said.
I blinked.
"Luke?"
"You look like you need someone who makes you laugh. Call him." He pressed.
My chest warmed unexpectedly. Was this his way of comforting me?
I pulled out my phone and dialed his number.
And Luke, as usual, answered almost immediately.
"Bestie!" His loud voice exploded through the phone. "I was just about to call you. Did your scary husband kick you out of the house?"
Despite everything, I laughed.
"No. But something bad happened?" I told him softly.
"What happened?" I felt him sit up.
"My studio burned down."
There was a long pause, then…
"WHAT?!" He shouted.
I winced as his voice echoed through the phone.
"Are you okay? Oh my goodness!"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Good. Now, was your brooding billionaire husband involved?" He asked suspiciously.
Damian smirked and shook his head. I just knew he was tired of Luke at this point, but I also felt there was a likeness.
Or at least he tolerated him.
I laughed into the phone. "No! It wasn't him. He's been very supportive."
"Hmmm. Suspicious, suspicious." Luke muttered. "So, who was the fool, then?"
"It was Sophie." I said slowly.
Another silent moment.
"The HOUSEKEEPER?"
"Yes."
"Oh, hell no! Rich people houses are wild!" He exclaimed.
Despite my predicament, I laughed again.
"Luke, you're a rich person yourself." I reminded him.
"Not like your husband, though." He reminded me back.
Well, he had a point.
"So, where are you now?"
"Damian brought me to another house."
"Oh, wow! He has backup mansions too?" Luke was impressed. "Goals."
I heard Damian chuckle quietly behind me.
Yes, it was obvious. He liked Luke.
"I'm serious." Luke continued. "Are you okay, emotionally?"
My heart constricted.
"I think so…"
"You don't sound okay." Luke observed.
I didn't answer. He wasn't wrong.
I heard him sigh. "Send me the address. Now."
"What…?"
"I'm coming over."
"You don't have to…"
"I'm already grabbing my keys." He said firmly. "You had a crazy night yesterday and you're still shaken even now. You need your best friend."
My eyes moved to Damian who was watching me closely.
I covered the phone and whispered, "Luke wants to come here."
He was silent for a moment, then he shrugged. "Fine."
Just like that?
"Okay, thank you." I whispered happily and returned to the phone.
"You can come." I told my friend.
"Yay! I'm bringing snacks too!" He screamed.
"You always being snacks." I laughed.
"Because I'm a thoughtful friend, duh."
He was. "Drive safely."
"Don't worry. The future godparent to your children is on his way!"
The call ended and I lowered my phone slowly. For the first time since the fire incident, I felt lighter.
Damian watched me closely. "You care about him a lot." He said.
"He's my family." I said at once. "And when you get to know him, you will care about him too."
He didn't argue.
"Come here, blue eyes." He said in a quieter voice.
I walked towards him and he pulled me down to sit on his lap.
I felt relaxed when he started brushing my hair with his fingers.
"You have very beautiful hair." He muttered.
"Thank you." I whispered shyly.
"Don't ever cut it."
"I'd never."
"Good girl."
Then walked in Fernandez. "Sir, Ma'am." He greeted.
I smiled at him.
"What is it, Fernandez?" Damian asked without hesitation.
"We couldn't trace the call, sir. It was from a burner phone." Fernandez explained.
Damian said nothing for a while, but his fingers never stopped what they were doing.
"I see. Thank you, Fernandez." He finally said.
The chief bodyguard nodded and walked to the door and stood there.
Damian looked outside.
"Tell your friend to hurry." He suddenly said.
I sat up, alarmed at the way he had said it.
"Why?"
"The sky doesn't look so friendly right now."
I looked outside and indeed, it looked really cloudy. "True."
"Also…" he paused and turned to his bodyguard. "Fernandez."
"Boss."
"My wife needs a few things, how fast can you get to the mall and back?" Damian asked him.
Fernandez hesitated. "Boss, I can't leave you alone right now to go buy anything. You're my priority. I'm not saying madam's needs are not important, but your life is more important." He explained.
"I understand, but I also can not allow anyone else to touch my wife's food or personal things. So go, we will be fine."
The man was not convinced, but he stood up and walked away. "I'll be very quick." He muttered.
"He loves you." I said when he was gone.
"It seems so." Damian grunted.
Just then, we heard Luke's voice as he greeted the bodyguards the way only he could.
I looked at Damian and grinned.
I felt lighter at once.
Only if I had known that it was about to be my heaviest moment…