?


    While showering, Damon was surprisingly well-behaved.


    N thought he had turned over a new leaf and rxed a bit.


    Yet when they returned to the bedroom, she had just finished drying her hair, ready to sleep, when he approached her.


    Before she could refuse, his lips were on hers, and his hands pried hers open, forcing their fingers to intertwine.


    The night was cool like water, and N felt as if she were being swept by the tides-sometimes washed up on a dry beach, other times pulled toward the deep sea.


    N woke upte the next morning.


    She nced at her phone, which read 8:08 a.m., and hurriedly got up, quickly washing and changing.


    Within ten minutes, she was downstairs.


    Damon and Mason were sitting at the dining table having breakfast.


    When Mason saw N, he put down his ss of milk and said in a sweet voice, "Good morning, Mommy."


    "Good morning." N kissed his cheek and wiped off the milk stains with a napkin before sitting down beside him.


    Damon looked at her and asked, "Why didn''t you sleep a little longer?"


    "If I slept longer, I''d miss the whole day," N retorted.


    Her tone was sharp, and her expression tense as she looked at him.


    After all, by the end ofst night, she had begged him several times, but he still wouldn''t let her off. He even tricked her by saying he''d relent if she called him "hubby".


    Once she did, the storm only got worse.


    She could still feel her legs trembling as she got out of bed.


    The man who had caused all this was now sitting calmly across from her, eating breakfast.


    N vowed never to trust a man''s words again, especially in bed.


    Damon, knowing he had been too roughst night, felt a little guilty and cleared his throat. "I''ll be gentler next time."


    N red at him. "Shut up!"


    Mason looked back and forth between them in confusion.


    Just as he was about to ask, Damon cut him off. "Buddy, if you''ve finished your


    bast, go to school. Don''t


    bete." Content belongs


    Swa


    Mason''s attention shifted immediately. "Okay, Daddy."


    He jumped off the chair, looked up at N, and said, "Mommy, I''m going to school now."


    "Alright, I''ll pick you up in the evening," N told him.


    "Okay," Mason replied. He grabbed his backpack, put on his shoes, and left with his little bear umbre.


    When his figure disappeared


    through the door, N finally turned to Damon and said sternly, "Can you watch what you say in front of the kid next time? Don''t be so careless."


    Damon smiled. "He doesn''t understand."


    "Just because he doesn''t understand doesn''t mean you should say that in front of him!" N snapped.


    "Understood, Mrs. Sumner," Damon replied.


    N shot him a look, clearly displeased. "Who''s your wife?"


    Damon smirked. "I seem to remember someone calling me ''hubby'' over and overst night."


    "That was because you tricked me, you liar!" N''s teeth were clenched, but her ears were turning pink.


    Seeing that she was getting genuinely annoyed, Damon wisely decided to stop teasing her.


    "I''m done eating. I''ll wait for you in the car," he said.


    N nced at the time. If she


    et


    didn''t hurry, she''d bete, so she put down her utensils and said, "Let''s go. I''m ready."


    She stood up and headed for the door.


    Noticing she had only eaten a toast, Damon frowned and told Lydia, "Pack up a breakfast to go."


    "Yes, sir," Lydia replied.


    N quickly put on her shoes. After a short wait in the car, Damon finally joined her.