Eilika sat stunned, the weight of his words sinking in. A life together, not just a contract or a necessity, but a future he was actively choosing.
"Stay true to that statement," Eilika said, her voice trembling slightly despite her attempt at firmness. "If you deviate from it, I won't forgive you."
"I promise, I won't," Damian replied, a low chuckle escaping him. They finished their pastries in a comfortable silence that felt far lighter than the tension from earlier. Once the plates were cleared, they stepped back out into the sunlight and returned to the car.
"Are we returning to the mansion now?" Eilika asked as the door closed behind them.
"No. I have somewhere else to take you," he answered, nodding to the driver to pull away from the curb.
"Wait—where?" she questioned, her curiosity piqued.
"You'll find out soon enough," he replied, a trace of a mysterious smile playing on his lips as he looked out at the passing streets of Varos.
