Zachary's words hung in the air as the rumble of a car pierced the villa's silence. He turned to the window, watching Cherise wrestle a reluctant Lyra through the gate.
Damien chuckled, "Look, our firecracker Cherry has come to interrogate us."
Zachary chuckled, his laughter carrying a touch of irony. "Crazy, right? Once upon a time, she was my world; Lyra was just the shadow in the corner. I never thought I'd be talking about her with you like this, let alone with a smile. But here we are."
In the past, he never entertained advances from any other woman. His eyes and heart were exclusively for Cherise. Hence, Lyra, the silent guardian angel who consistently appeared whenever he needed help and support, became a mere afterthought.
It became a never-ending cycle of rescue and retreat, where she would inexplicably go MIA again after weathering through the storm with him.
But Zachary was a changed man now, seeing things differently.
A recent accident had flipped the script. It had shown him the power of care, the warmth of being looked after. It was Lyra, the girl he barely noticed, who'd picked up the pieces and shown him what true love and care felt like.
Turning to Damien with a composed expression, he asked, "How should we explain this to them?"
Rubbing his throbbing forehead, Damien responded, "Just tell them the truth."
Concerning Raymond's escape, Damien and Zachary believed the fewer people who knew, the better.
Damien hadn't mentioned a word to Cherise, fearing she would worry. But if hiding it affected the relationship between newlyweds Lyra and Zachary, it might be better to come clean.
After all, even if they kept it hidden, it would only be a matter of time.
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