The Beta's Rejected Daughter (Fiona) novel Chapter 158

Damon POV

I woke up to the steady beep of a heart monitor and the dull ache pulsing behind my temples.

For a second, I didn’t know where I was.

There was white ceiling, a sterile smell and the faint sting of disinfectant in the air.

“Hospital?” I mumbled, and before I could piece my thoughts together, Lydia’s face appeared above me, eyes widening in shock.

‘Daddy, Mommy! Damon’s awake!”

Her shout exploded in the room and footsteps rushed in all at once, voices overlapping, shadows crowding my vision. I blinked slowly, my gaze sliding across the familiar faces gathered around my bed.

Dad, Mom, Lydia, Lance and Jake. Including my friend, Clive.

My throat felt dry when I finally spoke. “What… why am I here?”

Mom leaned closer, relief written all over her face, and began explaining how I’d collapsed, how Clive had iragged me to the infirmary, how things had spiraled after that.

As she talked, my memory crept back in fragments to the interaction with Fiona at that skyview lake.

Fiona’s eyes when she talked to me.

How her words hit the core of my heart, broke me and made me lose consciousness. I had never felt so

1. ad.

Recalling all those words from her forced a sharp, bitter laugh out of me before I could stop it.

Damon…” Lydia’s voice trembled as she called me, grabbing my hand tightly, fingers cold and shaking. “I vas so scared. I thought something terrible had happened to you. Please… don’t ever do that again. Don’t care me like that, okay?”

Tears streamed down her face, her lips quivering as she clung to me like she might lose me if she let go.

it was the kind of sight that used to twist my heart without fail. “I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “I won’t do it

gain

I forced a simile for her sake, but my eyes slid away.

“What matters is that you’re alright now. We are all so happy” Lydia said with a grm but I couldn’t only look at her briefly because each moment my eyes met her. Fiona’s face surfaced in my mind.

Fiona, who I had crushed without mercy A girl who had endured everything in silence while I sided with Lydia again and again causing her loneliness and hopelessness

The way she’d looked at me at the lake side, not with hatred, but with finalty made the realization hit me

like a blade.

I had been cruel. Unforgivably cruel by treating my own sister–the one who’d shared the same blood with me as if she were nothing.

As I laid there, I realized my heart had changed towards her. I wouldn’t be able to ignore her anymore.

I can’t even laugh and joke with Lydia the way I used to, not with this guilt clawing at my chest. Every memory of what I’d said and done to Fiona, every insult, every dismissal–it all dug in deeper, sharp and

relentless.

I hated myself and wanted nothing more than to accept Fiona again.

I saw Lydia frowned slightly, studying my face.

Something about Damon feels different… but maybe he’s just weak from fainting.” she mumbled under her breath.

Then Russell spoke.

Damon,” he said sharply, stepping closer. “I know you just woke up, but tell me what exactly did Fiona do o you that made you collapse?”

His eyes were hard, burning with intent and I knew he wanted proof to make her pay.

knew that look on his face.

Yes.” Jake chipped in. “Please tell us everything.”

Lance snorted quietly at Fiona’s name, his jaw tightening. He said nothing, but I could tell he badly wanted in opportunity to take revenge on Fiona.

Lisa cut in immediately, her voice sharp. “Russell, enough. Damon just woke up. What are you nterrogating him for?”

Mom shot him a warning look and for the first time, I noticed something different in her expression. She had this hesitation or maybe guilt or regret, I couldn’t tell.

Lydia lowered her head, still holding my hand tightly. I knew what she wanted.

For me to say Fiona hurt me so Dad would explode.

She wanted Fiona destroyed because Fiona was her rival, the girl who threatened her place, her shine, her position as the Jensons‘ only daughter and Beta heiress.

She must hate Fiona so much now, especially as she was growing into a powerful woman.

Lydia probably thinks I hate her too but when I finally spoke, my answer shook her

“Dad… it wasn’t like that”

Every eye snapped to me before I could finish

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Chapter 59

Finished

“I’ve probably just been overworking myself on my research paper,” I continued. “That’s why I fainted. It has nothing to do with Fiona.”

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