Chapter 3 - The Cold Light of Morning
The sun rose over the snow-capped Rockies, casting a pale gold light across the Denver skyline. I stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of the guest suite in my private estate, holding a warm mug of coffee I hadn't touched. Below, the estate was silent, save for the soft patter of tiny feet wandering down the hallway.
I turned to see Luke standing in the doorway, wearing oversized pajama pants folded up at the cuffs and dragging his blanket behind him. He blinked up at me, his messy brown curls sticking up in every direction.
"Where's Mama?" he asked softly, rubbing his left eye with a tiny fist.
I crouched down to his eye level, setting my coffee on a side table. "She's sleeping, Luke. She was very tired from the long plane ride."
He looked around the massive room, his green eyes wide with awe. "Is this a hotel?"
"No," I said, offering a gentle smile. "This is my home. Well... it's your home too, if you want it to be."
Luke stepped closer, studying my face with an intensity that blew me away. He raised a small hand and touched my left cheek, right where my dimple formed when I smiled. "Mama has a picture of you. In her bottom drawer under the sweaters."
My breath caught. "She does?"
He nodded earnestly. "She thinks I don't see it, but I do. She looks at it when she thinks we're sleeping. She cries sometimes."
The weight of his words felt like a physical blow to my chest. For three years, while I had buried myself in boardrooms and multi-million-dollar negotiations, Cassandra had been carrying the quiet weight of our past alone in a small apartment in Oregon.
Before I could reply, Cassandra appeared in the hallway, wrapped in a plush robe I had left out for her. Her hair was down, framed by the morning light, and though dark circles shadowed her eyes, she looked breathlessly beautiful.
"Luke," she called gently, relief washing over her face as she saw him with me. "I told you not to wander off."
"I found the angry man, Mama," Luke said proudly. "He's not angry today."
Cassandra’s gaze met mine, a soft blush rising on her cheeks. "Damon... thank you for letting us stay here last night. We should probably find a hotel or get a rental car to head to my sister’s house in Aspen."
"You're not going to a hotel, Cassandra," I said firmly, standing up. "And you're not driving to Aspen in a snowstorm. Stay here. Just for Christmas. Let me give the kids—and you—the holiday you deserve."
She hesitated, looking at Luke, who was already inspecting a carved wooden chess set on the table. "Damon, we have so much to talk about. The letters, Julian, the past three years... It’s overwhelming."
"I know," I said quietly, taking a step toward her. "We have a lifetime of catching up to do. But today is Christmas. Let's just be a family today. Please."
May you like
She looked into my eyes, searching for the arrogant billionaire who had driven her away three years ago. Finding only the man who was desperately trying to redeem himself, she let out a slow breath and nodded.
"Okay," she whispered. "Just for Christmas."
