"Daddy…?"
The little girl lying on the bed spoke the moment her eyes fluttered open, her voice soft and fragile, like it might break at any second.
"Is that you, Daddy?" Eliana added, her brows drawing together in curiosity as she tried to focus on the figure before her.
A flicker of emotion crossed Damien's face before he masked it. He stepped closer to the bed, his expression softening despite the usual hardness that defined him.
"Yes, it's me, darling," he replied, his voice low yet steady, carrying an unfamiliar gentleness. Carefully, he reached out and placed his hand on her head, brushing her hair back with surprising tenderness. "Daddy is here… I'm so happy to see you."
Eliana's lips trembled slightly before forming a small smile.
"We miss you, Daddy," she said quietly, her eyes glistening. "We always asked Mommy about you, but she said you went on a business trip… that you might not be coming back."
Damien's expression darkened almost imperceptibly.
