My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Chapter 1220: Chapter 1221: Pinky Promise

After his conversation with his aunt, Damon left to find Evangeline, feeling a little braver than before. He stopped outside the door to her room, hesitated for a moment, then pushed it open.

When he went inside, he found Evangeline sitting at a study table, reading a book with Ranar. The two looked much like a mother and daughter, from their similar-colored hair to the features they shared.

Damon remained by the door for a moment, unsure whether he should actually go inside or stay as far away from Evangeline as possible.

"Are you going to come in, or are you going to loom over my door like a scarecrow?" Evangeline asked without even looking in his direction.

"Ahem. Ahem."

Damon awkwardly cleared his throat before stepping into the room.

Ranar raised her head when she saw him. Her eyes immediately lit up, and she pushed herself away from the table before running toward him.

Damon smiled and opened his arms, expecting a hug.

But Ranar suddenly stopped.

She looked behind him, then glanced around the room as if searching for someone.

"Where is Ric?"

Damon’s smile immediately collapsed into a grimace.

"You haven’t seen your father in days, and the first person you ask for is Ric? How could you?"

Ranar placed one hand on her waist and shook her head.

"Yeah, because he’s not here. You are. And it’s not my fault you got in trouble and tried to hide for a few days," Ranar replied, reminding him of the exact person who had gotten himself into trouble with Eva.

"Alright, I see how it is. I see..." Damon muttered, lowering his arms with a wounded expression.

"Where Ric?" she asked again.

"In the Astranova estate with Lilith."

Ranar’s eyes immediately brightened. She turned around and glanced at Evangeline.

"Mom, can I go to the Astranova estate?" Ranar asked.

"Be back before sunset," Evangeline answered calmly.

Before Damon could say anything, Ranar vanished in a spark of light.

Damon stared at the empty spot where she had been standing.

’Mom? When did that start?’

He knew Ranar usually called Evangeline Eva, just as he did.

Evangeline glanced at him briefly before looking away. Now they were alone in her bedroom, something that was actually quite common between them.

Usually, they would talk about Ranar, discuss life, or sometimes end up fighting.

She turned away from him, deliberately avoiding his gaze.

"What did you want, Damon?" she asked briskly.

"I wanted to see you too... to talk," he answered, his voice carrying a slight nervousness.

"What do we have to talk about?"

Evangeline walked toward the bed and sat down, her hands resting loosely in her lap.

"Well, I... we have a lot to talk about. Like maybe the incident from a few days ago. I..."

"You lied to me. That’s fine. It’s nothing new. I’m over it already. This wouldn’t be the first time you did."

Damon fell silent.

For a while, neither of them said anything.

Eventually, Damon walked over and sat down beside her.

"Yeah, you’re right. I lie to you a lot, and I’m sorry for that."

"What’s this, the hundredth apology for lying?" Evangeline asked with a bitter smile. "Fine. Let me play out our regular routine. It’s fine, Damon. I forgive you."

She forced a parody of a happy smile onto her face.

"Happy now?" she added coldly.

Damon looked at her without saying anything.

"You always apologize, and I always forgive you. And when you don’t apologize, I still forgive you. It’s so easy to step on my feelings because you know that no matter how angry I get, I always forgive you. I always forgive you like a pathetic fool."

She slowly pushed herself off the bed and stood up.

"Why should this be any different?"

Her voice trembled slightly, despite the anger in it.

"Maybe I like getting hurt by you, but you know what? That’s fine too."

She turned toward him, her eyes beginning to redden.

"But you know what hurts more than being lied to?"

She paused.

Damon watched her silently.

Evangeline’s lips parted, but for a moment, no words came out. She could feel the air leaving her lungs, her chest tightening as she struggled to breathe properly.

"It’s being treated like a fool."

Her voice cracked slightly.

"I can’t be your equal because I can never be someone you trust..."

She lowered her gaze, trying to hide the tears gathering in her eyes.

"I could forgive you for anything. But seeing you trust Lilith Astranova more than me..."

Her fingers curled tightly at her sides.

"It makes my heart feel like it has been pierced by a thousand needles."

She had tried to ignore it.

She had tried to tell herself it didn’t matter.

Damon and Lilith were always having secretive meetings and doing things no one else knew about. She had accepted that there were things Damon couldn’t tell her.

But why did he trust Lilith Astranova more than her?

Why not her?

She was his flesh and blood.

She was his family.

And yet, somehow, Lilith had become someone Damon could trust with things he refused to share with her.

"You are my equal. Hell, you’re someone I respect."

Damon’s voice was quiet.

"And that’s why I have to lie to you. Because I don’t want to lose your respect."

Evangeline froze.

She slowly turned to look at him.

Only then did Damon notice the tears filling her eyes.

"I always say I’ve done horrible things, but I never bother to explain myself. It’s not some joke. It’s because I have done some unforgivable things. And when you find out what I’ve done, I’m going to lose you."

Damon stood up and moved closer until he was standing at her eye level.

"I don’t want to lose you, Eva. And I don’t want to hurt you either. But the thought of telling you and getting rejected scares me. Every time I imagine what you would say or do, I can’t sleep at night."

His voice became softer.

"Because I love you so much."

He wrapped an arm around her waist and gently pulled her closer.

"I promise I’ll tell you everything soon. Just as soon as it’s over. And I can understand if you find me repulsive, but just this once..."

He leaned closer and kissed her.

For a brief moment, everything became still.

Then Damon pulled back.

He looked at her expression.

It was cold.

Not as cold as before, but there was still anger in her eyes.

"You... you... I can’t believe you kissed me in a strange woman’s body!" she screamed angrily. "I don’t even know where that thing has been!"

Her hand immediately came up.

Smack!

Damon was sent flying into the wall. His body bounced off it before slamming onto the ground.

"Urgh!"

He groaned in pain, clutching his side.

He had completely forgotten that he wasn’t in his own body.

Evangeline marched toward him.

Damon’s eyes widened.

He immediately began crawling backward, using his arms to drag himself away as he looked at her with genuine fear.

’She’s going to beat me up.’

But instead of hitting him, Evangeline stopped beside him.

She slowly squatted down.

Damon froze.

She stared at him for several seconds before finally speaking.

"When this is all over, you’ll tell me everything, right?"

She raised her little finger toward him.

"Pinky promise."

Damon stared at her raised finger.

It was something he had learned from Ashcroft and later taught Ranar. It was a childish promise, something so simple that breaking it felt almost impossible.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

He raised his own pinky and hooked it around hers.

"Pinky promise."