The Mafia’s Good Wife
Chapter 43

- Damon -

"No!" Talia shrieked, but her shouts morphed into cries. "No... No... No!"

Damon tightened his grip around her body, pulling her into a deep hug. There was nothing he could say to make things better, so he just kept holding her. Talia shook her head and banged her fists on his chest. She was erratic and distressed. Damon couldn't even begin to fathom the amount of pain Talia must be feeling right now. If it was the other way around and Violet was the one lying in the mortuary, Damon would do the same, or worse.

"You promised!" she cried, pointing a finger at Damon. "We agreed to join the family because you promised Adrian will never get hurt! He won't even have to hold a gun!"

"I know," Damon said with a long sigh, he persisted to hold her even though she kept fighting back. "I failed him and I failed you. He died protecting me and Violet..."

Talia glanced at Violet from behind Damon's shoulder. More tears began rolling down her face. She didn't want any of this. None of this was supposed to happen. Talia broke down in sobs and wails. Her legs weren't strong enough to stand on her own. She fell down, but Damon caught her. She slumped down on the floor with her head buried in Damon's chest.

"No... This can't be real... This can't be happening!" Talia clung to Damon's shirt as she sobbed.

"I'm so sorry..." were the only words Damon could say. He repeated it over and over again, but it didn't make Talia feel any better.

Talia cried and cried for what felt like an eternity. Liam and Beau stood by the door, not knowing what to do. After a while, they decided to close the door and they all sat on the floor. Beau put a hand on Talia's shoulder and Liam held his head down. "...Where is he now?" she said through her sobs.

Damon looked at Liam and Beau for confirmation.

"They're keeping his body down at the mortuary," Liam answered.

Damon tilted Talia's face up and wiped her tears with his hand.

"Do you wanna see him?"

Talia choked her tears back and nodded.

********

Talia and Damon made their way down to the basement where the mortuary was. The room was all white and filled with metal doors. The autopsy technician spotted them walking in, and he quickly stood up straighter.

"Mr. Van Zandt," he greeted. Damon's presence in the hospital had been quite the phenomenon. The hospital was close enough to Hugo's estate that people heard about the things that happened there. Needless to say, Damon was the most respected and feared man in this town.

"I'd like to see my brother," Damon said simply.

"Yes, of course,"

The technician went to one of the metal doors and pulled it open. Then he pulled out the bed and revealed a body lying on it. His face was covered with the white fabric.

"Will you give us a minute?" Damon asked.

"You can have all the time you need, sir," The technician nodded and stepped away, leaving Talia and Damon alone in the room.

Talia swallowed hard and her hands were shaking as she reached for the white fabric. Slowly, she pulled the fabric down and she saw Adrian's lifeless face. On his forehead was a clear bullet wound.

Talia's mouth fell open. Her gaze trembled in terror. It was the most heartbreaking sight she'd ever seen. Adrian was still his beautiful self, but his face was gray and cold like a statue. Talia couldn't bear looking at him a second longer. Damon too, he was already looking away the moment Talia pulled down the fabric.

"It doesn't even look like him," Talia muttered. Her voice was still and small.

"I know," Damon sighed. "He was always... smiling,"

Talia remembered the smiles and smirks on Adrian's face. He was always lively and playful. His energy was contagious. His laughter was infectious. His eyes were blue and deep like the ocean. But Talia couldn't see any of that now. All she could see was the shell of who he used to be.

Slowly, Talia leaned down and kissed the side of Adrian's face. He felt ice cold and Talia almost flinched in shock. She was desperately trying to cling onto whatever was left of him, but there was nothing left. He was gone. He was really gone.

Tears began trickling down her face again. Damon held onto her and she clung onto his shoulders. Talia couldn't look at her husband anymore. This was not how she wanted to remember him. She turned her face to Damon and buried her nose into his chest. Damon let out a sigh and pushed the bed back into the metal door. This was not how he wanted to remember Adrian either.

"...I'm pregnant, you know?" Talia said suddenly, and Damon flinched back.

"What?"

"I just found out a few days ago... I wanted to surprise Adrian when he came home..."

Damon peeled Talia's face and narrowed his eyes. He studied her face as her lips quivered.

"What am I gonna do without him now...?" she croaked.

Talia was waiting for an answer but Damon looked lost. He didn't know what to say.

"Damon-!"

Suddenly, a loud yell came from the door and they turned their heads instinctively. Liam was panting like he had been running to get here.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Violet's awake!"

Damon's eyes jolted wide open. He exchanged a quick look with Talia and she nodded. Not wasting another second, Damon raced out of the room while Liam came inside to stay with Talia.

~ Violet -

Everything was heavy. Everything was dark. Even to move a single finger felt like moving a ton of bricks. Violet remained motionless for as long as she could remember. There was nothing but darkness, but slowly, she started to hear something. *Beep... Beep... Beep... *

There was a steady beeping sound, and it was getting louder and louder. After the sound, she started smelling something. The room. It smelled clean. And before long, she started seeing something. A light.

Violet opened her eyes to the bright fluorescent light above her head. It was so bright that she couldn't see anything else for a while. Slowly, her eyes started to adjust and she could see the room in front of her. It was a clean white room and there were two men standing in front of her.

"Miss Violet?" one of them said. "You're awake!"

"I'll go get him," the other said as he ran out of the room.

Violet blinked several times before she could recognize the man. It was Beau. He stepped closer and helped Violet prop her head up, adjusting her pillows.

"Beau...?" she croaked.

"Miss Violet, please relax. Mr. Van Zandt will be here soon,"

Violet's head felt heavy and foggy. She scrunched her eyes, trying her best to remember.

"What... happened...?" she asked.

"Well, there was a shooting in Hugo's compound... Do you remember that?"

"That's right... I got shot..."

Violet saw a flash of that moment. Hugo was aiming his gun at Damon and Damon didn't see it. Violet ran and jumped as fast as she could, pushing Damon to get out of the way. She heard the loud bang and all of a sudden, her body felt weak. Blood was everywhere. "You were shot, but you're alright now," Beau said reassuringly.

Violet glanced down to her stomach. She couldn't feel anything. Then she looked around the room and asked, "Where's Damon?"

"I can take it from here,"

Suddenly, Damon himself appeared at the doorway. He was panting like he was running to get here. He looked disheveled and tired, but his deep blue eyes were shining as bright as ever. "Thanks, Beau," Damon nodded to Beau and he exited the room, leaving Damon and Violet alone.

Damon crossed and stood next to Violet on the bed. She looked at him with eyes full of longing. If her hands were strong enough, she'd have reached out and hugged him in a heartbeat. "Damon..." she breathed.

Damon leaned down and pressed his lips on her forehead. Violet's heart swelled in warmth the moment his lips touched her skin. She closed her eyes and reveled in the feeling. "Don't worry, the doctor says you're gonna be okay. And the baby's fine too,"

Violet's eyes jerked open instantly.

The baby's fine! But wait. Damon knows...?

"Oh..." she muttered. "That's... great..."

Violet shuffled uncomfortably as Damon pulled away. Letting out a sigh, he sat on the bed next to her leg and put a hand on her stomach. Her skin tensed in response.

"How long have you known?" he asked.

Violet avoided his gaze and muttered, "A week or so after I left,"

"You didn't think of telling me?"

"I thought I was doing the right thing,"

Damon tilted her chin up so she was facing him. Violet thought he'd be mad or upset, but he was neither. He just looked at her with understanding and gentleness as he said, "Were you?"

That made Violet tear up a little. She'd feel less guilty if he was yelling and angry at her. But no. He was just... kind.

"No," she shook her head meekly. "I should've told you sooner. I'm sorry,"

"It's okay, I'm sure you had your reasons. But I'm glad I know now," he said with a small smile. Pausing for a beat, he then said, "Were you planning on ever telling me?"

"Maybe someday," she replied. "I thought I wanted to give the baby a chance at a normal life,"

"I see," Damon stifled a dry laugh. "I can't blame you for it. I mean, look at where we are,"

Violet glanced around the room. She realized it now, they were in the hospital, reeling from the aftermath of a mafia war.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked.

Damon paused for a moment. His head hung low. Violet waited for an answer, feeling the deafening silence.

"No," he said finally. "We killed Hugo, but they also killed one of ours,"

"Wh-"

"It's a dangerous thing you're doing, coming all the way here," he cut her off sharply, locking his gaze on her. "Why'd you come for me? You didn't have to,"

Damon's eyes pierced into her soul. He was really worried about her. Maybe more than she was worried for him.

"Because despite everything, I still love you..." she answered. "And I want our baby to know their father because... he's a great man,"

Violet's eyes were filled with tears. Looking back, she didn't regret making the choice to walk away. Logically speaking, it was the right choice. Damon wasn't ready to be the family man Violet wanted him to be. It was only after losing her for good that he finally made the right decision. It was a crazy decision and it almost cost him his life. Hell, it cost him Adrian's life. But, it was also the one decision that mattered. "I'm a terrible man, Violet," Damon said with his head down. "I couldn't keep my promise to the people I love and... I hurt you,"

Damon's eyes were filled with tears. Violet had never seen him like this before. It broke her heart. Slowly, her hand reached for his face. Though her grip was weak, she held onto him as hard as she could.

"We hurt each other, Damon, but that doesn't mean we don't love one another,"

Damon looked up to see her blue, purple eyes glimmering at him. It was a marvelous sight. He found compassion and hope in her eyes. Yes, hope. Even in this eternal darkness, there was still hope.

"Sweet girl..." he breathed.

"Damon..."

"I'm so sorry for everything,"

"I'm sorry for everything too,"

"I love you. I love you so much,"

"I love you too. I love you more than-"

Before Violet could finish her words, Damon crashed his lips onto hers. The contact was enough to ignite sparks all over her body. She no longer felt weak, she felt a deep strength burning inside. Violet linked her hands around his neck and pulled him close. Damon wrapped her in his arms and deepened the kiss. There was a fire burning in their hearts as their bodies molded into one. It was strong and unceasing. And that fire only burned brighter and brighter into the night.

...Words could say. I love you more than words could ever say, Damon.