Page 87 of My Damaged Protector

I never got to meet her because she gave me up at birth. I'd never allowed myself to think about her, but I wonder if she regretted leaving me or even if I look like her or what she looked like. Now that I'm in front of a picture she's possibly in and I am unable to recognize her, I feel like shit all over again.

I feel like a stranger in a home that's now mine.

Will this feeling ever change?

I go through every picture I can find in my aunt's closet, looking for a clue, anything to point me to what my birth mother looks like. I find nothing.

I think of calling Christopher, but I immediately push away the thought. I've disturbed the man enough as it is.

Soon, food is ready, and Salem is informing me about it with her eyes on the floor.

I go down to eat. She prepared chicken curry in a hurry with rice as a side. Although I'm self-conscious as I eat, it's one of the best meals I've had in a while, and that's saying a lot because I'm a good cook myself.

When I'm done eating, I take the plate to the kitchen, not caring how it'll make me look, and then I head to the guest room where I'll be sleeping to take a quick shower. But I decide against it the moment the door closes behind me.

I feel trapped. I need to get out.

Walking toward my truck like there's suddenly fire on my ass, I enter, but the will to start it just won't find me.

Sighing, I get out of the truck and decide it's best that I don't drive with how out of sorts I'm feeling.

I walk the whole length of the estate, and by the time I make it to the edge, I'm feeling a bit winded, and it's mostly because I didn't even allow my food to digest before I started walking. I don't let that deter me, though. I continue walking around the town, thoughts of Sarah sneaking into my head no matter how hard I try to ignore it.

Somehow, I feel responsible for her, and I know I'm not even supposed to. She asked me to leave.

If anyone should be feeling bad about how things went down with us, it should be her, but somehow I'm the one who can't stop thinking about her.

Deciding it's probably best if I find something to distract myself with, I go in search of a bar to get a drink. I'm far away from the bar I'm now acquainted with, but I see another one on the side of the town I've walked to.

It looks like more of a pub than a bar. Maybe I can get beer there. I'm not looking to get drunk, just something to distract me.

My intake of alcohol as of late is not something I am happy about, which is why I have to make a conscious effort to reduce it going forward. Especially now that I have billions in my care.

I start to cross the road so I can get to the bar. A car pulls up right before me when I start to cross, and I have to quickly step back so I don't get hit.

I'm immediately pissed at the idiot who almost ran me over, and I stomp toward him to rip his head off. He rolls his window down at my approach and smiles at me.

He looks familiar.

“What the fuck is funny? You almost hit me, asshole.”

“And I'm sorry about that. I was just trying to get your attention.”

By trying to kill me?

And why is he trying to get my attention?

He may look familiar, but I don't remember where the hell I know him from, and I've had way too stressful of a day to get involved in any bullshit conversation.

“I'm not interested,” I snap and start to walk away.

“Too bad, because I'm speaking to you anyway.”

The only way to do that will be to follow me inside the bar. Ignoring him, I cross the road and enter the bar. I get a seat in a discreet spot so I'm not easily found by anyone, but the discretion turns out to be of no use.

I've barely sat when the guy is sitting beside me with a shitty grin on his face.

He looks way too cocky for someone I don't know. And then I remember his face.

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