MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

Damon sighed as he stepped out of the car, glancing at the house he had gifted his mother.

It was a relief to see her so happy, but he knew this wasn't his place to stay.

The decision to leave her here while he returned to the apartment wasn't hard, and convincing Aoife had been surprisingly easy.

When he mentioned Svetlana and the question he was preparing to ask, her face had lit up with joy.

"She's a wonderful girl, Damon," Aoife had said warmly. "What you're thinking about doing is a big step, but it's a step many people take. You've grown so much, I'm proud of you."

Her support gave him the reassurance he needed. Now, as he looked at the house one more time, Damon felt a mixture of emotions.

It was bittersweet to leave his mother in the new home he'd worked so hard to provide, but knowing she was happy and safe made it easier.

His thoughts shifted to Svetlana. If things went the way he hoped, this next chapter in his life could bring something even more meaningful.

But for now, Damon had the immediate task of moving his mother's belongings into the new house.

Thankfully, the house was already fully furnished, so there wasn't a need to buy and haul heavy furniture or hire movers.

It was just her clothes, personal items, and a few smaller essentials.

His car made the process easier, its spacious trunk and backseat had enough room to handle everything.

Damon didn't mind doing it himself; it felt more personal this way.

Arriving at the apartment, Damon stepped out of his car and walked briskly toward the lobby.

The familiar faces of the staff greeted him with friendly nods and smiles.

"Mr. Cross, good afternoon," one of them said warmly.

"Afternoon," Damon replied, a polite smile on his face. "I need a little help packing some things for a move. Think you guys can spare some hands?"

"Of course, Mr. Cross," another staff member said eagerly. "We'd be happy to help."

It wasn't just courtesy, it was respect.

The staff knew Damon's family was connected to Victor Steele, their boss.

Experience tales with empire

That connection, coupled with Damon's own growing reputation, ensured he and his family were treated exceptionally well.

"Thank you. It's just clothes and a few essentials. Nothing heavy," Damon added, making the task seem lighter than it was.

"Not a problem at all," the staff assured him, already gathering a small team to assist.

As they headed toward the elevator, Damon couldn't help but appreciate the little comforts that came with his growing success.

But more importantly, he was grateful for the kindness shown to his mother and himself, a kindness he planned to pay forward in every way he could.

The packing didn't take long, after all, it was only his mother's clothes and a few personal items.

Everything had been neatly boxed and loaded into his car with the help of the staff.

It felt rushed, perhaps, but Damon had made sure his mother was fine with the transition.

Now, with everything packed, Damon stood in the empty apartment, taking one last look around the room.

His eyes swept over every corner, a mix of nostalgia and relief settling over him.

"Seems like they left t–" Damon murmured as he picked up a small item left behind on the dresser. As he moved it, a picture slipped out, fluttering gently to the floor.

Crouching down, Damon picked it up, his movements slowing as he turned the picture over to look at it.

The moment his eyes landed on the image, his smile vanished.

It was a photo of him and his mother, taken long before everything in their lives had gone wrong. Damon stared at it for a long moment.

The picture shouldn't have stirred anything significant, but it did.

It had a story, a story Damon preferred to bury deep in the recesses of his mind.

The picture was taken by Taro, his father.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

This image was from a time before the abuse started, before life had stripped them of peace and safety.

It felt like a relic of another lifetime, one so distant and alien it might as well have belonged to someone else.

The memories clawed their way to the surface, unwelcome and bitter.

Damon's first instinct was to tear the picture apart, to destroy it and the emotions it brought with it.

His fingers tightened around the edges, the faint sound of paper creasing under the pressure.

But then he sighed, forcing his grip to relax.

If his mother had kept this picture all these years, it must have meant something to her.

Maybe, it was a piece of her hope, her resilience. How she managed to hold onto it after everything they endured, he didn't know.

That was reason enough to leave it intact.

Damon tucked the photo carefully into his pocket, his jaw tight as he stood up and scanned the room one last time.

Whatever this picture meant to his mother, it wasn't his right to take it away.

Somehow, Damon allowed his mind to wander as he stood in the empty apartment, the photo still tucked into his pocket.

His thoughts drifted to the past, to the days after he and his mother had left.

What had happened to Taro?

Even as a child, Damon had known the man wasn't just abusive, he was drowning in debts, entangled in the kind of trouble no one could easily escape.

Damon sighed, shaking his head as if to physically dispel the thoughts. There was no point in dredging up the past now.

He had worked too hard to build the life he and his mother deserved. The ghosts of old memories had no place in this new chapter.

Clearing his head, Damon grabbed a small bag, throwing in a pair of clothes for himself. He'd decided to spend the night at the new house.

Tomorrow, he would return to the apartment to begin setting things up. It was his now, though the thought still felt strange.

As he locked the door, he wondered if it might be time for some changes.

Adding a few workouts machines in his unit.

After all, the apartment technically belonged to Victor, and while Damon was sure he wouldn't mind, it was better to ask.