MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat-Chapter 404 Unresponsive

Paddy's confident and straightforward attitude appeared to change as he showed the strain of something he had learned on his face.

He cleared his throat and looked straight at Damon.

"Alright, lad," Paddy said cautiously. "Who exactly is it yer lookin' for?"

Damon didn't hesitate. "A man named Taro Saito."

Paddy blinked, leaning back slightly in his chair.

He studied Damon for a moment before leaning forward again. "And what's he to ye, then? Family? Friend? Somethin' else?"

Damon's jaw clenched, and he was losing patience with the constant questions.

However, he didn't let his anger lead to disrespect.

"What he is," Damon said, his tone calm but firm, "is someone I need to find. That's all that matters."

Paddy let out a deep sigh, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed the back of his neck.

He looked quickly at Svetlana and then at Damon.

He seemed unsure about sharing what was bothering him.

Paddy sat up straight and changed his expression as he got ready to talk.

He placed his hands on the table and looked back and forth between Damon and Svetlana before staring at Damon.

"The friend I called," Paddy began, his tone more serious now, "said when he got the house to sell, it was… well, it was said the man livin' there…" He stopped, clearing his throat, his voice dropping lower as he continued, "He hung himself."

Damon's face didn't change.

His face stayed calm and hard to read.

He continued to listen, staring at Paddy, as if he was taking in the information without really thinking about it.

Svetlana couldn't hide how she felt.

She quickly put her hand over her mouth, and her eyes were wide with surprise.

She glanced at Damon to see how he was coping, hoping to see some kind of reaction.

Damon looked okay, or at least he seemed to be.

He appeared cool and collected on the outside, showing no hint of any inner turmoil.

Svetlana dropped her hand a bit, feeling uncertain about what to say or do as the room fell silent.

Paddy shifted uncomfortably in his seat, waiting for a reaction from Damon that never came. "That's what I was told, lad," he said cautiously. "I'm… sorry."

Paddy glanced around the café, clearly uncomfortable with the weight of the conversation.

He scratched the back of his neck, then spoke, his tone rough but oddly genuine.

"Look, lad," Paddy began, his eyes briefly meeting Damon's. "I didn't know the man, but from the sound of it… well, seems like he might've meant a lot to someone. Life's cruel like that sometimes."

He cleared his throat again, trying to find the right words but sticking to his unfiltered way of speaking.

Damon smiled faintly, the expression calm yet distant. "Thank you, Paddy. I appreciate your help."

Paddy nodded, leaning back slightly in his chair, relieved to see Damon wasn't falling apart. "Aye, no bother. I just hope ye find what ye're lookin' for."

Damon glanced at Svetlana briefly, then back to Paddy. "I will," he said, his voice steady.

Paddy let out a small grunt, signaling his understanding, then picked up his coffee, taking a sip.

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Damon paid the bill and left Paddy with a stack of cash, saying once more in thanks before heading out of the café with Svetlana.

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The drive back was quiet.

Damon kept his focus on the road, his expression unreadable, while Svetlana glanced at him from time to time, concern deepening in her eyes.

She knew that Damon's father had been an abusive presence in his life, a source of pain and hardship he rarely spoke about.

But that didn't mean she wanted him to suppress his emotions now.

She could sense the weight of what they'd just learned, and it worried her that he wasn't showing any sign of how he was feeling.

Finally, she broke the silence. "Damon?"

He glanced at her briefly. "Mmh?"

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle but filled with genuine concern.

Damon nodded, giving her a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." And, somehow, it didn't seem like he was lying.

But Svetlana wasn't convinced. "How do you feel?"

Damon went quiet, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

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After a moment, he spoke, his voice steady but thoughtful. "I don't know, to be honest. I mean… should I feel bad? Happy? Sad? 'Cause I'm not. Is that… is that bad?"

Svetlana reached over, gently resting her hand on his arm. "It's not bad. You feel what you feel, Damon. There's no right or wrong way to handle this. Whatever you're feeling, or not feeling, it's okay."

Damon nodded slightly, his eyes still on the road but his grip on the wheel relaxing a little. "Yeah," he murmured, as if trying to convince himself. "I guess it is."

Damon glanced at Svetlana, his eyes filled with a mix of thoughtfulness and hesitation. "I don't know how my mom will take it, though," he admitted. "Or how to even bring it up."

Svetlana looked at him, her expression soft but reassuring. "I'm sure she'll be fine," she said.

Damon turned his gaze back to the road, his grip on the wheel firm but not tense.

He neither nodded nor shook his head, his voice low as he responded, "I hope so. We haven't talked about him in a long time. It's always been like… a taboo topic." Discover hidden tales at novelbuddy

Svetlana stayed quiet for a moment, letting him process.

"But anyway," Damon continued after a pause, "she deserves to know. I'll figure out how to tell her."

Svetlana nodded, her voice calm. "When are we going back to the U.S.?"

Damon exhaled, considering for a moment. "Well, today I have to meet Victor at the Center. That's where we'll get the news about who we're facing in the qualifiers. After the match… we can go back for a while."

Svetlana smiled faintly and reached over to give his arm a light squeeze. "Sounds like a plan."

Damon gave a small nod, his mind already shifting to the tasks ahead.

For now, he'd focus on what was in front of him, but he knew the conversation with his mom was inevitable.

And, despite his uncertainty, he was determined to face it.