Silent Dreams Never Die — Author: John Miller 332
Eric gently patted Scarlett’s cheek with his small hand. “Yeah, Dad loves me so much. And Damian, Zachary–they all do. And someday, I’ll have a wife who loves me too.”
Scarlett managed a smile. “That’s right. More and more people will love you as time goes on.”
Eric took her hand. “Let’s go make lunch now. I’m really hungry.”
Pulling herself together, Scarlett pushed thoughts of Vanessa aside for the moment. She chopped the vegetables while Damian handled the cooking over the portable stove. Clara and Eric helped by adding ingredients to the pan.
Working together, they quickly prepared two simple dishes. Scarlett was quietly impressed by Damian’s capable hands in the kitchen, but her low spirits kept her from commenting.
Once the food was ready, she said to Damian, “Mr. Langley, why don’t you stay here and have lunch with Clara and Eric?”
Damian frowned. “What about you? Where are you going?”
Scarlett offered a faint smile. “Just to the restroom.”
Damian watched her with concern. He knew she was upset about Vanessa, but he didn’t press
her.
After washing her hands, Scarlett told the children she’d be back soon and turned to leave.
Damian’s eyes followed her. He noticed she wasn’t heading toward the restrooms at all.
He untied his apron and said to Eric, “Take the food over to Bianca with Clara. I’ll go check on Scarlett.”
“Okay, Damian,” Eric replied.
Damian quickly rinsed his hands and set off after Scarlett.
She wasn’t walking fast, and he caught up easily.
He found her sitting on a wooden bench along the path, head bowed, tears streaming silently down her face. Even in her grief, she bit her lip hard, holding back any sound.
She hadn’t noticed him. After an inner struggle, a choked sob finally escaped her.
The daughter she’d nurtured so carefully had become someone cruel and hurtful–the thought was a physical ache, a suffocating weight.
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Chapter 332 A Shoulder to Cry On
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Damian had intended to give her space, to let her release what she’d bottled up. But when Scarlett began hitting her own legs in frustration, he could no longer stand aside.
He strode over and caught her wrist.
Startled, she looked up. Her face was wet with tears, filled with helplessness and confusion. She stared at him, dazed, as the tears kept falling.
His heart clenched. He sat beside her, pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket, and offered it to her. “Here.”
Scarlett took it, her voice hoarse. “Thank you.”
Damian looked away, gazing ahead as he asked calmly, “It hurts, doesn’t it?”
Scarlett wiped her cheeks. “No.”
He still didn’t look at her. He knew how vulnerable she must feel and that she wouldn’t want to
show it.
Hearing her denial, he let out a soft, humorless laugh. “Now you know how it feels.”
Scarlett stayed silent. She didn’t fully understand what he meant, so she didn’t engage.
Then Damian turned to her. He didn’t ask anything more, only said gently, “If you need to, you can lean on my shoulder for a while. It’s here for you.”
Scarlett wanted to refuse, but the words wouldn’t come. The tears welled up again, spilling over.
She couldn’t hold back any longer. Turning, she buried her face against his shoulder and wept -deep, wrenching sobs that shook her whole body.
“Vanessa wasn’t like this before,” she cried into his shirt: “She really wasn’t. But now she won’t listen to me. I can’t reach her anymore. I just… can’t.”
Damian could feel her trembling. He raised a hand and rested it lightly on her back. “I know,” he said softly. “I understand.”
Scarlett cried for a long time, recounting memories of how sweet and well–behaved Vanessa used to be. Damian listened quietly, offering little more than his presence.
After nearly twenty minutes, Scarlett finally lifted her head from his shoulder.
She felt drained but lighter. Her eyes were dry now.
She met his gaze, “Thank you.”
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Damian looked back at her seriously. “If you really want things to change for Vanessa, you should tell Vincent what happened today.”
Scarlett nodded. “I know.”
He continued to hold her eyes. “If I were her father, I would never let you carry this alone.”
A faint, tired smile touched Scarlett’s lips. “We should go back.”
“Yeah.”
They walked side by side along the path. Just as they were nearing the clearing where Clara and Eric waited, Vanessa’s voice drifted from the trees to their right.
“Sabrina… since I don’t have a mom anymore… will you be my
mom?”
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