\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 209 Contrasting Scenes\u00a0<\/p>\n
81\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
As Damian approached carrying Clara, Eric turned and stretched out his arms. \u201cMs. Theron, I want a hug too!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett hesitated, about to mention her injured arm, but Damian spoke first, \u201cEric, I\u2019ll carry you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, he lifted Eric with his other arm, effortlessly holding a child on each side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing him manage two children so easily, Scarlett couldn\u2019t help but smile faintly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian noticed her smile and paused briefly, but still didn\u2019t speak, simply continuing forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett followed behind. Clara pointed toward a nearby vendor stall. \u201cMr. Langley, can I get cotton candy?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian smiled. \u201cOf course.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He set the children down in front of the stall and let them choose.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clara picked a cotton candy shaped like a bunny, while Eric chose one resembling a tiger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing that they had made a decision, Scarlett pulled out her phone to pay. But Damian was faster and managed to complete the transaction before her. He then pointed toward a vibrant, swirled cotton candy and said, \u201cI\u2019ll take that one as well.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The vendor, pleased with the sale, thanked him cheerfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett didn\u2019t insist on paying. It was a small amount, nothing he would think twice about.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the cotton candies were ready, Damian took the colorful one.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the moment he ordered it, Scarlett assumed it was for himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But as soon as he received it, he turned and offered it to Scarlett. \u201cHere. Got this for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett was surprised, pointing at herself. \u201cFor me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian gently pressed it into her hand. \u201cMhm.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Having done that, he turned and walked between the two children, taking each by the hand and leading them forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watching this scene, Scarlett couldn\u2019t help but recall the struggles and loneliness of raising Vanessa alone over the years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:07 Sat, Jan 10\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 209 Contrasting Scenes\u00a0<\/p>\n
81\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had always been on her own. Even with household staff around, she handled everything concerning her child personally.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Countless times, she had imagined Vincent helping her out-just holding Vanessa for a moment, or changing a diaper\u2026 but over the years, Vincent had never lifted a finger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet here was Damian, effortlessly managing two children at once. The sight brought a sudden, sharp sting to her nose, a prickle of unshed tears.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If only Vincent had acted even a little like Damian was now, perhaps those memories wouldn\u2019t be so filled with bitterness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
*****\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent had taken Vanessa to play a ring toss game nearby.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as it ended, his phone rang.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Holding Vanessa with one arm, he answered the call with his free hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was Freya.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Stewart,\u201d Freya said, \u201cI think I remember now. The marriage certificate\u2026 I believe your grandfather took it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent fell silent at her words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a long moment, he finally replied flatly, \u201cI see.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When he and Scarlett first married, their relationship had been unstable, and Xavier had often subtly encouraged them to make it work. Vincent hadn\u2019t paid those words much mind at the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the marriage certificates went missing recently, he never suspected Xavier.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But now, with Freya mentioning it, everything suddenly made sense.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After hanging up, Vincent had just put his phone away when he glanced up and spotted Damian not far away. Damian was holding both children\u2019s hands, while Scarlett walked leisurely behind them, holding a colorful cotton candy and taking occasional licks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The scene looked exactly like a family outing-a couple with their children.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watching them, Vincent felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Almost without thinking, he called out, \u201cScarlett.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:07 Sat, Jan 10\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 209 Contrasting Scenes\u00a0<\/p>\n
81\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice was loud enough not just for Scarlett, but for Damian to hear as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian had been about to lead the children to the next ride, but seeing Vincent, he changed his mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent, holding Vanessa, walked up to Scarlett and stopped in front of her. He said to her softly, \u201cGrandpa wants us to come to Stewart Manor for dinner.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett was taken aback for a moment, but her expression remained neutral as she refused. \u201cNot today. I came out with Clara. I need to take her home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent said, \u201cThen I\u2019ll go with you to drop Clara off, and then we can go to Grandpa\u2019s together.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa, slumped against Vincent\u2019s chest, looked listless, like a wilted flower.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing Scarlett\u2019s voice, she lifted her head slightly, a silent \u201cMom\u201d forming on her lips. But seeing her mother wasn\u2019t even looking at her, she swallowed the word back down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Listening to Vincent, Scarlett remained unmoved and refused again. \u201cNo, that\u2019s not necessary.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as Vincent opened his mouth to say more, Damian stepped in front of Scarlett. He said impatiently, \u201cHaven\u2019t you pushed enough, Mr. Stewart? Forcing a woman isn\u2019t something a real man would do, is it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\u00a0<\/p>\n
W\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:07 Sat, Jan 10\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife Ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs<\/p>\n
Editorial Board: Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 209 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapter 209 Contrasting Scenes\u00a0 81\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 As Damian approached […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-impossible-condition-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27573"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27573\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}