\u201cNot only is Vanessa\u2019s mom gorgeous, but she\u2019s so thoughtful\u2013what an incredible woman,\u201d one parent remarked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, if my partner were half as considerate,\u201d another sighed, \u201cI\u2019d be thrilled.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVanessa\u2019s father is one lucky man to have someone like that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
In an instant, the earlier complaints melted into a chorus of flattery and praise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina, standing at the center of it all, wore a bright, pleased smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa stood quietly beside her, all but invisible in Sabrina\u2019s glow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The lead teachers exchanged subtle eye rolls, but there was no polite way to call Sabrina out in front of everyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bianca clapped her hands for attention. \u201cEveryone, quiet please! Let me go over the plan for today\u2019s field trip. We\u2019ll be working in groups\u2013two parents paired with two children each. First, we\u2019ll take the bus to West Hill Park. Once there, each group will gather firewood, start a campfire, and prepare a meal. After cooking, we\u2019ll share what we\u2019ve made. In the afternoon, we\u2019ll have parent\u2013child games, followed by drawing and singing activities in the pavilion. Once everything is finished, please check out with me before leaving in an orderly fashion.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As Bianca spoke, the parents gradually settled down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she finished, several parents immediately approached Sabrina. \u201cSabrina, any chance we could be in your group?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t just fathers\u2013mothers too wanted to partner with her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What had been an orderly lineup had been disrupted twice now because of Sabrina.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Throughout it all, only Scarlett and Damian\u2013each with their child\u2013stayed where they were, unmoved by the commotion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Frowning at the disorganization, the teachers conferred briefly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finally, Bianca announced a solution: she would assign groups based on the attendance sheet, calling names in order.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Scarlett\u2019s name was called, she was paired with another mother.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Damian\u2019s name came Sabrina\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
20:09 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 327 A Cruel Taunt\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
A few murmured in disappointment at the groupings, but thankfully no one made a scene.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Soon, everyone boarded the buses headed to West Hill Park.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After disembarking, Sabrina took the initiative to speak to Damian. \u201cMr. Langley, why don\u2019t we go gather firewood first? Vanessa and Eric can stay here and help prepare the vegetables.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The suggestion made sense\u2014it was easier to move quickly without the children, and it gave a chance to be alone with Damian.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian found the arrangement reasonable and nodded. \u201cAlright.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
her\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before leaving, Sabrina unpacked the supplies she\u2019d brought and instructed Vanessa and Eric to work together prepping the ingredients.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once everything was set, she turned to Damian. \u201cShall we, Mr. Langley?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For some reason, Sabrina couldn\u2019t help but notice that Damian seemed less bold in person than he was over text.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just the other night, he\u2019d openly propositioned her on WhatsApp. Now, he barely looked her\u00a0<\/p>\n
way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She wondered if it was just her imagination, or if he was still annoyed she\u2019d turned him down. Either way, she knew the play\u2013sometimes you pushed a man away just to pull him closer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not far off, Scarlett and her assigned partner had taken their two children to collect firewood nearby.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Sabrina and Damian hadn\u2019t gone more than a few steps when Eric\u2019s sharp cry made them turn around.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian spun instinctively and saw Vanessa standing over Eric. She kicked him hard in the shin and shouted, \u201cYou mommy\u2013less brat! Who do you think you are, telling me what to do? I want fries, not stupid shredded potatoes! Keep your mouth shut!\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah\u2013you\u2019re just a mommy\u2013less brat!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa didn\u2019t just yell\u2013she\u2019d zeroed in on Eric\u2019s deepest sore spot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian knew Eric\u2019s story\u2013his mother had died in childbirth, and Felix had never remarried, dedicating himself wholly to raising his son.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even with all of Felix\u2019s love, Eric still carried that quiet, unspoken ache of never having known\u00a0<\/p>\n
his mom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And here was Vanessa, throwing it in his face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
20:09 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 327 A Cruel Taunt\u00a0<\/p>\n
::.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing those words, Damian felt his temper flare.\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even if Eric had been a stranger\u2019s child, he wouldn\u2019t have tolerated that kind of cruelty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In three swift strides, Damian was back. He grabbed Vanessa by the arm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Almost without thinking, his free hand rose as if to strike her across the face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But reason caught him just in time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was just a child\u2013Scarlett\u2019s child.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His raised hand trembled slightly before he forced it back down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sabrina hurried over, a step behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment Damian released Vanessa, Sabrina pulled the girl into a tight hug.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSabrina,\u201d Damian said, his voice low and seething. \u201cKeep her in line. If she ever talks like that again, I won\u2019t care whose child she is\u2014I\u2019ll make sure she regrets it. I mean it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u1320\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/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 327 \u201cNot only is Vanessa\u2019s mom gorgeous, but she\u2019s so thoughtful\u2013what an […]<\/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-27691","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\/27691","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=27691"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27691\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}