The silence returned. Ashley continued, her voice devoid of emotion.
“My friend had a younger sibling, and he didn’t seem to like it. I told Grayson about it, and....”
“Just get rid of it.”
Grayson whispered to his friend.
“If you don’t like it, just get rid of it.”
Then he told her the method he had read in a book. He said it was easy, since it was still a baby. Her friend did as he had said. He covered the baby’s face with a pillow... ... .
Dane closed his eyes tightly without realizing it. He slowly lifted his eyelids again, and his eyes met Ashley’s dry gaze.
“Thank goodness the baby’s parents found him before anything bad could happen, and the baby was saved.”
“Grayson, I just did what Grayson told me... ... ..”
“When I asked him why he said that, my child said this.”
He muttered bitterly, unable to hide his bitterness.
“‘I was trying to help, Papa.’”
Dane just looked at him silently. As expected, Ashley asked without much change in expression.
“Do you understand now why I locked that kid in the basement?”
He showed no sign of regret.
“The only thing that doesn’t change with Grayson is that he ‘was trying to help.’ He keeps hurting his little brother while playing with him, and he says he was just trying to help. You’ve probably experienced it yourself. How dangerous things that guy does to help others.”
Dane had nothing to say about that. He had experienced it himself. He remembered clearly how ridiculous his words had been, not only during the basement incident, but also when he had recently gone to rescue someone who had attempted suicide.
〈Let him do what he ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) wants.〉
Did Grayson think he was helping him back then?
Even as his head started to hurt, Dane made his final rebuttal.
“Then you should get professional advice or something.......”
“Do you think I haven’t tried it?”
Dane had no choice but to shut his mouth again. Ashley Miller was screaming with her whole body. She had done everything she could.
But the result was... ... .
Ashley ended up placing one hand on her forehead. And he brought up the worst memory.
“I taught her to remove the pheromones no matter what, and she lost her brother.”
Ashley bit her lip as if in pain. And he spat out harshly through her clenched teeth.
“I tried to graft Chase.”
Dane froze. It was an idea that was impossible to think of, but Grayson did it. What would his parents have thought when they saw it right in front of them? Ashley quickly answered.
“Can you understand that? Should I just comfort and console him by saying that this kid was born that way and that there’s nothing I can do about it? Chase has been practically cut off from his family since then. It hasn’t been long since we’ve even talked to each other on the phone.”
Unable to contain his emotions, he grabbed the cigar he was holding between his fingers. The red-hot cigarette smoked white smoke in his palm and died down. It seemed like he could smell the faint smell of burning flesh. He glared at Dane with a fierce gaze and ground his teeth.
“I had to teach him physically what he could and couldn’t do. Of course, most of it was wrong. I did my best!”
Ashley’s eyes were bloodshot. He glared at Dane for a while, then quickly looked away and ran his free hand through his hair. Suddenly, he looked extremely tired.
“It’s a punishment for me that my children inherited my traits.”
Ashley took a deep breath as if she was tired.
“The only reason Grayson is alive now without killing anyone or being killed by anyone is because of my discipline. There are only two things I want for my children. To not go to jail for killing people, and to not ruin their brains by removing their pheromones in time, just like me!”
He still warned her firmly, as if he had no regrets at all.
“Don’t be fooled by that kid. Grayson is very good at lying. He even tries to fool me if he gets the chance.”
And Ashley Miller added at the end.
“If you let your guard down, you’ll die too.”
Dane had not said anything until then.
“It was really nice to see you today, Dane.”
Koi said excitedly to Dane, who had come out to the front door with Grayson, and hugged him tightly. Koi paused for a moment as if he was sorry, then pulled away and looked up at Dane and asked.
“Please take good care of Grayson.”
Then Koi turned to Grayson next to him. Koi hugged him tightly and then let him go, then raised his eyes to his son. Even Dane, who was watching from the side, could tell that his gaze was full of love. However, Ashley, who was standing a step away, only glanced at Dane and Grayson once.
“Goodbye, Daddy. Papa.”
Grayson waved to them as they got into the car. As Koi stuck his head out the open car window and waved his arms vigorously, the car seemed to drive away and then disappeared from sight.
Dane, who was watching the car’s tracks moving away, finally let out his accumulated breath. He suddenly felt tired. I heard too much today. It was something he had never wanted to know about the intimate details of another family.
How did it end up like this?
Suddenly he felt gloomy, but it was already too late. Dane already felt like he was drowning in a swamp up to his neck. He turned his head with a bitter feeling and immediately met Grayson’s eyes. He smiled brightly as if he had been waiting for Dane to turn his head and look at him.
Is that expression real?
Dane wondered again. He couldn’t tell how much was acting and how much was real. Dane looked at Grayson, still confused.
No, stop.
An alarm bell rang deep in his heart. Don’t step in anymore, you’ve already gone too deep.
I know that.
Grayson tilted his head to one side. As if asking what he was thinking.
“Grayson.”
No.
“Yeah.”
Grayson answered immediately. Dane moved his lips even as he heard the siren blaring madly in his head.
“There’s one more condition I need to stay in this house.”
Grayson blinked and waited. Dane continued slowly, speaking slowly.
“From now on, when you’re with me, just make the expression you feel. If you don’t know what expression to make, that’s okay. Just blankly stare. Don’t make an expression just because you think you have to do it mechanically, okay?”
Grayson didn’t answer right away. He just looked at Dane with the corners of his lips raised. It was clear that he didn’t understand what he was saying at all. Dane pointed it out.
“Yes, right now.”
Seeing Grayson hesitate, he added an explanation.
“If you don’t know, it’s okay to just not make any expression. You don’t have to smile.”
Grayson’s lips didn’t move easily. Dane stubbornly stared at the corners of his lips that were raised as if they were fixed. Until it slowly descended, as if he was hesitating.
“Okay.”
In the end, Dane smiled at him who made an awkward expression.
“Good job.”
Grayson just stood there blinking at his actions as he patted his arm. However, Dane didn’t waste time and turned around first to go inside the mansion. Grayson just looked at his back, and Dane suddenly remembered something and stopped walking.
“There’s one more thing.”
He didn’t wait for Grayson to answer.
“If you ever need to help someone in the future, ask me first. Don’t make a judgment call on your own, okay?”
Grayson nodded after a moment. Dane nodded once in return, turned around, and walked across the hall. Grayson was still standing in the same spot watching him as he ran up the stairs two or three at a time, reaching the bedroom floor in no time. And even after Dane was completely out of sight, he stood there, not moving.
The cool, soft night breeze caressed Grayson's ears.
