A heavy silence descended. Grayson stared at Dane without even blinking. His side profile, blankly fixed on the wall, was still expressionless and difficult to read.
“After she died......”
Dane spoke again.
“I met my grandparents for the first time. That’s how I found out how I was born.”
Bitterness spread across his face. Dane, who had been breathing deeply as if his chest was tight, furrowed his brow. It seemed as if it was extremely difficult to confess the truth, and he kept his mouth shut and could not speak at all. He finally confessed after wiping his forehead with one hand and letting out a heavy breath. His voice cracked.
“She was raped by strangers on the day of the heat cycle.”
Grayson’s eyes wavered. Dane continued speaking in a low voice.
“They caught the perpetrators. But they said she wanted it. The court accepted their words because my mother was a heat cycle. My mother said it was rape, but her testimony was inconsistent and unreliable. I guess it couldn’t be helped because she was a heat cycle. My mother’s memory wasn’t clear, and the court didn’t recognize the rape.”
The only truth that ran through the opposing claims was that she was an omega. And that she was a heat cycle.
“I don’t know which is true. What’s certain is that my mother got pregnant because of that... and gave birth to me.”
〈Because of you, if it weren’t for you... ... !〉
Suddenly, her new screams that had been tormenting him came back to life in his ears again. Dane asked bitterly.
“Do you now understand why she hated me so much?”
Unfortunately, her only son was evidence of the brutal violence she had suffered. He was so loving because he was his own blood, but he was also a hateful being who reminded him of his painful past. So it was so touching and yet so painful... ... .
My child.
After learning the truth, Dane realized why she had tried to kill him. The moment she found out that Dane had manifested as an omega, she must have gone crazy. The nightmare-like memories she had experienced must have come back to her. And she thought that her son would experience the same thing... ... .
“My maternal grandparents were devout believers.”
Dane recalled the incident in a dry voice.
“They couldn’t tolerate their daughter who had been raped and impregnated. My mother was kicked out, gave birth to the child alone, and lived her entire life as a drunkard.”
His voice broke dryly.
“While resenting me.”
“I love you, Dane. My one and only treasure, my precious child.”
“Well, maybe she loved you.”
“Dirty, dirty! You dirty little shit! I didn’t want to have someone like you!〉
A self-deprecating smile appeared on his face.
“What on earth is love? Did she really love me? Or did she just want to believe that?”
It was a question, but not a question directed at Grayson. Dane added after a pause.
“I don’t know.”
Why did she change her mind at the end and leave alone?
Was it because she hated me? So that I could experience the hell she went through?
Was it because she loved me? So she couldn’t kill me?
The answer would never be heard. She died alone. Without even a simple will.
“You’re a good person.”
That’s all for the story. Dane had confessed everything about himself. What kind of person he was and how empty he was. No matter how much love he poured out, it would eventually just flow out into a big hole inside him.
“Ashley Miller is wrong. You know what love is and how to love. ....... That’s not me.”
Dane looked at Grayson with a quiet smile.
“I’m sure you’ll find someone who knows how to love as much as you do.”
That’s the end.
Warning lights went off in Grayson’s head. He spoke urgently.
“That’s you.”
“I’m not.”
Before he could say anything else, Dane denied it outright. He then added without giving him a moment to spare.
“I can’t.”
His words were short but firm. He couldn’t say another word. Dane smiled self-deprecatingly as he looked at Grayson, who was standing there dumbfounded.
“I’m sorry.”
Grayson still couldn’t say anything.
Grayson Miller quit the fire department.
The rumor spread quickly, and in just half a day, everyone in the fire station knew about it.
“What happened? Miller quit his job?”
DeAndre shouted in surprise. Dane, who was inspecting the fire truck, almost swung his fist at DeAndre, who suddenly stuck his face in and started yelling. Fortunately, he stopped moving just in time, and then took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
“Even if you talk quietly, I understand. I almost hit you.”
“Okay, I got it. What happened? Do you know? Right?”
Dane quickly turned his gaze to the other side of the question. His colleagues who had heard the news were standing in groups of three or four not far away, holding their breath, waiting for an answer. He turned his gaze back to the car and opened his mouth absentmindedly.
“I guess I’m done here, huh? What does it matter?”
“Uh.......”
Everyone there was taken aback by the simple answer. They looked at each other for a moment and soon began to talk in a rush.
“What do you mean? You’re done with your work?”
“It doesn’t matter? That guy is our team! Of course it’s all our business!”
“So Miller really quit? He’s not coming here anymore?”
“How could he do that without even saying hello to us......”
Dane ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) ignored the outcry. It’s going to end anyway. They’re guys who get excited and get swept up in things all the time. Thinking that, he was organizing his equipment when he suddenly saw someone’s shoes at the end of his vision. He raised his head and made eye contact with Ezra.
“Dane.”
Dane stared at him indifferently, pretending to know him lightly. Ezra smiled embarrassedly at his eyes that seemed to say, “You too?”
“No, that’s not it, no, that could be it.”
Ezra, who was rambling and stammering, scratched the back of his head and spoke carefully.
“That... Miller really won’t come out anymore? Then what’s next for you?”
Ah, Dane’s expression softened. He had been staying at Grayson’s house since the house burned down, but now that Grayson had quit his job, he was curious about Dane’s whereabouts. Ezra, who was usually kind and delicate, thought of a question that no one had thought of. Since he hadn’t expected this question to come up, Dane felt strange inside. And fortunately.
“We moved, to the hotel we were staying at before.”
“Hotel? That, the place where Miller was robbed?”
Ezra asked in surprise. Dane trailed off, saying, “What?” It wasn’t a very nice place, but considering how much money Dane had, there was no other place more suitable. However, Ezra’s thoughts were completely different.
“No matter what, it’s too dangerous! We should look for another hotel...”
“For now, I’m just looking for a place to rent, so don’t worry too much.”
Dane simply dismissed his words. Ezra seemed to want to say something more, but he quickly shut his mouth. If he dug in a little more, he would definitely get annoyed. Dane really hated being bothered.
“Still, it’s a shame that you left without even saying hello.”
Ezra muttered to himself with a sigh.
“There’s no way to say hello, right? You wouldn’t even meet me.”
Dane glanced at Ezra, who smiled sheepishly, and answered casually.
“You know my number, right? I could call you.”
“Right?”
Ezra quickly smiled and asked. Dane nodded absentmindedly. In fact, it didn’t matter. Grayson was now completely out of his life.
Just as we had promised.
Dane turned around, holding the toolbox. He put the items back where they were and turned around, but suddenly he felt strange. He stopped and slowly looked around, but nothing had changed. He glanced at the fire station he had glanced at once, but his phone suddenly rang with a notification sound. He took his phone out of his pocket and checked the message, but soon he looked in vain. It was a common spam message.
Dane grumbled briefly, deleted the spam message, and put his phone back in his pocket.
A week had passed since then. He hadn't heard from Grayson since then. The long texts had also stopped.
Dane quickly turned around and walked briskly. He felt that the surroundings were too uselessly quiet.
