Chapter 67

Dylan is wounded and very scared. He is huddled in a corner, clearly avoiding people. He even keeps his distance from those who saved him. It seems he's traumatized by the pain he's experienced. 
Vivianne suddenly feels a pang in her heart upon seeing Dylan's state. She couldn't help but feel the pain in her heart because of it. She crouches on the floor, looking at Dylan. 
"Dylan..." she calls to the child, but to Vivianne's surprise, Dylan suddenly moves away and presses himself tighter against the corner of the chair. "I-It's me, Vivianne. Don't you remember me?" she adds, her voice trembling. 
Dylan doesn't look at her before he moves away, so his eyes widen when he hears what Vivianne says. The child slowly turns to Vivianne to see if she's telling the truth. 
"Vivianne..." Dylan calls out in a weak tone. He's still scared, but unlike earlier, there's a glimmer of hope in his eyes now. 
He felt hope that he was safe now... and nothing bad would happen to him because Vivianne was here to protect him. 
Vivianne takes a deep breath and extends both hands. Dylan knows immediately what to do next. He stands up, runs toward Vivianne, and hugs her. 
The child is happy as he embraces the young lady, and Vivianne feels the same. The only difference is, guilt overwhelms her conscience. 
"I'm sorry..." Vivianne whispers, barely hearing her own voice. 
Dylan is puzzled by what he hears. "Why?" 
"Just... Sorry. Sorry for everything I've done." Vivianne hugs Dylan tightly before closing her eyes firmly. She doesn't want to cry in front of everyone, especially with Beckett around. 
But she finds it harder to hold back because of what the child did. He hugs her tightly before speaking. "Thank you, Vivianne. Because when I'm scared, you're there for me. You're my hero..." 
A tear falls from Vivianne's eyes as she bites her lower lip hard until it bleeds. None of that is true. She even planned to abandon Dylan despite knowing what was really happening to him. 
She was a coward. Nonetheless, Dylan still trusts her immensely... and that makes her feel even more guilty.
After Beckett's conversation with some police officials at the police station, everything was sorted out. The government took Dylan into their custody. 
To ensure Alfred couldn't find a way to approach Dylan again, he made sure that his trusted men would take care of the child. That way, no one else would be able to interfere with him.
"We've found a place where he can stay. He'll be with other children in similar situations," said a female police officer. "I will send him there now. I'll have one of my men take him there. Would you like to know where the place is?"
Beckett nodded. "Yes, please."
She took a pen and paper from the table and wrote something on it. Then she handed it to the young man. "Here.”
"Thank you." Beckett showed a small smile before taking the paper. He looked at Dylan and saw him staring at Vivianne with a smile still on his lips.
"Vivianne, will you visit me there?" Dylan asked, his smile reaching his ears. "Visit me there, okay? So I can feel reassured."
"Soon. I will." Vivianne stroked the child's hair before smiling. "Take care there. We'll see each other again."
Dylan nodded with a smile, and when one of the officers called him, he bid farewell to Vivianne before approaching. Vivianne stood up and watched Dylan from afar until he disappeared from her sight.
"Here. I have his location—"
"No. Don't tell me where he is," Vivianne interrupted her husband before he could finish what he was saying. "If I know where he is, I might just put his life in danger."
"Vivianne—"
"It's wrong, I might put his life in danger again," the young woman corrected her earlier statement. "I'm the reason why he's so scared and why he got hurt."
"Don't blame yourself. No one is to blame for what happened," Beckett said, but Vivianne shook her head.
"Someone is. It's me, and I accept that."
Beckett gritted his teeth. "You are not like your father."
“But my action says otherwise.” The young woman sighed again. She kept her gaze on the floor, trying to push away the pain she was feeling. “I was selfish. I thought more about myself than others, even though I knew Dylan could die because of me. I'm worthless.”
“Vivianne,” Beckett called. He held her chin and made her face him. “That's not true. You’re worthy, and I’m sure Dylan thinks the same thing—”
“He thinks that because he doesn't know the truth, but the two of us... We know what really happened.” Vivianne avoided looking at the young man. “But what if this is really me now? What if, after enduring that place for so long, I've become like them?”
“No, you’re not.”
“No, but... What if I'm not the Vivianne you knew before—”
Before Vivianne could finish what she was going to say, Beckett suddenly grabbed her waist and hugged her tightly. Her head rested on Beckett's chest, and she could hear his heartbeat.
The young woman was stunned for a few seconds before she realized what was happening. She was too stunned by his warm embrace. She seemed to have forgotten her thoughts earlier, and the only thing on her mind now was Beckett.
“Cry,” Beckett said, which stopped Vivianne.
“W-What?”
“I know that you’re hurting, and you feel guilty because of what happened… But it’s alright. We're only human and we make mistakes.”
“B-But—”
“I have also sinned in the past; before and now. But it’s not too late for us to be better. What's important is that we try to learn from our mistakes, and we try to correct them.”
Beckett’s hand pressed tighter against Vivianne’s back. “So, cry, and let go of the negative feelings you have. I won’t judge you, nor ask you questions. Just cry.”
And from then on, until now, Beckett never failed to remind Vivianne that he was always there for her.
“Beckett…” she softly called his name, as if it would save her from the sadness she was feeling.
Before long, she found herself hugging Beckett even tighter before releasing the tears she had been holding back since earlier. She cried her heart out, and Beckett just stayed beside her all the way.
They stayed in that position for a few minutes. Whenever Beckett saw someone passing by in their direction, he signaled them to change direction. They nodded, so no one disturbed him and Vivianne.
Once the young woman was okay and had let out all her emotions, she got into Beckett's car. They still planned to go to Agrianthropos City despite everything that had happened that day.
Beckett still insists that Vivianne should see the City no matter what.
But Beckett was not yet inside the car. He told her earlier to just wait inside because he had something to do. He said it would only take a moment, but more than five minutes had passed and the young man was still not there.
Vivianne didn't know if she was just impatient or if she wasn't used to not being with Beckett right now.
"Where could he have gone?" Vivianne wondered to herself, furrowing her brow, and then Beckett entered the car, having just arrived at the driver’s seat.
Vivianne was surprised by what he was carrying.

Book Comment (11)

  • avatar
    Hisham Adam Jbdegil

    Best story

    06/09

      0
  • avatar
    valdezCriselda

    very nice story

    12/07

      0
  • avatar
    Ykcir Goopmat Ollitsac

    nice story

    12/07

      0
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