Chapter 151

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Heavy silence descended. Greyson stared at Dane without even blinking. His profile, fixed on one wall in a daze, remained expressionless, making it impossible to read his emotions.

"After she died..."

Dane spoke again.

"I met my maternal grandparents for the first time. That's how I learned how I was born."

Bitterness spread across his face. Dane, who let out a deep breath as if his chest was tight, contorted his brow. As if confessing the truth was extremely difficult, he kept his mouth tightly shut and couldn't bring himself to speak at all. Only after sweeping his forehead with one hand and letting out a heavy breath did he finally confess. In a completely cracked voice.

"On the day she had her heat cycle, she was raped by strangers."

Greyson's eyes wavered. Dane continued in a still low, sunken voice.

"They caught the perpetrators. But they said she wanted it. Because my mother was in heat cycle, the court accepted their testimony. My mother said it was rape, but her testimony was inconsistent and deemed unreliable, so it was dismissed. I guess it couldn't be helped since she was in heat cycle. Both that my mother's memory wasn't clear, and that the court didn't recognize it as rape."

The single truth that pierced through the opposing claims was the fact that she was an Omega. And that she was in heat cycle.

"I don't know either, which side is the truth. What's certain is that she got pregnant from that incident... and gave birth to me."

<Because of you, if only you hadn't existed...!>

Suddenly her sharp screaming voice, which had come back to life in his ears and tormented him, was heard again. Dane asked in a bitter tone.

"Now you understand why she hated me so much, don't you?"

Her only son was unfortunately evidence of the merciless violence she had suffered. So lovable because he was her own blood, but a hateful existence that reminded her of painful past. So precious yet so painful...

My child.

After learning the truth, Dane also realized why she had tried to kill him. The moment she learned that Dane had manifested as an Omega, she must have gone crazy. The nightmare-like memories of what she had suffered would have come back to life. And thinking that her son would suffer the same thing...

"My maternal grandparents were devout religious people."

Dane reflected on that time in a dry voice.

"They couldn't tolerate their daughter who had gotten pregnant from rape. My mother was kicked out, gave birth to the child alone, and lived her whole life drowning in alcohol."

His voice scattered dryly.

"Resenting me."

<I love you, Dane. My one and only treasure, my precious child.>

"Well, maybe she did love me."

<Dirty, dirty! This dirty bastard! I didn't want to give birth to something like you!>

A self-deprecating smile appeared on his face.

"What exactly is love? Did she really love me? Or did she just want to believe so?"

Though it was a question, it wasn't directed at Greyson. Dane added after a pause.

"I don't know."

Why she changed her mind at the end and left alone.

Was it because she hated me? So that I too would experience the hell she had gone through?

Was it because she loved me? So she couldn't bring herself to kill me?

The answer could never be heard. She died alone. Without even a common suicide note.

"You're a good person."

The story ends here. Dane had laid out everything about himself. What kind of person he was and how empty an existence he was. That no matter how much love was poured into him, it would ultimately flow out futilely through the large hole inside.

"Ashley Miller is wrong. You know what love is and you know how to love. ...Yes, you're different from me."

Dane looked at Greyson with a quiet smile.

"You'll definitely be able to meet someone who knows how to give love as much as you do."

It's over.

Warning lights rang out in Greyson's mind. He desperately blurted out.

"That's you."

"It's not me."

Before he could say more, Dane denied it with one stroke. Soon after, he added without giving him a chance.

"I can't do it."

His words were short but firm. To the extent that not one more word could be added. Looking at Greyson standing there blankly, Dane gave a self-deprecating smile.

"I'm sorry."

Greyson still couldn't say anything.

28

Greyson Miller quit the fire station.

The rumor spread quickly, and in just half a day, everyone in the fire station knew.

"What happened? Miller quit his job?"

Surprised DeAndre shouted urgently. Dane, who had been inspecting the fire truck, almost threw a punch at DeAndre who suddenly stuck his face close and shouted. Fortunately, he stopped his movement by a hair's breadth, let out a "whew" sigh, and opened his mouth.

"You can understand even if you talk quietly, I almost hit you."

"Right, I got it. What happened? You know, right? Right?"

At the rapid questions, Dane slightly shifted his gaze to the other side. Colleagues who had heard the news were gathered in small groups not far away, holding their breath and waiting for an answer. He turned his gaze back to the car and opened his mouth indifferently.

"It seems like his business here is all finished. What does it matter."

"Uh..."

At the simple answer, everyone present was flustered. After looking at each other's faces for a moment, they soon began pouring out words competitively.

"What do you mean? His business is all finished?"

"It doesn't matter? That guy is our team! Of course it's all of our business!"

"So Miller really quit? He's not coming here anymore?"

"How could he do that without even saying goodbye to us..."

Dane let the pouring clamor go in one ear and out the other. They would stop anyway. Since they were guys who got excited frequently and got swept away frequently. Thinking so, he was organizing equipment when suddenly someone's shoes came into view at the edge of his vision. When he raised his head, his eyes met Ezra's.

"Dane."

Dane looked indifferently at him greeting lightly. At the look that seemed to say "you too?", Ezra smiled awkwardly and said.

"No, that, that's not it, no, it could be like that."

Ezra, who had been rambling and stammering, scratched the back of his head and carefully spoke.

"That... Miller really isn't coming out anymore? Then what about you from now on?"

Ah, Dane relaxed his expression. Since his house had burned down and he had been staying at Greyson's house, but now that Greyson had quit work, he was curious about what would happen to Dane's residence. Ezra, true to his usually caring and delicate personality, had thought of a question no one else had. Since Dane hadn't expected this question to come, he felt inwardly curious. Along with a feeling of relief.

"I moved, to the hotel I used to stay at."

"Hotel? That, the place where Miller met the robber?"

Ezra asked in surprise. Dane trailed off with a "well." It wasn't a very good place, but considering the money Dane had, there was no place as suitable as there. But Ezra's thoughts were completely different.

"Even so, that place is too dangerous! You should look for another hotel..."

"I'm looking for a place to rent for now, so don't worry too much."

Dane simply dismissed his words. Ezra seemed like he wanted to say more, but tactfully kept his mouth shut. If he dug in just a little more, he would definitely get annoyed. Because Dane really hated troublesome pestering.

"Still, it's really disappointing that he left without even saying goodbye."

Ezra muttered like talking to himself with a sigh.

"There's no way to say goodbye separately, right? He wouldn't meet me anyway."

At Ezra's somewhat embarrassed smile, Dane glanced at him and answered nonchalantly.

"You know his contact information, right? You could at least make a greeting call."

"Right?"

Ezra immediately brightened and asked. Dane nodded casually saying "yeah." Actually, it didn't matter to him at all. Now Greyson had completely disappeared from his life.

As originally promised.

Dane picked up the toolbox and turned around. He put the items where they originally belonged and turned around, but suddenly felt strange. He stopped and slowly looked around, but nothing had changed. He scanned the fire station once in one direction, then this time scanned in the opposite direction, when suddenly his mobile phone rang with a notification. He took out his phone from his pocket to check the message and soon made a helpless expression. It was a common spam message.

Dane grumbled briefly, deleted the spam message, and put his phone back in his pocket.

A week passed from then. After that, no contact came from Greyson. Even the long, long texts had stopped completely.

Dane soon turned around and walked with large strides. Along with the thought that the surroundings were uselessly too quiet.