Chapter 62
Chapter 61. Dreamcard Nothing
the soft sound
grantly brushed Hylie’s hair away)
Earlier, the had cried berelt to deep in my arms, afraid that if slur der gera, i would
Dasha caber hand, Hyker had bought me stay awake as if determined to protect me, even from sleep itself.
And Li
Tears fell from ng eyes as I remembered what happened earlier.
Liam delt alter apologizing in my kid.
My son was angry at him
Lian Anderminedictus’t just laut me. He broke me. He mined nur
He deserved it—die utred from the clad he
once wanted to alein–the child he doesn’t want in exist
But my son doesn’t deserve to hate sourone, to laccome someone commed by lutred
Because I knowTinw hard it is to be angry toward those who have hurt you. Toward the ones who have liroken you…
Thurs the reason why I chose to die as Camille befor
Why I chose to live as Mial Miller,
I don’t want to divelin pain and lutred. I want a praceful life with my children.
But the past it nevertruly disappears, does it?
No matter how far you run or hard you try to forget, it always finds a way back
Anil nong as I primarjuder that man’s words, I am weaned
Nut how my Ide–bait for my children’s lives.
“Vas should get wane test. MiaTM
Caviary voice pulled me from my thoughts.
1 adwok my head. Tin fine, Gavin. I’ve slept for tou long. Your should be the one to sleep–you
He sighed, crossing his arros as fie franed against the wall. “How can I drepe knowing you’re not planning to
Flowered my gaze. “Ti
av studied or for a moment berler anking. You can’t, or you don’t want tar
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I don’t want to because I knew what would happen if Dalal
He stepped closer. “Come on, you needium
I glanced at Auntie Grace, dreping on the spare bed in this VVIP‘ suite
Mia Mong’s fire wit leave the bill. She insisted on staying the night so you could res
“But what? What are you afraid of, Miaft
“That I’ll sleep,” I admitted, my voer barely above a whiger: “And I’ll down, and my children will have in see it?
A lump formed in my throat as I swallowed hand. Had been strong for them, or at leau I tried to h pirtending I w/ n’t falling apart inside.
glipure again That I’ll wake up screaming.
breaking
Hor I wann’t sure how long I could keep
I feel bad for my kids for having me as their mother, Gavin”
“Mia, what are you talking
let out a shaky breath, wrapping my arms aroundingselt as if it could keep me from breaking sport. “Hecause they deserve better. They deserve a mother who isn’t languted by nightmares, Who isn’t afraid all the time. Who isn’t I swallowed, shaking my head. “Who isn’t me”
Gavin’s expression hardened, his voice firm but gratie “Mia, have you forgotten what you went through just so tyker and Rylie could live? How you survived those nightmares you keep talking about?“.
1 hit my lip, my throat tightening “Yeah. Unfortunately, I couldn’t forget that. I guess it will haunt me for the rest of my life”
ΓΕ
He exhaled sharply, shaking his brad. “Mu, you made it this far. You fought for them. You’re still not completely healed from the past, but you’ll get there. So stoje saying they deserve better. You’re a good mother. Remember that”
In the end, Gavin convinced me to retum to my room, but I made him promise to wake me up before the kids did.
He even set an alarm to make sure of it
1adidn’t want to sleep. 1 fought agİLİNDİL
But in the end, I succumbed to it
I was scared that a nightmare would revisit me.
But it was something I had begged for.
A diram with the person I had been longing for.
opened my eyes and build myself standing on the familiar flower farm.
I’m back in Harbou
Then, I saw ber
She stood a few feet away, her silver hair neatly braided down her back.
She was the same Grandma I remembered–the healthy and happy one.
Tirareimat Icalled.
She sonded at ine, motiming with her hand for me to come closer
Asolo tour from my ilmat
Fran like a little girl again, barefoot in the fields, chasing after the one person who had always made me feel safe
When I reached her, I threw my arms around her, burying my face in her shoulder.
Thew this was a dream, but she felt wATEL
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Trandma, you’re here,” Tehoked out, gripping her tighter, afraid she would slip a
Het arms wrapped around me like they used to when I was small. 1 caught the familiar scent of lavender on her.
darling. Im here. Camille…”
,” she murmured, calling me by the name I no longer wanted to be called.
Hush now.
I pulled back slightly. “Tve been begging for you to visit me in my dreams. I thought maybe you weren’t listening”
She chuckled softly, caressing my check so gently that I almost closed my eyes. “Oh, sweetheart, I’ve always been listening. I just had to come at
me at the
“Why only y now? I needed you so badly, so many times, Grandma.”
Her eyes, filled with gentleness and love, met mine. “I guess because no
now is when you need me the most”
“Right….. Because, Grandma. I’m so tired. I don’t know what to do, I want to be strong for Kylie and Ryker, but I feel like I’m losing myself… I don’t know how to keep going”
She kissed my forehead. “Camille, you’ve always been strong. You’ve walked through fire and come out standing. Don’t you see? That’s what strength is. If you could do it before, you can still do it now.. not just for your kids, but also for yourself”
But I feel so weak. Grandma‘
She smiled gently. Then rest, but don’t give up. Even the tallest oak bends in the storm, but it doesn’t break. Camille, my darling, keep fighting. You’ll find happiness and free yourself from the pain soon.”
Slowly, I felt her hold loosening. I started shaking my head.
“Stay with me a little longer, Grandma.. please.
“I wish I could, darling. But it’s time to go now”
“No, not
not yet! Just a little more time!”
She smiled, her voice as soft as the breeze. I’ll always be with you, Camille. In the wind. In the wildflowers. In the love you give your linle ones. Just close your eyes, and you’ll find me.”
*Grandma
But before I could say another word, she was gone.
I woke up with tears slipping down my cheeks. The room was quiet, but the faint scent of lavender still lingered in the air
Then, I noticed where the scent was coming from.
A small bundle of fresh lavender sat on the table. My favorite. Crandma’s favorite
And then my eyes landed on him
He was sitting on the couch, asleep. His shin was wrinkled, and his dark hair was messy, falling over his forehead. He looked nothing like the strong. powerful man he was known to be. Right now, he just looked like a mess—tired, lost.
As if he could feel someone watching him, he stirred. His eyes slowly blinked open.
Our eyes met..
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Liam sat up, rubbing a hand over his face before standing. His gaze flickered to my cheeks, his expression tightening when he saw the tears.
He took a slow step toward me. Then another.
Like he was afraid, I’d push him away.
Like he wasn’t sure if I’d yell at him again.
But I didn’t
I just stayed in my bed, looking at him with nothing in my eyes.
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Chapter 62
way from me. And before I knew it, he was already inches away
His hand reached for my check, but I didn’t move.
I just let him wipe away my tears. I could let him touch me, but I didn’t want to touch him.
“D–did you have a bad dream again!” His voice shook, his eyes turning red.
1 smirked. “Are you going to cry if I tell you yes? Are you going to say you’re sorry
He collapsed beside my bed, kneeling before me. “Camille,” he whispered, his voice breaking as he called out that name again.
I wanted to laugh at him.
This was just like before.
The only difference was that back then, I was the one kneeling before him, begging him to choose me, questioning my worth.
I told you, I’m not Camille_”
“P–please stop
I’m not that woman anymore.” I looked at him, and I felt it again.
Emptiness
“Because you killed her you killed me, Liam. You killed me the moment you told me to abort our child! The moment you told those people to get nd of me..that they were even doing you a favor”
Tears slipped down his cheeks, but I felt nothing watching them fall.
Maybe once, I would have broken when I saw him like this, reached for him, and I would have wanted to wipe away his tears.
But not anymore
I got up and sat down, staring at him.
Liam looked up at me, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite place–guilt, regret, desperation. Maybe all of them.
He reached for my hand, gripping it tightly like he feared I would disappear. “Tim sorry… f*ck, I’ll explain everything-
“Explain“” I let out a dry, humorless laugh. “For what? What’s the point Nothing will change, Liam
He tunched at my words, but I didn’t stop.
“Abon it. I dont want a child with you. You were just a substitute.” I repeated his words slowly, watching his expression crumble. “Have you forgotten that! Or should I remind you some more?”
“Please=“His voice was barely above a whisper, but I ignored it.
“You’re really smart, huh?” Filted my head, my lips twisting in a bitter smile. “How come I never win when it comes to you? You always get your way. You found me. You didn’t even let me pretend for long…” I shook my head. “But why am I even surprised? You were always that smart. No one can fool you. You’re the only one who can fool everyone else.”
Dole-
“Don’t you f*cking dare call me that again?
Please, listen to me.” he was about to reach me when I avoided his touch this time.
I wasn’t that woman anymore.
Ikasn’t the same Camille who once longed for his touch and begged him to choose h
I stepped back, out of his reach.
He was kneeling before me now, the great Liam Anderson–powerful, ruthless, untouchable–reduced to this
1 had dreamed of this moment.
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Chapter 62
During the nights, I cried haunted by the past.
During that time I almost lost all of my children.
I had imagined him on his knees, his voice breaking, begging me to forgive him.
But now, as I stood here, looking down at him….
I felt nothing.
Not satisfaction.
Not anger.
Not even pity.
Just…nothing.
