Chapter 338 Dashiell and Seraphina's Past
Dashiell recalled his first meeting with Seraphina.
At that time, Seraphina didn't have much hostility towards him because she didn't know yet that Atticus was going to marry Magnolia. She simply thought it was a meeting between ordinary friends.
Little did she know, the lively and adorable demeanor Seraphina displayed in front of him left a deep impression on him, planting a seed that gradually grew over time.
What truly made him realize he liked Seraphina was when she once protected him.
After Magnolia and Atticus got married, Dashiell was ostracized because he wasn't from the upper class.
Behind the adults' backs, many young men from the upper class referred to him as a bastard, called Magnolia a mistress, and labeled him as the child of a mistress, even calling him a "little bastard."
In fact, he was used to it. When he lived alone with Magnolia without a father, he was also insulted.
Dashiell was also called a bastard and insulted as a little scoundrel.
He was unfazed and never resisted.
Magnolia taught him to endure from a young age.
It was because they didn't have to bother with the upper class.
And they certainly didn't need to cause unnecessary trouble for themselves.
Magnolia's education from a young age was to endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens.
Indeed, they endured immense humiliation and carried a tremendous mission, needing to forge ahead with determination.
So, from childhood to adulthood, Dashiell could really endure anything.
Endure being insulted.
Endure the fact that the person he loved didn't love him back.
Once, he was mocked by some upper-class young men, and Seraphina, who overheard, actually stood up for him.
She said, "Dashiell is my brother. If anyone insults Dashiell, they're insulting me. If you insult me, I'll tell Atticus and your dads, and they'll beat you!"
After all, Seraphina was still the daughter of one of the four major families.
She was indeed a bit fierce and unruly, but her status was still there, and many people respected Seraphina's influence.
After that incident, the people who insulted him behind his back decreased significantly.
And after that incident, Dashiell's feelings for Seraphina became clearer.
It was just that while Seraphina helped him, she really didn't like him and hated him.
In high school, when he thought Seraphina's feelings for him had changed a bit.
Seraphina got together with Sebastian.
He would probably never forget that after Seraphina kissed him that night, he spent the whole night writing her a love letter. Then, after a month of mustering the courage to give it to her, he saw Seraphina and Sebastian walking hand in hand past him.
As they walked past him, Seraphina didn't even glance at him.
If she had looked, she might have noticed the redness in his eyes.
She might have noticed the pink love letter tightly clutched in his hand.
She just happily walked past with Sebastian.
After that day, he tore up the love letter.
Then, he calmly went on with his life.
Calmly watched Seraphina and Sebastian's relationship grow stronger.
Calmly watched Seraphina smile more and more in front of Sebastian.
At graduation, he went abroad.
After enduring for nearly three years, he decided to give his heart a break and chose to leave for a distant place.
He left for four years.
In those four years, Dashiell didn't think about Seraphina much, but not too little either.
Sometimes, Dashiell would call Magnolia, and Magnolia would deliberately tell him that Seraphina and Sebastian's relationship was still very good.
He knew Magnolia wasn't trying to provoke him.
Magnolia just wanted to tell him that he and Seraphina had no chance.
Dashiell just listened without making any comments.
When he graduated from college, Magnolia asked him to come back.
She said Dashiell couldn't abandon her because of Seraphina.
Actually, in the fourth year abroad, Dashiell missed Seraphina much less and looked at her photos much less. After all, by that time, he had already started a software design and game development company with his classmates, and he was very busy, so he really forgot a lot. By the time he decided to return, Seraphina's photos were already completely sealed in a drawer.
He thought he might have really let go of Seraphina, so he chose to return.
After not seeing Seraphina for four years, she was still full of hostility towards him.
Seraphina probably hoped he could stay abroad forever.
He chose to ignore Seraphina's hostility again, genuinely wishing her well with Sebastian.
Upon learning Seraphina's intention to marry Sebastian, though Sebastian was undecided, he intentionally disclosed his own interest in Seraphina, spurring Sebastian to wed her promptly. He wouldn't have split them up if he hadn't found out certain things.
Dashiell's eyes remained fixed on Seraphina's face.
He really wanted to ask Seraphina.
Why did she turn away when she was clearly in love with him in the first place?
If he had confessed to her earlier, would she have accepted?
Was it possible that she wouldn't fall in love with Sebastian after that?
Dashiell's cheek moved closer to Seraphina's cheek.
Dashiell wanted to kiss her.
He slightly parted his lips, moving closer to hers...
"Sebastian." The murmured voice came from Seraphina's mouth.
Dashiell just stiffened.
"Sebastian, don't go..." Seraphina's unclear voice was so clear.
Dashiell moved away from Seraphina's lips.
He left her bed.
Even if he had confessed to her earlier, the result would still be the same.
In the end, Seraphina would still fall in love with Sebastian.
Her feelings for him were really just youthful confusion, just a longing for beautiful things.
She didn't have the feelings he thought she did.
The only one who was moved was him.
He closed the door to Seraphina's room.
Cecilia said to be proactive.
But being proactive alone was really not easy.
The next day, Seraphina opened her eyes with a splitting headache.
She looked at the ceiling, still somewhat disoriented, as if she didn't know where she was, taking a long time to react.
Seraphina forced herself to sit up.
Her mouth was dry.
The aftereffects of alcohol, which were all too obvious, just weren't as bad as she used to be.
Last night, she didn't seem to drink that much.
She thought, 'Why do I feel so uncomfortable?'
She couldn't recall how she returned, ended up in bed, or what happened next.
She looked down at her changed pajamas.
She wondered who changed her clothes.
Lucy or... Dashiell.
It couldn't be Dashiell.
Dashiell wouldn't take the initiative with her; she didn't need to worry.'