Filed To Story: The Scarlet Vengeance: Justice of a Framed Beauty Novel (Grace & Jason)
“Sorry, sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you here…” He apologized and took her into his arms.
She buried her face in his arms as her shoulders trembled slightly. Muffled sobs came out of her.
‘Is she suppressing her crying again? Her parents were afraid of her crying, so… She’s trying not to cry but laugh!’ The thought of what she had said at her parents’ grave made his heart ache again.
“You can cry if you want. You don’t have to hold yourself back. Even if your parents… want to see you smile more, you can cry in front of me,” he said. Even if her tears would make him squirm, he did not want to see her hold back her tears so hard.
It was as if his voice was slowly breaking down the high barrier she had desperately built, and her tears poured out uncontrollably. “Wa…” She cried to her heart’s content this time. She vented…
years of suppressed sadness, pain, and regret.
He gently touched her head and comforted her, but this seemed different from the time at her parents’
grave.
He felt a damp patch on his chest.
The sound of her crying and hoarse screaming filled the car. She was calling out for her parents and saying how sad she was… There was nothing he could do for her except comfort her and listen.
Even though he was powerful and rich, he was helpless in front of some things.
It was just like how he could not be with Grace no matter how much he loved her. He could not resurrect Valda’s parents either.
After crying for a while, Valda Theller finally calmed down. All the crying had made her a little exhausted. Even though she had stopped crying, she still could not help gasping.
Brian took a tissue and wiped the tears on her face. “I really didn’t know you’d have such a big reaction.
It seems I was too opinionated and self-assertive. Let me take you back now.”
He said while wiping away her tears. He then restarted the car to turn around.
“Don’t.” She pressed her hand on the back of his hand on the gear stick and took a deep breath as she stared straight ahead. “I… I want to go to the canyon.” She wanted to finish the unfinished journey.
She had never been there, but… did that also mean she had never let herself move on?
She knew Brian wanted her to move on, and she wanted to do it too.
Her parents would also be happier if she were happier.
Brian stared at Valda Theller’s red and swollen eyes. “Are you sure you want to go?”
“Yes, I’d like to see the canyon for myself and also my parents,”” said Valda Theller.
His eyes flickered. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Okay, then.”
The car continued driving toward the canyon.
When they finally arrived at the destination, Valda Theller looked at the flowing stream and the greenery around. She let out a long gasp.
This was… the canyon she finally arrived at a dozen years later. If the accident had never happened, she and her parents would have spent a happy day here.
“Do you want to go down for a walk?” Brian asked.
“Okay.” She nodded.
Valda Theller and Brian got out of the car and walked down the avenue to the stream. There were natural rocks of different shapes along the road. The water was clear, and there were many tourists even though it was not a holiday or weekend.
The stream was shallow as it was below the ankles. The weather was comfortable, so many tourists took off their shoes and played in the stream.
Looking at the clear stream water, Valda Theller remembered her mom describing the fun of the canyon to Valda Theller. She also said she would take Valda Theller to walk in the stream.
Valda Theller suddenly turned to Brian and said, “I want to go in the water for a while. Will you wait for me here?”
“Sure,” Brian said without objection. After all, there was nothing dangerous about playing in the water.
Valda Theller took off her shoes and socks. Then, she bent over to roll up her pants. She walked into the stream with her bare feet.
The cool stream water washed her feet, making her feel relaxed.
Looking at nature and breathing in the air, Valda Theller only found her heavy mood lightening gradually.
She walked step by step in the stream, and it felt comfortable to have her feet step on the smooth pebbles.
The laughter of other tourists, couples, and families was all around her.
Valda Theller looked at a little girl with her parents not far away.
Small fish would occasionally swim past them, and the family of three tried catching the fish. The little girl eventually seemed exhausted from standing, so her father lifted her high to let her sit on his shoulders.
The family of three walked in the other direction. It was such a sweet scene.
Valda Theller watched them in a daze. Her father also used to give her a ride on his shoulders like that when she was a child. She felt so tall every single time!
Suddenly, a small fish swam past Valda Theller’s feet. Valda Theller unconsciously leaned down to catch it, but she did not expect herself to lose her footing and fall forward. She was about to plunge into the water.
Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her.
Then, Brian’s panicked voice rang above Valda Theller’s head. “What are you doing?”
Valda Theller froze and turned her head to see Brian’s pale face. “I… I just wanted to… catch the fish.”
“Catch the fish?” He froze slightly before looking down to see some small fish swimming in the stream. Then, he looked around to see others leaning forward to catch the small fish, and realization flickered in his eyes.
She was only catching fish, yet he thought she was going to…
Valda Theller said, “You… didn’t think I was going to kill myself, did you? Don’t worry. I won’t. My parents risked their lives to keep me alive. The happier I live, the more I won’t let their efforts go to waste!”
He stared at her. When she spoke, there was some fragility in her round eyes but also determination.
He slowly got her on her feet. Suddenly, she exclaimed, “Oh, your pants and shoes!”
His shoes and pants were already submerged in water.
“It’s nothing. They’re just wet,” Brian said indifferently. He ran over without thinking when he saw that she was about to plunge into the water.
Now that he thought about it, it felt like a physical instinct at that moment.
As he spoke, several children ran over playfully and bumped into Brian, causing him to tilt sideways.
“Watch out!” Valda Theller shouted, instinctively trying to grab Brian.
Thump!
They both ended up falling into the stream.
However, Brian was underneath while Valda Theller was on top. The stream was shallow, but it was enough to drown a person if they fell.
Brian was underneath with Valda Theller on top of him. Valda Theller was not submerged much in the water, but Brian was entirely submerged in it.
“Brian!” Valda Theller hurriedly shouted and got down from him. She tried to pull him up so that he would not suffocate from being submerged in the water.
With a splash, he sat up. His body and head were completely wet.
“How are you? Are you okay?” Valda Theller asked urgently.
Brian coughed twice, raised his hand to run it through his wet hair, and wiped the water off his face.
“I’m okay.”
Aware of their mishap, the children who bumped into him stood cowering to one side while their parents rushed over to apologize.
“Sorry. We’re so sorry!” they said.