Chapter 15
Callum Farrow gave Dylan a warm smile. Dylan felt his eyes brimming with tears. Callum was Dylan’s childhood buddy, and they grew up together at Sunnyside Orphanage. Since Callum and Luna Carlisle were a few years older, they always looked out for Dylan.
Life took a different turn for each of them. Callum and Luna were adopted by loving families, while Dylan remained at Sunnyside Orphanage. It wasn’t until the Padded showed up that Dylan began getting financial support.
When Callum saw how thin and fragile Dylan had become, it broke his heart. Back then, Dylan was such a happy little kid when he was still in Callum and Luna’s care. But life had other plans, and Callum and Luna got adopted one after the other.
They were all so young back then, and without any way to keep in touch, they slowly drifted apart. Callum had spent years looking for the other two but only managed to find one. Then one day, while checking out the Faddens’ official website, he came across a wedding announcement and found out Dylan had married Violet.
Callum knew all about what Violet had done, and it broke his heart even more. That marriage had sucked the life out of Dylan, leaving him shattered in every way. When Callum found out Dylan had come to Ivalis to continue his studies, he and Luna agreed to move to the capital, Rosewood, together.
After chatting for a bit, Dylan learned that Callum and Luna had tied the knot. They even moved to Rosewood just to be able to reconnect with him sooner. Dylan couldn’t hold back his tears any longer, finally letting out all the pain he’d been bottling up for years.
Later that evening, when he spotted Luna at dinner, the tears he had just managed to hold back came flooding back. The three of them ended up chatting for ages. Luna set Dylan’s favorite dishes before him and gently asked, “So, Dylan, what are your plans for the future?”
Dylan polished off the last bite of steak on his plate and shook his head. “I don’t really have any plans at the moment. I just want to graduate and have my own art exhibition or find a job I actually enjoy. As for heading back to the country…” A hint of uncertainty flashed in his eyes.
He’d definitely return to the country to visit Becky. After all, she’d secretly packed some money into his bag the day they said goodbye. But heading back also meant dealing with Violet again. The mere thought of all the wild stuff she’d stirred up made him frown.
Callum and Luna shared a glance before shifting the topic. “Let’s focus on dinner for now. We can sort out the rest later. We’ve got your back no matter what you decide.”
Before long, another late autumn rolled around, and with it came Dylan’s graduation ceremony. A wave of emotions hit him as he soaked in the moment. He’d finally made it to this day after a five-year wait.
“Congrats, Dylan! You graduated!” “Way to go, Dylan!”
His friends handed him bouquets, wishing him well, and he felt tears starting to well up in his eyes. During his last dinner with the guys, Dylan loosened up and downed a few drinks. The warmth of the alcohol slid down his throat, stirring up a hint of sadness in his chest.
Realizing how rare it would be to see each other again, they laughed and cried, enjoying themselves until late into the night. A week later, Dylan packed up his stuff, said his goodbyes to his friends and Ivalis, and returned to the country with Callum and Luna.
He wasn’t planning to hang around for too long. He was just stopping by to visit Becky and to set up an art exhibition with a friend. When Dylan finally laid eyes on Becky after two years, tears welled up in his eyes.
She touched his hand, her eyes shining with warmth and pride as he shared the news that he had finished his studies and achieved his dreams. They chatted for a bit, and Becky said, “Oh, by the way, Violet came by Sunnyside Orphanage looking for you not long after you left the country.”