Chapter 176 The Tears She Had to Hide
“I wish I could see him just one more time!”
It felt like Tilda had to let out all the pain, anger, and sadness she’d bottled up over so many years. In Dane’s arms, she broke down, crying her heart out. Ever since she was reborn, she hadn’t shed a single tear. But now, finally, in the arms of her senior, whom she had found after years of searching, Tilda could cry as much as she needed.
In her last life, Tilda was naïve, foolish, and hopeless. After Tilda was reborn, she saw through everything and fought her way forward. Tilda wasn’t a machine. She was a person with a real heart. Being mistreated by the Jensons hurt even more since they were family—bound by blood. All Tilda could do was fight back with everything she had. She hid the pain deep inside her heart, determined never to make the same mistake again.
This time, she wanted to live with dignity, not like before—begging for scraps of affection like a stray dog. When the world was quiet at night and she saw other families together, while she sat alone, she couldn’t help but wonder. Why did her family turn out to be a group of demons? Why did other parents love their children so much? And those parents who spent years searching for their missing kids—what were they really feeling? Were they like Russell and Blair, who only brought Tilda home to avoid regrets?
No, real parents would give up everything for their child. They would cry, grieve, and pour their hearts out. The Jensons claimed they searched for Tilda for years, but with all their money and power, did Blair really suffer? Typically, they just paid agencies to look for her. Because she’d never really suffered. Blair couldn’t understand what it meant to be torn apart by pain. She had never tasted that kind of heartbreak. So, she could stand there acting high and mighty, as if she were doing Tilda a huge favor.
Instead of showing understanding, Blair just blamed Tilda for being soft. Her parents always blamed Tilda for being weak whenever she faced injustice or bad treatment. They’d compare her to Kyla, saying she wasn’t even worth as much as Kyla’s little toe. Some things, once you see through them, do make you stronger. But that doesn’t mean you have to accept them without complaint. Tilda still felt unwilling to accept her fate. She still wished things could have been different.
If only her mentor had never left. If that old man had been there when Tilda realized the Jensons would never truly accept her—that they were monsters through and through—she would have walked away without a second thought. She never would have given them a chance to hurt her.
“Professor Kerrigan!”
Manfred and River burst into the office, tense and worried. But Dane shot them a look, warning them to stay back. He held Tilda close. Dane gave her the safe harbor she so desperately needed. He let her cry as much as she wanted. Dane could feel the deep sadness inside her, a grief that had haunted Tilda for far too long, like a nightmare that refused to end.
Tilda is my family now. My junior.
Even though there was no real bond between them, both of them could sense something familiar in each other. It was a special feeling, they found it hard to explain. When Dane shot them a look to stay back, Manfred and River froze in place, too afraid to approach. All they could do was watch, tense and uneasy, as Tilda cried in Dane’s arms. River’s hand instinctively went to the gun at his waist. If Tilda made even the slightest move to hurt Dane, he’d be ready to stop her. It would be a huge loss for their nation if Dane is harmed.
Tilda quickly pulled herself together. She lifted her head from Dane’s shoulder and let go. Tilda met his worried eyes with a small, crooked smile.
“Sorry, Dane. I lost it there for a moment, but I’m okay now.”
After crying her heart out, she felt a whole lot better. Besides, she’d finally found someone important to her. Dane gently patted her back. He picked up his writing board and scribbled a message.
“I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”
Tilda spoke up in gratitude, “Thank you, Dane.”
Then she turned to Manfred and River, who were still standing there. Those two were visibly on edge.
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of hurting Professor Kerrigan. I know it’s hard for you to believe me, and I sort of lost control just now. I’m sorry.”
She gave them a deep, sincere bow. Manfred and River didn’t know what to say. Queen’s humility made their earlier overreactions seem somewhat ridiculous. Manfred gave River a subtle nod, telling him to stand down. After all, Queen was soon to join Lab Seven, and they couldn’t offend her. Manfred tried to smooth things over. He cleared his throat and said, “Don’t take it the wrong way, Queen. Ahem, it’s just… well, you understand.”