Chapter 357 Enlightened


    Rufus'' POV:


    Reassured by Sylvia''s gentle gaze, I began to vent my emotions.


    "My father nearly cried just because I called him ''dad''. And my mother said that I had drifted away


    from her a long time ago. I didn''t realize until today that, ever since I was cursed, I had isted


    myself and pushed my parents away."


    Sylvia tilted her head to the side and mulled over what I said. "When did you start to distance


    yourself from Queen Laura?"


    "Probably around the time after I was cursed," I said after thinking for a while. Smiling bitterly, I


    continued, "She didn''t know about the curse back then. In order to keep it a secret, my father took


    me in under the guise of training me. He didn''t allow me to contact anyone, including my own


    mother."


    That was the darkest period in my life. Not only did I have to endure physical pain, but also mental


    suffering.


    I knew that I had be a monster. I felt like I was drowning in a devastating pool of despair,


    choking out any ounce of hope left in me. But I wanted to live. And in order to do that, I had to


    ept the harsh reality. On the one hand, I despised myself, while on the other, I strived to live. It


    was also thanks to the mental anguish that the curse caused that my temperament changed greatly.


    I gradually became sensitive and irritable, not wanting to get close to anyone. " I forced a smile and


    laughed at myself bitterly." After all, who would want to be friends with a monster?"


    Sylvia threw her arms around me tightly. "Rufus, that''s all in the past. I''m here with you now, and I''m


    more than willing to help you shoulder the pain and difficulty. You''re no longer alone."


    I hugged her back and buried my face in her neck. "Thank you, Sylvia," I murmured in a hoarse


    voice. "I think I should stop pushing myself. I need to stop ignoring those closest to me."


    Sylvia ran her fingers through my hair and said gently, "It doesn''t matter, Rufus. It''s never toote to


    try fixing the problem. We still have a lot of time to mend your rtionship with your parents."


    "Sure..." I sighed, although it felt cathartic to finally tell Sylvia what was on my chest.


    Sylvia rubbed her nose against the tip of mine. "Well, don''t be upset anymore. If you keep scowling


    like that, I''m afraid you''ll get wrinkles early."


    A little embarrassed, I muttered, "I''m not upset." "You are! You face is so gloomy that it can make a


    child cry," Sylvia pouted, rubbing my cheek with her thumb.


    I chuckled and looked at her affectionately. I didn''t move and just let her y with my face.


    Finally, Sylvia leaned over and pecked me on the lips. Then she rested her head on my shoulder


    and murmured, "You know what? My life was a mess before I met you."


    Startled by this sudden confession, I didn''t say anything but held her in my arms.


    "At the time, I felt so helpless, thinking about my mother and my hopeless future," she continued.


    My heart ached. I felt sorry for her and I looked at her.


    Sylvia seemed to have sensed my gaze. She raised her head and smiled at me warmly. "But things


    are better now. I have you. I''m no longer sad and I won''t let the past ruin me."


    As Sylvia talked about her childhood, she sat up and tinkered with my hand.


    "My mother was stern, but she was thoughtful and more considerate than anyone else. Every time


    she needed to scold me, I knew she felt worse than I did. I''d catch her secretly wiping her tears


    because she felt bad about being so strict with me." Sylvia chuckled softly. It seemed that her warm


    memories with her mother made her wistful.


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    Her calmness was infectious, and my restless heart soon became peaceful.


    The truth was, I had actually met Sylvia''s mother many years ago.


    I was only a teenager at the time. We had met at a celebration ceremony of the empire. Sylvia''s


    mother hade to the imperial pce with the Alpha of their pack. While she had a very serious


    look about her, her smile was very gentle.


    Thinking of this, I suddenly thought about Sylvia''s mysterious origin.


    Sylvia carried a lycan bloodline. Plus, in the forbidden forest, she showed mysterious power that


    could attract those crows to fight for her, which made me feel a little uneasy. But when I


    had her background investigated, we found that her mother was just an ordinary she-wolf.


    Which meant that Sylvia''s power came from her father''s side...


    Thinking about this, I couldn''t help but steal a nce at Sylvia. She was still reminiscing her past.


    After a moment''s hesitation, I asked, "What about your father? Did you ever meet him?"