<b>Chapter</b><b>227</b>
“<b>Oscar</b><b>is</b><b>an</b>illegitimatechild.HeisnotfavoredinthePearsonfamilyandisofteughedatas<b>a</b><b>fool</b>.WhenIfirstmethim,Iignoredhim.Ijustthoughtthathewasbeautiftfirstsight,Oscarwasautisticanddidnotactivelmunicatewithothers, letalonepleaseothers.Ofcourse,weignoredhim<b>.</b>”
<ol>
<li>ng.Ifhewasordinary,howcouldhebeDominick’s</li>
</ol>
AsVincentrecalled,hesuddenlughedathimself.Thefactsprovedthatwewereallwrong.bestfriend?”
Stephaniedidnotinterrupthim.ThiswasthefirsttimesheheardaboutthertionshipbetweenDominickandOscar.Itturnedoutthatthey<b>were</b>goodfriendswithverydifferentpersonalities,whichwasreallystrange.
However,Vincentdidn’tsoundlikeherejectedOscar.Theywerejustalittle distant.
*Stephanie,whydoyoulookatmeinthatway?DoyouthinkIlookdownonOwarjustbecausehe’sanillegitimatechild?Idistancemyself<b>from</b>himbecauseheisnotasimpleperson.”
VincentstaredatStephanieandsuddenlybecamealittle<b>angry</b>. “Stephanie,inyourheart,Oscarisjustyourchildhoodsweetheart.Afterhismotherdied,hewastakenbacktothePearsonfamilyandabusedbyhisstepmother.Oscarwasanillegitimateandautisthild,<b>so</b>youalwaysthoughtthatbewasweak.Letmetellyou.Youunderestimatedhim.Oscarisafreak.”
Intheend.Vincentdidn’tknowhowtodescribeitandsnortedatStephanieinfrustration.??
“Scon
andIdidn’tknowthatDominickwaskidnappedbyhismother.Oscaridentally
bydiscovereditwhenhepassedbythatday.
“Thefirst<b>time</b>wemetwasatadinnerpartyatWellingtonVi.liwasagrandbanquet,George<b>was</b>in<b>charge</b>ofthefamilybackthen.Onthatday,heannouncedthathewould handovertheInnovate<b>Group</b>to<b>his</b>onlygrandson,Dominick,whowasjust13yearsold.Thereweremanydistinguishedguests<b>that</b><b>day</b>,anditwasverylively.ScottandIwereforcedtoattenditwithourparents.EvenifOscarwasanillegitimatechild,hewasnoexception.Itwasourhomeworktowinoverpeopleandbuildgoodrtionships.How<b>could</b><b>our</b>familiesletgoofsuchagoodopportunity!”
Vincentshruggedhisshoulders,histonebingmoreteasing.
“ButDominickdidn’tdoashis<b>grandpa</b>wantedthatnight.Hedidn’tshowupbutstoodalonebythefenceofthelotuspond inWellington Vi.Thisbanquetwasheldtocelebratehim,buthedidn’t<b>look</b>happyatall.
<b>“</b><b>Scott</b>isactuallyoneyearolderthanDominick,andDominickandIarethesameage.Althoughwegrewupinanearlymatureenvironment,youcan’texpecta13–year–oldkidto<b>have</b><b>a</b>calmmind.Anyway,Iwasfedupwithsuchsocialevents.Thebanquetwasheld intheevening<b>.</b>IhadagoodrtionshipwithScottatthattime,soIdraggedhim<b>to</b>explorethebackgardenofWellingtonVi.Asaresult,wefoundthatDominickwasstandingbytheguardrailofthelotuspondinthecoldwind,andhisface<b>was</b>abnormallyflushed,asifhehad ahighfever…”
Vincentpaused,andhiseyesbecamethoughtful.Thishappenedalongtimeago,andDominickseemedtohaveneverchanged,justlikewhen<b>he</b>wasachild.Hedidn’tlikeotherstounderstandhim
“WhenDominickis sick,hewon’taskforhelpasothersdo,asifheistryingtohurthimselfonpurpose
WhenStephanieheardthis,sheblurtedoutanxiously,“Dominickismentallynormal.Hedoesn’thaveatendencytoself<b>–</b>abuse”
“Heisindeedmentallynormal,buthehastobeartoomanythingsalone.Hehasnowaytoventhisdepression,sohecanonlypunishhimselfinextremeways.Dominickfeelsthathehasnotdonewellenough”
Vincent’svoicegraduallybecamelower,andheonlydaredtomuttertohimself,“HedidsoafterOscar’sincident.Hefeltguiltyandcouldn’tletitgo,sohepunishedhimself…
Dominickwasnotall–mighty.Everyonehadhisorhermomentsofweakness<b>,</b>especiallysomeonewhoburdenedhimselfsomuchasDominickdid<b>.</b>
wasallinthepast,Vincemsuddenlybecameenlightened.Hestretchedourhisarms,gaveafrivoloussmile,andraisedhisvoice.
“Anyway,DominickfaintedfromthehighfeverinfromofScottandme.Hecurledupandmutteredsomethingasifhewashavinganightmare.Wewerebothshockedandwantedtoaskforhelp.Itwasthenthatwenoticedanotherpersonsittingin thepavilionofthelotuspond.Oscarcameoverwithathickpaychologybook.HesquattedbesideDominick,openedhiseyelidstocheck<b>his</b>pupills,andreadsomethingwecouldn’tunderstand.Soon,Dominickseemedtobehypnotized.Helookedpainfulwhiletelling<b>us</b>allthedetailsofhowhewaskidnappedby<b>his</b>motherMary
“ScottandIstoodtherenkly.Inthe<b>end</b>,Oscarlookeddown,andtheheavybookinhishandsnappedshut.Heonlysaid.Itturnsouttobe
useful.Thenheleft
Attheend oftheconversation,Vincentlookedalle
grim.
Ourdidn’t<b>mean</b>tohelpDominickatthattime.Hejustpassedby<b>and</b>wantedtoconfirmsometheoryoutofcunosity.Hewasundifferenttolife.SometimesViterntdifertdatetolookdirectlyintohisblueeyes,whichwereclear,notlikethoseofahumanbeing,andhadnoemotionsatall.
Stephaniefeltconfusedanplicatedafterhearingthis.Sheknew<b>that</b>Oscar<b>was</b>thatkindofperson.Hedidn’tcareaboutothersorhisselt,as
<b>12:27</b>PM<b>c</b>
Chapter227
ifhedidn’tknowwhyheshouldlive.Hewasindifferenttoeverything.
ButStephaniestillfoundDominick’skidnappingconfusing<b>.</b>“Vincent,sinceyouandScottknewaboutthetruthatthetime,whydidn’tyoutellhisgrandpa?Marydidsuch<b>a</b>heartlessthing.Sheisnotworthyofbeing<b>a</b>mother”
“IfweexposedMary,shewouldnotbethe<b>way</b>sheisnow.ShewouldhavebeenseverelypunishedbyDominick’sgrandpa.Wedecidednottorevealthetruthnotbecausewesympathizedwithher
Vincentpaused,histonesomewhatsarcastic.“Wekept<b>the</b>secretbecauseDominickchosetodoso.Atthattime,heprobablyjustwantedtoprotecthismotherandkeeptheso–calledmaternallovethathehadimaginedoutofhis wildest<b>dreams</b><b>.</b>Howridiculous!
Stephaniedidn’trespondandfellsilent.
Theskyoutsidethewindowwasgettingdarkeranddarker.Itlookedliketherewouldbeaheavyrainstormtoday.Ataround7PM,thesunshouldberising,butitwasdark<b>and</b>seemedlikeevening,
Vincentstoodupfromthesofa.Hehad<b>had</b>enoughcoffeeandwasgoingtodosomeseriousbusiness,whichwas
thepurposeforhisvisittoday.ItwastimetogotothestudyonthesecondfloortofindDominick.Aftertakingafewsteps,Vincentsuddenlythoughtofsomething.Afteramomentofhesitation,heturnedaroundandshoutedtoStephanie,whowasinadaze,onthesofa
Hesaid,“Stephanie,peoplelikeushavelongbeenustomedtothesefalsefeelingsandcoldbusinessmarriages,especiallyforDominick.NomatterwhatyourrtionshipwithOscarwasbefore,forthesakeofthebabies,don’tletDominickdownorabandon<b>is</b>noteasytotrustsomeonhim.Dominickwouldn’tmarryyoujustforthebabies.Stephanic,youare<b>not</b>stupid.Youknowhelovesyouverymuch.”N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.
Dominicklovedherverymuch.