282: Chapter 282

Chapter 282

Henry forced a smile in front of Dahlia. He didn't want to make it unnatural, as Dahlia was in constant sorrow.  0

He didn't want to make her even sadder each time he visited, even though his heart was bleeding.

"How have you been, Mom? Are you doing well?" Henry put the fruit basket he brought to the table near the bed. He grabbed a stool and sat near Dahlia, who didn't move from her current position.

They stared at each other with a smile, but both knew they were hiding a lot of pain behind their smiles. 

Dahlia had long, brown hair, just like James.

She also had the same kind of eyes as James. It was obvious that James took more of his mother's appearance and personality than his father. 

Which was good.

Because Henry hated himself, knowing that he was basically Marlon 2.0 based on both appearance and behavior.

Henry reached and held Dahlia's wrinkly but soft hand and rubbed it gently, "It looks like you've gotten thinner, though. Do you not like the food here? I can tell the nurse to change your diet. Just tell me what you want."

"I want to be free," Dahlia replied without a filter. "It's been many months since I was put in here, and I hate every single second of it."

Henry lowered his head. Dahlia always repeated the same answer each time Henry came to visit her.

He visited the ward at least twice a week during the first month she was admitted to the mental facility. His visits lessened as he got busy with work and Kate, so he only visited her once a week now.

However, workload and Kate weren't the main cause of his lessening visit.

He rarely visited Dahlia these days because he felt depressed each time he visited.

She had gotten thinner and thinner for each of his visits, and she would be less lively each time he greeted her to the point that she would only speak when he asked a question. 

'And all of her answers have gotten depressing too.'

"I'm sorry about that, Dahlia. I've been trying to get you free, but you know Marlon. He has influence to manipulate the data about your mental issue," Henry murmured. "I'm sorry. I've failed you… and James."

Henry had tried so many ways to get Dahlia out of this prison. But he couldn't.

One of Marlon Grant's best friends was an important person in the health ministry, and it was easy for him to pressure the doctors to manipulate Dahlia's mental health results so she'd be forced to stay there.

All because she attacked Marlon when she discovered that Marlon had killed their son. 

Dahlia sighed.

Of course, she knew that it wasn't Henry's fault.

She pulled his hand and patted his head, "No need to beat yourself over this, Henry. It's never your fault."

"It's my fault, Mom. If only I was never born, Penny couldn't take your position as Marlon's mistress…"

"Haha, it doesn't matter whether it's Penny or another woman out there. He will cheat on me nonetheless," Dahlia sneered. She had lost the gentleness she once had. 

She was nothing but a broken woman now. 

"… I'm sorry for ruining your life, Dahlia—Mom…" Henry murmured. He looked like a child who had been punished by his mother, even though Dahlia never blamed him for it. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called you Mom. It's not my right to be so daring when my biological Mom is the one who killed your son."

"You are my son," Dahlia claimed.

Henry raised his head, his tears streaming down his cheeks, "But—"

"There are no buts. You are my son. That's all you need to know," Dahlia insisted. "Stop punishing yourself for the crime you don't commit. You are an innocent man, and I know you are as grieving as I am, knowing that James died unfairly."

Henry nodded.

He was the one who locked himself up after discovering that James died after getting killed by his father.

He was so depressed and thought that he might as well join his big brother so he could beg for an apology, knowing that his biological mother had taken part in the murder. 

Dahlia had been so kind to him as he accepted the five years old Henry into the Grant family after knowing that her husband had an illegitimate child from a prostitute he fucked during one of his work trips.

She even allowed Henry to call her Mom and became James' little brother.

James and Dahlia could've bullied him since he was a kid, mocking him for being the son of a bitch. He could've planned a horrible death for the vulnerable little boy.

But they didn't.

They were the first who actually accepted him as part of the family. Even Penny loathed him so much, at least until Marlon finally bestowed the Grant family name to Henry. 

So he felt nothing but gratitude and devotion towards Dahlia and James, only to realize that he was the indirect cause of their awful demise because Penny wanted Henry to be the heir to secure her position. 

Dahlia wiped the tears on Henry's cheeks, "You are an amazing young man. Don't burden yourself over the sins of others, okay? Besides, why don't we talk about your new style? Look at you wearing a suit. You look handsome and dapper!" Dahlia said as she tried to shift the topic to make the mood happier. 

She was already glad that Henry came to visit. It wasn't good to make him sad because of things he couldn't control. 

Henry chuckled when Dahlia cheered him up. He was happy whenever Dahlia praised him. It felt like getting praise from your mother.

Penny did the same, but he only felt disgust toward her.

"Thank you, it's my girl who prepared the suit today," Henry said without thinking twice, as he thought he just wanted to share the happy moment.

But then, his eyes widened, and he zipped his lips instantly.

"Oh? You finally got yourself a girlfriend?" Dahlia raised her brow. She grinned mischievously. "So, who is the lucky girl? Can you bring her to me?"

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