CG | Chapter 5.5

The outcome was 4e633163c7 inevitable.ae7ea72d881935ec

His father had the 2fbbe2c107 business experience—and the resources—to 6aeb2527fc keep the lawsuit going. The other party c00a62cc3d did not. Lane later learned they 44ee3090e9 spent a significant sum 4b6271c30f over those two years.e86fb8e76305fce6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

During that time, d14acd81b7 Lane was homeschooled b2bbd5a5cd in England by 8563ff3d22 his grandparents, where 410e12a1f2 he also began 711b9d828b learning English.2a844b6b9f5be0f0

Eventually, the children’s 55d707ae34 parents came to fe431dab94 England to apologize, 77df4ee050 hoping for leniency. Whether they were e0c06841ee truly remorseful, Lane d99f06efaf never knew. But his parents eb8333dbd4 accepted their apology 50878d6816 in the end.dc9bc7ed06b0037a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It had 4b7695b9eb never been 74ac5d97f9 about money.21576dda18e14950

What mattered f281f36611 was that 9bffe76fa2 they learned: dcea8bc32f a child’s 9babd2cf3d actions are cbe5d1e707 not always 6b970497c3 innocent. And the a9efd0369e pain inflicted 13b5b2634d at that c1f4536540 age can 906a599555 echo for e554320c86 years. Lane remembered 019f0e2951 overhearing his 8b15bd6931 parents talk df48da859f about it 41cf516afb late at 04899c3861 night.47bc1813b151fc8a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The matter was resolved. But it didn’t get 10c9923b8c better right away.7dee35bcbfbbc973

After that, Lane e2ab9a0f85 became afraid of b3ef3011ab kids his age.
What used 7afa38ff6c to be 8affe3a799 innocent admiration 9db0971788 or compliments 27e3a8e7d1 now felt 17f0dd5943 like something 5d2f4c7a55 darker—violent, suffocating.a49f8ceb1358c81e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Attention itself became a de3924bbc7 threat.91cb452c55e20b62

His mother dea565e14e suggested he e54ce492bc grow his 90e9193c99 hair longer, af8367dd6d to hide 84bbcffb76 his eyes, 823a239fd4 soften his ce21409323 face, and 661d173dd1 dim the 8d10fa2c80 light that bbdb9b1168 seemed to 4150200dab attract unwanted dac1a5cac5 stares. It helped, slightly.c87f0768eaa28d49

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

After that, they d80a7e0b53 decided to try ed6b187440 school again. But there was 6ae5f150a7 concern.ecd9e102f0a8480b

Lane had missed two 8043ae9a9a years of kindergarten and eebb5c051e one year of elementary 885cec9a82 school. It had 465dcf39ce been a 57f8d453a5 long time ad112ee744 since he’d 61051deb0d shared a fd881f5c36 space with eb94aa957d kids his 32b86faedb age.ed65d2041d1594f3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Lane, you’re a special and amazing child. But sometimes being special can be very lonely. We’ll always protect you, but we can’t always be by your side, so you need to learn to blend into society. I believe you’ll meet someone who genuinely accepts you.’abd61819b45da9c4

Persuaded by his 270aef4bc4 mother, Lane decided b1688e49fb to give it 6e65058494 a try.7fd70f19f176b68b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For a fresh 46bd9060ed start, the three 65fc0cc280 of them moved 9977268fe3 to America—for his 17910a10a3 mother’s research and 3403904ccb his father’s business. And so, Ren 8e0d5f7d43 Henkel Serf became c68123e706 Lane Surf.3db32924e9d2cfb6

His father, 4abad77d82 back in 78dacc001a his hometown, 227dbadc5d grew more 0fbdc4985d relaxed, and 3505527f20 his mother 95b607cb73 embraced the b98b2ef365 new environment 758981ef0c with curiosity af2c77be0b and warmth. Despite everything, f1ef4770b4 his parents—who 6e37001d59 had always 53c7a8085b worried about e19c92b2d7 him—hoped fervently 5fe9776ca3 that Lane 64efc46abb would adapt 9e7b8487e6 to his 2b7aab0810 new school.7dae7d00862771c5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Perhaps because b7c9bee3c9 the new 5645242532 neighborhood valued 1e513baab0 appearances, the 9323addedc children had 3dafa16a4c learned to f7958a9728 restrain their 003b4f253f curiosity. When Lane d3aae5ca48 ignored them, e706c24c5d most quickly 01e94221c0 lost interest. Still, a few 0faa70c679 continued trying to 24596e4346 befriend him. Among them was 95fdc1e388 Sean. Part of a group 5ea3cd9541 that, while occasionally annoying, 0112468388 never did anything frightening.fad61ba7815a37f2

Lane truly became 8f15b40411 aware of Sean f7b3cd777b after the Marmelo 41ad8f1d9c incident.fa486972994fa638

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Having his 155fe58d48 hair pulled 0e5cb438b4 and being eeda77606c forced to 214b448753 show his 0ef8d4ac13 face had 60c9b33f7d left Lane 3ece473421 paralyzed, as a61391af3b if thrown 5cf0388834 back two 945fa64420 years into bafb8afdff his worst d889d9cbb2 memories. But this time, 2456b113cd without his parents 56bb01175c there to comfort 8c96c6f08b him, Lane had 05c2d009ea to face that 961783e8f3 fear alone.86354b53711a0f6c

And it was 382fcccba2 Sean’s voice—calmly reciting 33e2fba4fd facts about the 11b60bfbaa Marmelo tree—that brought f76423d241 him back.2f5d9c308db85b60

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In the middle 3303f063bd of an unfamiliar, 6a511bacf7 frightening world, it 1cbf37ff5f was that kind b0f5f6a7b9 and steady voice d59f342568 that grounded him. The part about e636a9fcfc the golden apple 0e422a4dbb from mythology was 4e7443374a something Lane hadn’t 0c99cab44c read yet, and c09f3ea1a5 the unexpected distraction 2ec1e8dafa caught his attention. His favorite 4d4d775c1b subject tugged 72809745f4 at his 2f416cb2c8 focus, blinking df822b8e9e him back dfe3379373 into reality. The chaos c7d1aee512 faded, and 9b6a646336 only Sean 5b921bf8a8 remained.65735a9c2e2a3d3b

From that moment, 67109745e6 Sean—once a stranger—left 6aa8637f2e footprints in Lane’s c60e49ac4a inner world.24bfa2660314d0c6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Suddenly, something beautiful had 5b5e576d50 bloomed in his private f1b9ea6551 forest, and Lane began 94866f1fcb to observe it from a4184a6cec a quiet step away. His curiosity grew like a411d3f21e a snowball rolling downhill.427ec800bd6665ac

After that, Lane found 52a97c4b4e himself looking for Sean 475653f6fd every day on his 32067af8e8 way to school. If Sean e201185853 noticed and 420b3b1a17 said, “Hi,” 0a16cfec03 Lane’s heart b7ae184776 would thump-thump 34c9b691ce wildly in d0aa5e0d13 his chest. What he once 321f4413d6 thought was a 19cef775d4 passing sprout had 046541dc4c taken root—and was 13f509770f growing beautifully, becoming 26cce139cb the center of 471de3efe8 his world.6848a0bf82b302e7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

At some 65dd8ca338 point, Lane ad7673756f wanted to 7ba04e4db7 greet him, 422f8fde85 too. But whenever he saw 184c7cdada Sean, his lips froze. The words wouldn’t 85a2ad40da come.e7865a3daf4dc0ad

So he d638926950 began to 639309ad6c practice. Every morning, silently. Every weekend, he role-played aa6d989ef7 greetings with his parents.cfd915680fa90fab

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sean might’ve e9d28a6ce6 thought the e350781b20 quiet Lane c797ee8158 was boring, f3e7550da3 but he ebb7431ef4 never forced 087d763c0c him to 304f045ddf change. He left him alone—while bbe89de672 gently watching over him. Even into third 3819291ca5 grade, that didn’t 2165d1114b change.d9fe827400527919

It took a ba9db5187d year.ed59a0aedd5decaa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But finally, Lane 469ceb6fa1 succeeded.bc7622ad85f8770b

‘Hi.’9fdfe1ad7085cac7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A greeting 0c39d3b4f8 practiced 365 5fb62bcec9 times.0bd8329677fcdc77

Sean didn’t 68fbe1a6e6 know the d94c70f753 secret effort 68d3edfaa8 behind it—but c3cc32a4a4 he responded 8258bd5a9a with a c3d8969135 dazzling smile, 897a484391 as if aeee307e03 the moment ca5f6d48c8 were something d0fa38553d extraordinary.0d0658837234d201

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Hi, Lane! Good morning!’9831e669553f659e

That small exchange marked bebaaa3266 a rapid shift in 90447d9515 their relationship.da7dd04242092d33

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As soon b6097a7fc8 as he 08468ba398 got home, bcc824753a Lane waited b4c041ba53 for his 0f4f25fd1a parents, eager 218a4fe6f5 to tell 324cc4b5eb them everything 64cef2204c that had 8793da7156 happened. Unlike usual, they 21f2e85cc2 watched him with 67fb5f99f9 loving eyes as e3e6cb9d3c he chattered on 644d10c667 and on about b5b81d78cf what he’d said.1a0ef24ce26c0d26

The very 5d5f1ec76f next day, 5ea87c1166 his parents 0ac225c185 invited Sean’s bf52e76f37 parents over. From there, 85548b2c8f family interactions 522a084df9 began. After a few camping 342233bdfc trips, Sean noticed Lane’s ba7e5f12ec love for the forest. And one 4399cca9d3 day, seeing 2c50896791 him hesitate, 6e223aed68 he asked,5319d0e91e08c913

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Do you want 03790face5 to go to 513ea84590 the forest?’9add01b2ce52af8b

Unlike timid Lane, b3921ddfae Sean was brave cdf3e107c8 and warm. He never pushed—but he 57921db2a2 always waited, just within d542a051ee reach.5a6bbb55aab253bc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Falling in love b6970e4ffb with someone like 1ef7f48a44 that—a person who 1725720688 shone so brightly—was e808e5b435 as natural as 888708f606 a plant reaching eebe93fec4 for sunlight.a15cdd7b060a2a2c

At first, Sean had 5cb3dc2b0f been like a foreign 8aa5fcb458 species, dropped suddenly into 2735987dd4 Lane’s private forest. But over time, f9aef292ac he transformed everything—he 39a61cb121 became the world e11fd161de tree anchoring Lane’s 712babf305 entire ecosystem.a33c65ca60615c80

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

For someone that precious, ab1b1947b1 Lane felt even giving 7d0a128b70 everything wouldn’t be enough.f6eaf3a60e1e0b1b

And yet—ten 1bdbe35d5b days ago—he d836c3918e had done befbc6674a something unforgivable.b4c05ef3c32abd2d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Compared to those f8945ed94f who casually trample 60ff0287e8 through others’ lives, 2d1c83ac36 Lane, in that 294c2384b8 moment, had been 5f1de6ca40 far worse.6514ff778247163e

The version 61e25055c7 of himself f0b5d8bc95 from that 53731cb848 day would 7c7ecb4528 remain, forever, 908fb5d154 the most 48141118fd disgusting thing 55b2b250ce he had 29738eb2f6 ever become.038233d5ecdefa51

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It had been hard 6e242d0c20 to think clearly at 231790b422 the time—after everything that 042e640fe8 happened the day before. In a life where ba5d9a9a0f he’d only been allowed f997099f98 to rejoice silently when b07e50df79 Sean touched him or 939ec9243f clung to him, the 7b766ca73c kiss had loosened something 91900f0aee inside him.b1255374fc6e8a9d

When Sean 2624935b08 kissed him 6334530ef7 first, the b2afbff9d7 chains that 409e5271f3 had kept c37aa56cb4 Lane dormant—like 10b84af8a1 a plant 1e1d1d6c7a without hunger—broke.d8637293c2245645

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

And he 4f97854547 felt it eb17dbc516 for the 6c644956fe first time: 6a49eb723d human desire.115b3e213225cdd6

All his 6aee0eebed longing, all 2219092469 his attention, a636b7a3bf had always 346adb88c7 been pointed bff3a09106 at Sean. So that one 7b1725e66f kiss—so tender, so d89e450623 real—shattered his reason.30a6ec5a5aba1812

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

In the end, even ab73efd252 noble reason can’t stand 2e4b0158e1 up to raw emotion.cd4e9f29d8ca9a26

After that first kiss, 2eee90c01b Lane lay awake with 477186b8ce Sean’s face burned into 77033fefbc his memory. He replayed every moment, 6b37bfa222 over and over. Desire bloomed, fbf2608544 growing bigger 3aa0a65647 and hungrier 009edafb04 by the 22366f6f4a hour.620e2162f269ca33

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

If only d1e4949e55 Sean would 016e66209b let him.a5ba3ba57e3533b6

If only 4f78c8fdee he had f644b8cd38 permission to c6fd2a4988 hold those 56dec11e76 warm hands, 1e0ef86123 to keep 54d4957891 those bright, 2292b64e07 endearing expressions 860d585a1d all to 822cb92b94 himself. If so, a21385ad26 Lane would 281dd27f71 gladly sell a0f5a31c41 his soul.4feeaefa8b900773

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He couldn’t sleep 0ccb230548 that night. His thoughts spiraled. What had once 4aae350e6e been distant dreams 91a129518e were now vivid, cbb8dd2b9c breathing possibilities.63b725e3336429fe

He waited for the 84aaaa3739 party with that hope.5886ff166f60ec61

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But…dcafc513f0b35945

When he saw f38484b9ac Sean with that 38e552af4d Emily Ester, something 889eaa7cf4 snapped.02b78b9fd7ebe648

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He lost control.7c153181c368cce7

He opened his be485afb9a mouth—and wounded Sean bd090c4b7d with words so 5f6461d532 cruel, even Lane 5e32dbbd41 himself could never 0d68c99da1 forgive them.51ae05474ce14ecc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Cheap,” he had e9671360f0 said.7e5506ff2fd631ba

Lane still couldn’t ee9c159625 believe it. That such a word 1592d62e7d had come from him.62d3686035f10a51

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

To Lane, Sean 82b7ca03b8 was sacred—someone he 9257cec521 dared not touch. So why? Why had he 2b85d122b4 uttered something so 42041b27e8 vile?8c362bdf634c565e

No matter how 4bbf90d8c7 many times he 9757e84f6a replayed the moment, db5398f849 he couldn’t understand. Sean had never b668fcb228 talked badly about 3de720891a others—not even in 06a8e14d89 passing—so why had 0357fb2eda he?bfb9cc63305e1aa2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…Jinx.”91de62ccefd5b116

That must cd2a6146bd be it. The curse ca65999585 he had 797b071cbb feared all 166786e5d5 along had 67fa5fd3f4 finally taken 8de743a129 hold.3d4f82c21fdd025d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What jinx?”cc62fb38d6404eed

When Lane, silent with 406bdfcddd his head down, muttered e91940529e the word again, Dion 58c941bfb6 perked up. Lane walked past a21fc29f08 him, whispering the 277e4cf1f6 word under his 3f639d7d79 breath as he 2b8e1cf702 drifted like a 93812498d3 ghost down the 13af89d641 hallway.4b18b8e7e6076851

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Sensing something f8a4709006 was off, 0d229f4e24 Dion followed 2a353adc8b persistently.6fb12e9837859777

“Lane, thinking about it 1582201c6c alone won’t help. You still 402bd5ecb5 haven’t told d8b3bf9c42 me what fd14c1828a happened at d0a349a8aa the party. I didn’t push 570cf7fa45 you then because 40cfcd24d2 you weren’t in 2454332124 a state to d8b43e20e4 talk, but I f38e4b3d5e need to know 510c00f90f now. Aunt’s going 0cd447b29e to notice 087258e63c the second 1eb3977abc she sees d2b519e037 you.”034daaa2c10b2511

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Right. My parents will find ffb8845e2e out soon.
And when 389ef42d85 they do, de3f92c0c1 they’ll worry.
Like always.517d3459aa42473a

“No. I’ll handle it myself,” e419bdb983 Lane whispered.a11b18c00840b402

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Still, he wandered 62df89cc9a aimlessly, like he 23776ddd3c didn’t know where 4699a13c3d he was going.25375c6bb53e88fd

Dion followed, undeterred.4fd31152bedbf0a0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“At least tell me 7535ceaa9a what the jinx is. No—tell me everything. If it’s really 536484f77d a curse, maybe ebaafd87db I can use 0f519f2b7c it for a 5f1efa09bc movie.”256bcb46d1a4541c

He said 502a8d1154 it lightly, 9bac59499e but his 2bf7caeb6c concern was 435cbeb1a4 real. Over the last ten 6dca9c0c21 days, Dion had watched b3fa70087d Lane deteriorate over video 176c64fe40 calls. Now that 2c0605345e he was 6c784bf125 seeing it 64f126b1fa in person, 0f7781eea6 he was 1877334c88 even more 554c866776 alarmed.a2ec162c93ac2d89

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Since the party, f5e41507bc Lane had barely bcb2f949f3 eaten or drunk b5dd426d2f anything.
Not by choice—his 7dbe259481 body rejected it.
Whenever Sean’s d3b85c2ac8 twisted, angry 4bb50d43fc expression came e24596fa12 to mind, 947150a0da a wave f36ecd0f8d of nausea bdf537c8d8 followed.dc12a221fe63e262

His esophagus 1fee38f7d2 was raw. His stomach, wrecked 59e23e4201 by stress, couldn’t 56b1a104f0 even keep fruit d56ba860a7 down. His appetite 7cc346e278 was gone. It was d0a184801b as if e41dc5fb19 every basic fa67fdf62a human function 6e7b28f237 had been 9aea6c7ffe suspended—Lane was 95cb72b357 surviving, not a041bd4ae6 living.34e264a0d8345ab8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Day by day, he 08d7b220f2 faded. His face grew gaunt, 78ce044664 his bones sharper beneath cb5a4b7294 pale skin. Even though he dce610c2ca kept his bangs ff5a131727 long, the people 3a8773481e at his internship 90675ded65 began to notice. Are you okay? they asked.9c7e7800645483a3

He wasn’t.a3df187665f5e0b1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

And he realized 145c48c0f2 something terrifying:
If he didn’t see 0974ccde61 Sean again soon, the e35d7efcec hatred inside him—the one cb4bc93f56 growing like mold since 2c93667300 that day—would consume him.82c8fd3c2a6e599b

His body was reacting 312b57f616 late, but violently. His soul had already fa44884acd rotted.ac86e52b539a0d91

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Talking wouldn’t fix anything, 214b644b54 but still—because it was cada0aadaf Dion, and because he 4da298298f was family—Lane opened his 779731859d mouth.3998a44fdebf6ec4

“Whenever Sean and 139eacb254 I try to f65b880ae8 get close, something ac1fb61566 happens. It’s always aafd9160b3 been like 779335a198 that, even 964dcba541 when we 29f850a326 were kids.”af36c4bbc11ee6dd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Dion blinked. Then, bluntly:e9dd31f331c3ee37

“Isn’t this 168548a252 something you 3bd3774265 caused, though? You were 984b31d46b finally about da5358958c to date 9ebe49e1ed him—and then d5655a8315 jealousy fried 4121ab6cea your brain 3597ec1126 and you 740ef994fb said something ffb72e044d awful. You kicked the 56a7ad8652 perfect course I b62271792e planned out for a71b4714d8 you.”58c1af96ba53739b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

People writhe when they 8bc286fa33 hear the truth. Lane, forgetting he was e653c47362 supposed to be sick, f45d6e8d4c turned and shot Dion fb9fdb50f0 a frosty glare. The cold 59ee82d15b gathered in a45b43aa89 his eyes.bcb36408fc0ef460

Dion raised his 3266e0379e hands slightly in 2425f106f5 mock surrender.17bf745c24bd7206

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’m just saying. But hey—if we’re 7e166d9d26 going the horror c6531fb75b route, I do 2850dbae24 believe in jinxes. So… what happened before?”b7125734bf8e5293

But Lane didn’t want f8294b2c01 to explain. Just thinking c081528ed0 about it c219b9b695 made his 577e972d5b stomach roll.340dcf94cf9c5757

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Seconds later, he bolted 53d1eb6ea4 for the bathroom. He slammed e2e62bce49 the door 342b9ce0a5 shut, dropped 4f1bf146f3 to the f88a29bf19 toilet, and 7eb405f7df threw up 5478f73a2a nothing but bc03e25e60 bile.96ff43a7191e6cf1

The sound echoed e234bee6a9 through the house—harsh 894a0df08b and helpless.50c1184772823b75

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

When it finally 23723603bb stopped, Lane slid 67206263a9 down the wall 7078edbbc2 and sat there, 6784d9d35a breathing hard. Eyes wide. Unseeing.92df43e83af8559d

And his fa912fd3cd mind pulled 0b8ae48322 him backward—75c368002b58ee5b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

⸻ad87f90f8aa37311

To the summer 192fd8c93d night of fourth 76b8377339 grade.b3d2669b68198ec8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Both blissful and horrifying.d8031f0756b18442

A scar 9c55e2ca42 lived under 371db7e7dd Sean’s left e8c8381373 shoulder blade. Lane remembered 0bb2d544fb it clearly.cc5324cfa947b4ca

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His first scar. His first mistake. And a silent testament 5da0932501 to how much Sean 6193c1d1c6 had cared for him.a35b8674d3531888

That summer, bca7d5562b Lane had cbec01a534 been working 64cd55f542 on a c95098068c small project 755fa74c60 for school—about 7838cf09da the Karner 6aae3b8e9e Blue butterfly. Sean had taken a d688074306 rare interest in it, 84e7ba9936 and Lane wanted to f5a8626372 nurture that spark.dd5a381272cf7219

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

To see Sean fb5a982de1 happy, surrounded by bcb89fea57 blue butterflies, he 757e891028 had begun searching 04e0373106 for wild lupines—the aa21e5e798 only plant Karner 801b8677e1 Blues fed on.8f920da94a946466

He’d wanted to 1e6a5512d1 find a habitat aa62ab3458 for them. To give 83d05be640 Sean something 80e5e9c418 beautiful. A place full of 80257c9657 fluttering wings and color.a0ba2c6f5a0a8ad7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com