A Wound that Never Heals
Chapter 264

Chapter 264

A Wound that Never Heals Chapter 264

Chapter 264 Nathen, It’s You!

By the time Braylen brought Darlene back to the villa, it was already past midnight.

When the car arrived at the gate, Darlene, who had been silent the entire time, spoke up, “How aboutpulling off here?”

She had not been back for two years. She knew that her grandmother and younger brother had comehere. Coupled with the large Swale family, it seemed that she was not prepared to face so manypeople.

It was not because they had not seen each other for two years that she was unfamiliar with everyonethere, but that she felt unfamiliar with her current self.

When she came back with such a face, it was as if there was a sense of guilt in her heart, making herafraid to face so many relatives.

There was no light in the villa. It was past midnight, so the Swale family had fallen asleep.

When Braylen returned to Baltimore, he mentioned on the phone that he would bring Darlene back andexplained many things in the past two years.

However, he did not say that he was already in the city. Firstly, he wanted to give his family a surprise,and secondly, he was afraid that Darlene would change her mind.

He followed Darlene’s instructions and parked the car outside the gate. He thought that Darlene hadjust met Avery, so she was not in a good mood.

So he complained, “If I had known that you would meet that man, I would not have brought you to thepolice station. I would have gone there by myself tomorrow morning.”

Just now, his friend called and asked if he had received the files, causing Darlene to accidentally pressthe horn button and almost let Avery replace her.

However, with her current face, even if Avery saw her, he would not recognize her.

Darlene shook her head. “It’s fine. Since we are back in Baltimore, we will meet sooner or later. I don’tcare. Let’s go in.”

Braylen continued driving and teased Darlene, “Look how nervous you are. You are going to see yourparents, not your in-laws.”

Darlene followed his words and joked, “You are right, good boy.”

Only then did Braylen remember that when he was outside the police station, to deceive

Avery, he opened the car door and got into the car to call Darlene “Mom”.

Braylen was taken advantage of, and he was so angry that he scolded Darlene with a smile, “Youheartless woman, you have no manners in front of your brother. Be careful, or your mother will beat youup.”

Just as he finished speaking, the lights in the villa lit up.

The lights were turned on one after another, and in an instant, the villa was as bright as it was duringthe daytime.

Braylen was surprised, “Is the sound of me driving in so loud?”

He didn’t even press the horn, so how could he wake up his family?

Darlene curled her fingers and subconsciously grabbed the seatbelt. She wanted to laugh but couldnot.

In the past two years, she and Braylen had become familiar with each other.

Braylen was the one she got along well with as if she had been his younger sister.

However, she was unfamiliar with Dakota and Lucian.

The lights in the villa lit up. Soon, the door opened. A large number of people walked out.

Dakota’s eyes were still tearful when she was supported by Lucian. She walked down the stairs andcame over.

Nigel helped Reina over. It had been two years since they last met. Now, the boy who was almostfifteen years old became as tall as Darlene.

Braylen got out of the car and went to the passenger seat to open the door for Darlene.

Worried that she would feel uncomfortable, Braylen joked, “Take it easy. We agreed that we onlywanted to see Darlene alive. No one is allowed to cry and say any sentimental words.”

Adam returned before Braylen and explained, “Mr. Swale, after all, Ms. Swale has not returned for twoyears. It’s not easy for her to come back. The atmosphere can’t be cheerless.”

“So I told your parents that you would come back.”

Braylen reached out his hand and patted Adam. “I just knew that you wouldn’t keep your mouth shut,but you guys were quite calm. You knew when we would be back and

even turned off the lights till just now.”

Adam smiled, “Mrs. Swale said that she was worried that if she turned on the lights and waited,Darlene would be scared away. She comes back with great difficulty, so Mrs. Swale won’t let her runaway again. That’s why she turned off the lights and pretended that she didn’t know anything.”

The two chatted for a long time before they realized that no one was paying attention to them.

Braylen looked over and saw Dakota and Reina. Their eyes were red as she stood on the steps andlooked at Darlene.

Darlene was standing outside the car, holding the handle of the car door. After a long time, she bitterlymocked herself, “Do you not know me?”

She smiled and felt cold in her heart. “I occasionally look at myself in the mirror, and I almost don’tknow myself.”

Dakota finally came back to her senses.

Darlene’s face had become unfamiliar, but she could recognize that she was her daughter.

She rushed over and held Darlene in her arms, choking. “I know everything. Your grandmother, brother,and I all know what happened to you in the last two years.”

Braylen was her son, and no one knew him better than her, his mother. Two years ago, in the earlymorning, Braylen drove out.

After he came back, Dakota noticed that something was wrong with him.

Later, he used all kinds of excuses to go abroad, and every time, he would leave for a long time.Dakota knew that he found Darlene and took her abroad to recuperate.

But Dakota knew that Darlene did not want to come back at that time, so she did not say anything andjust pretended to know nothing. She just waited for the day when Darlene let go of the past, recovered,and became willing to return.

She waited for two years.

About a year ago, Reina woke up from her paralyzed state. When she learned of Darlene’s death, shewas overly sad and almost died.

Dakota had no choice but to tell Reina and Nigel that Darlene was still alive.

Therefore, in the past two years, the Swale family and Reina had been playing dumb when facingBraylen.

It was all for the sake of giving Darlene the time to recover.

As for these things, Braylen was aware. It was just that before the day Darlene recovered and waswilling to come back, everyone was playing dumb.

Darlene was held by Dakota and she cried. “It’s my fault. I did such an impulsive thing and madeeveryone worry about me.”

Reina walked over, trembling as she grabbed Darlene’s hand and patted her. “It’s good to see youback. Don’t think too much about it. You have to take good care of your health.”

Braylen felt like crying. He took a deep breath and said, “Alright, alright. Let’s go in.

It’s cold outside.

“Darlene needs more time to recover. When I brought her back last night, she had a fever.

I have to take her to the hospital tomorrow morning for hospitalization.”

Dakota then let go of Darlene and brought her into the villa.

A few days ago, Darlene attended a few banquets and press conferences with Braylen in Lancaster.She also attended an art exhibition and went to the opening ceremony of a drama.

Now that she was in a hurry to return to Baltimore, she had long been exhausted.

Two years ago, after she fell into the sea, there were a lot of injuries left on her body, and she couldn’trecover from them.

Braylen was afraid that if she had a fever, she would catch pneumonia. The next morning, the wholefamily had a reunion breakfast, and he took Darlene to the hospital after that.

Before going to the hospital, he helped Darlene pack up her clothes and medicine.

Darlene herself, on the other hand, was focused on packing up the painting boards and things like that.She did not have the slightest awareness of making herself recuperate but looked like she was movinginto a new office.

Braylen packed up her things and looked at the large pile of things she prepared for drawing. Hesighed a few times. There was nothing he could do. In the end, he brought all those things to thehospital.

Braylen contacted a rehabilitation center for Darlene. It was in the suburbs and the environment wasquiet.

However, Darlene said that it was too far away and that she could just stay at John Hopkins Hospital,which she was familiar with.

Braylen talked to her for a long time, but in the end, he compromised. According to Darlene’s will, theywent to John Hopkins Hospital.

Along the way, he sighed. “Why do you always have the final call? Why don’t I have the right to speakas your brother?”

Darlene reached out and patted him on the shoulder. She kindly comforted him, “Accept your fate.”

After Braylen was done with the hospitalization procedures, he went to work and left two servants totake care of Darlene.

Darlene stayed in the hospital in the morning with one hand on the drip and the other drawing.

She took a nap in the afternoon. When she woke up, it was already dusk.

She opened her eyes and saw a familiar face.

Her mind was not clear, so she subconsciously greeted him, “Dr. Elicott.”