William came to a halt, turning his gaze back towards Orion.


    After a moment of tense silence, he erupted, "What a shame that in this lifetime, you are destined to be nothing more than my son." His words hung heavy in the air, a bitter deration of disappointment.


    Without another word, he dismissed Orion''s presence, climbing into his car and driving away. Orion remained rooted to the spot, his eyes cast downward, fixated on the ground. He was silent, lost in the echo of his father''s harsh words. Quinn, watching him with a growing concern, reached out to touch his arm. Time seemed to stretch out before Orion finally lifted his gaze to meet hers.


    Under the dim light, his face was a mask of pallor, a stark contrast to his usual vibrant self. In a matter of minutes, he seemed to have aged years.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    His eyes, once bright, now glimmered with a wounded light, a hint of helplessness lurking within their depths. He opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him.Feeling his distress, Quinn tightened her grip on his arm, a silent offer offort.


    Orion closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath before gently extricating himself from Quinn''s grasp. His voice was hoarse as he reassured her, "I''m fine."


    His words were belied by the unshed tears in his voice, lending it a raspy, nasal quality.He made his way towards the cages, but hesitated as he neared them.Quinn, standing beside him, mustered the courage to approach the cages. As she drew closer, the sight that met her eyes was heart-wrenching.


    The dogsy haphazardly in their cages, their bodies still and lifeless. They looked as if they were merely sleeping. Tentatively, Quinn reached out to touch a golden retriever. Its cold, unresponsive body sent a chill down her spine. The sight brought back memories of Ulysses'' death. He had looked just as peaceful, as if he were simply basking in the sun in their yard. The only difference was that this time, his eyes remained closed forever.


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    After Ulysses'' death, Quinn had felt an emptiness whenever she saw familiar ces, things, and the rocking chair he loved.


    The sadness would creep up on her, a painful reminder of the person who should have been there but never showed up.


    It was through this lingering sense of loss that she hade to truly understand the finality of death and the separation it brought. Whether it was a person or an animal, emotional bonds were inevitable over time.


    And for Orion, who had cared for these animals for so long, his emotions ran deep.Gathering his courage, Orion approached the cages. His face was set in grim determination as he reached out to open the cages, flicking on the overhead light. The harsh light revealed the tragic conditions inside.Orion''s hand trembled as he reached out to touch a husky. "29..." he whispered.Quinn looked at him in surprise.


    A tear slipped from Orion''s eye as he choked out, "This was the twenty-ninth animal I''d adopted. I remember boasting that I would fill this facility with them."


    He gave a bitter smile. "From one to one thousand, that would have been something. I remember all their names and all their faces. They must never have imagined they would die because of me. They must have been desperate, waiting for me to save them. Why didn''t I hurry... If I had been faster, they wouldn''t have died."


    As he spoke, Orion''s voice grew more deste. His back bent, and he gripped the iron railing, his knees threatening to buckle under the weight of his grief.Quinn stood silently beside him, her heart heavy with shared sorrow.


    She reached out, gently patting his back in an attempt tofort him, just as Alexander used to do for her. As her fingers brushed against Orion''s back, she could feel the tremors running through his body, the physical manifestation of his hidden pain and helplessness.He must be in so much pain right now."He''s my dad; why is he treating me like this..." Orion''s voice trailed off, a question hanging unanswered in the air.