Love Across the Light Years -The Devil CEO Indulges My Lies.-Chapter 18: Cruel —but true.

Dylan turned to look back at his daughter.

He had known earlier that she was pretending to sleep; he was only waiting for her to open her eyes.

Eira met her father’s gaze. Her eyes brimmed with tears, yet she refused to let them fall.

That sight alone was heartbreaking.

Yet, Dylan stood there, appearing unaffected.

Only his clenched fingers —curled tightly into fists —betrayed him.

"You were never a bad child, Eira," he said. There was no deliberate comfort or indulgent affection in his tone —only a quiet certainty that could make anyone believe him.

His hands moved to pat over her head. "Don’t let yourself think like that."

Usually, his words like that were enough to calm her. But tonight, Eira was not the same.

She had complaints —but she didn’t want to complain.

She wanted to ask for her Mama —but she didn’t have her Mama.

She wanted to cry —but she wouldn’t let her tears make her look less pretty.

Sniffling, she let go of Dylan’s sleeve and slowly sat up. Then she lifted her gaze to him again.

"If Eira hadn’t been bad," she asked softly, "why does Mama not want her?"

She sniffled again. "Don’t they only dislike bad children?"

Dylan’s brows drew together. His expression hardened.

Even without tears, he could tell —his daughter was crying.

He wasn’t good at coaxing.

He had never been.

But —

He stepped forward and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Eira never looked away. She stared at her father, waiting for him to tell her everything.

"Did your Mama say she doesn’t like you?" he asked.

She paused for a moment to think, and then slowly shook her head.

"Then why do you think she dislikes you?"

Eira didn’t answer.

She was too small to understand, and that was why she asked —just to know if she had done something that made her mother hate her.

Dylan thought he had explained to her enough, and there was no need to say more

But when he caught her gaze still fixed on him —still waiting —Ford’s words echoed in his mind.

She is too small for certain things.

"Your Mama," he began slowly, "doesn’t dislike you. She has just forgotten you."

"Forgotten me?"

Eira blinked. Although confused, her eyes still sparkled for a second as though she had found the missing piece of her favourite puzzle.

Dylan nodded. "It has nothing to do with you being good and bad." His voice was subtle without any trace of blame. "She forgot you. And when people forget someone, they don’t know how to love them anymore."

The little girl blinked once again. Those words were too heavy for her to decipher, yet she tried ... tried her hardest.

But even after a long moment, she still didn’t understand much —except that her Mama didn’t really hate her.

Dylan watched her carefully.

When her eyes finally seemed calmer, he spoke again. "Now that you have your answer, you should sleep."

He helped her lie back down, adjusting the pillow and tucking the blanket around her.

Just as he was about to pull his hand away, Eira caught it.

"Then ... if Mama remembers Eira," she asked quietly, "will she like her?"

Dylan’s brows furrowed.

He saw a fragile hope flickering in her eyes. And even though he hated destroying it, he refused to let his daughter grow up clinging to a lie. The one that might hurt her later.

Meeting her gaze directly, he said, "Your Mama won’t remember you."

That was cruel —but true.

And it made Dylan grit his teeth.

The light in Eira’s eyes dimmed. She looked as though she might cry again —but once more, she didn’t allow herself to.

She only sniffled and nodded, as if she understood. She didn’t question, but accepted it.

Letting go of Dylan’s hand, she tucked it back under the blanket.

"Good night, Daddy," she said softly, then closed her eyes.

Dylan’s hardened expression didn’t soften. He watched her for a second longer before he turned and left.

As the door closed, Eira opened her eyes again. Tears rolled down from the corner of her eyes.

"Mama," she sobbed, "why did you forget Eira? Why won’t you remember her?"

—————

At the same time, on the other side —

Adelyn halted mid-step when an unsettling sensation spread through her chest. Her hand moved there instinctively as she tried to steady herself, yet a strange, guilty discomfort lingered.

"What’s wrong?"

A man asked from behind, noticing the change almost immediately.

Adelyn’s brows furrowed. She didn’t answer; instead, she allowed herself to feel it.

The image of the little girl flashed through her mind every time she closed her eyes. The memory of her tears still bothered her.

"Linnie, —"

"Nye," Adelyn cut in.

Turning around, she faced him and asked, "Just how much do you think a child’s tears could bother me?"

"Bother you?" Nigel repeated, blinking as though he was trying to process her question. "That too —someone’s tears?"

Adelyn nodded, her gaze serious.

Nigel stared at her. And just when one might expect a thoughtful answer, he burst into laughter —as if he had heard the lamest joke of the year.

"Haha ... since when did you start deluding yourself like that?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Adelyn frowned.

But he didn’t stop.

"Even a bloodbath failed to move you," he said lightly. "You think your heart would be stirred by someone’s tears."

"I am not talking about some random person’s tears." Her brows twisted as she stepped closer, her intent unmistakable. "I am talking about a child. That’s different."

Before she could intimidate him further, Nigel easily sidestepped her.

"Oh really?" he asked, raising a brow in amusement. "And what’s so different? You are not Mother Mary."

"I won’t get moved by a child’s tears," Adelyn snapped, frustration almost creeping in. "What do you take me for? Do I look that heartless to you?"

Nigel paused.

"Not exactly," he said, raising a finger. "I don’t think you are heartless. I just know that you are."

"You —!"

Before he could dodge, Adelyn reached out and pinched him hard.

"Ouch!"

"Say that nonsense again," she warned coldly, "and I won’t just pinch you —I will beat you to death."

Nigel retreated quickly, rubbing his arms. "What nonsense? I am only stating facts. If you don’t believe me, look back — has anyone’s tears ever truly moved you?"

Adelyn opened her mouth —then closed it.

Nigel gave her an unmistakable look.

Seeing his smug expression, Adelyn tried again, but closed her mouth again.

Nigel smirked. "I will raise the stake," he said and then added, "Prove me wrong, and I will shave my head bald."