Kneeling for a Second Chance Novel

---- Chapter 254. "To be frank, I never really hated you. I only ever resented you, " Valeria answered Sebastian. On the delivery bed, she had felt resentment toward Sebastian -and also toward herself. Valeria bent down and reached out, brushing the corner of Sebastian's eyes with her fingertips . He was already crying helplessly, and she had never seen this proud, distant man fall apart like this. She felt the heat of his tears on her skin, but the ocean breeze dried them almost instantly.

"Sebastian, how could I ever hate someone I once loved so deeply?" He had once been the brightest part of her high school years. He froze, trembling as he repeated, "You used to love me". Valeria pulled her hand free and, without hesitation, scattered the ashes into the sea. Carried by the wind, the ashes drifted into the sea, where they became part of nature again. Louis was now here, and so was she. It felt as if a weight was finally lifted from her chest. A wave of dizziness washed over Valeria, and she gripped the railing for balance.

Through the overcast sky, a ray of sunlight slipped through the clouds. ---- She stretched out her hand, and the light hit her fingers. "No!" Sebastian lurched to his feet, gripping the railing as he stared out at the restless waves washing everything away. He reached out, as if trying to hold on to something. "Louis..." His voice broke as he collapsed onto the deck, utterly defeated. Valeria looked at the faint ray of light breaking through the heavy clouds. A minute later, the ferry pulled into the transfer dock at Central Pier.

She got ready to disembark, looking at the man sitting on the deck, all of his arrogance stripped away. "Selena is my daughter . If you want to see her, I won't stop you. However, she carries my last name. She's almost seven now, and in all those years, the role of a father has never existed in her world. And it never will." Then, she unzipped her bag and pulled a photo from her cardholder. She placed it in his palm as she added, "Sebastian, we never parted on good terms. From now on, let's just keep our distance." With that, Valeria turned and walked away.

One last tear streamed down her cheek. She brushed it away quickly and stepped off the ferry. Sebastian stared at the photo in his hand. It was a newborn, eyes shut tight, skin still tinged with blue. ---- His fingertips against the flimsy piece of paper, yet it weighed on him like a boulder. His strength gave out. He was drowning in guilt and regret , the kind of pain that cut straight through his chest. The photo slipped from his hand, and the wind swept it out of sight. Sebastian's eyes widened in panic as he watched the photo disappear, like some cruel twist of fate.

His face was drained of color. The Sebastian who once carried himself with such pride seemed to disappear with that picture. Valeria had already stepped off the ferry when she heard someone shouting. "Someone just jumped," one of the crew cried. Her footsteps faltered. She froze for several seconds but didn't turn around. It was already 6:00 pm. The Grace Fellowship Church hardly had any visitors due to its size, so it usually closed its gates by 5:00 pm. However, that afternoon , Maverick said, "Let's wait a little longer." By 6:00 pm, Oliver was about to close the church doors.

Through the distance, he spotted a lone figure making his way ---- up the hill. His soaked clothes clung to him, and his hair plastered against his forehead. Each step he took looked like a struggle. When the man finally arrived at the entrance, Oliver lowered his head slightly , opened the door, and said, ''God bless you. Please, come in." Oliver recognized him as the person who had visited earlier with Valeria. That morning, he had carried himself with an air of quiet authority, his presence sharp and striking. By the afternoon, it was as though all life had drained out of him.

He climbed the stairs slowly, each step heavy. His posture stooped like an old man's. Sebastian looked worn and weathered. Inside the hall, Maverick sat in his worn clerical robe with his eyes closed. The rosary slipped through his fingers as he murmured his prayers, and every so often, a cough cut through his voice. When Sebastian walked in, Oliver noticed the trail of water winding across the floor and went to fetch a mop. However, even with his eyes closed, Maverick seemed to know everything. He lifted his hand and made a small gesture.