Chapter 10 Bastian's Regret On the when side of town actin tid joet picked up the medical report from the hospital . The dorm's words still erhoed in his ears . Seven malnutrition , anemia , and gastritis . How does a perfectly healthy young girl end up like this ? Mr. Lark . don't tell me your family's too poor to feed her ? * Even now . Baotian's heart clenched at the memory . His hand trembled as he held the report . When Azalea had first returned to the Larks , she'd gone for a check - up . Sure , she'd been plainly dressed . but her health had been just fine . And now , three years later , her report was filled with problems Malnutrition is a joke for the daughter of the Larks . Standing at the front gate of the Larks , the report in his hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds . Azalea's hurt , aggrieved expression kept flashing in his mind . His eyes stung , on the verge of tears . How had he been so cruel to her before ? She was supposed to be the Larks ' precious treasure , so how had they let her turn into this ? Harper finally spotted Bastian frozen at the entrance and quickly greeted him . " Mr. Bastian , why are you still standing out here ? Mr. and Mrs. Larks are back already . They're celebrating Ms. Sydney's acceptance into the Jubilee training camp . Everyone's waiting for you . " Bastian felt like the world blurred for a moment . Azalea was still out there alone , and no one even knew if she was eating properly , yet his parents still had the mood to throw a celebration for Sydney . He could hardly breathe . Dragging heavy steps , Bastian entered the house . The dining table was packed with food , every dish rich and fragrant , appetizing enough to make one's mouth water . And yet it was in this very house that a girl had ended up with anemia and malnutrition . His throat felt like it was being strangled . What exactly had Azalea meant to them all these years ? Seeing him finally arrive , Wesley frowned in annoyance . " Didn't we tell you it was for Sydney's celebration earlier today ? Why are you only just getting home ? " Bastian opened his mouth but didn't know where to start . After a pause , he finally muttered , " I went to the hospital . " Sydney immediately looked over , eyes filled with concern . " Bastian , are you sick ? " " No , I went to pick up Azalea's medical report As soon as her name was spoken , the atmosphere dropped several degrees . ||| O 1/4 14:50 Sat 9 Aug Chapter 10 Bastian's Regret Wesley immediately scowled . " Why bring up such an inauspicious topic ? " Inauspicions ? Bastian stared at him in disbelief . 10 Fram dess He still remembered how , bark when Azalea first went missing . Wesley would spend nights in the study chain - smoking , crying in secret while holding her photo . And now she was inauspicious ? The rage exploded in his chest . Holding up the report , Bastian said , " Do you know what this report says ? Anemia , Malnutrition . Stornach issues . Do you remember what her check - up looked like when she first came home ? Three years in this house , and you've fed her into a sick mess ! " Ivy looked stunned . " How could she be malnourished ? Is the report real ? Don't tell me Azalea bribed the doctor to fake it ? " Matthias nodded . " She's capable of pulling something like that . " Cassiùs frowned . " When have we ever not fed her ? " Skyler yawned lazily . " Just ask Harper and be done with it . " None of them really cared about Azalea's health . Some even thought it was just one of her tricks . Bastian couldn't even pretend he wasn't disappointed . But what hurt more was the fact that , once upon a time , he had been one of them . How hopeless must those years have been for Azalea ? They were the ones who pushed her away , one step at a time . Harper soon came in . Ivy asked , " Didn't you make sure Azalea followed the meal plans from the nutritionist ? " " She had three meals a day , just like the plan . We made sure she never had more than she was supposed to , " Harper replied honestly . Bastian latched onto the key phrase . " Only three meals ? " Harper looked confused but still nodded . " Yes , three . " His hands trembled again . Everyone in the Larks knew Azalea's portions had always been pitifully small . At her age , during a critical growth period , just three such meals a day . How had she even survived ? Now , even the rest of the family sensed something was off . Wesley frowned . " Why just three ? Wasn't the whole point of her plan to eat smaller amounts more frequently ? " At the center of the table , Sydney panicked , nervously fiddling with her fingers . " Maybe the kitchen got too busy and mixed it up or something ? " Even the always - indifferent Skyler looked shocked now . Azalea hadn't even been eating enough ? 2/4 ||| O Chapter 10 Bastian's Regret Ivy felt a strange twinge of guilt but quickly brushed it off . Maybe it had been a mistake in the kitchen . " It's already happened . We can't change the past . We'll just make it up to Azalea when she comes home " Bastian suddenly remembered what Azalea had told him outside her school that day . Would they be this casual if it had happened to Sydney instead ? He didn't understand anymore . Was this really okay ? The suffocating pain in his chest spread through every inch of his body . His eyes burned , and he didn't need a mirror to know they were rimmed with red . " I went to Draywick High School today to see Azalea . Do you know what she told me about the school forum incident ? " He repeated her words for the whole family to hear . " If this had happened to Sydney instead . Mom , would you still be brushing it off like this ? And about the report . How could you even suggest she bribed the doctor ? Where would she even get the money ? She's left this house . She has no place to live . No way to cat ! " His last words came out as a near roar . Matthias was instantly annoyed . What did those words make Sydney out to be ? Matthias was immediately upset . " So what , now you're the hero ? Have you forgotten how you treated her before ? " That one sentence broke him . Bastian stood there like a ghost , his eyes blank . " You're right . I wasn't a good person . " Even this Jubilee training camp slot they were celebrating now , he had been the one who decided to give it to Sydney , not Azalea . So he lost that sweet little girl who followed behind him , calling him ' Bastian ' with a smile . Bastian wandered up the stairs in a daze . When he came to his senses , he was already standing in front of Azalea's old room . He pushed the door open . Nothing had changed - the room looked exactly as it had when she was still here , as if time had frozen in place . Like a lost soul , he sank onto the bed . His gaze landed on the stuffed bear resting on the sheets , and his eyes went blank for a moment . He still remembered how excited Azalea had been when she first came home and saw the room - she couldn't stop smiling . She hugged that little teddy bear like it was the best thing in the world . But in reality , this room had originally been nothing more than a storage space - cramped , poorly lit , and far from comfortable . No one in the family had the time to set up a proper room for her . Even the stuffed bear she loved so much had been something Sydney no longer wanted . Bastian's whole body trembled . Meanwhile , Sydney's room was the biggest and most luxurious in the house , filled with rare limited- 3/4 O Chapter 10 Bastian's Regret edition toys piled up to the ceiling . 110 Free Coins A cold sensation slid down his cheek . He reached up and touched his face , only to realize that he had started crying at some point . " Azalea , I was wrong , " he choked out , voice breaking in the quiet room . He regretted everything : failing to protect her when everyone else doubted her and failing to speak up when she was pushed aside . Most of all , he regretted that day at school when he accused her without knowing the truth . He could still remember the very first day she came home . He had stood before her , reached out his hand , and told her , " Don't be scared . As long as I'm here , I'll always protect you ." He never kept that promise . There were so many things . If he had only considered them from her point of view , he would've seen that she had been the one who had been hurt the most . How had he convinced himself it was okay to make her give up her spot at the Jubilee training camp ? Bastian's breath came in quick , shallow gasps . Suddenly , as if struck by a thought , he lifted the mattress to his feet . " Bastian , I'll tell you a secret ! I hid my most precious treasure under my mattress ! " It was a drawing . A picture of their whole family . His hands trembled as he flipped it over . The words " I want to always be with my family " were on the back . The pain was unbearable . What had he done ? Bastian broke down completely and cried . He had lost Azalea again . ||| Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!