My Stepmom Is A Vampire & Her Entire Bloodline Wants To Breed Me

Chapter 171: For Our Future

Seamus’s question had been meant for Maria, not for the little girl in front of him. He knew they were a different person, not even close, but the words slipped out before he could stop them.

Some part of him still wished Maria would forgive him too.

Bambi stayed quiet for a long moment. Her tears slowed, and she wiped her face with the back of her sleeve.

"If you can fix my teddy bear, I might forgive her," she whispered. Her big eyes searched his face with a mixture of hope and stubborn hurt.

Seamus felt a small wave of relief. He smiled and gently patted her head. "Of course we will fix it, Bambi. You don’t need to worry."

He stood up and offered his hand. "Come on. Let’s go back."

Bambi nodded and held onto him tightly as they walked toward the orphanage.

---

Meanwhile, Maria led Rachel to a corner away from the cluster of curious children. They kept trying to peek over their shoulders and whisper to each other, so she chose the bench farthest from the chaos.

Rachel clung to her, sobbing quietly. Maria kept brushing a hand through her long hair, trying to soothe her.

"Rachel, why did you do that?" she asked gently. "You know how important that doll is."

Rachel stiffened. "I am sorry... I really am."

Maria sighed. "Some mistakes cannot be forgiven easily. You hurt her a lot."

"But if Bambi leaves, I will be alone again, the little girl said.

Her small hands twisted the fabric of her dress. "I don’t have anyone else. Only her."

Maria watched her for a moment. Rachel was slower than the others in almost everything. Slow in lessons. Slow in training. Slow to understand the jokes the other children made.

Many of the kids avoided her because they cared too much about scores and ranks, as if those things decided a person’s worth.

It reminded Maria too much of someone she used to know. A lonely child who always sat on the swing alone, staring at the other kids playing. A child who wanted to join but never got the chance.

Only she had wanted to play with him.

The memory made her smile bitterly.

"Do you think Bambi will forgive me, Miss?" Rachel looked up with red, swollen eyes.

"I am fine if she goes back to her mother. I just do not want her to hate me."

Maria did not answer immediately. The question stabbed deeper than she expected. Could she forgive Seamus? Could she look at him the same way she did when they were younger?

She honestly didn’t know. Being cold to him hurt her too, like cutting herself with the same blade she used to keep him away.

"I think she will forgive you, Rachel," Maria finally said.

"Just promise me you will never take something from her again, even if you think you are doing it for a good reason."

Rachel nodded hard. "I understand, Miss. I will never do something like that again."

Maria pulled her into another hug. "Good. Now let’s find Bambi so you can apologize."

But before they could even stand, Maria spotted two familiar figures approaching through the snow.

Bambi was holding Seamus’s hand, her eyes still puffy but calmer. Rachel’s breath hitched. Then she ran straight into Bambi and hugged her tightly, crying out apologies. Bambi clung to her and forgave her immediately.

Seamus and Maria watched in silence, wearing the same small smile. Even if they could not fix their own bond, at least they could mend someone else’s.

***

Maria was fixing the teddy bear carefully, stitching each ripped piece as if she were putting together something fragile and important.

Seamus sat beside her, pretending to organize toys into a box. He moved slowly, painfully slow, just so he could stay near her a little longer.

"You know you should hurry up," Maria said without looking at him.

She had already reattached the teddy bear’s head and was now working on its arms.

"Aren’t you the Crimson Nectar? I thought that title came with something impressive."

Seamus winced. "You really don’t hold back, do you? I get it. You don’t want me here for too long."

He pushed another toy into the box. "I’ll go back to Rowani tomorrow, so you won’t have to worry."

Maria paused mid-stitch. The silence was stretched even longer as he held his breath waiting for her response.

She suddenly said, "I don’t know why, but my heart is full of anger, Seamus," she said quietly. "And you are the easiest target."

He looked at her, unsure if he should interrupt.

"Maybe it’s because you changed me," she continued. "Or maybe fate was cruel to me."

"But more than anything, I hate myself. Your presence always reminds me of who I used to be and who I am now. It hurts."

Seamus stopped arranging the toys. He sat there, staring at the floor. "Maria... I’m really sorry. If my presence burdens you that much, I won’t appear in front of you again."

He stood to leave, but something tugged his shirt. Maria’s hand clung to the fabric, small but firm.

"It’s fine, Seamus," she said. "I think I need you here with me right now."

He hesitated as she gently pulled him to sit in front of her. Her eyes studied his face like it was a puzzle she wasn’t sure she wanted to solve.

"Maria, you don’t have to—"

"It’s fine." She took his hand.

Her skin was cold, colder than he remembered. It made something twist painfully inside him.

"Your father and the children here reminded me that I can’t stay locked away in a dark room forever," she whispered.

"I still have a future and a purpose. And I don’t think I can reach any of it if I can’t even tolerate you."

She breathed out slowly. "Vampires are monsters. But I am not. I will prove that I can be different."

Seamus felt something warm and sharp hit his chest at the same time. Because Maria smiled. A real smile to him. The first since she became what she is now.

"Thank you for giving me another chance," he said softly.

Maria leaned back a little. "Aren’t I your big sister? Families should not hate each other."

Then she frowned at his expression. "Although, your face is still annoying." She picked up a cloth and threw it over his head. "That is better."

Seamus pulled the cloth off and laughed under his breath.

"I am also sorry," Maria said quietly, returning to her sewing.

"For the things I said in front of your father. I know the suffering you’ve gone through because of him. I shouldn’t have used your pain just to hurt you."

She snorted. "Although that man deserved to die alone and lonely. He is a terrible father."

"It’s fine, Maria. I deserved all of that anyway. Compared to what I did to you, being insulted is nothing."

Maria chuckled. "True. And what are you doing now? Put the cloth back."

Seamus sighed but covered his face again, and Maria kept sewing with a small amused smile.

They fell into an easy conversation afterward, talking about the past they shared and the future that might still hold a place for the two of them.