Carrie stared at Dante after hearing his answer.
For a moment, confusion replaced the sadness in her eyes.
Then she gave a bitter smile and slowly shook her head.
“You don’t understand, Dante.
Everyone hates me.
They look at me and see a freak.” Dante’s teasing expression disappeared.
He studied Carrie’s tear-streaked face and heard the certainty in her voice.
Years of abuse had convinced her that cruelty was the only thing she deserved.
“They treat you that way because they don’t understand you,” Dante said.
“You’re kind, Carrie.
You have good qualities that no one has bothered to notice because they’re too busy judging you.” Carrie’s eyes turned red again.
His words had touched a part of her that had been starved of kindness for most of her life.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re the first person who has ever spoken to me like this.
No one has ever said there was anything good about me.” Dante gave her a reassuring smile and kept his voice gentle.
“You don’t need to thank me.
We’re friends now, and friends are supposed to help each other.” Carrie lowered her gaze.
She seemed comforted by the word, yet the sadness surrounding her did not disappear completely.
Dante considered several ways to improve her mood before remembering one of the rewards from his ten-draw.
A mysterious smile appeared on his face as he moved toward an abandoned wooden crate.
“How about a magic trick?” Carrie wiped her cheeks with her sleeve and looked at him with cautious curiosity.
“What kind of trick?” “Tell me what you want to eat.
It can be anything.” Carrie blinked.
“Anything?” “Anything.” She hesitated as though she feared asking for too much.
After several seconds, she gave him a shy look.
“Could I have some cake?
I haven’t eaten cake in a long time.” “Of course.” Dante reached into his System inventory and removed the Gourmet Tablecloth.
To Carrie, it appeared as though he had pulled the folded cloth from inside his jacket.
He spread it across the dusty crate with the confidence of a stage magician preparing his final act.
Then he placed one hand above it and spoke clearly.
“One fresh vanilla cake with chocolate frosting.” The cloth rose slightly as something formed beneath it.
Dante grabbed one corner and pulled it away with a flourish.
A small round cake rested on the crate.
Smooth chocolate frosting covered its surface, while colorful sprinkles decorated the top like tiny stars.
The sweet scent of vanilla and cocoa quickly replaced the smell of rust and dust inside the warehouse.
Carrie’s mouth opened in surprise.
She looked from the cake to Dante and then back again.
“How did you do that?” “A magician never reveals his secrets.” Dante lifted the cake and handed it to her.
The Gourmet Tablecloth had also produced a small cardboard plate beneath it, which made carrying the dessert much easier.
“This is for you.” Carrie accepted it with both hands.
She moved carefully as though one sudden motion might cause the cake to disappear.
“Thank you.” Her voice was barely louder than the wind moving through the broken warehouse windows.
Still, the gratitude inside it was unmistakable.
For the first time since Dante had found her, a genuine smile appeared on Carrie’s face.
She studied the cake with quiet wonder and slowly raised one hand toward the frosting.
A dog suddenly began barking outside.
The sharp sound echoed through the abandoned building.
Carrie’s entire body stiffened and her hand froze above the cake.
The happiness vanished from her expression.
Fear returned to her eyes as she looked toward the dark entrance.
Dante noticed the change immediately.
“It’s only a dog.” Carrie nodded, but her trembling did not stop.
Her emotions were still unstable after the argument with Margaret, and even an ordinary noise was enough to frighten her.
Dante crouched beside her again.
“Maybe you should head home and get some rest.
I’ll make you something else next time.” Carrie’s fingers tightened around the cardboard plate.
“No.” The answer came so quickly that Dante paused.
Carrie shook her head and moved farther from the entrance.
“I don’t want to go home.” Her voice began trembling again.
“My mother will be waiting.
She’ll lock me in the prayer closet and make me stay there all night.” Dante remembered the cramped space inside the White house.
Margaret used it as a punishment whenever she believed Carrie had committed a sin.
The thought of returning there terrified Carrie more than spending the night inside an abandoned warehouse.
“Don’t be afraid,” Dante said.
“I won’t let her hurt you tonight.” Carrie looked at him with desperate uncertainty.
“But my mother is…” She could not finish the sentence.
Margaret had controlled every part of her life for so long that disobedience felt almost impossible.
Dante considered the situation before reaching a decision.
“Come to my house.” Carrie stared at him.
“You can stay there until your mother calms down.
My parents won’t mind once I explain what happened.” Fear and hope struggled across Carrie’s face.
She wanted to accept, but years of Margaret’s warnings made the outside world feel dangerous.
“What if she finds out?” “Then she can talk to me.” Dante’s calm answer gave Carrie more confidence than a long explanation could have.
He stood and offered his hand.
“You shouldn’t spend the night here.” Carrie looked around the dark warehouse.
Cold moonlight passed through holes in the roof and illuminated broken machinery, rusted metal, and layers of dust.
She finally placed her hand in his.
“All right.” Dante pulled her to her feet.
Carrie kept the cake balanced in one hand while her other fingers closed around the edge of his jacket.
She held on tightly as they left the warehouse.
The streets were nearly empty beneath the pale moonlight.
Their footsteps echoed across the quiet pavement while Carrie walked close enough that her shoulder occasionally touched Dante’s arm.
She continued holding his jacket the entire way.
Dante did not tell her to release it.
At that moment, the small piece of fabric seemed to be the only thing keeping her connected to a world where she felt safe.
They eventually reached the Connor house.
Warm light shone through the front windows and made the ordinary home seem more welcoming than ever.
Dante opened the door and stepped inside.
“Mom, I’m back.” Sarah entered the hallway from the living room.
Her expression changed when she noticed Carrie standing behind him.
Carrie’s hair was disheveled and her face had lost nearly all its color.
Her swollen eyes and trembling hands made it clear that something serious had happened.
Sarah did not immediately question her.
Instead, she gave the frightened girl a kind smile and stepped aside.
“Is this one of your friends?” “This is Carrie,” Dante said.
“She can’t go home right now.
Can she stay here for a while?” Sarah looked at Carrie more carefully.
The fear in the girl’s eyes gave her all the explanation she needed.
“Of course she can.” Her voice became softer as she approached.
“You’re safe here, sweetheart.
Come inside and make yourself comfortable.” Carrie slowly raised her head.
She seemed unable to understand why a mother would speak with such warmth instead of anger.
“Thank you, Mrs.
Connor.” “You don’t have to be afraid.” Sarah gently guided Carrie toward the couch.
She sat beside her and placed a comforting hand over the girl’s cold fingers.
Marquis appeared near the hallway while wearing Lily’s familiar face.
She had returned before Dante and resumed acting like his younger sister.
Sarah remained focused on Carrie and did not notice Dante gesture for Marquis to follow him.
The two moved several steps away and lowered their voices.
“What happened to Margaret?” Dante asked.
Marquis glanced toward Carrie before answering.
“I absorbed most of the fear surrounding her.” “Did it make you stronger?” “Considerably.” A satisfied spark appeared in Marquis’s eyes, but it faded when she remembered Margaret’s condition.
“That woman is deeply disturbed, Master.
I have encountered many frightened humans, but her mind is twisted in ways that even I find uncomfortable.” Dante raised an eyebrow.
“A demon thinks she’s disturbed?” Marquis nodded without hesitation.
“Her fear has been festering for years.
She hates everything she cannot control and hides that hatred behind religion.” She lowered her voice further.
“After I fed on her emotions, her mind could no longer support the strain.
Someone found her unconscious near the front door and called an ambulance.” “How long will she be gone?” “Most likely several days.
The doctors will keep her in the hospital until they understand why she collapsed.” Dante gave a quiet nod.
Margaret’s hospitalization solved the immediate problem and allowed Carrie to remain away from the White house without facing another confrontation.
His attention returned to the living room.
Carrie sat stiffly on the couch while Sarah held her hand.
The frightened girl looked like a wounded animal that expected kindness to vanish at any moment.
Sarah gently rubbed the back of Carrie’s hand.
“Can you tell me what happened?” Carrie lowered her gaze.
Her fingers clutched the edge of her sweater until her knuckles turned white.
“My mother…” Her voice broke before she could continue.
Tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
Sarah moved closer and placed one arm around her shoulders.
“Take your time.
You don’t have to say everything at once.” Carrie leaned against her and began crying quietly.
Sarah continued rubbing her back with patient care.
“Whenever you’re ready, I’m listening.” For the first time in her life, Carrie found herself in the arms of a mother who wanted to comfort her instead of punish her.