Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared) novel Chapter 897

He felt like it was his duty, as their child, to fix the relationship between his mom and dad. But the truth was, he hadn't been able to help at all.

And now, Agnes was filled with regret.

Why had she argued with Jared in the hospital room? It must have hurt Nocturne deeply.

"Sweetie," Agnes finally said, "I won't be giving you a little sister. Having you is more than enough for me. I just want to see you get better and grow up."

Nocturne exhaled slowly, stubborn as ever. "But Mom, if you had another baby, you could watch both of us grow up. Wouldn't it be nice to have a livelier house?"

Jared had seen through his son's act long ago.

"I'm sorry," Jared suddenly spoke up. "Your mom and I weren't fighting, we were just trying to work things out. Sometimes that's how adults solve problems. Arguing doesn't mean we don't love each other. In fact, it's often because we care so much that we fight. I hope you can understand that."

Nocturne fell silent.

It was the first time Agnes had seen him truly considering Jared's words. Nocturne was a bright kid, with his own take on the world. But that intellect came at a price. He'd lost some of that innocent simplicity that children have, burdened by the weight of the world's worries at a far too young age. He was only four, after all, and shouldn't be feeling the pain of the world like an adult.

Agnes' heart ached.

Regardless of where things with Jared would end up, whether they stayed together or not, the last thing she wanted was for Nocturne to get hurt. He'd never longed for a father before, but now that he had Jared, the idea of forcefully taking away that precious father-son bond seemed too cruel to him.

Caught in her internal conflict, Agnes didn't notice Nocturne looking up.