Natalie nodded. Mrs. Lockwood began, her voice heavy with emotion, "When my son was thirteen, he met a young girl. She was the reigning princess of the city's elite—skilled in horseback riding, archery, advanced math, and astronomy. She was brilliant in every way. My son was captivated by her, and they became very good friends.
"Later, that girl was kidnapped. My son didn't have time to alert anyone else and followed them, only to be taken along with her out to international waters.
"He was subjected to inhuman torture. The little girl was thrown into the sea. They never even found her body. My son was left disabled, and since then, he hasn't allowed any woman to get close to him.
"He was getting older, and I was getting anxious. Then one day, he came home with Lucas and Liana. We thought he had finally moved on, that he had a girlfriend. But five years have passed, and there's still no woman in his life.
"We don't even know who Lucas and Liana's mother is. My personal theory is that they might have been conceived through some modern technology. My son remains tight-lipped about their mother.
"Now that he has Lucas and Liana, it's even harder to persuade him to go on dates. It's like he's decided to be a single father forever, to live a solitary life. Nothing we say can change his mind. You are the first woman he has willingly approached since that incident."
Natalie was stunned. She had no idea Terence had been through something so horrific. His inability to walk, the terrible things he must have endured at sea, and the girl he tried to protect who met such a tragic end.
Suddenly, violent images flooded Natalie's mind—a boy being brutally beaten, desperate cries mixed with chilling laughter.
For a moment, she found it hard to breathe.
Seeing Natalie's pale face, Mrs. Lockwood asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"Just thinking about what might have happened back then... it's just so sad."
Mrs. Lockwood saw the color drain from Natalie's face.
She had only described what happened, yet Natalie felt it so deeply.
She really was a very kind person.
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Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Caught Him Cheating My Life Restarted (Natalie)
I love the sarcastic comebacks. Quite amusing!...