He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 397

Josie used to be so lively and clever, but now she merely uttered an "oh." She sat in silence for several seconds before asking, "Daddy, will you always love me?"

It was a question born of extreme insecurity. The old Josie would never have asked something like that.

Nelson's brow furrowed. The child was burying far too much trauma inside.

He thought for a moment. "Tomorrow, I'll take you to the mountains for a vacation. We can look at the stars."

"Just us?"

Her eyes sparked with longing, lighting up instantly. Perhaps, if it was just the two of them, Josie would finally open up and share her fears. It would also give him peace of mind regarding his brother.

Nelson smiled faintly. "Yeah, just the two of us. We'll go for three days. We can even go paragliding. I'll take you flying in the sky."

"Okay!"

She nodded obediently, her eyes shining with brilliance.

Nelson stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

He returned to the master bedroom and saw Juniper was still asleep.

Juniper had taken her medication before bed, but she was trapped in another nightmare.

She dreamt of the year she was locked inside Blackwood Institute. Her memories were a chaotic blur; she couldn't even recall their faces anymore. All that remained was her endless begging, the suffocating hunger and cold, and the sound of her own hands repeatedly slamming against a door that would never open.

She dreamt of cold, sterile medical equipment and the panicked voices of doctors. "She's hemorrhaging!"

Juniper jolted awake, her body drenched in cold sweat, her head throbbing violently.

She couldn't remember who had saved her the day Lucas attacked her, nor could she recall any of the details in between. The only thing etched into her mind was her desperate pleading to Beatrice, only to hear the doctor's muffled voice through the heavy door. "Her condition isn't stabilizing. Visiting her will only aggravate her symptoms. It's best if you don't come for the next six months. We don't want to overstimulate her and delay her recovery."

Facing the supposed authority of the doctor, Beatrice nodded frantically. "Okay, okay."

And as Juniper heard those retreating footsteps, she felt herself plunging into an abyss of darkness.

Nelson's voice broke through the haze. He instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist. "Nightmare?"

Juniper shoved him away instantly, sprinting to the bathroom and vomiting into the sink.

Nelson followed her, watching her tight-lipped silence.

Lightning flashed outside. Was she seriously trying to leave right now?

He cursed under his breath. He felt like a powder keg lately, ready to detonate at the slightest spark. But he remembered the doctor's warning: Juniper's mental state was fragile. He couldn't force her. He had to be patient.

He rushed past her to get the car, calling back, "I'll drive you."

Juniper stood under the awning, clutching Moonlight. When Nelson ran ahead to pull the car around, he had gotten completely soaked.

Nelson looked at her now, rubbing his temples with one hand. "Stop torturing me, Juniper. My heart can't take it."

Only then did Juniper slowly slide into the passenger seat.

Since reuniting, they had spent most of their time at each other's throats. They hadn't truly sat down for a real conversation.

Moonlight rested its chin on Juniper's lap, remaining perfectly quiet.