Larissa's Game of Thrones (Larissa) novel Chapter 488

Neville chuckled. “It would be a lie to say I never wanted a child of my own. But if it wasn’t a child with your mother, it was never a burning desire for me.”

“And my reasons for not being desperate for a child aren’t as noble as she thinks. It’s quite simple, really. If the problem had been with me, I know for a fact that your mother would never have left me. She wouldn’t have betrayed my love, so how could I betray hers?”

“Besides, Paxton and Vivica already had three children. I didn’t have the pressure of carrying on the Judson family line. Your grandfather wanted us to have a child mainly because he wanted me, as the eldest son, to take over the company. Without an heir, the bulk of the family fortune would eventually go to Paxton’s family, and your grandfather always had higher expectations for me.”

Neville’s voice grew softer, “Your grandmother died from a sudden postpartum hemorrhage after giving birth to Josette. It was so unexpected. One moment she was fine, recovering from childbirth, and the next, she was gone. We all thought she had made it through the hardest part.”

He paused, the memory still painful. “When your mother had her surgery, I was terrified something would happen to her. So no, I have never once regretted my decision to stay with her.”

“Honestly, if I had been an only child and my father had pressured me to have an heir, even threatening to disown me, I can’t guarantee I would have been so steadfast in choosing your mother.”

Larissa was taken aback by his candor but also deeply impressed. “You’re remarkably honest, Dad.”

Neville fell silent for a moment. “Larissa, what are you trying to say?”

“Dad, I have confidence in my medical skills. If I were to personally oversee Mom’s treatment, I’m fairly certain I could help her successfully conceive.” Larissa paused. “But there are risks. At her age, a first pregnancy is especially dangerous. In the worst-case scenario, we could lose both of them.”

Neville cut her off immediately. “Don’t even consider it. At our age, I have no intention of having another child. Even if your mother wanted to, I would never agree.”