The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 113

“I’d love to see Bastin,” Stefan said with a smile. But his phone rang again.

He let out a heavy sigh and pulled it out. “Sorry.”

Stefan stepped outside to take the call.

Serena finished the paperwork. She watched through the glass door as Stefan remained on the phone. Almost a minute later, he rushed back in, slightly breathless. “I’m sorry.”

“The new chairman of Stonewatch Rehabilitation Network is here in Rexam, and he wants to meet me now,” Stefan said, pressing a hand to his chest. “This is very important to me. I need to go.”

Silas frowned, but Serena remained calm.

“Go. Do what’s important,” Serena said. “Thank you for meeting me.”

“Silas?” Stefan looked at Serena’s brother.

“If you must go, then go,” Silas said, the disappointment in his tone was unmistakable.

After Stefan left, Serena asked quietly, “Still rooting for him?”

Silas hissed. “Did you plan this?”

“No, I certainly did not,” Serena said, glancing at her daughter.

When the technician called them in, Serena turned to her brother. “You should go. You have a very important meeting, Mr. CEO.”

Silas shook his head. “No. I’m not leaving you here. Family don't leave each other.”

“Exactly,” Serena said.

But when Serena placed Alisa on the hospital bed, the little girl refused to sleep. She wouldn’t even take the medication meant to help her. She kept scanning the room, clearly frightened, especially of the EEG machine.

“Mommy,” Alisa called, pointing toward the door.

When Serena tried to explain that they needed to go through with the procedure, Alisa began to cry. “Go home! Go home!”

Silas tried next. “Baby, this machine will check your brain to make sure you’re healthy—”

“No!” Alisa pointed at the door and tried to get off the bed.

They spent nearly fifteen minutes trying to calm her, to no avail. Serena was on the verge of giving up when the door finally opened.

Someone stepped inside.

Nathaniel Thorne.

He was breathless. His hair was slightly disheveled, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Clearly, he hadn’t slept.

Silas glared at Nathaniel. “You’re late. You should’ve been here an hour ago.”

Serena, “…”

“My apologies,” Nathaniel said simply. He didn’t complain or defend himself. He guided Alisa back onto the bed and helped her get comfortable.

Silas left soon after, realizing he was no longer needed. Serena walked him out. When she returned, Alisa was already yawning again, breathing evenly, staring at her father while holding his finger.

“You’re going to fall asleep too. You ate two gummies,” Serena said.

“That’s fine,” Nathaniel replied. “I could use the sleep.”

“How did you manage it?” Serena asked.

“I moved my meetings throughout the night,” Nathaniel said, making her jaw drop. Whoever he’d met with had been forced into the graveyard shift. “It was necessary.”

Later, Alisa drifted into sleep. The technician began placing electrodes around her head.

Alisa’s small hand was still wrapped around Nathaniel’s finger. He had fallen asleep in the recliner, head tilted back, eyes closed. His rolled sleeves revealed strong forearms, and despite the exhaustion etched into his face, there was something undeniably masculine about him.

“Ma’am,” the technician whispered with a giggle. “Your husband is very handsome.”

“And your daughter,” she added with a wink, “she’s a daddy’s girl. You’re very lucky.”