The Unwavering Heart That Broke novel Chapter 104

“I was there when it happened.” Lance’s voice was calm, almost too even.

“What?!” Daniel froze, then shot up from his seat. “If you were there, why didn’t you stop Nathalie?”

Lance met his father’s eyes, calm and steady. “Felice misunderstood her. That’s why she reacted. Dad, you know what she’s like. If you blame her for something she didn’t do, she’ll own up to it just to prove a point.”

Daniel’s face grew even darker. “Even so, you should have stopped her. You can’t just let her hit people.”

He turned on Nathalie, his glare sharp. “Apologize to Felice.”

Nathalie looked at Lance for a second, her eyes unreadable. She hadn’t expected him to defend her. Still, she felt nothing—no relief, no gratitude.

“When she’s dead, I’ll bow and leave flowers at her grave.” Her voice was flat, almost bored.

“Nathalie!” Daniel tried to keep his voice low, but there was a desperate note in it.

Felice went pale. Suddenly, she started crying, her voice trembling. “I never should have come to this family. If my real parents were alive, no one would treat me like this…”

Her words hit Daniel hard. He looked back at Nathalie, disappointment etched into every line of his face. “You… you awful girl…”

But nothing else came. There was simply nothing left to say. No matter how he lectured her, it made no difference.

Daniel turned to Felice, his tone gentle, almost apologetic. “Don’t cry, Felice. She was wrong. I’ll apologize for her. Don’t let it upset you. I’ve decided—I'm giving you five percent of The Blair Group. When your mom and I are gone, you’ll inherit the company.”

“I don’t agree!” Nathalie lost her cool in an instant, her calm facade falling away. She clenched her jaw. “She’s just an adopted daughter! Don’t you think you’re going too far?!”

She bit down on her lip, fighting the pain but refusing to let go. The ache ran deeper than her skin. Her heart hurt, too.

Lance gently took her hand, frowning. “Don’t. You’re bleeding.”

Nathalie looked up at him, her eyes red, her lips trembling. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Why do they keep forcing me to admit it? Why do they love Felice James so much? Why is it always her?”

Right then, Nathalie looked so fragile, like she might shatter with the next harsh word or a passing breeze. Sadness pressed down on her.

Lance felt it, too—a sharp twist inside him. He pulled her into his arms, then turned to Daniel. “You should think this through. This isn’t just your decision to make.”

Felice suddenly spoke, her voice soft but clear. “Lance, all these years you’ve protected her, no matter what she did. Is it because she saved you during the earthquake?”