The Unwavering Heart That Broke novel Chapter 11

“What?”

Leda’s face twisted in shock. She rushed over to check Jasper, hands trembling as she looked him over. She couldn’t find any pinch marks, but there were scraped patches on his elbows and knees. The one on his knee looked especially bad, the skin torn open and raw.

“You’re vile,” Leda snarled, pointing accusingly at Nathalie. Her finger shook, but her voice was sharp and clear. “He’s just a little boy. How dare you touch him? Get out. Go kneel outside. You’re not getting up until you realize what you’ve done. How could Lance have ended up with a woman like you?”

Nathalie frowned, turning to Jasper. “When did I ever pinch you?” she asked. Her voice was calm, but there was a steeliness to it.

Jasper just cowered deeper into Leda’s embrace, shrinking away from Nathalie, acting as if she was a monster.

Of course. She’d always heard the saying, “No good deed goes unpunished.” Now she really understood what it meant. She had tried to help but ended up being the villain in someone else’s story.

Nathalie felt her heart harden. Her voice grew colder. “I never touched him. He went looking for his mom at a bar on his own. Felice never looks after her child, but you’re all silent about her. Somehow, I’m the one you go after?”

Leda shot her a chilling look. “Felice is Felice. You are you. Tonight, you’ll answer for what you’ve done. Only a truly cruel person would hurt a small child.”

Without another word, two burly house staff closed in on Nathalie. They grabbed her, dragged her outside, and forced her down to her knees on the hard, uneven pebbles.

“Let go of me!” Nathalie fought back, but their grip was unyielding. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t break free. They pressed her down mercilessly, making sure she couldn’t rise even a little.

Anger burned in her, so strong it left her speechless. She could only tremble, lips quivering, her fury locked inside.

Was this what she got for trying to help someone? For stepping in where she should have just turned away? It felt so cruel, to be punished because she hadn’t been able to stand by and do nothing.

She’d thought Felice was the one using Jasper—always putting on a show, milking the Adams family’s sympathy. But she never guessed a three-year-old could lie so easily.

The pain cut deep. She remembered when she felt nothing but kindness toward Jasper, when she’d pressed pause on her feud with Felice, when Lance mattered to her, when she respected Jackson. She’d bought Jasper toys, brought him new clothes, held him like he was her own.

It all felt like a terrible joke now.

He looked away, stepping right past her and into the house.

“Lance…” Nathalie’s eyes blurred with tears. Her voice turned thick and choked in her throat.

Idiot.

What an absolute, heartless idiot.

How could he just walk by and let her be humiliated like this?

He never used to be like that. He’d always been the one to stand up for her, to protect her, to never let anyone hurt her—not even a little.

Now, it was all gone. When a man stops loving you, there’s nothing left but the free fall. One minute you’re safe and adored, the next you’re on your knees, filthy, lost, trapped in the mud, and nobody’s coming to get you out.