The Unwavering Heart That Broke (Nathalie and Lance) novel Chapter 219

Lance pulled her close, hands firmly around her waist, lifting her until her back pressed hard against the wall.

Nathalie’s whole body went tense with resistance, but he didn’t care at all. Instead, his voice dropped low, almost husky. “Nathalie, I had the surgery reversed. We can have kids now.”

“I told you, I don’t want to!” Her hands pushed hard at his chest, her voice already raspy from yelling.

It didn’t matter.

The difference in their strength was glaring in that moment. Her struggles felt almost ridiculous, so easily overpowered by him. He held on with a kind of wild desperation, while she was left drained, her body aching from head to toe.

When everything was over, he brushed his hand over her stomach, gray eyes dark and unreadable. “Nathalie, it’s done now. The seed is there. It’ll grow soon.”

She shivered all over, hands curled into fists. Her eyes were swollen, her back turned to him, her stare glazed with coldness, anger, even hatred.

She hated him.

Biting down on her lip, she forced herself to stay calm, emotions threatening to spill over. She squeezed her eyes shut and said nothing.

A few moments later, Lance lay beside her, and before long, his breathing evened out. The room was filled with the quiet rhythm of his sleep.

Nathalie felt barely alive, bone-tired and empty. But sleep wouldn’t come. She waited, quietly, until she was sure Lance wasn’t going to wake up. Then, moving slowly and wincing at the dull ache between her thighs, she slipped out of bed and went to the study. She pulled open a drawer, fingers trembling as she found the bottle — birth control pills she had hidden there just in case.

She already knew he would snap one day, knew he was a ticking time bomb. He’d told her before about wanting a child, and now she was certain he’d gone through with the reversal.

She refused to have a child with him.

Swallowing a pill with a mouthful of icy water, she finally let out a shaky breath and collapsed on the sofa, all the tension draining from her limbs. The night outside pressed closer, deeper, lonelier.

She hugged her knees to her chest, curling into herself, the weight of her pain and sadness wrapping around her like a thundercloud, heavy and suffocating. It was almost hard to breathe.

***

The next morning, Nathalie wasted no time contacting a real estate agent. She was determined to sell this place and find somewhere completely new.

This time, she wanted a building that no one could enter unless she registered them herself. Somewhere safe and private.

She even avoided anything developed by The Adams Group, just in case.

Freddy adjusted his glasses, nodding. “I’m free, so why don’t I go with you?”

He did look genuinely relaxed, casual in a T-shirt and jeans — a world away from his usual business suits. He suddenly seemed much more approachable.

Nathalie didn’t mind his company. As they walked, she asked, “Is it possible to block certain people from entering the complex?”

That way, there’d be no way for unwelcome guests to sneak in with someone else.

“Absolutely.” Freddy nodded. “Is there someone in particular you want to block?”

Nathalie just gave a small smile. “I’ll let you know once I’ve decided to buy a place here.”

“Sounds good.”

Freddy had always been considerate, and he didn’t push for more.

They finished looking at the second apartment, and Nathalie found she actually liked the place. She was just about to tell the agent to finalize things when her phone rang.