The Unwavering Heart That Broke (Nathalie and Lance) novel Chapter 220

She glanced at her phone. It was Fabian calling.

“Hey?” Nathalie stepped out onto the balcony as she answered.

Fabian’s voice on the other end was light, almost teasing. “The court is going to reach out in a few days. They’ll start mediation, so just be ready, okay?”

She was already. Things had gone this far, and she’d prepared herself for the worst a long time ago.

Squeezing her phone tighter, she asked, “Is there a chance we could lose?”

“There’s a good chance,” Fabian admitted, letting out a sigh. “But you can’t obsess over what could go wrong. What if it actually works out?”

Even so, Nathalie couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her chest. But what else could she do? “Alright, I hear you. Thanks.”

“No problem,” Fabian said with a chuckle. “Just remember to pay my fee on time.”

She let out a small laugh. “I will.”

As soon as she hung up, she turned to the real estate agent and said, “I’ll take this place.”

The apartment was done up and ready to move in. Since she’d come in the afternoon, she couldn’t get the paperwork sorted until the next day, so she set up another appointment with the agent for tomorrow.

Freddy was standing off to one side, watching her. When she finished, he asked, “Do you have anything else going on today?”

“Yeah,” Nathalie nodded, “I took a break from work to be here. I need to get back before too long.”

Freddy gave a half-smile that was more resigned than anything. “I was kind of hoping we could grab dinner if you were free. That restaurant we talked about is honestly amazing. I really wanted to try it again.”

Nathalie said, “Then you should go! Bring a friend along.”

Freddy pushed his glasses up and looked at her seriously. “To be honest, you’re actually the first friend I’ve made since I got back.”

That caught her off guard. “You didn’t keep in touch with anyone from before you left?”

Freddy shrugged. “We stopped talking ages ago. Honestly... it’s kind of sad, huh?”

Nathalie shook her head. “That just means you never really tried. If you reached out, I’m sure people would want to be friends.”

Olivia folded her arms, arching a brow. “Ms. Blair, are you insane or something?”

Nathalie shook her head, not missing a beat. “Not at all. But from where I’m standing, you’re the one who seems a little off.”

She glanced at Freddy and said, “You seem normal enough. But if you’re bored, maybe take Olivia to a neurologist.”

Freddy stared at her, surprised. He clearly hadn’t expected her to bite back like that.

Olivia’s face went stone cold. “Nathalie, did you just insult me?”

Nathalie’s voice stayed calm and measured. “You started it. I don’t even know you, and you walk over to insult me out of nowhere. Ever heard of basic manners?”

“You...”

Olivia was red with anger, glaring at Nathalie even harder.

What in the world did Lance ever see in her? It was enough to make Olivia want to scream.