The Unwavering Heart That Broke (Nathalie and Lance) novel Chapter 238

He grabbed the last bottle on the table and brought it straight to his lips.

But he was already way past his limit. Every swallow set his throat and chest on fire, burning all the way down to his stomach.

He barely got the first gulp down before he had to lurch forward, choking on the burn as he started to vomit. His eyes were glassy, unfocused, and his whole body swayed clumsily from side to side.

Nathalie saw him and panic washed over her face. “Stop, please. You can’t drink anymore. Something horrible’s going to happen. I can’t just—”

“Don’t.” Fabian cut her off with a violent shake of his head. “I’m fine.”

He steadied himself for a second, then reached for the bottle again.

“No! Don’t! Please, stop!” Nathalie fought harder, desperate to break free and stop him.

Lance, watching the mess unfold, just tightened his hold on her. His voice came out, low and cold. “If you go to him, he’s not leaving this room tonight.”

Nathalie twisted in Lance’s arms, locking eyes with him. She looked like she was barely holding together. “Lance, don’t do this to him. You guys have known each other for years. Aren’t you supposed to be friends?”

Her voice went soft, almost pleading. She was letting down her guard, begging even.

But she still wouldn’t say what he really wanted to hear.

Lance’s eyes stayed icy, unforgiving. “He left for another country before we even finished college. At best, we just knew of each other.”

A half-smile curled on his lips, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “Funny, he seems a lot closer to you than he ever was to me.”

Nathalie reached for his hand, gripping it tight. “I’m begging you. Please, let him go. I can’t let something happen to him.”

But her soft surrender didn’t move him. In fact, it only made his expression darker.

“You’re begging me for him?”

“Yes. I’m begging.”

Nathalie shook her head over and over. “Lance, please. Let’s just go back to Lumina Grand tonight. I’ll go with you, okay?”

He gave a soft, humorless laugh.

After everything, when they were about to face each other in court, now she wanted to go back with him? Was she just trying to pacify him?

His face stayed hard as stone.

“Nathalie.” Fabian’s voice was barely above a whisper.

She snapped out of her spiral, hurrying to his side. “Are you okay? How do you feel?”

Fabian struggled for a smile. “Guess what? Maybe I’ll finally have some good luck for once after surviving this.”

He tried to joke but looked so weak, it only made her heart ache more.

“This is all because of me,” Nathalie choked. “Maybe I should just—maybe I should drop the lawsuit.”

Fabian sighed and gave her a tired look. “If you do that, wasn’t all this for nothing?”

“But what if he keeps coming after you?” Worry squeezed her voice to a whisper.

Fabian shrugged, unbothered as ever. “He’s not going to kill me.”

Nathalie was stunned. For a long second, she just stared at him, confused and lost. “Fabian, why are you doing all this for me?”

They were supposed to be just friends. Everything he’d done had gone way beyond that, and she didn’t know what to feel anymore.