The Unwavering Heart That Broke (Nathalie and Lance) novel Chapter 293

The courtyard in front of the villa was swallowed by darkness, his silhouette fading until it disappeared completely.

Nathalie gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white as she forced herself to stay in control. She repeated it in her mind, over and over. Don’t lose it. Stay calm.

The court date hasn’t even happened yet, she reminded herself. Anything could still change. He had promised her tonight, but what if he changed his mind tomorrow? He was always unpredictable.

She closed her eyes for a moment, drawing in a shaky breath. Only when she felt her heartbeat slow did she finally start the car and drive away.

Back at The Observatory, she showered and changed clothes, slipping on something comfortable before heading out again. Nights at the hospital with her grandmother had become routine—she could barely remember what it felt like to sleep at home.

***

By morning, everything felt lighter. Sunlight filtered in as Adelaide caught ner with a teasing smile.

‘You seem happy today. Got some good news to share?” her grandmother asked, eyes full of gentle curiosity.

Nathalie couldn’t help but smile wider, her mood infectious. She gave a playful lift of her chin. “Not yet. Give me a few days, then I’ll tell you.”

“Oh, keeping secrets from me now?” Adelaide chuckled. “I guess I’ll have to wait for the big reveal.”

“You will,” Nathalie answered, her voice soft with affection.

She helped Adelaide through breakfast and waited while the doctors finished their morning rounds. Only then did she leave for work, her

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mood buoyant, a smile tugging at her lips for most of the day.

But all that changed the moment her phone rang that afternoon.

“Nathalie, your grandmother is missing!”

The nurse’s voice crackled with panic. Nathalie nearly dropped her phone, the words not making sense at first. How could her grandmother go missing–from a hospital, of all places?

She rushed back as fast as she could. Adelaide’s hospital room was empty. Nathalie barely paused before turning to the nearest caregiver and grabbing her arm.

‘What happened? Where’s my grandmother?”

All three caregivers looked rattled, their faces pale with stress.

‘We were all here with Adelaide,” one stammered. “But then Camilla showed up…and she said she wanted some time alone with her. We stepped outside, didn’t go far, but then there was a commotion in the

allway. We got distracted for just a moment…and when we came back, Adelaide was gone.”

Camilla.

name hit Nathalie like ice water. She’d thought the hospital was the st place possible, especially with three people watching over her ndmother. How could this even happen?

er hands trembled as she forced herself to think. She grabbed her phone and dialed Camilla. The phone rang three times before someone ›icked up.

‘Nathalie.”

Camilla’s voice sounded as warm and patient as ever, like nothing was wrong at all.

Nathalie clung to her self–control, swallowing her anger. “Where did you

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