The Unwavering Heart That Broke (Nathalie and Lance) novel Chapter 577

Sophia, her nose red from crying, nodded obediently. "I understand."

Nathalie left the room. Stepping out into the hallway, the thought of having to contact Freddy again gave her a headache.

She had just drawn a firm boundary with him, and now she was the one reaching out. It made her look completely inconsistent.

With a heavy sigh, she went upstairs to check on her grandmother.

"Grandma, Sophia's fine. She just got back a bit late. I told her to get some rest in her room. She'll be over to keep you company first thing in the morning."

Adelaide, who had been anxiously waiting for news, visibly relaxed and nodded.

"Good. You should go get some rest too."

"I will."

...

Instead of going straight to her room, Nathalie spent an hour at the indoor shooting range. Afterward, she decided to peek in on Jasper.

The little boy’s face was alarmingly pale, and he looked entirely drained. He sat on the bed, clutching an ugly stuffed toy, staring blankly ahead.

Even when she walked right up to his bedside, he didn't react.

"Jasper."

Nathalie called his name softly.

Jasper jolted slightly, as if snapping out of a trance. He blinked his large eyes up at her. "Nathalie."

Nathalie hummed in response. "Aren't you tired?"

Jasper shook his head, hugging his toy tighter. "I keep having nightmares. I dreamt a monster ate my legs..." he whispered nervously.

A sudden wave of sorrow washed over Nathalie.

She looked at the small child—not even four years old, and condemned to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

His future had already been half-destroyed.

Nathalie froze, deciding to stay put. She waited patiently until his features relaxed again and he slipped back into a peaceful sleep.

Nathalie sighed silently.

It seemed this kid had decided to latch onto her.

With no immediate rush to leave, she pulled out her phone and quietly played a game on mute.

The night deepened, wrapping the house in a heavy stillness. When Lance pushed open the bedroom door, he was greeted by the sight of a woman and a child sleeping soundly side by side.

His pupils contracted sharply at the scene.

He had never expected to find Nathalie sleeping in Jasper's room!

The storybook on the nightstand made it obvious she had been reading to him, coaxing the boy to sleep.

Recently, Jasper had been deeply depressed over his inability to walk. He was plagued by nightmares, and his mental state was so fragile that the doctors had even urged Lance to intervene.