The Unwavering Heart That Broke (Nathalie and Lance) novel Chapter 603

"That's irrelevant."

Nathalie's voice was flat. "I came to tell you that I think I'm being watched."

Lance's coughing instantly became more violent, his face turning paler than before. He grabbed her hand, pulled her into his room, and shut the door before forcing out the words. "What happened? Cough, cough..."

Nathalie's gaze grew complicated. She turned away to pour a glass of water and handed it to him. "Drink this before you cough yourself to death."

Lance stared at her.

Her words were harsh, but the fact that she poured him water meant she still cared, right?

He took the glass, drank a few sips, and waited for his coughing to subside before offering a weak smile. "Thank you."

Nathalie ignored the sentiment, directly explaining what had happened in the desert and the unsettling feeling of being watched.

Lance nodded. "I'll check with the bodyguards and see if anyone suspicious got too close to you."

Nathalie gave a curt nod. "If you're really that sick, go to a hospital. What if you actually die dragging this out?"

Lance's dark eyes brightened. "Are you afraid I'll die?"

"Of course," Nathalie answered without missing a beat, her gaze clear. "We made a deal, and you still have a lot of things to help me with. You're supposed to protect me. If you die, who's going to keep me safe? Who's going to help me deal with Sylvie Winter?"

Lance felt a sharp twist in his chest.

She had laid out her purely transactional motives so plainly. Was she intentionally trying to twist the knife in his heart?

"Cough, cough, cough!"

His emotional spike triggered another coughing fit, much worse than before. He felt like the wound on his chest was going to tear open.

He nodded through the pain. "I know... I'll have a doctor look at it. You go back to your room first..."

Nathalie fell silent.

After a moment, she pulled out her phone and called Nicol.

"Nathalie!"

"We move out in an hour." Lance closed his eyes. "Wake me up in thirty minutes."

He needed to conserve his energy to get Nathalie out of here safely. This wasn't the place to confront those people head-on.

If their pursuers had caught up, then he would be the one to dictate the battlefield.

"Got it."

...

Nathalie took a shower, video-called Adelaide for a bit, and then chatted with Jasper.

The little boy was overjoyed to see her, his soft voice chiming through the speaker. "Auntie, are you and Uncle Lance having fun on your trip?"

Nathalie nodded. "Yes, it's very nice. One day, we'll have your Uncle Lance bring you here too."

Jasper blinked his large, dark eyes. "Are you really not going to be with Uncle Lance anymore?"