Three Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 197

“Dad, Mom.” Hannah’s voice cracked. “I’m already twenty-eight. The dance company is full of young, talented newcomers. If my reputation takes a hit, I’m finished. I’ll never get to dance again. Is that really what you want, to ruin me for the sake of someone who isn’t even family?”

“And what about Jasper? He’s starting preschool soon. What happens if other parents see what’s online and their kids start picking on him? Even if you don’t care about me, could you at least think about him?”

Tears spilled over as Hannah stood there, falling apart in the center of the room, looking so lost and helpless, like a young animal stranded in the wilderness.

Jackson felt his heart squeeze. “We can put out a simple statement,” he found himself saying, unable to help it. “Do things really have to go this far? Gossip dies down fast, but if her career is ruined, there’s no coming back. We only get so many years to dance. Hannah’s return was huge. If she has to go out there and apologize for all of this, the backlash will end her. Isn’t that too much?”

Lawrence spoke before Jackson could finish. “Bonnie’s life was ripped apart by rumors, too. She was hurt, rejected, left out, lost her job, her future, got driven away from her own family. Does all of that just disappear with an apology?”

All of that lost time, those years that slipped by, would haunt Lawrence for the rest of his life. He couldn’t even hope for forgiveness anymore.

Who would ever repay him for that loss?

His chest felt tight enough to crush him, every word scraping his insides raw. He lit a cigarette with shaking hands and spoke without looking up. “I’ve already held back as much as I can. Let’s not push it further.”

He hadn’t let every secret out; he’d tried to leave Hannah with some dignity, enough to keep on living.

He could have told them the real truth, that he and Hannah were never really together, never even close to marriage, and that Jasper wasn’t his child.

But none of that mattered now. The moment he’d worked up the courage to explain, fate played its cruel trick—Bonnie couldn’t hear him, completely shut off from his words. It felt like the universe refused to give him a chance.

If that was how things were meant to be, then he’d let Bonnie hate him forever. He’d just carry on with his broken life, letting himself rot.

He finally spoke again, quiet but certain. “Dad, Mom, do either of you disagree?”

Lawrence’s voice was steady now. He wasn’t the clueless, arrogant kid he’d been three years ago. That version of him was gone.

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