Three Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 222

Lawrence just sat there, quiet, with his head down, barely even breathing. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking, worse than ever, like he was losing all control.

Quentin had seen this before. Over the years, he’d treated so many patients whose minds had found ways to leak their pain into their bodies. Shaking hands like Lawrence’s were always a sign—a red flag for emotions running wild beneath the surface.

Whether as a doctor or a friend, Quentin knew he couldn’t turn his back on this. He glanced through the doorway into Hannah’s hospital room. He already understood most of what she was dealing with, and whatever was happening with her, it could wait a little longer. Lawrence needed help right now.

He turned to Odette. “Lawrence isn’t in a good place mentally. Let’s find somewhere a bit more private so we can talk. Something’s really wrong with him.”

Odette felt the world spin for a second and reached out to steady herself against the wall. She remembered three years ago, after Hannah’s breakdown, when Quentin had stepped in and guided them through. Later, work took Quentin back to the States for a stretch.

One day, he called Odette out of the blue and said he’d noticed some troubling signs in Lawrence, too. It hadn’t seemed severe at the time. Lawrence took his medication and cooperated, and with Quentin about to leave America, he told the family to keep a close eye on him.

Because of that, Odette found herself shuttling between countries, checking in, making sure the worst never happened. For the most part, Lawrence stayed steady. He was way quieter than before, but otherwise seemed okay.

She never realized the problem was just sleeping somewhere deep down. And now, with it finally out in the open, it was like everything was falling apart in fast-forward.

Regret and guilt crashed over her, but it was already too late. She sat beside Lawrence and wrapped his trembling hand in both of hers. Her voice broke, pleading, “Sweetheart, will you let Quentin help you? Just let him take a look, okay?”

There’s no such thing as a parent who never compromises for their child. Every decision feels like cutting another piece out of your own heart.

She sat with Lawrence, voice low and pleading. “Hannah’s mind is all over the place, she’s pregnant. As your mom, I’m begging you, just come home more often, keep her company. Once the baby’s here, we’ll get her professional help, I promise. Give her time to recover and everything can go back to normal. Can you do that? For me?”

Back then, Lawrence didn’t answer for a long time. Smoke hung thick, burning her eyes. The pristine home she’d once taken pride in had vanished.

After what felt like forever, Lawrence finally lifted his head, his eyes red and raw. When he spoke, his voice was muffled, like he couldn’t get the words out past the lump in his throat. He said quietly, “But Mom, I’m tired, too.”