Three Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 464

It was the first time Bonnie had ever felt such a desperate urge to confide in someone, but she hesitated, terrified of dragging down the holiday cheer.

After battling with herself for a long moment, she finally typed out a reply: [I am a little upset. But it's nothing. Go back to whatever you're doing.]

Lawrence stared at the screen, the distant voices of his siblings calling his name fading into the background. He turned and walked toward the garden, carefully weighing his next words.

[What do I have to do right now? Let me keep you company. Call me if you can. If not, texting is fine.]

Curled up in the corner of the sofa, Bonnie suddenly felt the heavy weight in her chest lighten. She peeked up through her lashes. The rest of the family was cracking sunflower seeds and watching The Holiday Special on television.

Only Nash looked like he was crawling out of his skin.

Perhaps because his mind was miles away from the family gathering, Nash caught Bonnie staring at him. The cousins had never been particularly close, but in that split second, a silent, mutual understanding passed between them.

Nash threw her a conspiratorial wink and jerked his chin toward the front door. Bonnie pressed her lips together and gave a tiny nod. Nash immediately stood up, announcing to the adults that the TV special was boring and he was taking Bonnie out for a walk.

Knowing the younger generation rarely cared for the holiday broadcasts, the adults barely batted an eye, merely reminding them to come back early.

Bonnie followed Nash downstairs.

Knowing her cousin, she figured a harmless walk was the last thing on his mind. Sure enough, the moment they reached the neighborhood gates, Nash scratched the back of his neck and casually asked if she wanted to hit up an internet cafe.

Bonnie didn't care if any cafes were even open on a major holiday; she simply shook her head. Finding her boring, Nash ditched her without a second thought, striding off into the night like he knew exactly where he was going.

She waited until he disappeared from sight before finding a corner shielded from the bitter wind. Unable to suppress the quiet flutter in her chest any longer, she opened WhatsApp and dialed Lawrence's number.

He answered almost instantly.

Bonnie tightened her grip on her scarf, pulling it up over her chin. She felt a little foolish, but the truth spilled out anyway. "It's nothing huge, really. It's just... I hate being at my grandparents' house."

"Why is that?" Lawrence asked softly.

With a heavy sigh, Bonnie poured out the source of her suffocating home life. Lawrence listened with rapt attention, genuinely stunned by what she revealed.

He hadn't realized how deeply ingrained the gender bias was in Shirley's family—how they worshipped the ground the male heirs walked on while tossing Shirley aside. Worse, Shirley had taken all that toxic pressure and transferred it directly onto Bonnie, ruling her daughter's life with an iron fist.

No wonder Lawrence always felt there was an icy, impenetrable wall around Bonnie. It explained the permanent shadow of sorrow that seemed to linger in her eyes.

"Shirley..." Lawrence paused, searching for the right words to comfort her. "She holds herself to impossible standards. Maybe she just expects the world from you. She wants to push you to become the most extraordinary version of yourself. I don't think it's entirely about proving her family wrong. Think about it, Bonnie. Being able to study and live with the resources you have—that's a good thing, right?"

Bonnie gave a muffled hum of agreement. "I know. I don't mind the hard work. I just feel so sorry for my mom. She hates being here just as much as I do, but she feels like she has no choice."