When Her Death Couldn't Break Him (Cecilia and Nathaniel) novel Chapter 2081

Nathaniel took in the way little Jonathan stepped forward to shield the nervous clerk and decided to let the matter drop, choosing mercy over further inquiry.

“I trust nothing like this will ever happen again,” Nathaniel said, his voice quiet yet carrying the weight of judgment through the boutique's high-ceilinged hush.

“Y-Yes, absolutely,” Elodie blurted, nodding so hard the tight bun at the back of her head trembled.

Only once Nathaniel turned away did Elodie finally breathe. Relief spread through her limbs like warm water, leaving her almost dizzy.

A moment ago, her fate had dangled on someone else's whim. Grateful, she offered a quick, thankful glance first to Jonathan and then to Ivy.

If Ivy hadn't stepped between danger and the child, the day would have ended in chaos or worse.

Ivy turned to Jonathan, her posture unexpectedly shy. “Thank you,” she murmured, sincerity softening every line of her face.

Jonathan answered with a small, practiced smile—courteous, almost grown-up, impossibly composed for a boy his size.

“Ms. Ivy, I should be the one thanking you,” he replied, voice clear as a bell.

With that, Jonathan slipped a hand into the miniature pocket of his blazer and drew out a sleek matte card. Holding it up, he added, “Every outfit you brought me earlier, I'll take them all.”

The announcement hit the staff like a clap of thunder. Jaws dropped, eyes widened, and the boutique fell into stunned silence.

They all knew each ensemble Ivy had chosen started at well over ten thousand, yet this child intended to buy the lot without blinking.

Ivy's fingers hovered around the card, uncertainty flickering across her eyes as she sought Nathaniel's approval.

Jonathan was still a minor. A purchase of this scale required his guardian's word.

Nathaniel gave a single, calm nod. “Wrap them.”

He still did not understand why Jonathan wanted an entire rack of adult clothing, yet he trusted the boy's reasons.

Joy flared in Ivy's expression. “Of course,” she said, nearly breathless with excitement.

She hurried off, sweeping the garments from velvet hangers into satin-lined bags with practiced speed.

The clerk finally set the receipt aside, then pivoted toward Ivy. With a flourish worthy of a stage magician, he indicated a slate-gray wool blazer on the mannequin. “Consider this my gift,” he said, voice smooth as polished marble. “Pass it on to whatever gentleman keeps you company.”

Ivy's eyes widened, first in wonder, then alarm. A quick shake of her head sent her ponytail swishing across her shoulders. “Oh, no, I can't, really. It's far too expensive,” she blurted, hands rising like a pair of stop signs.

Nathaniel, who had listened in silence until now, spoke in his low, effortless baritone. “You protected Jon today. Compared with that, a jacket is nothing. If you ever hit a rough patch, come to me—no hesitation.”

Just moments earlier, while paying the bill, Jonathan had delivered a lightning-fast briefing about the ruckus that had erupted inside the boutique.

Ivy looked from the towering man to the pint-size boy, both faces earnest, unwavering. Courtesy lost its foothold.

She exhaled, shoulders dropping. In their world, she realized, a blazer cost little more than a cup of coffee.

“Ms. Ivy, we'll head out now. Bye-bye!” Jon fluttered his small hand, a grin stretching from ear to ear.

Ivy hurried to return the wave. “Bye-bye. Come back anytime.”

Nathaniel steered Jon toward the exit. Somewhere between one heartbeat and the next, Miranda and Felix, who had been lurking among the racks, vanished into thin air.