Trouble in Paradise (Arianna and Nicholas) novel Chapter 603

Since that day, Tabitha had become increasingly silent.

She started zoning out often, sometimes staring at me or Nicholas, sometimes focusing on random things. Every time she drifted into this state, it would last for over ten minutes.

During these moments, we didn't dare to interrupt her. We could only stay nearby, trying to make noise in the hope of catching her attention.

Tabitha began to resist expressing herself. She wouldn't ask for a hug or a kiss on her own initiative, and she wouldn't even say when she was hungry. She would just wait silently until mealtime, but she couldn't eat much after a few bites.

Not knowing whether she actually wanted to eat, we hired a pastry chef specializing in children's nutrition. Every day, he would prepare small snacks for her, just in case.

His creations were adorable, and Tabitha liked to play with them in her hands. But she rarely ate them. After a while, she'd start zoning out again, squeezing and playing with them.

This went on for a week, and Tabitha lost five pounds. Nicholas and I were extremely worried, but there was nothing we could do except watch helplessly, heartbroken.

We checked the surveillance footage. From the moment Nicholas and I had argued to the kiss and physical contact—it had all been witnessed by her.

Actually, our voices hadn't been very loud. The one thing she probably couldn't accept was when I slapped Nicholas. Even in her small world, that gesture didn't seem like an act of love.

For the sake of our child, Nicholas and I reached an unspoken understanding, displaying an unprecedented level of cooperation.

When we were at home, whether Tabitha was present or not, Nicholas and I would be very careful in our actions.

When Tabitha was around, we would also interact very naturally. We wouldn't deliberately show off our affection, but at least we would be respectful and courteous like a real couple.