Anathea watched helplessly as Xander, who’d never liked getting close to others, took Natalie’s hand. He walked to her side, clinging to her as if seeking protection.

He’d never relied on Anathea like that before.

At that moment, she felt something inside her shatter.

Noticing how her complexion paled, Gregory frowned. “How did you suddenly fall sick?”

Anathea lifted her gaze to him, a flicker of emotion flashing in her eyes.

“Greg and I heard from Jenny that Xander came to the hospital. We were worried, so we came to pick him up. But it turns out you’re sick,” Natalie said casually as she turned to Anathea with a concerned expression. “Ms. Jacobson, I hope it’s nothing serious. Do you need me to stay and take care of you?”

“It sure is nothing serious. She doesn’t need you to take care of her,” Gregory replied flatly.

Anathea’s gaze dropped again. Her eyes darkened further.

How pathetic. Had she really thought Gregory had come to see her because she was sick? That he actually cared about how she was doing?

“Don’t say that, Greg. Ms. Jacobson is your wife,” Natalie said earnestly before turning back to Anathea. “Ms. Jacobson, don’t take it the wrong way. Greg isn’t great at showing concern for others. Though, he did take care of me when I was sick before.”

“I’m fine.” Anathea had no interest in hearing about the sweet moments between Natalie and Gregory. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to sound normal as she turned to Gregory. “You should take Xander home. It’s late. He should be in bed by now.”

Xander had private tutoring at the Sinclair residence tomorrow. Gregory’s mother, Eleanor Harrington, never tolerated him being late.

To be precise, Eleanor didn’t like Anathea, so she was especially harsh on Xander as well.

Gregory’s deep gaze rested on Anathea. He pressed his lips into a thin line.

Just then, Xander tugged at his pant leg and yawned. “Dad, I’m sleepy.”

“Xander, you’re sleepy? How about we take you home to sleep?” Natalie spoke in a gentle voice as she crouched in front of him.

“Okay!” Xander eagerly grabbed onto Gregory’s hand. “Let’s go, Dad.”

Only then did Gregory shift his gaze away from Anathea. She lay back down and turned her back to them, unwilling to watch any longer.

It wasn’t until she heard the door close that she turned around. Looking through the glass in the middle of the door, she saw Xander holding Gregory’s hand in one of his and Natalie’s in the other. They looked like a picture-perfect family of three.

Anathea felt a dull ache in her chest. As their figures faded from view, she instinctively wiped her face, only to find her hand damp with tears.

The nights in Syntherra were cold. Anathea curled up, clutching her aching stomach, and eventually drifted off to sleep.

…

The next morning, Jenny brought her a light breakfast of oatmeal and salad.

Anathea had no appetite. She took only a couple of bites before putting her spoon down.

“Mrs. Sinclair, Mr. Sinclair instructed me to make sure you finish your meal,” Jenny said hesitantly, trying to persuade her. “You need to eat to recover faster. Mr. Sinclair does care about you.”

Anathea gave a weak smile. How could he possibly care about her? But she didn’t have the energy to dwell on it. Her mind was occupied with thoughts of Xander.

It had only been a month since Natalie had returned, yet Xander was already so close to her. Why?

Just then, her phone buzzed with a message. Anathea’s eyes lit up as she thought it was from Xander. But the sender was Natalie.

It was a video. In it, Gregory sat at the dining table, reading financial reports on his tablet. Xander sat beside him, his legs dangling above the ground. Sitting on Xander’s other side, Natalie gently wiped his hands with a napkin.

It was such a warm, cozy scene, but Anathea felt nothing but cold.

“Xander, do you like my cooking?” Natalie asked with a smile.

“Yes! It’s delicious!” Xander beamed.

“Then… whose cooking do you like better, your mom’s or mine?”

Xander answered without hesitation, “Yours, of course! Mom always makes me eat carrots and greens, but you don’t. You’re the best!”

Anathea let out a bitter laugh.

Xander had been born prematurely and had been frail as a baby. Anathea had worked tirelessly to ensure he received proper nutrition, even earning a nutritionist certification to carefully plan his meals. Every day, she prepared food rich in essential nutrients to help him grow stronger.