His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

His figure emerged through the early morning mist, pacing anxiously, scanning the area. His face was a mixture of anger and worry, and the moment he saw me, his eyes narrowed.

"Where the hell have you been?" he demanded, his voice sharp and raw. "Do you have any idea what you've put everyone through? We stayed up all night looking for you!"

I froze, unsure of how to respond. Behind him, I saw Reid approaching with a couple of bodyguards, their expressions tight with concern, though I couldn't bring myself to care. The sight of them all, fussing and searching, seemed so distant from the turmoil swirling inside me.

Nathan's voice broke through my haze again, this time with a

different tone. "Look at you," he muttered, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. "You've lost weight... You had to bury that man's baby, didn't you?" I stared at him, cold and unmoved. There was a flicker of

something-concern, maybe-in his eyes, but it passed too quickly for me to grasp. Did it matter? Did anything anymore?

"I'm tired," I whispered, not wanting to argue. The fatigue clung to me, heavier than the air around us. I turned away from him, pushing open the door to the villa.

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His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

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To my surprise, Nathan followed. I half expected him to continue

berating me, but instead, he silently poured a glass of water and handed it to me. His fingers lingered on the glass as if he was debating

what to say next. He exhaled, a deep, frustrated sigh, and finally spoke.

"It's not worth it, Doris," he said, his voice oddly calm. "Be smart. I'll give you a baby if you behave."

I stared at him, the words ringing hollow in my ears. A baby? As if Oliver was just some replaceable object. My mind spun. Did he really think this was how it worked? That when one broke, you simply got another?

I couldn't hold back any longer. The anger rose up from deep inside me, a storm that had been brewing for far too long. "So who do you think gave me Oliver in the first place?" I snapped, my voice trembling with emotion.

Nathan frowned, his disgust evident. "Do we really need to go over this again?" He crossed his arms, his posture rigid and accusatory. "You think I don't know about you and Issca?"

Issca. His name stung like an old wound reopened, but I didn't understand what Nathan was implying. "What does this have to do with Issca?" I asked, my confusion deepening. "Nathan, Issca and I haven't spoken in ages. He's just an old friend-nothing more. I barely see

him, and we lost touch after I... after I saved you."