Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Hazel eased herself into a chair, still in a daze. Her breaths were shallow and ragged. She didn’t want her kids to see her like
that, she really wanted them to leave.
Nathan extended an offer, “Do you want to grab some snacks from the vending machine at the reception? They’ve got games
there,” he suggested, gently placing Daisy on her own feet and squatting beside them.
“But Ethan,” Liam interjected, glancing backward. The playful address of “Mr. Princess” was noticeably absent, replaced by a
somber and serious demeanor.
His eyes darted between his mom, Nathan, and the door, in a silent contemplation.
“Okay,” he finally agreed with a resigned sigh. “Come on, Daisy,” he stated, taking her hand and leading her out of the room.
Nathan took a seat beside Hazel, the air heavy with tension of the confrontation that had just transpired.
“What happened?” He asked her calmly.
“Ethan’s found out,” Hazel murmured, her voice carrying the weight of regret and sadness.
“He thinks you’re the twins father.”
you
“Nathan, do you remember the day I gave birth? I had a medical emergency, and filled in Liam’s and Daisy’s details as their
father. Ethan found out. He went digging into the dates, time, and place,” she explained.
“Thank goodness,” Nathan muttered, surprising Hazel. “I lied to him, again,” she mumbled, wondering why he seemed pleased
about it.
“To protect your kids, Hazel,” Nathan clarified. “Now, he’ll get off your back completely.”
Hazel stood up and paced around. The conflicting emotions overwhelming her. This was what she wanted, to have Ethan fooled
totally so he never returned, she should be happy, but at the same time, her heart was breaking. The image of Ethan’s face
haunted her, the disbelief in his eyes. He looked like he was In pain. Her words had been sharp and brutal. None of that was
true.
“It’s all for the best,” Nathan calmly affirmed, meeting Hazel’s conflicted gaze. She bit her l*p, wrestling with her emotions, and
turned away.
“We can make it real, Hazel/I don’t have to be their dad in records only,” Nathan proposed, closing the distance between them
and gently holding her hands. Hazel’s face contorted in surprise.
“What do you mean by that?” she questioned, her eyes searching for clarity.
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Chapter 115
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Nathan took a deep breath. “I’m saying, Hazel, we could be a real family. I don’t have to be their dad in records only, I could be a
real one.”
“Nathan,” Hazel interrupted, her voice hushed.
“I’m not finished,” he said tenderly, holding her arms again. “I love your kids, Hazel. From the moment I laid eyes on them that
day they were born. And even way before that, way back before they were brought into this world.” Nathan’s words carried
sincerity, his eyes brimming with genuine emotion.
“And slowly, I began to fall for you,” Nathan admitted, laying his feelings bare.
“Your wife,” Hazel whispered, still bewildered by the revelation.
Nathan sighed. “She would have wanted this, for me to move on. There’s no closure if that never happens. I can’t continue living
like that, running around in circles. She would have wanted this for me too,” he added, referencing his late wife.
Hazel was taken aback, her eyes widening in surprise. She struggled to process the weight of Nathan’s words. He was actually
proposing to her?
“Nathan, I...” she began, her thoughts sc attered and uncertain.
“Marry me, Hazel,” he interrupted passionately, his conviction clear in his gaze. “I’ll treat you as you deserve to be treated, not as
a second option, but the very first. And your kids,” he chuckled lightly, “are already my kids,” he finished with a small, fond smile.
“Nathan, I can’t...” she hesitated, her internal turmoil evident.
“I’ll let you think it through, no pressure,” he assured her, offering a small, reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry too much, Hazel,” he
continued, cupping her face gently and stroking it lightly. “With what just happened and us being a family, Ethan would never
bother us ever again,” he asserted confidently,
Instead of reassurance, those words made her stomach tighten.
“We would leave, go to a country far away once Daisy’s surgery is complete,” Nathan continued, his eyes becoming bright and
hopeful.
“This isn’t the right time for this, I know,” he sighed. “But I just have to let you know, you’re not alone in this. Okay?” he asked
gently.
Hazel nodded, her gratitude evident. “Thank you,” she whispered, slowly withdrawing her hand and walking away. “Ethan
probably hates me now,” she couldn’t help but murmur.
Hours later, Nathan departed for his company, his spirits soaring with hope. He held a strong conviction that Hazel would accept
his proposal.
In his office, immersed in optimistic thoughts, Nathan was interrupted by Jasmine’s sudden entrance. “Nathan,” she called,
drawing his attention.
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Chapter 115
Looking up, he observed Jasmine closely. She appeared exhausted, as if deprived of decent sleep for days. Her restlessness
didn’t go unnoticed. She was fidgety and unsure of what she was about to say.
“Jasmine,” he responded with a frown. “Are you okay? Have you been sleeping well?” he inquired, genuine concern etched on
his face.
“Adeline,” she began, nervously licking her l*ps. The mention of his late wife’s name tightened Nathan’s features.
“Were we friends?” she asked, her eyes searching Nathan’s face for answers. His frown deepened in response.
“When I woke up, you were there. You slowly helped me get back on track, my life and every other thing. I never met Adeline; I
never knew you back then, right?” she inquired, looking up at him with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty.
Nathan nodded slowly and reluctantly. He had told her so many lies, different ones intertwined. Most of them didn’t even add up
or make sense, but she’d never noticed. She completely trusted him. Everything he said was the truth.
“But why does it feel like I know her?” she pondered. “What do you mean?” Nathan asked, still studying her intently.
Did she remember something? What did she recall?
“Did I know her? Did I ever meet her? Whenever I look at her pictures, she seems really familiar, almost unreal, like an angel.
But I have no real memories of her, only the things you told me about her,” she stated, a questioning uncertainty lingering in the
air.
“But why does it feel like I know her?” She asked.
“What do you mean?” Nathan inquired, studying her closely. Did she remember something? He wondered anxiously.
“Did I know her? Did I ever meet her? Whenever I look at her pictures, she seems really familiar, almost unreal, like an angel.
But I have no real memories of her, only the things you told me about her.” She stated.
“You don’t know her; you never met her,” he assured her quietly, lying through his teeth. Something was amiss, very wrong with
her. She had forgotten something crucial.
Adeline, whenever she gazed at her pictures, a slight smile would grace her l*ps, a sense of déjà vu lingering. It felt like she
knew that woman, but she couldn’t quite place it. Now, the nightmares had begun.
Ever Since the attack that night, questions plagued her mind – what if her name was Christine?
The cops dismissed it just actions of deranged stalker, but Jasmine sensed there was more.
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Chapter 115
An eerie, familiar painful feeling enveloped her, as if she had experienced it herself, she would have nightmares through the
nights and wake up covered in cold sweats.
“Jasmine, Jasmine,” Nathan called, noticing her distant
gaze and apparent
daze.
She wasn’t responding, he touched her lightly.
“Jasmine,” he called again. “Are you okay?”
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Her eyes gradually met his.
“Yes,” she answered after a few seconds.
For a moment the two only looked at themselves.
Nathan sighed, he might have approached her the first time with ulterior motives, but now, all he wanted was for her to be happy
and safe. He would move on, with Hazel and her dumplings, the thought made him smile a little.
“Nathan,” Jasmine called again, punctuating the quietude that enveloped them.
Anxiety etched her face as she whispered, “She didn’t die because of me, right?” Fear gripped her, terrorizing her thoughts.
“No. No, she didn’t,” Nathan reassured her, offering a comforting touch.
Jasmine visibly relaxed, the weight of imagined guilt lifted from her shoulders. “I need to get back to work,” she mumbled,
pivoting away and exiting the room.
Nathan watched her retreating figure, a sigh escaping his l*ps. The old version of him would have eagerly probed, pushing her to
unveil any knowledge she might possess. He might have sought to extract information, encouraging her to recollect and,
perhaps, even assign blame. But now, he had moved beyond that; she, too, was a victim. Perhaps, they could all carve out a life,
maybe even find happiness. After all, life was for the living.