Chapter 389
He always had a soft spot for her and held her close as she cried her heart out. But, like magic, she’d whip out some brand–new pencils and notebooks. “Nathan, I saved up to get these for you. Don’t waste them. Make sure they last,” she’d say with a wink.
He was over the moon.
But one night, he overheard her mom laying into her. “Who do you think you are, playing mom? Do you even know where that kid comes from? Let me tell you, any child abandoned by their parents didn’t come from a picture–perfect family. One of his parents must be rotten to the core. Otherwise, why would they ditch their own kid? Your kindness is wasted on him. He’s bound to bite the hand that feeds him.”
His heart sank at the thought of Nathalie abandoning him. He knew his dad was the cold–hearted jerk her mom talked about, but he hated him and refused to be anything like him.
He wasn’t his dad. Would Nathalie see that?
When, he heard Nathalie fire back at her mom. “Mom, I took on the responsibility when I brought him home. I don’t care what his parents were like; I’ll make sure he grows up to be a good person.”
With that, she slammed the door and stormed out.
Her mom yelled after her, “Why are you raising him? Are you planning to make him your man when he grows up? You have twisted thoughts for a girl your age. Have you no shame?”
Nathalie sobbed, catching her breath. “Mom, don’t you know me at all? I’ve always been decent. How can you say that?”
He sat by the door, tears silently streaming down his face.
When Nathalie came out and saw him, she paused. Then, she took his hand and whisked him away from that miserable house. “Nathalie, will you ever leave me?” he asked, tears in his eyes.
To him, she was his only family, and he couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. But he also knew staying with her meant she’d face constant ridicule from her mom.
Despite everything, she smiled at him, full of reassurance. “Nathan, don’t you worry. Ever since I brought you home, I never thought of letting you go.”
He choked out, “But being with you makes you unhappy every day…”
She laughed softly. “Who said that? Since you came, I’ve been happier than ever. Nathan, don’t be sad. Things will get better as we grow
- up.
In that moment, he made his first wish: to grow up fast so he could protect Nathalie.
He never imagined their time together would be cut so short. A human trafficker, dodging the law, tipped off his stepmom about his Whereabouts, and soon, the Rowland family tracked him down.
When Gavin and his stepmom appeared in front of him, she probably didn’t realize he remembered her abandoning him. She put on a show, fake tears and all, and hugged him. “My son, my poor boy. I never thought I’d see you again…”
Of course, she didn’t because she never expected him to come back.
He wanted to show his dad what kind of person she really was. But then, Nathalie’s words echoed in his mind. “Nathan, never take people at face value. Be cautious, even with your own parents.”
So, he pretended not to know them.
