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

Chapter

Chapter

19 19

His voice was serious, almost pleading. He looked at me as though searching for some hint of joy or excitement, waiting for a reaction that wasn't coming.

But as much as those words once meant everything to me, now they were hollow. Once, I had dreamt of this moment-of the day he would introduce me to the world as his wife, of wearing a beautiful wedding dress just for him. But that was a long time ago. I pulled my hand away from his grasp, a coldness in my voice. "Please, Nathan, behave yourself. We have nothing to do with each other now. Nathan's face twisted in pain, his expression bordering on

desperation. "Doris, don't be angry, okay?" He leaned in, his voice soft and coaxing. "I'm here. If you don't come to me, who else could you possibly go to?"

Before I could respond, a wealthy businessman approached us, holding up his glass to toast. "Mr. Johnson, who is this lovely lady?" he asked, looking between us with curiosity.

Without missing a beat, Nathan wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close as he said, "This is my wife, Doris."

pushing him away. "Sorry," I said curtly,

businessman. "I'm

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His Pleas, But Our Son's

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Chapter 19

chuckled lightly, as if I had just made a joke. "Oh, this little girl, always playing games

to Nathan. "Well, I never thought I'd see the day someone could toy

his voice smooth and calm. "Of course. She, and she alone, is

as the businessman walked away, and I turned to Nathan with a hard

your wife. Don't

Doris," he said firmly, his grip tightening. "From

no energy left to argue with him. But Nathan-relentless as ever-began following me around the room. Each time I tried to talk to someone, to make my own connections, he was right there beside me, his presence overshadowing my attempts to assert myself

and I could feel