Chapter 372

He stepped into the bedroom.

Adrian was sitting on the floor with his back to the door, surrounded by broken model pieces scattered across the carpet. Among them was the shredded remains of a lantern, once painted with little animals.

Lysander remembered.

Nathaniel's young nephew had just started school a while back and had gotten along with Adrian rather well; he'd even given Adrian a lantern decorated with animals. Thinking back, it was probably Mila who painted it before giving it to Adrian as a gift.

Adrian had loved it at the time-he'd even found a special box to keep it safe.

But now, it lay torn to bits among the mess.

He must be truly upset.

Lysander didn't rush to comfort the heartbroken child. Instead, he pulled over a chair and sat down, looking down at Adrian's turned back with a calm, unreadable expression.

"Have you been crying?"

"I haven't!" Adrian shot back instantly, though his voice trembled.

"Are you upset?"

"I'm not!"

"It's alright to cry if you're sad. This time, you can let it out."

"I don't want to cry."

Adrian insisted stubbornly, but his resolve cracked as soft, choked sobs escaped him. After a long moment, he finally whispered, voice raw with hurt, "Dad, does Mom not like me anymore? Does she not want me?"

"...Of course not."

"But she doesn't comfort me anymore. She goes to other kids-instead of me, she goes to that Julian! I hate him!"

child," Lysander

of the shattered models around with his small hands. "But Julian called her 'Mom', and

his gaze settling on Adrian's messy hair. His voice was

Adrian didn't answer.

what your great-grandfather and I taught you? What should you do if someone

voice was barely a whisper. "But she's

leave and you never see

"I don't want that!"

much like his father's, were wide and red, filled with panic and

stood and crouched in front of him, gazing down as he gently ruffled Adrian's hair. His voice dropped low. "Adrian,

father's hand away. "I'm just

let out

was your age, I could do a lot already. At the very

"Adrian."

strength behind them, they're useless. They only

afford to

eyes filled

his words. “Dad, can't you give

"Of course I can."

you really want to come running

Your great-grandfather told

"I haven't!"

do you know what

his

simply picked up the laptop Leonard had brought in earlier, sat back down, and got back

room were the faint clicking of keys and the soft rustle of Adrian's fingers

father and son had always interacted a quiet, gentle kind of closeness, uniquely

so the

Harper's voice drifted in from the hallway, breaking the unusual

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