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!"
her child," Lysander replied
hands. "But Julian called
hair. His voice was measured, almost gentle. "And if she did
Adrian didn't answer.
great-grandfather and I taught you? What should you do
a whisper.
never see her again?" Lysander's
"I don't want that!"
suddenly, shouting. His eyes, so much like his father's, were wide and red, filled with
down as he gently ruffled Adrian's hair. His voice dropped low. "Adrian,
his father's hand away. "I'm just
let out a quiet
lot already. At the
"Adrian."
strength behind them, they're useless. They only show everyone
can't afford to be
eyes filled
his words. “Dad,
"Of course I can."
help you once or twice. Do you really want to
you before. Your great-grandfather told you,
"I haven't!"
do you know
dropped his head,
nor did he leave. He simply picked up the laptop Leonard had brought in earlier, sat
in the room were the faint clicking of
and son had always interacted a quiet, gentle kind of closeness,
the silence
by unnoticed until Harper's voice drifted in from the hallway, breaking the unusual calm. “Sir, Ms.
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