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!"
you're her child,"
called her 'Mom', and she didn't correct him. She went to comfort him, to protect him. Dad,
messy hair.
Adrian didn't answer.
I taught you? What
barely a whisper. "But she's my
to leave and you never see
"I don't want that!"
so much like his father's, were wide and red, filled with panic
Adrian's hair. His voice dropped low. "Adrian, you're still too small. There's nothing
snapped, batting his father's hand away. "I'm just not old enough
let out a
a lot already. At the very least...
"Adrian."
behind them, they're
can't afford to be
filled
over his words.
"Of course I can."
or twice. Do you really want to come
you before. Your great-grandfather told
"I haven't!"
know what you
dropped his
leave. He simply picked up the laptop Leonard
room were the faint clicking of keys and the soft rustle of Adrian's fingers sifting through
interacted a quiet, gentle kind of closeness, uniquely
the silence
by unnoticed until Harper's voice drifted in from the hallway, breaking
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