Fiona POV
Back in my room, I sat on the edge of the bed, my shoes were off probably sowhere near the door. My heart still raced, but not from fear. From everything Nathan had said, from the way he’d looked at —raw, honest, he truly cared.
At least now I knew.....Nathan loved .
The thought settled warm and heavy in my chest. I leaned back against the pillows, replaying the mont his lips touched mine.
I picked up my phone suddenly rembering Ella.
I quickly typed in the word; ’He knows about the picture. We talked and it’s okay now.
A few seconds later and my phone buzzed.
Ella: THANK GOD. I was stressing like crazy. Are you okay?
I smiled faintly and quickly replied; ’I am. I’ll tell you everything later.
I set the phone down, exhaling slowly. For the first ti all day, I felt like I could breathe freely. Just then ca a soft knock ca on the door.
"Co in," I said casually.
Leo stepped inside, hands tucked into his hoodie pockets, eyes flicking nervously toward the hallway before settling on .
"Hey," I said gently. "What’s up?"
He walked in slowly and shut the door behind him.
"Is my dad mad at ?"
The question clearly caught off guard.
"No," I said imdiately. "Of course not."
He didn’t look convinced, so I patted the bed beside .
"Co sit."
He climbed up, sitting stiffly at first, his feet dangling above the floor. I turned toward him, lowering my voice.
"Your dad just had a bad day. That’s all. It doesn’t have anything to do with you."
Leo stared at his hands.
"You’re sure?" he asked quietly.
"I’m sure," I said. "If there’s one thing I know about your dad, it’s that when he’s upset, it’s never about you."
He nodded—but the crease between his brows didn’t disappear.
"Sotis," he said slowly, "people say things like that because they think kids won’t understand."
I looked at him with a confused face, did he think I was lying?
"I’m not saying you don’t," I replied carefully. "I just don’t want you blaming yourself for sothing that isn’t your fault."
He glanced at , his eyes sharp in a way that startled .
"You shouldn’t lie to ," he said. "I know when soone likes soone. Or when they don’t."
I swallowed hard, were kids this adamant?
"What makes you think that?"
"The way they look," he said simply. "People can pretend with words. But not their eyes."
I didn’t know what to say to that.... for all it’s worth, he’s a smart child.
"I see the way my dad looks at you," Leo continued. "It’s different. He’s happy. He smiles without even trying...he loves you Fiona."
My heart squeezed.
"And when he looks at ," he added quietly, "it’s not like that."
"Oh, Leo—"
"There’s no love in his eyes," he said, cutting off gently. "He cares. I know he does. But it’s not the sa."
I stared at him, stunned. How could soone so young read emotions so clearly? How could he carry this kind of weight already?
I reached for his hand slowly, I knew what it’s like felt like feeling unloved and unseen.
"That doesn’t an he doesn’t love you."
Leo pulled his hand back, shaking his head.
"Everyone says that. But they don’t know."
He took a deep breath, like he was bracing himself.
"No one ever really liked ," he said. "Not for real."
"Leo, that’s not true—"
"My mom didn’t like either," he whispered.
"Leo..." I called softly feeling bad already.
He looked up, tears welling in his eyes.
"She left . A long ti ago."
The room felt suddenly too small.
"She put in a place with lots of other kids," he continued, voice flat. "She didn’t co back. Not until later."
Wait...? Other kids? How’s that possible?
"Where was this place?" I asked softly.
He shrugged.
"An orphanage."
An orphanage??? What the heck!! She said he was in boarding school.
"She only ca back because soone told her my dad wanted to et ," Leo said. "She said he was important. That he had money."
Tears slipped down his cheeks.
"I thought... I thought that ant he loved ," he whispered. "Why else would he want to see ? This morning when mom asked to drop off.... I was excited but dad made it clear he didn’t want ."
A sob tore out of him, his small shoulders shaking as he bent forward. I pulled him into my arms without thinking, holding him tight as he cried into my shoulder.
My mind spun. Natasha had told everyone he was schooling abroad. A boarding school. Why would she abaddon him at an orphanage! No excuse to that kind of cruelty "
Why would a mother abandon her own child? What kind of person does that?
I rubbed his back gently.
"Leo, listen to . Your dad loves you. He might not always know how to show it, but that doesn’t an it isn’t there."
He sniffed.
"You promise?"
"I promise," I said, even though my chest ached with uncertainty.
He leaned into , still crying softly.
The door that was half opened suddenly made a sound.
"What is going on here?!"
Natasha stord in,her eyes locking onto her son in my arms.
"Leo!"
She yanked him away from , clearly furious. What’s her deal anyway?
"What did she do to you?"
I stood up so fast the bed creaked behind .
"Natasha, wait—"
She turned to , her face twisted.
"Did you hit him?"
"What?" I stared at her, stunned. "No!"
"He’s crying," she shouted. "Look at him! What did you say to him? What kind of nonsense are you filling his head with?"
"I didn’t touch him," I said firmly. "He ca to because he was upset—"
"Because of _you_," she interrupted. "You’ve been manipulating him ever since he stepped into this house!"
"That’s not true," I shot back. "He was worried about his father!"
Natasha laughed mockingly.
"Oh please. You think you know anything about my son?"
"You don’t even know him," I snapped before I could stop myself.
Her eyes widened in outrage.
"How dare you speak to like that in my own house?"
"Your house? Oh please! And how dare you accuse of abusing a child?" I fired back, hands shaking. "What kind of mother does that?"
Leo clung to her now, silent but trembling.
"You are a disgrace," she hissed. "A nobody who thinks she can co in here and turn my son against ! You succeeded with Nathan but it won’t work with my aon."
"I didn’t turn anyone against you," I said, voice rising. "You did that yourself. You’re a worthless excuse for a mother, and if you think screaming and lying will cover that up, you’re delusional."
Her breath hitched in fury.
"Get out of my way."
"I won’t," I said. "Not while you’re terrorizing your own child."
"Enough!" she scread.
The shouting probably echoed all the way downstairs. Becauze not long i could hear footsteps approaching. Soon enough, my door filled with Gabriel first, then Caleb, then Nathan.
Nathan’s eyes took in the scene in a second.
Leo was crying. And the fury between Natasha and I was quite obvious.
"What the hell is going on?" he demanded.
Natasha quickly pointed at .
"She attacked my son."
Nathan’s kept his gaze on . Mr Gabriel imdiately snapped.
"Is that true?" he asked imdiately.
"Of course not," I and Nathan chorused together. I turned my gaze away from him.
"I bet she’s lying! You all know how jumpy Natasha can be" Nathan said calmly.
The room was silent except for Leo’s quiet sobs.
Reviews
All reviews (0)