Chapter 19
The Keller family showed up with stone–cold faces to take Sarah away, but the moment they saw Nathan, their whole attitude flipped to shameless flattery.
“Mr. Haskins, Sarah’s lost her mind and can’t walk anymore–she’ll never have the chance to bother you again. We promise we won’t go easy on her, she’ll get what’s coming to her. Please, just have mercy on our family.”)
Nathan didn’t say a word. Desperate to make his point, Sarah’s father slapped her hard across the face. Her cheek swelled up instantly, and she just sat there, tears streaming down her dazed face.
It was a far cry from the way he used to spoil his daughter. Turns out, that affection was only ever about what she could do for him. Now that she was useless to him, he barely bothered to hide his contempt.
Nathan frowned, looking away like he couldn’t care less.
“She’s no concern of mine. I’ve gotten my revenge. Just make sure she never crosses my path again.“!
Sarah’s father nodded over and over, practically dragging Sarah out the door.
Nathan didn’t give her another thought. Once he was sure she was still breathing, he turned and walked away.
Everyone he wanted payback from had gotten what they deserved. Everyone except Julia.
Every time he thought he’d found a lead on her, it vanished before he could even get close.>
Nathan knew Julia was doing it on purpose–she was hiding from him. They knew each other too well, and that made it all the easier for her to slip away each time. She just couldn’t bring herself to forgive him.”
That thought ate away at him, and there was nothing he could do but sit with the ache.
He scrolled through every photo of Julia on his phone, over and over, memorizing every detail. He could remember exactly when and where he’d taken each picture. Through those photos, he could almost feel her again, almost touch the happiness they used to have.
They’d loved each other so much. How did it all fall apart?}
He couldn’t make sense of it.
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He drowned himself in whiskey, bottle after bottle, until his mind went numb. But even in his dreams, even in his drunken haze, Julia never once appeared.
“Julia, you’re really something…” He gave a bitter, broken laugh and took another long drink. “What do I need to do to make you see me again? To make you forgive me?”
“I really do love you… I’m going crazy without you…”
He didn’t know how many bottles he finished before he finally passed out on the sofa, utterly alone.
The silence in the empty house felt heavier than
Nathan wasn’t the only one suffering. The whole atmosphere at Haskins International was heavy and tense. Whenever Nathan was in a bad mood, he tore through the business world with ruthless efficiency, like he was made of stone. No one dared cross him.
Maybe he’d always been this way. Maybe Julia was the
who ever softened him, even if just for a while.
Most of the employees didn’t know what was really going on. They just silently hoped Julia would come back soon.
Only Aiden knew the truth–and he knew Julia was never coming back. He’d seen, clear as day, every way Nathan had hurt her, and there was nothing he could do to fix it.
Nathan was drinking himself to sleep every night, or relying on pills to get even a few hours of rest. He’d aged years in just the short time since the divorce.
Aiden let out a long sigh, but all he could do was try to talk sense into Nathan.
“Mr. Haskins, you can’t keep going like this. If Mrs. Haskins saw you now, she probably wouldn’t even recognize you.”
“And if she knew you were drinking yourself sick, she’d be heartbroken.“@
“If your health gives out, how are you ever going to win her back?”
“No matter where she is, this city is her home. Her parents are buried here. Julia’s always been so devoted–she’ll have to come back someday. And when she does, if you’re still like this, how will you ever get her back?”
Aiden’s voice was gentle but firm. After a long silence, Nathan’s expression finally shifted.
“You’re right. Julia will come back someday. I need to get myself together.”
