Shattered Then Healed By His Love (by Haley Blanton) novel Chapter 26

Chapter 26 A House Full of Fireworks

“Morning.”

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Marcus’s voice was low and cool as he greeted her, then walked briskly toward the stairs.

“Dad’s not up yet? I’m gonna be late for school. Are you taking me or is Dad taking me?” Aiden asked, tugging on Natalie’s sleeve.

“Your dad’s not here. He went out last night,” Natalie replied, her tone flat.

“What?” Aiden blinked. “Dad didn’t sleep here last night?”

Stella opened her mouth, but before she could speak, another voice cut in.

Natalie looked up–and locked eyes with Gabriel, who had appeared silently at the edge of the corridor on the third floor.

He’d heard everything.

Natalie’s brow tensed. So Grandpa heard it all.

“He had work last night,” she said calmly.

“That idiot…” Gabriel growled, his cane slamming hard against the floor.

The lines on his face deepened with anger.

“Has Aiden woken up yet?”

Just then, Jackson’s voice echoed from downstairs.

Apparently, he’d returned just in time to take Aiden to school.

Natalie glanced at Gabriel and saw the old man turn sharply and storm toward the stairs, clearly fuming.

5)

It was going to be another chaotic morning.

When Natalie arrived at the dining room, Gabriel was already mid–rant.

“What were you doing last night? Why didn’t you stay home?” he snapped at Jackson.

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Chapter 26 A House Full of Fireworks

Marcus sat beside the old man, quietly having his breakfast.

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1981

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Jackson offered a half–hearted explanation. “I got an urgent call for work late last night. It ran long, so I just stayed at the office.”

Natalie’s lips curled in a cold smile.

So seeing Victoria now counted as work?

Gabriel’s anger flared. His voice rose. “What work is more important than your wife? No wonder she wants a divorce. With how you treat her, who wouldn’t leave you?”

“She locked me out,” Jackson argued. “After she went upstairs, she shut the door in my face. I had work to handle anyway, so I just left.”

As he spoke, he shot Natalie a sharp glare, his eyes filled with irritation.

He lied so easily–without blinking. How had she never noticed what a liar he was?

“Sorry,” Natalie said flatly. “I drank too much and didn’t hear you knocking.”

“You expect me to believe that? That you passed out so hard you couldn’t hear anything? You locked the door on purpose,” Jackson snapped.

“Enough.” Marcus’s voice cut through the tension, steady and calm. “It’s early. Just eat. Don’t

you

still have to take Aiden to school?”

With Marcus stepping in, Jackson bit back the rest of his words.

He pulled out a chair to sit, but Aiden had already slung his backpack over his shoulder and was fidgeting.

“Dad, I’m gonna be late! Forget breakfast–can you just take me now?”

“Alright, I’ll take you.”

Jackson pushed the chair back in.

Even though they were still in the family estate, and surrounded by elders, Natalie knew she still had to show up as a mother.

“I’ll come too,” she offered.

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