Shattered Then Healed By His Love (by Haley Blanton) novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46 Not Sticking Around For Drama

The phone was locked; Jackson couldn’t get in. He gave up and went straight to bed.

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The next morning, when Natalie woke, the room was empty; the only sound came from the shower running in the bathroom.

Once she took in her surroundings, she realized she had gotten drunk again the night before.

The memory of leaning over the railing in front of Marcus made her scalp tingle.

Every time she drank too much, she did something ridiculous. Next time I’m here, I’m not touching alcohol.

Natalie sat up quickly, slipped out of bed as quietly as she could, and tiptoed out. After making sure no one was around, she gently closed the door behind her.

The moment she turned and glanced around, the door to the bedroom next door opened.

She froze as Jackson stepped out, his face dark.

“You’re up to something shady this early in the morning?” he said, his tone sharp.

He definitely hadn’t seen her just now.

Natalie steadied herself and replied coolly, “Look who’s talking.”

Without another word to him, she walked back into her room.

“You stayed in Grandpa’s room all night? Did his condition take a turn?”

Natalie’s back stiffened, her steps halting.

He must have asked Marcus after coming back last night and not finding her in the room.

Marcus really had taken a gamble with that excuse. Why does it sound like we’re having an affair…

“What, cat got your tongue? Why are you spacing out?”

Jackson waved his hand in front of her face.

Snapping back to herself, Natalie gave a faint nod. “Yeah, he’s doing much better now.”

Just then, her phone buzzed on the table. She rushed over, picked it up, and saw a message

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10:58 Sat, Sep 27

Chapter 46 Not Sticking Around For Drama

from Lily’s homeroom teacher, reminding her to bring Lily to school at nine.

That’s when she remembered she had to take Lily in today.

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After replying to the teacher, she was about to close her phone when she noticed a missed call.

It wasn’t to her primary number; it was to the secondary one.

That number was the one she used for patients and jade clients. During her years in prison, Lucy had been the one holding onto it; only recently had she gotten it back.

She’d even bought a dual–SIM phone because of it.

Staring at the number, she frowned. It looked so familiar.

A moment later, realization dawned, and she quickly opened her main contacts list.

She compared Marcus‘ number to the one tied to her secondary SIM.

Her pupils widened in shock. Why did Marcus have that number? Where had he gotten it?

“Today’s Aiden’s graduation ceremony. You’re going, right? The teacher said both parents should be there; it’d mean a lot to him,” came a familiar voice from behind her, breaking her train of thought.

Hearing his footsteps draw closer, Natalie immediately locked her screen.

Before Jackson could reach her, she slipped the phone into her bag at the bedside.

She hadn’t expected him to be there still.

Turning her head slightly, she shot him a cool glance. “I have important things to take care of today; I don’t have time for his graduation ceremony.”

She’d just taken a step when his hand shot out and gripped her wrist. “Natalie, Aiden isn’t just my son. You skip parent–teacher meetings, fine–but now you won’t even go to his graduation, one of the biggest days of his life? Is this what you call being a mother?”

“Either way, to him and to you, I’m a dispensable mother and wife. What difference does it make if I’m there or not? Victoria can go instead, can’t she?”

Her voice was calm, but it was laced with frost.

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