?


    "N, I promise this won''t happen again," Gabriel assured.


    N didn''t respond. She simply took Mason''s hand and walked away.


    Gabriel and Wilhelm stood there for a moment before finally leaving, neither of them noticing the figure watching from the corner of the hospital lobby. Brandon dialed Damon''s number again. "Uncle Damon, you don''t need toe. Aunt N already left with Buddy.


    "I asked around and found out that Buddy and Wilhelm fought at school this morning. Aunt N and Gabriel were here to get them checked out, but they''ve already gone their separate ways."


    There was a pause before Damon''s cold voice came through the line. "Got it."


    Then he hung up.


    When N brought Mason home, Lydia looked surprised to see him. "Ms. Kinsey, why isn''t Mr. Mason at school?"


    "He''ll stay home with me today. Buddy, go wash your hands and change your clothes," N said.


    Mason nodded and ran upstairs.


    Lydia didn''t press further but mentioned, "Mr. Sumner called earlier to check if you''d gotten home. I told him you hadn''t returned yet. Maybe you should call him back?"


    N paused. Damon rarely called just to ask about something so mundane.


    Frowning, she said, "Okay, got it. Thank you. You can go back to your


    work."


    After changing her shoes and sitting on the couch, she debated for a while before finally dialing Damon''s number.


    Damon picked up the call. "Yes?"


    "Did you know I took Buddy to the hospital today?" N asked directly.


    There was a silence on the other end before he replied, "Yes."


    "Who told you?" she asked.


    "Brandon happened to be at the hospital and saw you with Buddy and Gabriel. He called to ask me about it." His tone was calm as if this were just an ordinary conversation.


    "Then why didn''t you ask me when you called earlier?" N pressed.


    "I did. You said you were out. I figured you didn''t want to tell me, so I let it go," he answered.


    "I didn''t want to worry you. You''re


    already dealing with enough


    vel


    because of Prospectus Technology.


    |


    to


    want Buddy''s issues to add


    ress.


    Swnovel


    "But if you knew, why not just ask me directly instead of beating around the bush?" N questioned.


    Damon fell silent again.


    When he didn''t respond, N sighed and hung up.


    Damon didn''t return home untilte that night. He found N still awake, sitting on the couch with a book.


    "You''re still up?" he asked, surprised.


    "I was waiting for you," she said, closing the book.


    Damon changed into slippers and sat beside her. "It''ste. Let''s talk tomorrow."


    "No, we''re talking now," she said, her gaze unwavering.


    "Alright. What do you want to talk about?" he asked.


    "You know why I''m here waiting for you," she stated.


    Damon avoided her eyes.


    The room fell into a heavy silence.


    Finally, he said, "N, I''m sorry. I didn''t ask because I was afraid..."


    "Afraid of what? That I''d leave you with Buddy? That I''d end up with Gabriel?" she asked.


    et


    "Both," he admitted. "I''ve always been confident. If Prospectus Technology were still thriving, I wouldn''t even think twice about it But now... with the bankruptcy, feel so uncertain about us. I''m scared of losing you."


    Damon believed he''d recover and rebuild, but he worried about


    dragging N and Mason down with him or that one day, she might regret staying.