Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

Chapter 152

a pala

leg.

Edward this phase and hickled Jis gaze falling on his heavily bandaged by Am I really that fragile it’s

just a fractured bon

Kyle retorted with a You’re all about flau

your moine tbility mit your saving

Edward smiled, chonning

cengage further in the bander

were hundred days to heal injured tendons and bones?

wing your name playing the mighty

On the 29th four of Evergreen Gardens. Natalie Delt surge od jay jagen reeeiving Sherri’s m Juana

hard sur li remarkable reuliene she wouldn’t have had to perform every wer)

The Landdor family’s residence nel humbly ageingier for her jart

If she had known that

won she would

With that throught in munzi. Natalie der jeled to take Jasper to the mall to buy a gift. She turned to

Jenny enthusiastically spoke, Jenny. I’ve finished my meal. I’m planning to take Jasper out for a

the kitchen and

We might not be back for

Jenny in the kitchen responded with a resounding voire. “Alright If you’re not returning, we’ll visit the

villa. It hasn’t been

leaned for several days”

Jenny and Lena held a deep affection for the villa, where they had reuded for decades. In addition,

Barron had always treated them kindly. Thus they atte wind moments to go back and meticulously

clean the place, even though

ulare and devoid of any lingering odors.

resided there ensuring it remained.

“Okay Jenny Im beading beat flow”

Jentry suddenly realized her recent illness and thought, “Would you be able to handle taking Jasper

out? He’s quite a harviful

How about Far company your

Natalie tuled gratefully. Jentry, Im not so fragile Look, I’m already feeling better I’m going to Sherri

Landor’s house this afternoon As she said this, Natalie twirled around in front of Jenny, demon

roved condition.

Upon hearing that it involved Miss Landor. Jenny no longer insisted, “Alright then, just take care of

yourself”

Natalie was rikay with Jenny’s caring reminders She understood that people who truly cared would

always offer their concerns before one’s departure, fearing any possible mishaps. “Okay. I understand

With erris unuation settled and Juana no particularly upset, Natalie felt a sense of relief. Strangely

enough, she didn’t feel overly worried about Hackett’s uation. As she descended the stairs, she cathe

to a sudden halt, her eyes widening in

astonishment

In the play area of a distant revidential complex, a man stood beneath the monkey bars, his sleek black

suit accentuated by the warm golden rays of sunlight With a hint of a smile gracing his otherwise stern

countenance, he stood tall and composed, his strong arms effortlessly supporting a child who ragerly

clung to the bars Every movement he made was deliberate an! utious, ready to protect and assist

immediately

The chuld zoggled and separated with delight, clearly familiar with this playful routine. The sight before

her was something she had never expected to witness

An inglese ribable pang of bittersweet emotions flooded her heart, leaving her torn and conflicted. She

leaned against the nearby wall, taking a moment to compone herself. After a deep breath and a few

minutes of contemplation, she straightened her pesture and released a sigh as if resolving something

within.

As she drew closer, the man’s gaze shafted towards her, has suspended movement coming to a halt.

Even the child turned to glance at the man, ratching sight of Natalie Excitedly, the child began to wiggle

and dance, calling out, “Mommy, Motary

Gently, the man set Jasper down, has intention to walk toward Natalie evident. However, as soon as

Jasper laid eyes on Natalie heurkly disregarded the man, peishing ham away swiftly

Natalie observed the man’s empty hands, a sense of enginess echoing within her heart.

Without acknowledging him or questioning his presence with Jasper, Natalie focused on lifting Jasper

off the ground. Softly and tenderly, the inspired, “Are you tired from playing? Feeling warm?”

In a sweet and innocent voice, Jasper responded, “Not warm. Mommy, this is my good friend.”

Natalie narrowed her eyes, her brows furrowing in confusion. “What do you mean by good friend?*

Lena couldn’t help but smile “Miss Natalie, let me explain. This gentleman here is the same person

whom Jasper accidentally bumped into earlier. Today, he bought a toy to apologize to Jasper, and

Jasper graciously accepted it. They

Natalie was speechless. Have I seen him before? Was his interaction with Jasper merely a façade?

He didn’t approach her too closely, maintaining his position while his gaze remained fixated on her

face. His expression was inscrutable, concealing any hints of emotion, but there was a subtle softness

in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

It was as if he could decipher her thoughts. In a soft-spoken voice, he reassured her. “My pursuit of you

has nothing to do with Jasper.”

Lena pondered, “What did I just hear? Is this gentleman pursuing Miss Natalie?”

Miss Natalie was not only beautiful but also kind-hearted. It wasn’t uncommon for suitors to pursue her,

even back in Sapphire City. However, this gentleman exuded undeniable charm and sophistication,

hinting at his affluent background.

Lena’s mind was already spinning with countless scenarios, and Trevon’s question nearly made her

dizzy.

Natalie picked up on his attempt to explain that his pursuit wasn’t solely because of Jasper but because

of her. With at dismissive tone, she responded, “It’s not relevant to me.”

Trevon’s gaze darkened, a hint of disappointment creeping into his eyes. Nevertheless, he persisted

and wanted to ask her directly. “What about the child…?”

She swiftly intercepted his words, her voice firm, “My personal life is not as chaotic as you might think.

However, the child has no connection to you. If there is any connection, it is merely biological. I seek a

committed father for my child, but I am not unreasonable. 1 cannot change the fact that you are

Jasper’s biological father. So, I won’t deny you the opportunity to be a part of his life. That is my

greatest compromise. But if you intend to contest custody, be prepared for a fierce battle. I hope it

doesn’t come to that, but I won’t back down if you insist.”

Natalie’s most significant fear now was that Trevon would use the custody battle to pressure her into

compromising. Rather than hiding or evading, she decided to confront the situation head-on. When her

uncle suggested changing the date, she had initially argued against it. She knew full well that with

Trevon’s power and influence, he would quickly uncover information about Jasper if he genuinely

wanted to. However, her uncle and the others ultimately decided to proceed with the change, showing

their respect for her by reframing from prying into Jasper’s paternity.

As long as she didn’t explicitly reveal it, her uncle and the others rarely probed further, displaying their

deep respect for her boundaries.

Trevon was infuriated yet impressed by this woman’s ability to leave him seething with just a few

words. He recalled telling her that his personal life wasn’t as chaotic, and now she had cleverly turned

his words against him.

Gritting his teeth, he suppressed his inner turmoil and asked, “Is that how you see me?”

Natalie handed Jasper over to Lena and instructed, “Lena, please take Jasper upstairs for now. I’ll join

you shortly.”

Lena took the child from Natalie, her mind still reeling from the revelation, and she watched Natalie with

concern as she ascended the stairs, glancing back multiple times.

Natalie straightened her back and met his visibly colder gaze as she spoke softly, “So you’re saying

you have no intention of contesting custody with me?”

“I have never stated that I want to engage in a custody battle with you. Even if I discovered that Jasper

is my child, I have no desire to separate him from you” Because I want both you and our son, why

would I want to tear them apart?

Natalie had a hint of skepticism in her eyes, searching for the truth. “Are you being sincere?” She

preferred a peaceful resolution, but if necessary, she would have her uncle confront him. She would not

compromise when it came to their child.

“I speak only the truth. You can dismiss anything I said two years ago, but every word I have spoken to

you since your return has been genuine. My pursuit of you was sincere, and now my decision not to

fight you for Jasper is also sincere. You can trust me on that,”

Natalie said, “If you mean what you say, that’s all I ask for. No need to mix in a confession of feelings

as if it changes anything. Are you out of your mind?”

“I hope you’re true to your word and won’t go back on it. After all, you’re Mr. Wilson, a prominent figure

in Athana.” Natalie wanted to discourage him from trying to take Jasper away from her.

However, Trevon’s perspective on the matter was different. He felt a sense of joy in his expression as

he replied, “L, Trevon, always keep my promises. His words were spoken with sincerity and

determination.

The language was an expansive and intricate realm where each individual’s capacity for understanding

varied. The Interpretation of a single sentence could diverge significantly depending on the individual.

In this case, their perspectives were entirely out of sync.

As he gazed at her retreating figure, he couldn’t help but notice how stunning she looked today. It had

been years since they last saw each other, and her sense of style had transformed remarkably. She

adorned herself in a charming milky-colored floral dress layered with a vibrant grass-green suit jacket.

Completing her ensemble was a pair of elegant milky-colored high-heeled shoes. She emanated an air

of grace and femininity. How had he failed to recognize her striking beauty all these years?

Trevon couldn’t help but admit that she was growing more stunning by the day, defying the natural

process of aging