Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)
Chapter 897

He felt like it was his duty, as their child, to fix the relationship between his mom and dad. But the truth was, he hadn't been able to help at all. And now, Agnes was filled with regret.

Why had she argued with Jared in the hospital room? It must have hurt Nocturne deeply.

"Sweetie," Agnes finally said, "I won't be giving you a little sister. Having you is more than enough for me. I just want to see you get better and grow up."

Nocturne exhaled slowly, stubborn as ever. "But Mom, if you had another baby, you could watch both of us grow up. Wouldn't it be nice to have a livelier house?" Jared had seen through his son's act long ago.

"I'm sorry," Jared suddenly spoke up. "Your mom and I weren't fighting, we were just trying to work things out. Sometimes that's how adults solve problems. Arguing doesn't mean we don't love each other. In fact, it's often because we care so much that we fight. I hope you can understand that."

Nocturne fell silent.

It was the first time Agnes had seen him truly considering Jared's words. Nocturne was a bright kid, with his own take on the world. But that intellect came at a price. He'd lost some of that innocent simplicity that children have, burdened by the weight of the world's worries at a far too young age. He was only four, after all, and shouldn't be feeling the pain of the world like an adult. Agnes' heart ached.

Regardless of where things with Jared would end up, whether they stayed together or not, the last thing she wanted was for Nocturne to get hurt. He'd never longed for a father before, but now that he had Jared, the idea of forcefully taking away that precious father-son bond seemed too cruel to him.

Caught in her internal conflict, Agnes didn't notice Nocturne looking up.

"Let's eat," he said simply.

A feast of sushi spread out on the table, the scent of grilled eel and miso soup filled the air. Nocturne seemed to cheer up a bit, managing to eat half his plate. Agnes, on the other hand, had lost her appetite completely.

Back at the hospital, Nocturne was still awake. Jared sat by his bedside, telling him stories. They weren't the typical fairy tales, but rather tales of the cosmos - subjects Agnes barely grasped. Seated on a nearby couch, she was peeling apples, semi-tuned into their conversation revolving around the complex topics of time and space. It brought her a transient sense of happiness. Eventually, Nocturne drifted off to sleep.

Agnes turned to Jared. "Let's make a pact," she suggested.

Jared's gaze, icy and expectant, met hers.

"Whatever happens between us, in front of our son, even if we have to pretend, let's act as if we were still in love, okay?"

Her words were like a slow, torturous cut to Jared. Pretend? Act as if they were in love?

He couldn't do it because he had never stopped loving her. How could he pretend?

But Agnes' feelings had clearly changed. Had she truly chosen Ryder over him? When had it all begun to shift?

Jared's heart was in agony, yet he was at a loss for what to do. These past months had been a rollercoaster, lifting him to the highest highs and dropping him to the deepest lows, over and over again.