Nathan didnât respond immediately.
Several seconds ticked by before his mind fully absorbed Lucindaâs words.
Then, his eyelashes quivered intensely, his eyes crimson.
âDo you truly comprehend the words youâre uttering?â
Lucinda nodded with determination.
âIâm thinking clearly at the moment.
I understand exactly what Iâm saying.
After we go our separate ways, you wonât be in pain anymore, and I wonât carry the weight of guilt.
Itâs the best decision for both of us.
â
Nathanâs eyes glistened with tears, and he plunged into a profound hopelessness.
âI concealed the gravity of your illness because I was afraid youâd make such a drastic choice.
I never anticipated youâd find out and choose for thisâ¦â
His scarred and aching back quivered with a hint of sorrow, his eyes brimming with grief.
âLucinda, this is not the first time youâve asked me for a divorce.
Last time, it nearly cost me my life to win you back.
What will it take this time?â
Lucinda took a deep breath and sighed as she reached out to treat his back with the medicine.
Nathan gravely shifted away, not permitting her to make contact with him.
Seeing the pain in his eyes, Lucinda softened her approach.
âI didnât mean to upset you.
When my illness flares up, I lose control.
I donât want to harm you.
â
She inhaled deeply before rephrasing her proposal.
âWhat Iâm suggesting is we divorce, you take custody of the kids, and you separate me from our life completely.
I can fully concentrate on my treatment.
If thereâs no improvement, you can find a loving and caring mother for them.
Donât concern yourself about me.
If I recover completely, we can consider remarriage.
Does that sound agreeable to you?â
âNo.
â Nathan didnât hesitate; his refusal was categorical.
âI canât take the chance that during your period of being âunattached,â you might develop feelings for someone else.
Being five years older than you, I could be seen as less appealing, and finding another partner might become an issue.
â
Lucinda found herself at a loss for words.
Nathan continued, his gaze determined, âFrom this point forward, the word âdivorceâ will never make its way into our family records.
â
Lucinda exhaled deeply.
âNate-â
âCall me honey.
â Nathan averted his gaze and sulked.
Lucinda sighed.
She felt powerless but entirely earnest.
âI genuinely donât want to harm you.
Just as when you were infected by the S404
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Virus and faced death, you chose to let me go and end our marriage to spare me pain.
Iâm feeling the same way now.
You do comprehend, right?â
Nathan straightened up, looking directly at Lucinda, and posed a rhetorical question, âBack then, you wouldnât let go of me.
Now, I wonât let go of you either.
Can you grasp that?â
Once more, Lucinda found herself without words.
Nathan gripped Lucindaâs hand firmly.
âHusbands and wives should tackle challenges together.
Plus, this isnât some grave illness.
Aldric mentioned that with the treatmentâs current progress, you could be back on your feet within six months.
The little ones and I will stand by you throughout.
â
Nathan and Lucinda locked eyes, tears filling each of their gazes.
After pondering for a bit, Lucinda finally voiced her thoughts.
âWhen I have an episode, just keep me isolated.
Itâs safest if I remain alone and donât harm anyone.
â
Nathan comforted Lucinda, saying, âIf you have another episode, Iâll quickly administer a sedative and bring you to Aldric for an IV drip.
How does that sound?â