CHAPTER 130: CHAPTER 130: SHE’S AFRAID SHE’LL SOFTEN HER HEART

Henry’s small body lay next to Josephine Thompson.

His burning forehead pressed against her arm, and in his cries was the purest form of a child’s dependency: "Mommy, look at me... I will always listen to you. I don’t want a new mommy. Please don’t abandon me, okay?"

His little hand tentatively held her waist, clutching her hospital gown tightly like a frightened little animal.

Josephine Thompson suppressed her grief, every muscle screaming in pain.

She didn’t dare to open her eyes.

More afraid that her heart would soften.

The child’s body heat seeped through the thin fabric, making her chest feel anxious.

He was once the little body she warmed countless times on cold nights, the baby she lulled to sleep with lullabies. But now, this intimacy felt like a branding iron, making her want to escape.

Nathaniel Gallagher stood at the foot of the bed, watching tears spill from the corners of Josephine’s eyes, his heart aching more.

"Josephine, Henry is still young. He doesn’t understand anything. Open your eyes and look at him; the child is sick..."

"Get out."

Josephine’s voice was hoarse and trembling, as she forcefully pushed Henry away.

She didn’t want to waste any more motherly love.

Henry was so startled by the cold, hard "get out" that his sobs stopped abruptly.

He looked up at her timidly, his little face full of confusion and grievance: "Mommy... don’t you like me anymore? Are you really going to abandon me? Sob sob sob..."

Josephine bit her tongue hard, the taste of iron spreading in her mouth.

She was easily moved.

But at this moment.

She didn’t want to be overcome by sympathy again, nor did she want any further entanglement with The Gallagher Family.

"Josephine, after all, Henry is just a child. He is so seriously ill now; he just wants a little motherly love." Nathaniel’s voice carried a hint of pleading.

He really hoped Josephine could comfort the child.

He was also afraid that the child would be hurt, causing psychological impact.

"Henry, Mommy is also sick, don’t move Mommy."

"Oh..." Henry seemed to understand much more than before, obediently resting his small face on Josephine’s hand, "Sob sob sob... Mommy, what’s wrong?"

Josephine choked up, turning her head inward, unable to bear getting angry with a child.

"Mommy, please don’t ignore me, okay? I promise I’ll be obedient from now on." Henry cried sadly and resentfully in her arms.

Because of the high fever, he kept coughing and wheezing, his body temperature hotter than ever.

Josephine’s throat hurt terribly, and she finally looked at Nathaniel with tear-filled eyes, "Nathaniel, take the child away."

Nathaniel hesitated for a few seconds.

Then, suddenly, he bent down, feeling heartbroken as he hugged them both.

"Josephine, don’t be like this. The child needs you. Please, just show a little kindness and give the child some motherly love. After all... after all... he is also your child."

When Josephine heard this, her heart ached so much it felt like it was exploding, "Get out--"

She struggled to sit up, using all her strength to slap him across the face.

"Slap--"

Nathaniel didn’t flinch, looking at her with eyes full of helpless sorrow.

"Hit me!"

"Go die, go die, go die--"

"Slap slap--"

Josephine lost control of her emotions, frantically slapping him.

She truly hated him to death.

He had ruined her life.

The crisp sound of slapping echoed in the silent hospital room, carrying all the hatred and despair Josephine had bottled up inside.

Nathaniel’s cheek quickly turned red, but he seemed completely numb. He just looked at her steadily, his eyes filled with a pain she couldn’t understand.

"How dare you say he is my child?" Josephine’s voice was ragged and broken from agitation, the wound on her neck pulled painfully, blood soaking through her hospital gown.

"From the moment you deceived me, he wasn’t anymore! Nathaniel Gallagher, why should I give motherly love to your child with Eleanor Churchill?!"

Her nails dug into her palms from clenching so hard, drops of blood seeping through her fingers, staining the white sheets like the constantly bleeding hole in her heart.

Henry was startled by the sudden intensity, his cries erupted again, but this time filled with fear: "Mommy... what’s wrong? Sob sob... I’m scared, did I do something wrong again?"

He babbled incoherently, his small body trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Ever since Eleanor Churchill had him placed on the railing for a lesson.

The child’s courage seemed to have been shattered.

He was no longer the mischievous and unruly child he used to be.

Looking at the child’s frightened face, Josephine’s heart felt like it was being repeatedly sliced with a dull knife.

What did the child do wrong?

The child is innocent.

The sinner is the adult, the one deserving a thousand cuts, Nathaniel Gallagher.

"Sob sob sob, Mommy, I won’t be naughty anymore."

Josephine’s tears uncontrollably flowed down.

She so badly wanted to hug him and tell him, "Mommy doesn’t mean you."

But the words got stuck.

All that was left was cold decisiveness.

She couldn’t fall into this again, not even a step.

"Nathaniel Gallagher, do you not understand human language?" She suddenly pushed his arm away, the large motion tugging at her wound, causing her vision to go dark with pain.

"Take him away! Take him away right now!"

Nathaniel was pushed back half a step, looking at her face as pale as paper and the bloodstains seeping through the bandage on her neck.

His heart ached so much he couldn’t breathe.

He wanted to say something, but found that all the words seemed pale and powerless.

"Henny, let’s go out first." He forcefully picked up his still wailing son, his voice trembling without him even realizing it.

"No! I want mommy! Mommy, don’t make me go!" Henry Gallagher struggled desperately in his arms, his little hand reaching towards Josephine Thompson.

Josephine suddenly turned her head away, biting her lip hard.

Only when she tasted the heavy metallic taste of blood did she stop herself from crying out loud.

"Boo hoo hoo, I don’t want to be separated from mommy, I don’t want to..." Henry Gallagher clung tightly to Josephine Thompson’s sleeve, crying until he was out of breath.

"Click!"

The ward door was pushed open.

The servant pushed Eleanor Churchill to the door.

Seeing the scene in front of her where the family of three was ’reluctant to part’.

The veins on Eleanor’s forehead throbbed, her heart felt as if it were pierced by a sharp blade.

"Nathaniel, Henny, what are you doing?"

Hearing Eleanor’s voice.

Both father and son panicked and instinctively looked towards Eleanor.

"...Eleanor, why are you here?"

Eleanor gave a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, "My sister called me early, saying Henny had a high fever. So, I rushed to the hospital to check on him."

"I didn’t expect not to find Henny in the ward. The nurse told me you were here."

After saying this.

She looked at Henry Gallagher with icy eyes, her tone sharp, "Henny, come over to mommy."

Seeing this, Henry Gallagher was even more terrified and cried louder, "Waaah, no, I don’t want to, you’re not my mommy."

"Waaaah, mommy, mommy save me!"

Henry Gallagher was frightened out of his wits, reaching out to Josephine Thompson as if calling for a savior.

Seeing this, Josephine felt as if her heart was being cut, and tears kept falling.

What kind of abuse and intimidation had the child suffered?

To make him so afraid of her?

One must know, Henry Gallagher was the little tyrant of the family, a real troublemaker!

Yet, in just two short months, the child had become so timid, like a startled bird.

"Mommy... mommy save me..." Henry Gallagher stretched his little hand towards Josephine, his eyes full of fear.

Seeing this, Eleanor’s expression hardened, "Henny, come over here to mommy right now, don’t make mommy repeat herself."

Although Henry Gallagher was her biological son.

But after all, she didn’t give birth to him herself.

She became a mother without pain, and didn’t have much of that deep mother-child bond.

Tears welled up in Josephine’s eyes, the hard shell of her heart shattered by the child’s cries.

She instinctively took Henry Gallagher in her arms, holding him tightly to comfort him.

Henry Gallagher, like a frightened bird, trembled in her arms, crying and pleading, "Mommy, please don’t let her take me away, boo hoo hoo..."

Josephine felt as if her heart was being cut, her maternal instincts making it impossible for her to remain calm, "Don’t be afraid."

He was not her genetically,

But he... was someone she had given birth to herself.

Who was closer and who was further, was clear at a glance.

"Mommy protect me, I’m scared, I’m afraid..."

"With mommy here, you don’t need to be afraid."

Josephine held Henry Gallagher tightly in her arms.

This was like a fuse, instantly igniting all of Eleanor’s pent-up resentment.

She glared at the two, the wheelchair armrests creaking under her grip, her whole body radiating an aura of hostility.

"Josephine Thompson, what do you mean by this?"

Eleanor’s voice was as cold as ice, "Taking my man wasn’t enough, now you want to take my son too?"

Nathaniel Gallagher frowned and stepped forward, "Eleanor, say a little less, Josephine she..."

"Say a little less?"

Eleanor abruptly interrupted him, her eyes instantly reddening, "Then tell me, what should I say?"

Her voice suddenly rose high, tinged with weeping, yet every word was laced with venom, "What is she? A fool you cheated, now pretending to be a kind mother in front of me?"

Henry Gallagher cried even harder, clinging tightly to Josephine Thompson, "Mommy protect me."

"Henny, you want her to protect you?"

Eleanor sneered, once again speaking in a commanding tone, "Mommy will count to three, come to mommy immediately. Otherwise, mommy will get angry."

Josephine’s arms tightened around Henry Gallagher, her voice hoarse but firm, "Eleanor Churchill, what do you intend to do?"

"I’m disciplining my son, it’s none of your business."

"..." Josephine’s heart blocked, then she turned a cold gaze to Nathaniel Gallagher.

"Nathaniel Gallagher, is this how you treat the child I entrusted to you?"

Nathaniel felt a headache and heartache, "Eleanor, Henny is sick, don’t be so harsh. Let me take you back first..."

Eleanor’s eyes turned cold, "Let go."

"Nathaniel, we agreed before, when I’m educating the child, you’re not allowed to interfere."

"I’m his biological mother, I must correct his attitude and perception. I can’t let him mistake a thief for a mother, not knowing who his real mother is."

"Eleanor, don’t be like this, Henny is very sick right now. You don’t need to use such a harsh attitude to educate him at this time. He’s still young; when he grows up, he’ll naturally understand."

Upon hearing this, Eleanor’s anger instantly flared, "So what? What do you want to do now? Do you want her to continue being the child’s mommy?"