When Family Became a Place I Couldn’t Return To novel Chapter 300

“Jonah…” Nelly’s voice wavered with surprise. “I thought you were mad at me…”

“I’m not mad.”

There was a quiet sigh on the other end. Jonah’s voice, usually so steady, softened. “I just… I hate seeing you hurt.”

Warmth bloomed in Nelly’s chest. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. If Jonah had snapped at her, she could have apologized a hundred times over. But hearing him say he was worried about her, she suddenly had no idea what to say.

“They’re the ones who treated you badly. After everything, you still have to apologize. That’s just not right.” Jonah’s tone grew cold, sharper than she’d ever heard. He sounded even more upset than she was.

“Jonah…”

Nelly said his name quietly. It was all just too much, and suddenly a tear slid down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, trying to pull herself together. “I… I have to get back to work. Please keep an eye on Carrie.”

She hung up before she could get emotional again.

Across town, Sheila was sitting with Nicholas in a cozy cafe. Nicholas had been going out of his way to help her ever since she’d helped his family. He’d booked her shows all over Westhaven, got the media talking, and in just a few days, Sheila was building a real online following.

But Sheila wanted more. She’d always dreamed of being a designer, of launching her own brand. She’d heard Nicholas was working on a luxury womenswear line. The Watson family’s brands were already top-tier. If she could join them, maybe even as chief designer, her name would mean something in the fashion world.

He’d promised Nelly that her brand would launch first, before any of his new projects.

Sheila didn’t seem bothered at all. She just smiled and nodded. “That’s totally fine. I’ll go with whatever you decide, Mr. Watson.”

Later that evening, as Nicholas drove Sheila home, he mentioned taking her to meet April. April had recovered so well and kept saying she wanted to see the person who’d saved her.

Sheila’s heart skipped a beat. She felt nervous all of a sudden. April must have seen her at the kindergarten, but they’d barely talked. Carrie and Nelly were much closer to her.

Sheila hadn’t prepared for this at all. Worried things might get complicated, she quickly found an excuse. “Maybe next time. It’s getting late and April probably needs her sleep.”