The Contracted Ever After novel Chapter 619

"You're too kind. How's the injury?" Victoria tried to sound casual.

"Almost all healed up now."

"You know what they say, ‘It takes a full moon cycle to recover from a bone break.’ You should rest up properly," Victoria added.

"Injury? What injury? What happened to Harold?" Janice's voice tightened with worry as she grabbed Harold's arm.

"It's nothing, Mom," Harold reassured her, "Just a minor setback during training, but I'm all good now."

"You should've told Dr. Mason about your injury, and your mother, too," Janice scolded him.

Victoria's heart fluttered with a touch of joy. Was Janice hinting at that old saying, 'married the bride, forgot the mother'?

Her eyes misted over as she glanced at Harold again, but he wasn’t looking her way.

Janice beamed with pride, knowing her son had saved Callum. Maybe this would finally make up for past mistakes.

Whitney and Paola had just come back home. When they heard the news, they were both filled with a mix of relief and sadness.

Harold gave Paola a once-over, feeling a strange sense of familiarity, but couldn't quite place it.

"Mom, I've got to get back to training. I only took a short leave," Harold said, ready to leave.

"Aren't you staying for dinner?" Janice asked, looking at her taller, thinner son who seemed unchanged in spirit. She felt a pang of sorrow; ever since the ordeal with Cordelia and Ronan, his once frequent smiles had become rare.

"I'll eat back at the base."

"Harold, thank you," Cordelia said, her voice soft. It had been ages since they had a real conversation, not since he enlisted.

"Why so formal?" Harold gave a faint smile.