Chapter 526 We Are Not Bad People
The moment Aurelia stepped out of the car, Nathaniel exhaled in relief, sweat beading on his forehead. Thank God she hadn't noticed anything amiss.
Zack looked alarmed. "Mr. Heilbronn, how are you feeling? Should we head back to the hospital?"
The children immediately tensed at Zack's words.
"Daddy, are you hurt somewhere?" they asked in unison.
Nathaniel forced himself to stay calm, not wanting to frighten them. This ordeal had drained him completely—both the physical toll and the devastating emotional blow had pushed his body beyond its limits.
"Daddy's knee is just a little sore from being tired. It's nothing serious," he said gently.
Dorothy's large eyes filled with concern as she gazed up at him. "Hold still, Daddy. I'll blow on it and make it better."
She bent down and softly blew on his knee. Whether it was psychological or not, Nathaniel actually felt some relief—though his knee wasn't really the problem.
"There, Daddy doesn't hurt anymore," he said with a tender smile.
Looking at his two precious children, Nathaniel felt warmth flood through his chest.
Zack's skilled driving had them back at the Heilbronn Villa in no time. As soon as the car doors unlocked, Jacob jumped out and rushed around to help his father.
"Daddy, lean on me. I'll be your little crutch," the boy declared earnestly.
"Alright then, I'll lean on you," Nathaniel replied, placing his hand lightly on his son's shoulder as they made their way inside, his limp more pronounced than before.
In the living room, Reed's favorite rocking chair sat exactly where it always had, now heartbreakingly empty. Unable to bear the sight, Nathaniel quickly led the children upstairs to his bedroom.
Once he'd settled back onto his bed, exhaustion weighed heavily on him, yet his mind remained painfully alert. Zack handed him his medication and water, which he swallowed without complaint. After kneeling all night, his barely-healed knee had swollen again.
When Zack called the family doctor to change his dressings and clean the bruised areas, Nathaniel didn't so much as flinch. Instead, he chatted casually with the children as if nothing was happening.
"This is the room where Daddy grew up, and later it became the room Daddy and Mommy shared. There are still some of Mommy's things here—feel free to look around."
The spacious bedroom immediately captured the children's attention when they heard about their mother's belongings. They discovered her handmade wind chimes on the balcony, a tapestry she'd woven hanging on the wall, her clothes still in the walk-in closet, and her skincare products in the bathroom.
Everywhere they looked, traces of their mother's life remained.
The children's wariness began to melt away.
"Daddy, there really are Mommy's things here!" Dorothy exclaimed with delight.
"Of course there are. When have I ever lied to you?" Nathaniel replied with a gentle smile.
Jacob nodded approvingly. "Daddy, you really are a man of your word. Speaking of which, our school is having a family sports day next month. Will you be well enough to come?"
"What date is it?"
"The fourteenth."
Nathaniel calculated quickly—just over three weeks away. His leg injury hadn't damaged any bones, and his other wounds should be mostly healed by then. A children's sports day wouldn't be too demanding physically.
"Daddy will be there," he promised.
Both children clapped their hands in excitement.
Just as the doctor finished bandaging his injuries, Ashley knocked and entered.
"Nathaniel, how are you holding up?"
"I'm managing."
"Let me take the little ones outside so you can rest," she offered, then turned to the children with a warm smile. "Dorothy, Jacob, would you like Auntie to show you around the garden?"
The children hesitated, rooted to their spots. Nathaniel encouraged them gently. "This is your aunt. You can go with her—she'll show you the puppies that Great-Grandpa's dog just had."
After a moment's consideration, curiosity won out. If Daddy trusted this sudden aunt enough to let them go with her, she couldn't be dangerous.
The two little ones followed Ashley out, leaving only Zack and Nathaniel in the room. Zack immediately lowered his voice with concern.
"Mr. Heilbronn, how are you really feeling? You're not about to have an episode, are you?"
Nathaniel's brow furrowed. "Lock the door. Don't let anyone in."
"Right away."
Down in the garden, Jacob and Dorothy discovered that Reed's dog had indeed given birth—four plump, month-old puppies that had been well-fed and cared for.
Children naturally gravitated toward small animals, and Ashley secured the mother dog before bringing out the puppies for them to pet.
The joyful sounds from the garden drew Matthew and Beatrice from the house. They stood on the veranda, watching these two children who bore such a striking resemblance to Nathaniel.
They say grandparents spoil their grandchildren, and Matthew, who had never particularly cared for children before, found himself inexplicably drawn to these two who carried the Heilbronn bloodline. They should be regular visitors to the villa, not strangers keeping their distance.
Matthew approached and crouched down to their eye level. "The puppies don't have names yet. Would you like to give them some?"
Jacob considered this thoughtfully, then pointed to each puppy in turn. "Skye, Chase, Rubble, Marshall."
Matthew raised an eyebrow with interest. "Those came to you quickly. Do they have special meaning? Tell me about them."
Dorothy giggled behind her hand. "Jacob just named them after the dogs from "PAW Patrol"! But if we call them that, does that mean we have our own PAW Patrol now?"
Looking at his adorable grandchildren with pure adoration—more affection than he'd ever felt for his own children—Matthew smiled. "If you two like PAW Patrol, then these will be our very own PAW Patrol team."
The children burst into delighted laughter.
Beatrice had been watching quietly, unable to find an opening in the conversation. Finally, she stepped forward and picked up one of the puppies.
"Would either of you like to hold one?" she asked hopefully.
The laughter died instantly.
Jacob and Dorothy, harboring deep resentment toward this woman who had once mistreated their mother, wanted nothing to do with her. They both stepped back defensively.
Undeterred, Beatrice tried to win them over. "Sweethearts, I'm your grandmother. Could you possibly call me Grandma, just once?"
Jacob's expression hardened. Seeing this self-proclaimed grandmother take another step closer, he spoke with startling firmness for such a young child.
"You were mean to my mommy. I don't want a grandma like that."
Dorothy nodded in agreement. "That's right. Anyone who's mean to our mommy is a bad person."
Matthew patiently tried to explain, "Jacob, Dorothy, we're all family—the closest kind of family. Nobody here would hurt anyone else. Do you understand these relationships?"
Jacob snorted dismissively. "Daddy, Mommy, me, and my sister—we're the real family."
He hesitated briefly before adding, "Auntie can be family too. And Grandpa. But not Grandma."
Beatrice felt her heart breaking. These children wouldn't give her even the slightest chance, no matter the circumstances. Could children so young really understand how to hold grudges?
At least they knew how to protect their mother—a trait they certainly hadn't inherited from their father.
"Darlings, Your mommy and I had some misunderstandings before, but we've worked everything out now. I am not a bad person, and I welcome you and your mommy to come home with open arms."
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