Chapter 1936
Elowen's eyes were rimmed with red, tears swirling but not yet falling.
At Elowen's questioning, Sophia and Dorian also drew closer, looking at Lysander seated in his wheelchair. Neither of them spoke; they just quietly observed Lysander. As they did, their eyes misted over with a thin veil of tears.
To them, their dad had always been a towering figure, authoritative and commanding, someone they looked up to with respect. The dad they remembered was like a majestic mountain, towering and imposing, an object of their admiration and reverence.
But the Lysander before them now, seated in a wheelchair, seemed so much smaller, almost at their height, no longer the unreachable, awe-inspiring figure he once was.
They thought back to when Zephyr had sent them to military school, their dad's fate hanging in the balance, fighting for his life in a hospital. And now, three years later, they were reunited with him in a wheelchair.
The children's hearts ached, tears involuntarily welling up.
Atticus had known about Lysander's paralysis for some time. He wasn't as shocked as his siblings, but he was still deeply troubled.
Seeing Lysander confined to a wheelchair for the first time had been a shock to Atticus too, both heartbreaking and startling.
He understood all too well how his siblings felt.
Lysander saw the tears in his children's eyes, understanding their pain. This sympathy, however, didn't comfort him; it felt more like pity.
Having adapted to life in aNôvelDrama.Org (C) content.
wheelchair, Lysander had found a
semblance of peace inside. Yet, his children's gazes stirred a
restlessness in him, the frustration of knowing he'd never stand again.
He didn't care about the stares from strangers, but the looks from his family, every glance, every moment, made him sensitive.
Thalassa, noticing the children's heartbroken stares and Lysander's growing coldness, quickly stepped forward. Taking Elowen and Sophia by the hands, she spoke with a.
great, don't worry. Although he can't walk for now, he's still your dad, and it doesn't affect his everyday life or work. Look, he's here with me to see you all."
gentle smile, "Your dad is hi
"But dad, he..." Elowen's voice trailed off, her tear-filled eyes glancing at Lysander.
"You know, your dad got hurt while saving me. He's the bravest man I know," Thalassa said, eager to shift the children's perspective from one of pity to admiration.
She knew Lysander disliked being pitied. Before her, he'd been a man atop his world, commanding respect and awe from everyone. Everyone had looked up to him.
It was only after meeting her that he
found himself in this new reality, confined to a wheelchair, and unjustly ousted from the Sinclair group by Payton, using his disability as an excuse.
He had come to terms with his condition. If his children looked at him with pity, it would wound his pride and make him uncomfortable.
Thus, Thalassa aimed to shift the children's mindset, helping them accept the Lysander of now.