A Journey from Bitterness to Truth (Matilda and Yvan) novel Chapter 375

Even debts are traces that once existed.

Yvan thought to himself that maybe when Matilda wakes up from this deep dream, she'll leave him. So, making amends now seemed right, even if she decides to walk away... at least she wouldn't leave a shadow of sorrow behind.

He could give her everything, including all he owned at the moment. But what scared him was the possibility of her seeing through everything once she woke up, not wanting any form of compensation, only acknowledging the debt between them.

Yvan feared the cold, distant look in Matilda's eyes if she regained her memory. Indifference was an emotion more startling than hatred. He was prepared for all kinds of retaliation from her, yet, what truly terrified him was the thought of her not wanting anything from him at all.

...

When Logan came over the next day, he looked curiously at Matilda's face, "Mommy, your cheeks are getting chubbier."

Matilda smiled, "Maybe it's because of the midnight snacks I've been having."

Logan looked at Matilda with a grin, "Someone must be spoiling you with treats."

An innocent remark from the child made Matilda's face fall as she thought of Yvan, who occasionally brought over snacks at night. Her eyes dimmed, and without a word, she gently patted Logan's face.

Her wounds were healing slowly. During one of the check-ups when Keaton was about to remove her stitches, seeing Matilda's frightened face, he offered her a comforting smile, "Don't be nervous. I'm really good at this, and if you tense up, it makes me tense too..."

Matilda, somewhat naive since her memory loss, bit her lip, "It hurts..."

"Don't move too much, it'll be over soon..."

Only then did Yvan let go of Matilda. She attempted to touch the scar on her back, but Yvan grabbed her wrist, "Don't. You might get an infection."

Matilda remained silent, looking into Yvan's eyes before turning her head away.

Keaton, aware of Matilda's instinctive resistance to Yvan, shrugged and said nothing, helping her to pull her shirt back down, "Alright, another month of hospital stay should do. You're too thin; remember to eat more."

"What were you looking at when you were supposed to check the wound?" Yvan practically fumed, "Thin, thin, thin, where were you looking?"

"All bones on her back, of course she's thin!" Keaton, annoyed by Yvan's attitude, retorted, "What's the use of caring now? The poor girl got stabbed twice, and I feel bad for her, so what? I've seen you more cowardly than this. You didn't care this much five or six years ago!"

Those words left both Matilda and Yvan frozen in place.