Chapter 41: Give us a chance.
Nathaniel didn’t like Zara’s words. The idea of her not wanting to see him, of her wanting to walk away from everything they had, ripped through him like a blade.
Her rejection cut him deep, leaving him breathless. The thought of losing her felt unbearable, like someone tightening a noose around his chest.
’No. She is mine. She can only be mine. I will never let you go.’
His first instinct was to snap back, to shout, to demand she take it back. But he forced the anger down, burying it beneath a strained calm.
"You want to focus on your career? Fine. I’ll support you. Go back to work. I have no problem with that. But don’t ever say you don’t want to see me again. Your fate is tied to mine now. There is no escaping me."
Zara stiffened, her fingers tightening around the bowl. She held back the rising frustration. Then she let out a shaky breath, trying to stay composed.
"Nathaniel," she said calmly, "let’s not turn this into a war. Let’s end this peacefully. We have spent five years together. And we never shouted at each other the way we have these last few days. It’s draining. Can’t we just end this before we completely ruin what little is left between us?"
But Nathaniel was already shaking his head, his expression turning stubborn, almost desperate. "No. I won’t end it now. I told you. We are giving this marriage a second chance. I meant it. We’ll live like a normal, loving couple for a year."
Zara’s eyes flashed again. "I never agreed to that," she snapped. "And I don’t want to waste another year of my life on something that’s already dead."
Nathaniel’s frustration boiled over. "Why not?" he demanded. "You didn’t hesitate to marry me five years ago for Zane. Why can’t you stay with him now? Just give us a chance."
His voice softened with hope as he looked at her, waiting, almost pleading.