Chapter 102: Am I falling for her?
Nathaniel and Zara finally stepped into the house, his arm still wrapped protectively around her waist. Zara’s steps were heavy, exhausted, the weight of everything she had endured pressing over her chest.
Mrs. Jules rushed toward them with her usual warm smile, ready to welcome them. But she paused in her tracks as soon as she caught sight of Nathaniel’s face, covered with bruises. The smile vanished instantly, replaced by alarm.
His appearance was unsettling: his jaw was visibly swollen, a faint smear of blood lingered at the edge of his lips, and a nasty cut above his left eyebrow stood out beneath the dried blood. His shirt, once crisp and ironed, now hung crumpled and stained, and his usually neat hair was disheveled.
Beside him, Zara looked pale and shaken, her expression dazed like someone who had just walked through a storm.
"Oh my goodness—what happened to you?" Mrs. Jules asked with concern.
"We had a small accident," Nathaniel replied calmly, not revealing the truth. "But we are okay. Just a few bruises, nothing serious."
"I’ll bring some ice." Without pressing further, Mrs. Jules rushed off to fetch an ice pack while Nathaniel guided Zara toward their bedroom.
Once inside, he led her to the bed and helped her sit down, his hands still firm on her shoulders. "Rest here. I’ll get you a change of clothes."
But Zara clutched his hand, stopping him. "Thank you," she whispered.
She hadn’t spoken a word the entire way back, her mind overwhelmed by the terrifying memories of what had happened. But now, in the warmth of their room, surrounded by familiar walls, she felt safe and allowed herself to breathe.
Nathaniel looked at her, his expression softening, "Don’t thank me," he said, placing his hand over hers. "I’m just glad I got there in time."
What he didn’t say was how terrified he had been the moment he heard her scream. Panic and fear had seized his heart. He had never felt such helplessness before. The thought of her in danger again had chilled him to the core.