Chapter 130
The world seemed to slow. My breath caught as I looked down at him, fireworks painting the sky above us, the music from my favorite band carrying through the cool night air.
“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.§
“Marrying you,” he said simply, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I blinked, my chest tightening. “Scott… you don’t have to do this. You know our arrangement–this is all business between us. You don’t need to-“}
“Yes, I do,” he interrupted, his eyes steady and unshakable. “This isn’t business. Not for me. Not anymore. Nadia… I don’t want to let you go. Not now, not ever again.“\
Something inside me trembled. “You’re talking like you actually-”
“I love you,” he said without hesitation. “And if I have to spend the rest of my life proving it, I will. But I’m not letting you walk away from me.“”
I didn’t know if I was ready. I didn’t know if my heart could risk it again. But… maybe I could give it a chance. Maybe I could let myself believe, just a little.
I nodded slowly. “Yes.”
His face lit up, and before I could second–guess it, he slipped the ring onto my finger and pulled me into his arms. Somewhere in the background, Nathan cheered, his voice echoing through the garden.
We celebrated right there under the fireworks. Champagne was poured, my favorite song played again, and at some point, Scott kissed me firm, warm, and lingering until my knees felt weak.
And later, when the night drew quieter, the kiss deepened, turning into something far more intimate.
For once, I didn’t stop it.”
ད་ང་རངས་ནས་ག་ད་ད་མ་ད་ད་ཚད་གསྐད་འདས་འགན་ཚང་ག
The next morning, I lay in bed, sunlight spilling through the window and catching on the ring. The metal glimmered like it was holding the light itself. I turned my hand slowly, watching it sparkle, remembering the way his lips had felt against mine.”
Butterflies stirred low in my stomach–something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.
Nathan knocked lightly before stepping into the room. “You happy?”
I smiled faintly. “Yeah. I think I am.”
Later that day, Nathan took me to the cemetery.
The cold wind swept across the rows of headstones as we walked, the crunch of gravel under our feet the only sound between us. My chest grew heavier with every step, knowing what waited at the end of the path.
When we stopped, I stared down at the two graves side by side–our parents‘ names etched into the stone, still clear. My throat tightened.”
‘orn
by years but
I hadn’t been here since the funeral. I’d run away from it all… from them, from Nathan, from everything that reminded me of the
home I’d abandoned.}
Nathan stayed silent beside me, his hands tucked in his pockets.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, kneeling between the two headstones. My fingers brushed the cold stone. “For leaving. For not being here. For choosing the wrong people over you… over them.“}
The wind carried the faint rustle of leaves, almost like a sigh.”
Nathan crouched beside me, his voice low but steady. “They wouldn’t want you to carry that forever. They’d just want you to come back… like you are now.“”
Tears blurred my vision. “You were the only one left, Nathan. And I still left you.”
His jaw clenched, but he shook his head. “What matters is you’re here now, We’ll figure out the rest together. Just you and me -like it’s always been.“[
On the drive back, Nathan glanced at me. “We’re going to Scott’s estate. That’s going to be your home from now on.”
But before we went, Nathan made a sudden turn down a familiar road. “We’re making a stop first.“”
Minutes later, we pulled up to our old favorite diner–the one where we used to go after school with pockets full of loose change and impossible appetites. The neon sign still buzzed faintly in the window, just like it had when we were kids.
Inside, the smell of grilled burgers and fresh pies wrapped around me like a blanket. Nathan ordered without even asking- two cheeseburgers, extra pickles, chili fries, and a slice of apple pie each.
When the food arrived, I couldn’t stop smiling. We ate like we used to–messily, with too much ketchup and too many jokes. Nathan even reminded me of the time I’d tried to eat an entire pie by myself just to win a dare.
“You didn’t even make it halfway, he teased.
“I was twelve!” I laughed, nearly choking on a fry.”
By the time we left my stomach hurt from both the food and the laughter
212 52.0%
4:04 PM P.
By the time we left, my stomach hurt from both the food and the laughter.”
“My home?” I echoed, surprised. “What about you?“”
“Yeah. He wants you there… and I’ll be fine.”
When we arrived, the house took my breath away–sprawling gardens, sunlight catching on glass walls. Scott was waiting at the door, his smile as bright as I’d ever seen it.”
“Come with me,” he said, taking my hand.”
He led me down a hallway until we stopped at a large set of double doors.
“Ready?” he asked.
I nodded, and he pushed them open.
”
Inside was a room bathed in natural light, the walls lined with canvases–my canvases. Paintings I’d thought were lost, forgotten. My brushes and easels were set up, and fresh paints waited for me.
I stepped inside slowly, my fingers trembling as I touched one of the frames. “You kept these?”
“I found them,” Scott said. “And I want you to paint again. You don’t have to… but I want you to have this space. Yours Always.“B
The weight of it hit me all at once–the thoughtfulness, the care, the fact that he’d done this without me asking. My vision. blurred, and I turned to him, tears spilling freely.
don’t even know what to say,” I whispered.
bey
“Then don’t say anything,” he murmured, brushing a tear from my cheek. “Just… be happy.“And then, before I could process anything else, Scott pulled a small velvet box from his
