Chapter 35

"What did you say?" Nathaniel exclaimed, incredulous.

"I considered giving you a chance, but you still expect me to take the blame? Nate, do I look that stupid?" Lily’s voice was icy, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. A chill went through Nathaniel. The woman before him felt like a stranger, a far cry from the person he’d known for years. She was sharp, elusive, and utterly unmanageable. "Lily, what do you mean? You don't believe me?"

"I trusted you so much, I don't even know how I was persuaded," Lily paused, then said, "I'm grateful I didn't sign a formal contract with you. From today on, your MN Inc. has nothing to do with me."

She emphasized “your,” then turned to leave.

Nathaniel grabbed her arm. He didn't understand, but he couldn't let her go. "Are you still blaming me for not signing a contract?" he asked tentatively. "Lily, don't be immature. If that bothered you, you should have said so earlier. Why are you making such a fuss now? MN Inc. is mine—ours, isn't it? Do you realize you're driving us all to a dead end?" He tightened his grip, causing her pain.

Lily frowned. "Let go of me!"

"If you don't explain yourself, I won't," Nathaniel said. He paused, realizing his harsh tone, and softened it. Lowering his head, he thought for a moment. His heart felt…moved. His eyelids fluttered. Looking at Lily, he asked softly, "Lily, are you jealous?"

He wasn’t worried about Lily learning of his relationship with Melanie. Lily had always been so devoted to him; she’d believe anything with a few sweet words. How could she possibly doubt him? But her behavior over the last two days had been strange, particularly around Melanie. This led him to a hunch.

"Are you jealous of Melanie?" he asked again, watching her expression.

Lily remained silent, a silence that bolstered his certainty.

"Lily, are you serious?" He sighed, loosening his grip. He shook his head. "After all these years, I thought nothing could ruin us, that we could overcome anything. But how could you… You must have misunderstood something. You, me, and Melanie—we've known each other for so long! If I wanted an affair with her, it would have happened long ago. Don't listen to rumors. Those people just want to cause trouble. Don't let them manipulate you!"

He released her arm, reaching for her shoulder, attempting to pull her close.

Lily quickly stepped back, avoiding his touch. "Oh? Really?" she asked indifferently.

Nathaniel pressed on with his earlier theory. "Of course! Remember, we said we'd get the marriage certificate if we won this competition? If you don't believe me, let's get it now! Let's get married!"