Chapter 302
My sharp retort left Jared stunned. For a long moment, all I heard was his ragged breathing. He couldn’t rebut.
I didn’t want this to escalate. Drawing a steadying breath, I softened my tone. “You’ve always been the rational one, Jared. The man who could solve any problem with a calm word and a smile. Why is divorce the thing that finally breaks you? You used to let things go so easily. That’s the Jared I remember.”
The line went dead with a sharp click. No goodbye, no final jab, just silence.
I blinked, wondering if he’d accidentally disconnected. Glancing at the screen, I froze. Nathan’s wallpaper was a photo of me. It was just my back, but unmistakable in that dress I’d worn.
My gaze flicked to Nathan. Caught, he flushed, ducking his head like a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Setting the phone gently on his desk, I fought a smile. “Let’s finish lunch,” I murmured.
Nathan nodded, picking up his fork, but his movements were mechanical. His mind was clearly elsewhere.
After a stretch of quiet, he finally looked up. “Jared said… you’d remarry him.”
“Never.” My answer was absolute. “There’s no going back. Life moves forward.”
Nathan exhaled, shoulders relaxing. “Forward, then.”
I studied him. “Stop overthinking. Being happy together is enough. Marriage is just a piece of paper, one that traps people more often than not.” I tilted my head. “Do you even want that, Nathan? Marriage?”
Hearing me calling his name so gently, his face lit up before faltering. “I want you,” he said quietly. “If marriage isn’t what you want, then neither do I.”
I sighed. “Don’t be so self-sacrificing. People who always put others first end up hurt.”
Nathan just smiled. “If being so keeps me by your side longer, I’ll take the risk.”
“You’re not some underdog. You’re the CEO of a publicly traded company now.” I laughed, though warmth bloomed in my chest.
He gave a self-deprecating shrug. “Success doesn’t change who I am. The money, the status… It all feels… hollow. I’d rather be buried in code. But my co-founders? They’re all about scaling and dominating the market. Hell, none of us expected the company to blow up like this.
“You have co-founders?” I admitted I knew little about his company’s structure.
“Yeah. I handle tech; they manage operations and strategy. We balance each other.”
“Sounds like a powerhouse team. Sky’s the limit.” I grinned.
Nathan chuckled. “From your lips to God’s ears.”
Over the rest of lunch, he shared stories of his startup days, framed as lighthearted anecdotes, but I recognized the grind behind them. The sleepless nights, the gambles, the sheer will it took to build something from nothing.
At three in the afternoon, we arrived at the prestigious LuxTime Exhibition, a dazzling showcase of the world’s most elite watch brands. Every piece on display was a masterpiece of craftsmanship, each more breathtaking than the last.
Nathan leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. “I want to support a friend’s work here. Pick whichever one you like. It’s yours.”