I didn’t expect Nathan to suddenly appear in front of me and, without caring about anything else, insist on talking to me in front of so many people. I always thought he was the rational type, but apparently, even he could lose control sometimes.

Not wanting my colleagues to watch the drama unfold, I calmly said to Nathan, “Come with me.” Instead of taking him to my office, I walked outside. Nathan silently followed behind me. Earlier, I’d noticed his eyes were bloodshot–a clear sign he hadn’t been sleeping well either.

I opened my car door and got in. Nathan slid into the passenger seat, keeping glances at me every so often. I kept my attention on the road, staying silent.

The air inside the car felt stifling. I rolled down the window, and the breeze brought in the noise from outside, easing the tension a bit. Seeing I wasn’t going to say anything, Nathan leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes.

His chiseled jawline traced down to his collarbone, and that striking Adam’s apple–so damn attractive–made me lose focus for a second.

I pulled over near a quiet park and got out of the car. Nathan hurried after me. Spotting an empty bench made of wood and bamboo not far away, I sat down gently.

“Victoria…” Nathan called out softly, his voice tinged with even more pain than before. “Tell me, what are you thinking right now?”

I paused, thinking for a moment, then said, “I’m wondering how we can say goodbye in a way that feels right.”

“No…” Nathan rushed forward, crouching down in front of me and looking up. “I don’t want to be apart from you. I can’t stand it.”

I looked at the man in front of me, so flustered and lost. I knew he probably loved me–only love could make someone this scared, this desperate, this out of control.

Liking someone is about keeping your balance, holding something back, and being able to walk away with a light smile and a casual wave.

I liked him, but he loved me with everything he had. When it came to feelings, we were on uneven ground.

“Nathan, don’t be like this,” I said. I knew he was in pain, but I had my own boundaries. I’d always been careful with my heart, determined not to play the part Tracy once did. But even so, Nathan still pulled me into this impossible situation.

Cutting things off cleanly with Nathan now would be better for both of us. If we kept dragging things out, getting tangled up in this mess, when Miss Chancellor eventually comes looking for you, where would that leave me?

“Victoria, you’re the one I like, the one I love. I don’t want to lose you,” Nathan said, his whole body trembling. He grabbed my fingers, resting his head gently on my leg. “It was wrong of me to keep things from you, but I swear, I never had any feelings for her, not like that. Even if I’d never met you, I wouldn’t deserve to love anyone else, because I’d just spend my life searching for traces of you in someone else.”

I was shaken by his words. Looking down at this man with tear-reddened eyes, I realized love doesn’t care about gender or pride–it just destroys anyone who falls too deep. No one can escape once they’re in too far.

“Nathan, maybe we both need to learn to accept that things don’t always go the way we want them to,” I said softly.

Nathan finched, looking up at me.

I turned my face away, refusing to meet his eyes. I couldn’t stand seeing them so red from love and pain. I couldn’t let myself pity him, couldn’t let myself feel his heartbreak.

“I’m not accepting that,” Nathan said, shaking his head, his voice firm. “I just want to be with the one I love.”

I let out a soft sigh. “Once you’ve worn shoes that don’t fit, you’ll never want to put them on again. Same goes for people–once you’ve liked someone who wasn’t right, you’ll never have the guts to do it again.”

“Victoria, don’t say that. I don’t want to hear it,” Nathan said, shaking his head. “If I’m not with you, I’d just be letting anyone else down. Anyone I’m with, I’d just end up hurting her. It’s not fair.”

I was stunned.

“That’s not fair to me either,” I said seriously. “If you’ve already promised Miss Chancellor, she’s probably waiting for you with hope in her heart. If you choose her, that would mean the world to her.”

Nathan’s handsome face went ashen. He stood up and took two steps back. “Was our brief love, our fleeting connection, a reward or a punishment for me?”

I stared at him, unable to answer that question.