Chapter 413

Nathan turned to look at me, and for a split second, his gaze was utterly captivated. I was wearing a white silk nightgown, its silky fabric hugging my curves and showing off my shape. I knew exactly what made men lose their minds, and I've got exactly that.

Nathan said with a teasing smile, "You've seen right through me."

I turned and headed to the kitchen to boil water, but Nathan asked me to grab a bottle of ice water from the fridge for him.

"Victoria, I came home with you. Can I stay?" he asked with an intense gaze.

I let out a soft sigh. It wasn't that I didn't want him to stay; it was just… "What's the deal with you and Miss Chancellor?" I asked him calmly.

"There's nothing going on," Nathan replied with a sigh. "She knows my heart belongs to someone else, and she's not exactly thrilled about it. The Chancellor Family has invested a lot over the years, so there's some resentment mixed in."

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. "Resentment?"

Nathan nodded. "Miss Chancellor probably doesn't want me, but she doesn't want me to be happy either. She said I betrayed her, and people who betray deserve to be struck by lightning."

Hearing that, I couldn't help but think Miss Chancellor's got some real backbone.

"So, what did you say back to her?" I asked.

Nathan gave a bitter smile. "I didn't want to set her off, so I just kept my mouth shut. If I'm really meant to get struck by lightning, then let it happen."

"What if you got zapped into another life by a bolt of lightning? How would you feel about that?" I teased, raising an eyebrow with a playful smile.

"No matter which life it is, if I still remembered everything, the very first thing I'd do is find you," Nathan said, moving closer to me.

My heart started pounding, my eyes locked on his face, and my voice turned a little husky without me realizing. "Really? But what if the timing's all wrong, and when you finally find me in that other life, I'm already seriously ill and about to die?"

Nathan looked stunned, just staring at me. "Victoria, don't jinx yourself."

"I mean it. If that really happened, would you still come find me?" I pressed, refusing to let it go.

Nathan nodded. "I would. I'd stay by your side till the very end, and then make sure you have a beautiful grave."

My eyes grew misty as I gently rested my head against his chest, soaking in the warmth of his heartbeat.

"Alright, it's a promise. If you really end up in that other life, you have to build me a beautiful grave. You know I care about beauty," I murmured softly.

Who knows if Nathan even heard me, but he pulled me into a gentle hug. "Victoria, thank you for coming back to me."

I just murmured a soft "mm–hmm."

The coffee was bubbling away in the pot, but Nathan had me pinned against the glass, kissing me breathless. There was no time to make that coffee. His pace was relentless, leaving my whole body aching.

Chapter 413

Nathan never slowed down, and I was left floundering, desperate for a break. This night–no sleep, no breaks!

Early in the morning, Nathan got a call and had to leave. Before heading out, he kept kissing my forehead, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and slipped out the door.

I woke up groggy, the air still heavy with last night's passion. I opened the window, letting the morning breeze sweep through the room. I straightened out the rumpled sheets, hauled the comforter out to the balcony to soak up some sun, then got to scrubbing and straightening up the place.

At around 9:30, there was a knock at the door. I thought it was Nathan coming back, so I happily went to open it. But instead, I saw a different face staring back at me.

Jared stood there, looking all gloomy.

"How come it's you?" I blurted out, quickly reining in my excitement, a little surprised.

"You got back last night?" Jared demanded, his voice tight with anger. "Didn't you say you'd be back Friday afternoon?"

I was at a loss for words.

"Didn't you say you'd only be responsible for the ones you gave birth to and the one who gave birth to you?" Jared shot back, his words sharp. "But Nathan–he's the exception, isn't he?"

I instinctively took two steps back, seeing for the first time a furious storm on Jared's face–a mix of frustration and anger, with a fire burning in his eyes.

My nerves were shot as I backed away a few more steps. "Seriously, you're here to start a fight first thing in the morning?"