Chapter 45

Nathan dropped his gaze, looking sad and helpless. “No, it’s not that. I just wanted to know what someone as beautiful and kind as you really looked like. I had this blurry memory of you, and I couldn’t get you out of my mind.”

I looked at him, his face so sincere and almost heartbroken. I sighed, feeling a bit helpless. “Alright, now you’ve seen what I look like. Wish granted. Can you stop following me now?”

“I’m not following you. I just…” Nathan seemed like he wanted to say something more, but he stopped when he saw how serious I was. He nervously fidgeted with his fingers, his voice softer. “I’ve just always wanted to take you out for a meal.”

That made me smile. “Mr. Hallman, you really don’t need to be so formal. Honestly, that donation came from the Holcomb family. If you want to thank someone, you should treat Jared instead. He’s the real benefactor here.”

Nathan shook his head. “No, I know the money was from the Holcomb family, but if it weren’t for you, that money would’ve never made it to me. It’s always been you.” His voice grew more urgent, and his eyes burned with intensity.

My breath caught as he looked at me with such sincerity. My heart raced, completely out of control.

“Let’s talk about this later, when I have time. I really need to go now,” I said quickly, not wanting to continue the conversation.

Nathan looked like he’d been infatuated with me for years. If he was telling the truth, he’d been obsessed with just a blurry image of me all this time.

Just a glimpse of my silhouette had been enough to make him hang on to me for years. Now that I was here in person, he was completely crazy about me.

Nathan stood there, watching as I got into my car. Only then did he turn and get back into his own car. As our cars passed, the back window of his car rolled down, and he gave me that intense, soulful look.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly and refused to meet his eyes. I wasn’t just some married woman. I was a mom. I wanted him to keep that in mind.

It was getting dark when Jared knocked on my office door. “Come on. I talked to Yvonne, and she agreed to come home,” he said.

I stood up, ready to go to Sally’s villa with him.

On the way there, Jared suddenly reached out, took my hand, and started casually playing with my fingers. “About those new designs today, did you really come up with them?”

I just replied softly, “Yeah.”

“How did you come up with them? I never realized you were so full of surprises,” Jared said, genuinely curious.

I gave him a quick look and shot back, “Well, that’s your fault. You never bothered to get to know me. You only cared about my looks, not my mind.”

Jared looked surprised for a moment, and under the streetlights, I noticed his ears turning a little red.

“Are you blaming me?” he asked, his voice low and almost magnetic. If this were in my previous life, and he spoke to me like that, I wouldn’t have let him off easy.

But now, I felt nothing. All I wanted was to pull my hand away from his palm.

“I’m just feeling sorry for myself,” I muttered.

“So, you are blaming me,” Jared said, reaching for the ring finger of my left hand. “Why haven’t you put the diamond ring on yet?”

“Tomorrow’s the weekend, so I was thinking of going with Melissa to check it out,” I replied casually.

“How about I go with you?” Jared said, clearly trying to play the part of the caring husband.

I shook my head. “No need. You should spend time with Yvonne instead.”

I thought it was time for Jared to give Yvonne more attention. After all, whoever was stuck looking after her would end up going crazy.

But here was the funny thing. When Yvonne was with Jared, she would act like the perfect angel with no tantrums, screaming, or drama. But when she was with me, she would act like a little tyrant, totally unreasonable.

It looked like even kids knew who to pick on – the ones who wouldn’t fight back.