Maybe being beautiful on my own wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

After dinner, the bodyguard drove Yvonne and me home. Halfway there, my phone rang. It was Nathan.

“Victoria, are you still coming over tonight?” Nathan asked.

I paused, almost forgetting about it. “Is it convenient for you? If it is, I’ll come over.”

Nathan chuckled. “Convenient? You can come over whenever you want.”

Thinking about him and that young woman, I figured if Nathan really wanted to start something with someone else, I should just go off the radar and stay out of his life.

Still, I had the bodyguard drive me over to Nathan’s place. He was getting his stitches out at the hospital tomorrow, and I still felt responsible for taking care of him.

As I stepped out of the car, a chill hit me. I wrapped my coat tighter around me and walked through the gate. Nathan came out of the living room and stood by the door, waiting for me. I asked the bodyguard to take Yvonne back to Sally’s place.

I shot Nathan a meaningful glance, my eyes lingering on him with unspoken questions. I almost blurted out something about his plans tonight, but held back—didn’t want to look like I was nosing into his private life. Forget it, I’ll just do what I came here to do.

The next morning, I made breakfast. After we finished eating, I drove Nathan to the hospital so he could get his stitches removed. The wound had healed nicely, but when I saw the scar, my heart twisted with guilt and sadness.

After we left the hospital, I asked if he needed to go anywhere else. Nathan said he had to stop by the office and asked if I’d go with him. I made up an excuse about having lunch with Melissa, so I didn’t go with him.

When I brought up Melissa, Nathan gave a helpless sigh. “Apparently Zachary and Melissa broke up—something to do with his family.”

I nodded. “Yeah, his family just won’t let him marry a girl from another city.”

Nathan sighed. “Marriage is really about two families coming together. Dating, though, is just between two people.”

I smiled. “When it comes to marriage, you really have to consider the character of the other person’s family. It’s definitely something to take seriously.”

Nathan nodded, grinning. “I think I finally get what makes you so magnetic–it’s because you grew up in a happy, loving family.”

I laughed. “Kind of, yeah. My parents have always been really good together.”

Nathan sighed softly. “That’s why being with you just feels so warm.”

I was curious. “What do you mean by that?”

Nathan paused, thinking. “You’re not arrogant or self-important. You’re gentle, and being around you feels like a breath of fresh air. You have your own opinions, you don’t just go along with the crowd, and you’re compassionate and modest.”

I let out a small laugh. “Really? I don’t think I’m that good.”

Nathan smiled. “I’ve met plenty of women, and honestly, even if they had just a bit of your grace, they’d be really captivating. Victoria, I don’t know why, but for someone our age, you already have this kind of resilience that usually comes much later. Is it the scars from your marriage? Are you still healing?”

I paused, feeling a little bitter. “Maybe.”

Nathan sighed. “Sometimes, I don’t dare step into marriage either. I’m afraid I can’t give someone the sense of security they’re looking for.”

I hesitated for a moment. “Kind people always think about others, but selfish people seem to have it easier in life. Honestly, I don’t know which is the better way to live.”

By the time our conversation ended, we’d already arrived at the office building. Nathan got out, told me to take care, and asked if I’d have dinner with him tonight. I didn’t give him a definite answer.

Around eleven in the morning, I got a message from Jared.

“I found out. The donation to your alma mater came from the Jennings Foundation, which is part of Jennings Holdings.”

The news hit me like a bolt out of the blue, leaving me reeling for a long moment. The Jennings Group? Was it Ryan? Or Edward? Why would they do something like this?

No, maybe it was just a coincidence. But even the names matched up–it felt way too deliberate, like someone planned it all along.

My head started to ache. I remembered Edward mentioning he was heading overseas. Maybe if I messaged him now, I could ask what was really going on. Or maybe I shouldn’t ask at all—maybe that would just be overstepping.

I was completely conflicted, not having a clue what to do next. At lunch with Melissa, my mind was totally elsewhere. She noticed and asked what was up, so I threw the question at her–what would she do if she were in my shoes?

I didn’t spill the details, just gave her a hypothetical. Melissa didn’t even hesitate: “Even the tiniest favor is still a debt. You can play dumb if you want, but what if they come knocking one day to call in the favor? Can you really keep pretending you don’t know anything?”

What she said made a lot of sense to me. Yeah, that’s what talking is for—to clear things up. If I don’t ask, it’s just gonna mess with my head.

So, I took Edward off my block list. After sending a quick hello, I explained the whole thing, attached the photos, and sent it all over.

Edward replied almost right away, just saying, “Not me.”