Chapter 390: How Long Have You Been Planning?

Maggie tried to speak, but words failed her. The room felt stagnant, the air heavy and suffocating. Even though Nathael held her tightly, there was no joy in the moment. After a long silence, Maggie whispered, "Maybe we should take a break. I need time to think."

Nathael scoffed, his gaze piercing. "So you can go find that person you supposedly fell for?"

Maggie's heart sank. She tried to pull away. "It was just a dream, but even if it were—"

Nathael interrupted coldly, his voice laced with hostility. "Did Timothy pressure you? Or did Grandpa say something?"

Maggie, taken aback by his reddened eyes, said softly, "Timothy approached me, but I won't break up with you because of him."

"Then why?" Nathael's grip on her wrist tightened; his jaw clenched, his demeanor shifting from gentle to intimidating. Maggie lowered her gaze. "Nathael, I do love you. Anyone would love a man like you."

A few seconds passed before she looked up with a wry smile. "But your affection, your love… it's too much for me to handle."

Nathael's expression darkened; his lips pressed together as he stared at her coldly, as if she were a stranger. Tears welled in Maggie's eyes. A hint of sadness clouded her clear gaze as she forced a smile. "Funny how things work out, isn't it? You value me so highly, but I can't handle it. For me, you can calmly break your fingers without flinching. Do you know that since that day, I've been haunted by nightmares? You make me feel like a burden, like I've caused you harm. The weight of what you've given me is too heavy, too deep…"

Her voice faltered. Maggie looked at him with a pained smile, whispering, "And I can't handle it."

She didn't want to admit their relationship was a scheme, nor deny their shared happiness was fake. She didn't even believe it herself, so how could she expect Nathael to believe it? She tried to concoct reasonable excuses, past events that had made her uneasy and doubtful. Maybe this way he would believe her.

Nathael said nothing, only looked at her with darkened eyes, his beautiful gaze almost brimming with tears.

Tears welled in Maggie's eyes as she softly laughed. "It's like that dream I had. When I'm head over heels for you, life's peachy; when I'm not, it's like oil and water. And now, you can't even handle the idea of us breaking up. Nathael, despite your cool facade, you're stubborn and possessive. Your stubbornness is scary, your possessiveness overwhelming."

Her voice choked. She spoke slower, softer. "So, maybe we should take a break. Perhaps we need to think about our personalities."

Maggie couldn't find other reasons. He was too good, everything too perfect. His stubbornness and possessiveness were real, as was his ability to hold back. These weren't reasons not to love him, but now, she was using them to hurt him. Maggie felt guilty.

But she couldn't be all lovey-dovey for a couple of years, then suddenly die, leaving him a zombie. Now, even though they're apart… at least she can keep an eye on him from afar.

Nathael let out a mocking laugh, his eyes burning with anger. He couldn't understand. He felt an urge to strangle her. "Maggie, do you even have a heart?"

His voice was deep and hoarse, like a lion about to roar, yet he restrained himself. Maggie didn't meet his gaze, remaining silent. She felt her heart being ripped apart, a pain almost unbearable. There were things worse than death.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, stepping past him to leave.

Nathael grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. His voice carried anger. "So what do these days even mean?" Maggie tilted her head, giving a slight, nonchalant smile. "Haven't you also been happy these days, Mr. Harris?" Nathael clenched his teeth, glaring.

It was the same pretty yet distant face, once so affectionate, now cold and distant. In that instant, Nathael felt he'd never truly understood her.

"How long have you been planning this?" Nathael asked slowly, his expression dark.

Maggie avoided his gaze. "Does it matter? Nathael, I never actually thought you'd marry me, but thank you for everything."

Nathael let out a bitter laugh. His phone rang; he grabbed it and angrily tossed it away. The phone crashed onto the coffee table, then the floor, shattering into pieces.

"Mr. Harris…" Alex outside heard the noise and knocked.

"Get out!" Nathael's voice boomed, sharp as ice.

Maggie's heart skipped a beat. She'd never seen him this angry. Even amidst her coldness, he'd remained mostly silent. Nathael laughed bitterly, his eyes piercing. "Who the hell needs your thanks? You've been planning to break up. That's why you stayed silent about marriage. That's why you never unpacked your things at my place. That's why you casually brought up breaking up."

Nathael's grip tightened on her chin, his voice laced with frost. "Maggie, what did I do to make you unhappy?" Maggie winced as he pinched her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

But she didn't feel like saying anything more. Each word felt like a dagger, piercing them both. They seemed like an unsolvable puzzle.

Sometimes, Maggie wondered if missing each other was their fate. Why else would things turn out like this?

"Come on! Say something!" Nathael's voice was filled with anger.

Maggie's eyes welled with tears as she met his gaze. "Nathael, we're just breaking up. Tomorrow, the sun will rise, and life will continue."