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Chapter 75
Duminic stepped out behind me, raising an eyebrow. “When did you get here?” he asked.
“I’ve been here for a while,” Nathan replied, his voice calm but wann. His eyes never left mine.
Dominic looked between us and then announced, “Nathan will be handling your case. Not only is he a partner at his firm, but his firm is an ally of ours.”
I blinked, stunned. “He knows?” was all I could manage.
Nathan nodded, his gaze softening. He stretched out his hand toward me, and I hesitated before taking it. Instead of a handshake, he pulled me into a hog, his voice low as he whispered, “It’s okay.”
He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes. “We’ll need to head to my office,” he said gently. “We need to go over your history with your… grited the word, his jaw tightening
At Nathan’s office, the atmosphere was calm yet charged with unspoken tension. He exuded professionalism, sitting across from me with a notepad in hand, his pen polped. But there was warmth in his expression that eased some of the turmail in my chest.
He
“You really didn’t know Alex never find the papers? Nathan asked, his voice steady bur tinged with disbelief. His brows furrowed, his contusion evident.
|| sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I had no reason to believe he wouldn’t. I signed the minutes after giving birth, Nathan. It was a chaotic, emotional moment, and I just. I trusted he’d follow through My voice wavered as the memory resurfaced. “We hadn’t spoken for years after that.”
Nathan’s gaze softened, and he gave a small nod, encouraging me to continue
I told him everything–every painful detail I’d Luried over the years. The anguish, the betrayal, the loneliness. I recounted the day I’d signed those papers, the exhaustion from giving birth, and the hollow feeling as Alex walked out of my life with barely a glance back Every word felt like reopening an old wound, but Nathan listened intently, his pen moving swiftly as he took notes.
When I finished, my voice cracked from the strain of revisiting it all. Nathan set his pen down, leaning forward slightly. His presence was grounding, his sincerity unwavering
“Thank you for trusting me with this,” he said, his voice low and earnest. His eyes held mine, and I saw nothing but understanding in them. “We’ll prepare for court and do everything we can to make this right. But until then. He besitated, his expression shifting to something more serious. “We’l have to suspend our relationship”
His words landed like a blow, though I knew they were coming. My chest tightened, but I nodded, forcing myself to remain composed. I nodded, agreeing to suspend our relacionship, even though the decision weighed heavily on me. Deep down, I told myself it was for the best. If Nathan had’s brought it up first, I would have. I was just relieved I didn’t have to be the one to say it out loud.
*I’m sorry,” I said softly, my
by voice laced with guilt as I looked at him. “I didn’t mess to volve you in all of this.”
Nathan’s expression softened, his smile reassuring as he shook his head. “Don’t apologize, Raina. I’m here because I want to be.”
A flicker of something crossed Nathan’s face–relief, perhaps, or maybe admiration. He smiled then, small but reassuring, and leaned closer. His hand rose, cupping my cheek briefly, his touch warm and grounding
“I’d kiss you right now,” he said, his tone light and teasing though his eyes betrayed the longing he felt. “But you’re still a married woman. The day we win this case, though, I would, even if we were still in court…” He trailed off, his smile growing into something more playful, more confident
I couldn’t help but smile back, despite the ache in my chest. He had a way of malting things feel less heavy, less impossible.
As I left his office, the air felt a little clearer, my steps a little steadier. But the moment I stopped into the hallway, my relief was short–lived. Standing at a distance was Alex, his presence unmistakable.
His expression was anything but friendly, his eyes dark and intense as they locked onto mine. His lips moved, and though I couldn’t hear him, I caught the words clearly:
“We need to talk
My stomach sank, and I clenched my fists, bracing myself for whatever storm was about to come,
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