I looked at him in disbelief. “Why did youe all the way here?”


    Nathan’s eyes sparkled with a touch of delight. “I just wanted to see if you were really gone.”


    “You knew you might be wasting your time, but you still showed up?” I joked.


    “Well, sometimes you have to take a leap to find out what happens. If I hadn’te, I wouldn’t have this pleasant surprise. Nathan replied, his voice deep and a little rough.


    I nced back at my freshly cleaned living room. “Well, you showed up just in time. I was about to head out.”


    The look in Nathan’s eyes dimmed a little. “You’re leaving already?”


    I nodded. “Yeah, I don’t like driving at night. It’s still light out, and the highway should be clear.


    Nathan’s gaze was full of warmth as he nodded. “Alright, I’ll walk you down.”


    I locked the door and walked beside him to the elevator.


    “Did you manage to sort out yourpany’s cash flow issues?” I asked him.


    Nathan let out a soft sigh. “I’ve talked to a few people–some are open to it, but the Chancellor family’swork runs deep. With them standing in the way, nobody’s going to make a move anytime soon. Everyone’s just looking out for their own interests.”


    I knew this wasn’t something that could be fixed overnight.


    “If the Chancellor family stops interfering, I want to invest in yourpany,” I said, cutting straight to the chase.


    “Victoria, don’t put your money in just yet. I’m still on shaky ground,” Nathan said seriously, trying to talk me out of it. “If you really want a stake, wait until I’ve turned things around–then I’ll sell you some shares at a discount.”


    <b>I </b>just smiled. “If I only show up when things are going well, who am I really? Nathan, I believe in your tech. I’m not investing because of feelings<b>–</b>I’m here to make money.”


    Nathan’s handsome face went stiff as he stared at me for a long time, a hint of defeat in his eyes. “Look, I know–if thepany ever gets back on its feet, I’ll make sure you get your investment back many times over. But right now, everything’s a mess. The Chancellor family put two choices in front of me: give up thepany, or marry Emily Chancellor. Honestly<b>, </b>neither of those is even an option for me.”


    “I ran into Miss Chancellor earlier!” I said as the elevator chimed and I stepped inside.


    Nathan rushed in after me, his voice full of worry. “Did she say anything bad about you?”


    I looked up at him and smiled. “You think she’d say something about me?”


    Nathan’s face was full of guilt. “I was worried she’d call you a homewrecker. Victoria, I’m sorry–it’s my <b>fault </b><b>for </b><b>keeping </b><b>the </b>Chancellor family stuff from you. That’s why you ended up getting dragged into this mess<b>. </b>


    I let out a soft sigh. “She didn’t say anything bad about me. Actually, she seemed <b>really </b><b>worried </b>about <b>you</b><b>. </b><b>Nathan</b>, <b>I </b><b>think </b>Miss Chancellor is actually pretty nice. Maybe you should think about it<b>.” </b>


    “If I never truly chose her from the beginning, <b>every </b><b>decision </b>after that <b>would </b><b>just </b><b>be </b><b>one </b>mistake after <b>another</b>, <b>until </b><b>there </b>no way to <b>fix </b><b>it</b>,” Nathan said, his <b>voice </b>steady. <b>He’s </b>a stubborn guy, <b>not </b><b>the </b><b>type </b><b>to </b><b>be </b><b>forced </b><b>into </b><b>anything</b><b>, </b><b>and </b><b>he’s </b><b>looking </b>


    at this with a clear head.


    I stared at him, nodding in agreement. “You’re right. If you don’t love her, even if you do everything a husband’s supposed to, she’ll know your heart’s not in it. Over time, her resentment will just grow, and she’ll end up miserable. If she didn’t love you,


    it wouldn’t matter, but she does. Love’s a two–way street.”


    Nathan’s eyes softened as he gently held one of my fingers. “Victoria, thank you for understanding me.”


    I quietly pulled my hand back, my voice low. “It’s not that I understand you–it’s just that I’ve walked this road myself. 1 know what it feels like to be a woman unloved in her marriage.”


    Nathan looked at my hand, a bit taken aback.


    The elevator doors slid open to the underground parking lot, and I stepped out.


    Nathan followed me over to my car.


    I looked at him and said, “If you can’t think of anything to say, just wish me a safe drive.


    Nathan gave me a gentle look and nodded. “Drive safe. Text me when you get to Shaville, okay?”


    I gave him a small smile, slipped into the car, waved goodbye, and drove away.


    I drove straight through, my mind clear, and made it back to Shaville.