Chapter 17

~ NATHAN ~

When my eyes opened the next morning, she was still asleep, curled up against me with her arm draped over my waist. Her cheek rested on my chest like that was where it had always belonged.

For a moment, I didn’t move. I lay there, savoring the sweet warmth of her body as she slept peacefully in my arms.

It was still dark outside. The soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated the room. Everywhere was quiet save for the faint ticking of the clock on the wall and the steady, soft rhythm of my wife’s breathing against my skin.

My wife.

The word settled deep in my chest with a slow warmth that spread through my entire body.

Instinctively, I tightened my arm around her, pulling her a fraction closer. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake up, only burrowed further into me, her fingers curling faintly against my side.

A slow, satisfied smile tugged at my mouth. I brushed a lock of hair away from her face, careful not to wake her. Even in sleep, she was beautiful. She looked so soft, unguarded. Nothing like the confident woman who commanded cameras and audiences without blinking.

I let my eyes wander over her features in the dim light—the soft curve of her cheek, the faint crease between her brows, the way her long lashes rested against her skin.

My wife. Finally.

For years, I never believed this was something I could ever have. Not after Evelyn.

The name flickered through my mind like an old bruise—dull, distant, no longer sharp but not entirely forgotten either. Evelyn had taught me what betrayal felt like. What it meant to love and trust someone completely and watch them walk away without looking back after betraying you in the worst way possible. After her, I had sworn off the idea of love completely, promising myself never to fall victim to it ever again.

Women had become objects to me, used merely for my satisfaction. They were temporary, convenient. Brief moments of pleasure that never meant anything once they were over.

Well… Until Kimberly.

I could still remember the first time I saw her. It had been at a charity gala downtown full of lights, cameras, and donors pretending to care about causes they barely understood.

I hadn’t even planned to stay long. I’d been about to leave when I noticed her across the hall.

She hadn’t been the loudest person there, but the sound of her laughter drew my attention as she spoke to the people around her like she’d known them for years. Also, her confidence as she held them enthralled. The way she owned the space without trying too hard.

When our eyes met, she didn’t look away. Most women did—especially with the cold expression I usually wore to discourage anyone from trying their luck.

But Kimberly… She’d held my gaze boldly for a long time, her lips curling into a smile, as if communicating a silent message.

I’d shut her out immediately, telling myself she was just another Eve—another mistake waiting to happen. Whatever it was she had in mind, she was wasting her time even trying. I was already a brick wall that couldn’t be breached, thanks to Evelyn Carter.

But then we kept running into each other. A restaurant in SoHo. A launch event in Brooklyn. A brunch hosted by mutual friends.

Each time, she approached me like I wasn’t some untouchable billionaire. She treated me like I was just a regular guy. It didn’t matter that I was unfriendly and outrightly mean to her. She never relented. She kept trying, teasing me, challenging me, refusing to let me retreat behind that wall of indifference.

And slowly, against my better judgment, I began to look forward to seeing her, running into her.

She was bold, fearless in front of a camera. A lifestyle influencer who turned ordinary moments into art.

She had a fire in her that pulled me in. And somewhere along the line, I stopped fighting it.

I gave her a chance.

Then, I gave her my trust.

And eventually, without realizing exactly when it happened, I gave her my heart.

Now she lay beside me asleep, breathing softly, wearing my ring.

My chest tightened with that overwhelming sense of love and gratitude.

But a faint thought nudged at the back of my mind, pulling my brows together in a frown as I studied her sleeping face. She had been quieter lately.

I noticed it. Ever since I returned from my trip a week ago, there had been something different about her. It was subtle, almost imperceptible. But I noticed it.

She seemed more reserved. Less bold. Almost…shy.

Had she developed cold feet? Or was it simply exhaustion from all the wedding preparations?

It had to be the latter, I thought, remembering that she had actually been hospitalized because of it.

My frown deepened as I thought about how sick she had been, and the fact that I hadn’t been there. She must have been under so much stress for her body to give out like that. I felt bad, guilty that I’d allowed her to push herself to that extent.

But it was all over now. I comforted myself with the thought. The wedding was behind us. From now on, she wouldn’t have to carry so much on her shoulders anymore. Things would be easier for her. I would make sure of it.

Kim had always loved the finer things in life—beautiful places, great food, travel, art, and fashion. She had such impeccable taste, and I was in a position to give her everything she could ever want.

A small smile tugged at my lips now as another thought slipped into my mind.

The wedding gift.

I could already imagine the look on her face when she saw it—the surprise, the excitement. She was going to love it. I was certain of that.

I had chosen it carefully. It had been very expensive, but that didn’t matter. If anything, I would have gladly given ten times more because she deserved it. She deserved much more.

I wanted to give her everything. I wanted her to wake up every morning knowing she would never have to worry about anything ever again. She’d had such a deprived childhood, growing up in an orphanage. From the age of eighteen, she’d had to struggle to achieve everything she had today. I admired her strength, her determination.

From now on, she wouldn’t have to struggle anymore. I would take care of her. I would protect her, no matter what. Quietly, I made that promise to myself, brushing another stray lock of hair that had fallen over her eyes.

She shifted in her sleep again, her hand sliding up my chest as she curled tighter against me, one knee sliding over my thigh. Her hand gripped me as though she feared I might disappear. Then a soft sound left her lips, something half mumbled and impossible to understand.

I chuckled quietly. She slept like a child. Curled against me, warm and trusting.

The simple closeness of it did something strange to my chest. Carefully, I pressed a soft kiss into her hair and allowed my mind to wander briefly, to dream of a future I could now see very close at hand. Because for the first time in a long time, everything felt right.

Children. The image of a little girl with Kimberly’s eyes and smile appeared suddenly in my mind. The thought of kids running through the halls of this house, their laughter echoing off the walls, filled my heart with longing.

I tightened my arm around her slightly. She shifted again, pressing even closer, and my heart softened completely.

For the first time in years, I felt utterly happy, completely at peace. Not because of money or power, but because of her. My wife.

“This is just the beginning, angel,” I murmured. “The beginning of forever.”

With that thought warming me from the inside out, I closed my eyes. It wasn’t long before I drifted back to sleep again, content in a way I hadn’t felt in years.