LOGIN"What?" Nate questioned, sure he had misheard. Sera didn’t look away as she repeated softly, "I’ll marry you." The words had felt heavy on her tongue. Her heart pounding wild against her ribs. It wasn't a confession. It was a commitment. Lifelong commitment. "But..""Have you changed your mind now? You don't wnat to marry me?" she aksed, searching his eyes. "No," he exclaimed. "I men....YES...I want to marry you. I just...you refused when I popped the question only some time ago.." he reminded her, confused. Why did she reject him then?She shrugged. "I've seen you making efforts. And as much as I hate to admit it.......You've started to grow on me. I won't say I am in love with you, Nate..." she said the last part, causing his joy to visibly dim. The woman lowered her gaze. "I am still healing..... still putting my pieces together" She swallowed and lifted her lashs to meet his eyes. "But I get jealous when other women look at you. I like having my meals with you..... talking abo
"What are you doing?" she murmured, totally stunned. Nate swallowed dry. Walking over embers felt easier than this. He was sweating bullets in the chilly night. "I know for a long time, I've loved you the wrong way. I broke more than I fixed. I made you cry when I should have made you smile the most..." he said, the cold biting into his knees. "And I am not asking you to forget what I’ve done," he urged earnestly. "I am asking you to let me spend the rest of my life making it right. To let me be better...for you, with you." Sera gazed at him, totally thrown off by the unexpected proposal. "Nate.."Nate exhaled shakily, his grip tightening around the small velvet box before he slowly closed it. He should have known. "You don’t have to finish that sentence," he said quietly. "I already hear it in your voice." The hesitation said it all. He looked down at the ice beneath his knees, jaw clenched. He wasn't mad at her but at himself. His past sins were never going to let him be happ
Violet stared ahead with her eyes wide open as the car rolled to a stop before a majestic castle. Surprised and confused, she glanced over at him. Nate smiled faintly but decided to tease her a little more. Instead of giving her the answer she sought, he reached into the back and retrieved a coat. "Put it on. It's cold outside," he instructed, handing her the coat. Sera wore it. It smelled of him. He then simply opened the door and climbed out. Sera brought her gaze back to the castle. Sera couldn't see the top of the castle from the windshield biut she could tell it must have clouds swirling around it.The door on her side was pulled open, and a hand appeared in her line of sight, waiting patiently for her to take it. She slipped her hand in his and stepped out. Nate was right. It was really cold outside. She couldn't see much as it was night, but she could see silhouettes of mountain peaks in the distance. "Shall we?' he asked, tugging lightly at her hand. Her eye sdrifted to him
"I... want to take you somewhere tonight," Nate said hesitantly. Sera noticed how he had kept his gaze firmly on the wall behind her, and the nervous energy radiating off him was impossible to miss. "Are you talking to the wall or me?" she asked, genuinely confused. It was then that Nate shifted his gaze to her, brows pulling into a subtle frown. "You, of course. why would I talk to a wall?" he replied, and looked away as if looking into her eyes was too intimidating. Sera studied him carefully. The way he avoided her eyes, the slight tremor in his voice."What’s wrong?" she asked softly, tilting her head."What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely puzzled."You look… tense," she pointed out, her voice gentle and full of concern. "Tense?" he repeated, uncertainty flickering across his features. "No… I am not tense," he added, masking his expression. Sera wasn’t convinced. She could see the subtle signs, yet she didn’t press the matter. Instead, she circled back to the original topic
"So you liked him?" Killian questioned, a hint of surprise in his voice. Their daughter had finally shown interest in a guy. Ara was just as taken aback, if not more. "Yeah. I mean, he was nice. Every inch a gentleman," Gigi gushed overly, assured that the rejection would come from the other side. She wouldn't be the villain this time; he would be. Killian and Ara shared a glance. "So you're saying...You can marry him?" Ara asked, still in disbelief. "I don't think he will, though," Gigi replied, dodging her question. "He didn't seem very interested," she added. "Could be Carlos forced him to the meeting," Killian murmured, eyes locked with Ara. Ara nodded. Killian then shifted his gaze to Gigi. "If he isn't interested, then there is no point pushing it," he stated. Inside, Gigi was practically dancing with joy, though outwardly she kept a somber expression."Seems like my fate. I finally liked someone, and he is not interested," she sighed as if disappointed, and then met her mo
Nate walked into the dark room. "Princess," he called softly to her silhouette in the bed. A pillow flew at his face in reply, smacking him before dropping to the floor."Go away," she snapped, words brittle with anger and hurt. Nate exhaled a sigh, bent, and picked up the pillow. "I didn't mean to hurt you, princess," he said sincerely as he approached her. "One more step and I swear, I'll hit you with the vase," Sera warned him. "Straight to domestic violence now?" he teased, moving closer. "I guess I can take a few hits..... but don't let anyone outside know. My reputation will never recover if they did." Sera pursed her lips, fighting the urge to smile at his stupid remark. She refused to melt that easily and reminded herself, firmly, why she was angry with him in the first place."Leave or I am leaving," she said, her tone cold and clipped. "Nobody's leaving. We are going to talk," he asserted gently. At that, Sera rose to her feet and headed for the door. But Nate caught







