10

Nathaniel sat in the chair beside the bed, his hands clasped in front of him. “You want freedom from your father, you want to prove yourself. But look at you now. You nearly ended your life.”

Madeline stiffened, her eyes widening. “I didn’t—”

“Don’t lie,” Nathaniel cut in sharply, his voice piercing. “I saw your eyes on that bridge. You thought everything would end if you jumped. That was the biggest act of foolishness you almost committed.”

Madeline fell silent, her lips trembling. She wanted to deny it, but no words came out.

She lowered her head, clutching the blanket tightly in her lap. Nathaniel’s words struck harder than the night wind had on that bridge. She hated that he was right. She had thought about giving in, about letting her body fall into the rushing river, letting all the pain stop at once.

But hearing him say it out loud left her reeling ashamed, angry, and terrified all at once. Her eyes brimmed with tears, though she refused to let them fall. She didn’t want to look weak before him.

The room seemed to close in, the air refusing to fill her lungs. Every second of silence that followed felt like Nathaniel’s unspoken judgment, a cruel acknowledgment that he had seen the weakest part of her.

Madeline shook her head slightly, trying to salvage what little dignity she had left. I am not weak, she told herself. I’m just lost. But even her inner voice sounded hollow.

Her gaze dropped to the wooden floor, vacant, as if searching for answers there. Memories of her father echoed in her mind, his accusing words, his cold face that never once offered belief. Then Ethan’s smile surfaced, sweet yet deceiving, followed by the betrayal that shattered her heart. Together, they carved a chasm so deep she had truly believed there was no way out.

And yet, facing Nathaniel now, the chasm seemed different. Not empty, but filled with his piercing stare, silently saying, I won’t let you fall.

Madeline buried her face in her hands, trying to hide the storm of emotions spilling through. Her shoulders trembled, though no sobs escaped. She was too drained to cry again, too weak to fight the truth he had forced upon her.

The ticking clock grew louder, marking time as it dragged on. Her heart pounded wildly not only from shame, but from a painful realization: part of her was relieved someone had stopped her. And that someone was Nathaniel the very man she had rejected, yet couldn’t ignore.

She drew a deep, shaky breath. Slowly, she lowered her hands, her eyes clouded yet carrying a faint spark. Somewhere deep inside, a fragile ember of resolve flickered. She wasn’t completely defeated, not yet.

Nathaniel remained silent, but his sharp gaze never left her. That stare made her restless, as though she was being weighed, judged, measured.

With what little courage she could gather, Madeline lifted her head, meeting his eyes. Her body still trembled, her voice caught in her throat, but inwardly she whispered: I can’t let him see me completely broken.

The tension thickened, almost tangible. Her heartbeat raced faster, as if sensing what was about to happen.

Nathaniel leaned forward, his voice low but heavy with authority. “I’ve already given you a way out. Marry me. That way, you’ll be free from your father’s grip and I’ll make sure you’re never trampled again.”

Madeline swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. She turned to him, her face now only inches away from his.

“You think this contract marriage is the solution to all my problems?” she whispered, barely audible.

Nathaniel’s gaze sharpened, then his lips curved in a faint, thin smile. “No. But it’s the only path that will keep you alive and still valuable in the eyes of the world.”

Silence consumed the room. Madeline clutched her blanket tightly, torn once again between conflicting thoughts. Her heart was in turmoil, torn between the longing for freedom, the pain of betrayal, and the tempting promise of protection Nathaniel offered.

“You think marrying you will fix everything?” she asked, her voice raspy and trembling with doubt.

Nathaniel didn’t answer immediately. He only held her gaze, deep and unflinching, as if trying to reach the very core of her soul. Finally, he spoke, his tone quiet yet resolute.

“It won’t fix everything. But it will save you, Madeline. You won’t face your father alone, or the wounds Ethan left behind. With me, you’ll have a place to stand. You’ll have power.”

Madeline slowly lifted her tear-filled eyes to him. “Power? What do you know about my brokenness? About being cast aside by the one who should have protected me? About being stabbed in the back by someone who swore loyalty?”

Nathaniel exhaled, his gaze softening just slightly. “I may not know everything. But I know this much, Madeline. You are far too precious to let the world crush you so easily.”

The room fell into silence again, the ticking clock echoing like a heartbeat. Madeline bowed her head, and at last, the tears slipped free, streaking down her pale cheeks.

“I’m tired,” she whispered faintly. “Tired of fighting alone. But I’m afraid, Nathaniel. I’m afraid this marriage will just become another chain. I’m afraid I’ll be broken again.”

Nathaniel shifted closer, his voice now softer yet still firm.

 “I cannot promise you a life without wounds. But I can promise you one thing, I will never cast you aside like they did. I will stand by your side, even when the entire world turns against you.”

His words pierced straight into Madeline’s heart, chipping away at the defenses she had built for so long. She closed her eyes, feeling the weight of her exhaustion from fighting alone for far too long.

Finally, after a long silence, she drew in a deep breath, then opened her eyes, still glistening with tears.

Madeline looked at him, her gaze trembling with the remnants of tears that refused to stop. There was something in Nathaniel’s voice that cut deeper than any wound her father had left, more tangible than the looming threats that had haunted her life. His words didn’t sound like empty promises, at least not to her ears. And that was what scared her the most.

Her fear had always grown out of betrayal by those closest to her. She knew too well the pain of being abandoned by someone you trusted. Now, standing before Nathaniel, that fear clashed with an unfamiliar warmth, one that reignited a fragile spark deep within her.

Madeline lowered her gaze, her fingers clutching the white blanket draped over her lap. She fought to keep her body from trembling. Her thoughts were in shambles, torn between wanting to believe him and wanting to run as far as possible from anything that could break her heart again.