8

Madeline froze, her body still pressed against the iron railing of the bridge. The night wind slapped her face, carrying the sharp chill of the river below. She blinked, making sure the shadow before her was real.

Nathaniel stood not far away, his tall frame unshaken, his piercing gaze heavy with authority. He was like the final wall standing between Madeline and the abyss of despair.

Her fingers clutched the icy railing, her body trembling not only from the bone-piercing cold but also from the presence of the man before her. Nathaniel's unwavering stare seemed to strip away every weakness she tried to hide.

Beneath the bridge, the river rushed violently, reflecting the flicker of streetlights like false stars. The roar of the current mingled with the howling wind, creating a suffocating silence. Madeline’s chest tightened; each breath felt like a battle to keep going.

Nathaniel’s silhouette stood sharp in her vision, both a threat and an unwanted shield. His presence made her realize she was standing at the edge, not only of the bridge but of her life. She felt like a fragile thread, ready to snap at any moment.

Her eyes burned, though no more tears would come. Her weeping had dried up, leaving only a raw sting deep in her heart. All the wounds, betrayals, and rejections from those who should have loved her merged into one, pressing in from every direction.

Nathaniel remained where he was, unmoving. His dominance filled the space between them, as if even the air bent to his will. The world itself seemed to conspire to place Madeline face-to-face with him, even though her soul resisted with all its might.

Her legs felt weak, but she forced herself to remain standing, clinging to the cold railing. A faint pull tugged at her from within, a whisper echoing words she once heard words she had despised, yet that still haunted her.

The night grew darker. Above them, the sky was a deep black, broken only by the occasional glow of distant city lights. From far away came the muted sound of traffic, but on the bridge, there was only the two of them: fragile Madeline, and unshakable Nathaniel.

Her heart pounded fast, not just from fear of falling into the rushing river, but from the knowledge that her life was now at a crossroads. Each second stretched long; every gust of wind felt like a sign she could not decipher.

Her body sagged with exhaustion, lost and aimless, yet Nathaniel’s unrelenting gaze held her in place. There was something in those eyes, not just coldness or cruelty. There was a secret, something unspoken, that kept her from turning away, even when every part of her longed to flee.

“What business do you have here?” Madeline’s voice cracked, hoarse and broken with sobs she had yet to release. She tried to sound strong, though her eyes still glistened.

Nathaniel stepped closer with deliberate calm. “If you truly wanted to die, you wouldn’t choose a place like this. Even the most desperate still have the instinct not to show their weakness before the world.”

Madeline’s brow furrowed, her chest aching at his words. “You don’t know what I’ve been through! Every door is closed. My father blocks my every step. I have no future, Nathaniel. What’s the point of living if I’m nothing but a puppet?”

Nathaniel stopped just a few steps away, his sharp eyes cutting straight into her.

 “If you truly want freedom, don’t surrender your life to death. Death won’t give you freedom only emptiness.”

Madeline let out a bitter laugh. “You speak as if you know everything. You don’t know how cornered I am. My father won't even let me work. I can’t breathe, Nathaniel!”

Silence fell. Then his low, cold voice broke it. “I know more than you think, Madeline.”

Her head snapped toward him, her heart thundering. “What do you mean?”

His gaze hardened, as if guarding a secret he refused to reveal.

 “What I do know is this, you won’t escape your family’s shadow this way. But there is one path. One way for you to stand as their equal. To stop being a puppet.”

Madeline swallowed hard, her body tense. “What is it?”

Nathaniel moved closer, until he was only a single step away. He leaned down, his face so near she could feel the steady rhythm of his breath.

 “Marry me.”

Madeline jolted, her eyes wide. “What?! Are you insane? You're Ethan’s uncle! How could?”

“That’s exactly why,” Nathaniel cut her off sharply. “As long as you stay with Ethan, you’ll remain under your father’s control. Marriage to Ethan is nothing but a golden chain. Beautiful on the outside, but still a chain. If you marry me, you’ll be outside their game. I am the only one who can defy your father’s influence.”

She stood frozen, her chest pounding violently. His words were poison, and yet they sounded like the very escape she had been searching for.

“But I hate you,” she whispered bitterly. “You’re the one who.” Her voice broke, haunted by that dark night that had stolen her dignity. Tears slid down her face once more.

Nathaniel held her gaze, his expression unchanging, yet there was a flicker of softness behind the icy exterior.

 “I don’t ask for your love, Madeline. I ask for your choice to live. You want freedom? Then choose the path that gives you power. With me, you won’t be a puppet. You’ll be able to fight back.”

Madeline covered her face with both hands. Her head was in turmoil. On one hand, her heart was still wounded by the man standing before her. On the other, she realized this might be her only way out of her father’s grasp.

 She took a deep breath, trying to suppress her trembling. Slowly, she lowered her hands and looked at Nathaniel with red, swollen eyes.

“If I accept this, will I truly be free?”

Nathaniel stared deeply into her eyes, then gave a slow nod. “Free and stronger than ever.”

A long silence followed. The river beneath the bridge rushed fiercely, as if echoing the weight of the choice Madeline had to make.

 Finally, in a voice barely audible, Madeline whispered, “Alright, I’ll marry you.”

Nathaniel arched a brow, but his face remained impassive. He merely extended his hand. “You won’t regret this, Madeline.”

With hesitation, Madeline took his hand. Her body trembled, but within her heart, a spark of new resolve began to grow.

After those words were spoken, she slowly stepped away from the iron railing of the bridge. Each step felt unbearably heavy, as if every movement was a battle with herself. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her chest tightened, her vision swam.

Nathaniel watched her every movement, unblinking, making sure she didn’t falter back toward the edge of the abyss. When she finally reached a safer spot, her body suddenly lost all strength.

“Ah…” the faint sound slipped from Madeline’s lips before she collapsed.

In an instant, Nathaniel moved swiftly, catching her before she hit the hard asphalt. She fell directly into his arms, her head resting limply against his broad chest.

“Madeline!” he called, but there was no reply.

Her face looked pale, her eyes tightly shut, her breathing ragged as though the entire weight of the world had crushed her all at once. All the tension, the pressure, the pain she had been holding back finally erupted in the fo

rm of exhaustion that left her unconscious.