Chapter 137
The Pendant.
“What were you thinking, buying a house across from ours?” Serena interrogated him. “How will you run NC Pharmacy and Kline BioSolutions p>
“I’ll fly back to Velmon now and then,” Nathaniel said. Even in the dim light, Serena could make out the faint flush of alcohol on his face.
His sleeves were rolled up, his shirt left partly open, his hair slightly mussed, making him look more relaxed. “Besides, Stonewatch needs a complete overhaul. It will be my priority this year p>
“Kline BioSolutions, NC Pharmacy, and the research institute already have established executive teams,” he added. “They can function without me being physically there p>
“Why buy this house? I want to get close to the kids,” Nathaniel said, pouring more champagne into Serena’s glass. “And of course, I want to be closer to you p>
Serena scoffed.
The champagne had taken the edge off her caution. She could feel it now, warm and unwelcome.
The bottle was almost empty.
“So that was the plan,” Serena muttered carelessly. “Not flowers. Not jewelry. Just buy the house across the street that costs twice its market value and show up p>
“Yep,” Nathaniel admitted. “That was the plan. Figured it would be a nice surprise, but you are right. I should have brought flowers p>
Unexpectedly, Nathaniel reached into his trouser pocket, then he hesitated.
“I did bring something,” he said quietly.
He held up a velvet box. When he opened it, the stone caught the light, and Serena’s breath stalled.
It was… a necklace with a diamond pendant.
The pendant was large, brilliant, framed by deep sapphires.
The same stone was both familiar and cruel at the same time.
Her fingers moved before her mind caught up. She drew the box closer, staring at it as if it might vanish if she blinked.
“This is Her voice faltered. “This was my engagement ring p>
“Yes. I didn’t want to give it back as a ring,” Nathaniel said. His voice was low and careful. “That promise belonged to a different time p>
“A promise that I broke,” he continued. “But the stone… that was always yours. Instead of a ring, I changed it into a pendant. I wanted you to have it without the weight of what it used to mean p>
‘Without the weight,’ the words echoed.
Her lips trembled despite herself.
The entire time, Nathaniel watched her like a man bracing for impact.
“For me,” he said softly, “our past still mattered. It still does. And this p>
He gestured to the pendant. “This was made with you in mind. It belongs to you. It always has. It always will p>
“How did you even get this?” she whispered.
“I traced everything and recovered all the jewelry you sold,” Nathaniel said slowly.
“They are all at our villa. You can get them back when you are ready p>
‘When you are ready.’ Serena fell silent.
For several seconds, she just stared at the diamond.
That piece of rock used to matter so much to her. To her, it was a symbol of Nathaniel’s love.
‘Indeed,’ she noted. Nathaniel had broken his promise.
He had sworn to love her and protect her for the rest of his days, but instead, he broke her.
“You shouldn’t have hurt me, Nathan.” The words slipped out before she could stop them, raw and trembling.
Tears spilled freely now.
There was no stopping them.
Seeing her in that state, Nathaniel froze. He acknowledged quietly, “I know p>
“I loved you with everything I had!” she cried. “You were my world. Do you understand that? My entire world p>
“Serena “
She stood up, anger surging in her.
“You let me depend on you,” she pressed on, her voice breaking. “You let me believe I was safe. And then you asked for a divorce like it was nothing p>
“Serena “
“You can’t possibly understand what I went through!” Serena continued.
“When you walked away, I fell apart,” she said through gritted teeth. “I didn’t recognize myself anymore. was so lost almost forgot how to love myself p>
Her hand trembled as she pressed it to her chest. “Because of how much I hated you then, I almost aborted the twins p>
“No,” Nathaniel said. His face drained of color. “You couldn’t have “
She nodded. “I did! I almost did. I was lying in the operating room when I realized I
shouldn’t blame children for our problems p>
“I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry p>
ет
Nathaniel said, his hands raised and
his
forming fists, as if he were ready to punch himself. Guilt flickered eyes.
He drew a slow breath, steadying himself. “Thank God you hadn’t.” Maybe it was the liquor, or maybe it was everything she’d buried for too long, but Serena finally let it out.
She laughed weakly through her tears. “You know what I hate the most? You hurt me so badly, and yet the moment you came back, the kids loved you p>
Her voice cracked. “And me? I told myself you didn’t matter anymore. I tried. But I couldn’t make it stop p>
“You still have this effect on me p>
“Why?” she sobbed. “How can you still have this hold on me, after what you did p>
“Why p>
The word never made it out.
Serena felt him close in, felt his hands rise to her face.
And before she knew it, he kissed her.
Not gently. Not carefully.
It was wild and consuming.
Serena felt it in the way he held her, in the rough press of his mouth against hers, in
the uneven breath he spilled between kisses.
The way he savored her lips, they were thick with regret, heavy with longing, like he’d been starving for this moment.
She said she wouldn’t cave that easily, but there she was, in his arms and locking lips with him.
Serena pushed him away in anger, then slapped him.
Hard. “That was for breaking your promise p>
Tears blurred her vision as she stared at him, chest heaving.
Her actions startled him, of course, but Nathaniel didn’t waver.
Although his face was also stained with tears, he pulled her into his embrace and
crashed his lips to hers.
This time, Nathaniel showed her no mercy.
And this time, Serena didn’t fight back.
She returned the kiss with the same passion Nathaniel did.