Chapter 15
They were so close that she could feel his breath brushing against her face, and suddenly she realized her heart was racing.
“What do you mean by that?” Stella asked, confused by Nathan’s words.
“Why is it that every time you see me, your instinct is to hide?” Nathan’s hand gently caressed Stella’s face. “Didn’t you once do everything you could to be with me?”
Stella paled. She knew he was referring to something that happened four years ago.
Back then, Jorge had constantly pushed her into situations she couldn’t escape. If she refused, he threatened to disown Fernanda from the Cassano family and divorce her.
“You’re right, Nathan. You’re not some incredibly dangerous beast, so why should I fear you?” Stella said, her tone strong, a faint smile on her lips. “But how can I be used to being by your side when we’ve barely spent any time together?”
“Not used to it?” Nathan raised an eyebrow and leaned even closer, stopping just a millimeter from her lips. With the slightest movement, he could touch them. “Then you’d better learn to get used to it, because in the future, we’ll need to be much more intimate than this.”
Stella understood his implication–he was talking about their bodies being entwined. She didn’t like where this was going, so she placed her hand on his chest to push him away.
“Maybe that won’t be necessary anymore. I might already be pregnant. After all, it wasn’t just once that I tried to conceive Liam,
was it?”
Nathan’s hand grasped her delicate chin.
“Maybe, maybe not. But we can’t be sure just yet, and until it’s confirmed, you’ll need to wait a few more weeks. During those weeks, to ensure everything works out, you’ll need to keep sleeping with me.”
Stella fell silent. Just then, a gentle voice came from the doorway. Both turned toward it, and there stood Victor, holding something and looking somewhat startled by the scene before him.
Stella suddenly realized how intimate her and Nathan’s proximity appeared. Nathan’s eyes glinted with mockery as she quickly,
reached out to push him away.
“Victor, why are you here?”
Victor, still looking surprised, snapped out of it at the sound of Stella’s voice. Slowly, he stepped into the room and smiled.
“Your mother called me this morning. She said she doesn’t remember much about what happened yesterday but thinks you two had a fight. She asked me to check on you.”
Victor explained, and Stella nodded, letting out a pained laugh.
That was typical of her mother. Sometimes, she treated Stella like an enemy. But when her mind cleared, she would feel shame and
regret.
In her youth, her mother had been a violinist, one of the best. Who would have thought she would end up like this because of a
man?
Stella hadn’t inherited any musical talent from her. Since childhood, her mother had punished her for not working hard enough to play music, kneeling on the floor and scolding her. In her mother’s mind, if she worked hard to raise her daughter, Jorge would start
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Chapter 15
caring about them and stop being cold.
They had met at a classical music festival, where Jorge was captivated by the young violinist. That same year, he promised to stay with her forever. But without warning, he married someone else a wealthy girl from a prominent family. It had been like killing Fernanda repeatedly.
From a young age, Stella had known that men’s promises were unreliable.
“Mr. Victor, you’ve come so early to visit Stella–it’s not even seven the morning. You must be very concerned about her. Nathan released Stella’s waist and glanced at his watch.
“I was indeed very worried,” Victor replied with a laugh. After taking that call, I couldn’t sleep and rushed over here.”
Nathan’s tone was meant to provoke, but Victor wouldn’t let it affect him.
“Stella, I brought you breakfast. You haven’t eaten yet, have you? It’s from your favorite place.” Victor placed the bag he was holding on the table.
Victor was always so thoughtful, and Stella felt a pang of guilt.
“I’m sorry my mother woke you so early. And even so, you went to that faraway restaurant just to get me breakfast…
“It’s no trouble,” Victor replied calmly. “Go wash up, and then come have breakfast.” He smiled, and Stella nodded.
“Oh, and if my mother asks about me later, just tell her I’m fine. Don’t mention that I was hurt.”
She knew her mother wouldn’t remember clearly, but Stella didn’t want her to feel worried or guilty either. After speaking, she headed toward the bathroom, passing Nathan and choosing to ignore him.
Victor, ever attentive, worried that the porridge might be too hot, poured it into a bowl and placed it on the table.
Nathan sat on the sofa, watching his every move. He didn’t make a mistake–Victor was genuinely in love with Stella.
There was an unspoken understanding between them, a connection that no one else could replicate. Hearing that there had been no relationship between them for four years seemed unbelievable to Nathan.
“When it comes to my wife, Mr. Arbex, you seem to have quite an intimate understanding of her.”
Victor’s hand hesitated momentarily at Nathan’s remark. Nathan observed him, feeling a bit uneasy.
This man wasn’t just concerned about his wife–he seemed troubled by Nathan calling Stella his wife.
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