The gap in communication exasperated me. But for Nick’s sake, I had to suppress my anger. “Hmm, that sounds really sweet, but what I’m talking about is urgent. Can you answer me? All you need to do is apologize to the person you hurt. There’s nothing for you to lose.”
“What’s in it for me?” Nathaniel smiled insidiously.
I had expected him to demand something in return. Hence, I didn’t bother reasoning and made my offer instead. “As a reward, I will promise to do something you want, as long as it doesn’t involve harming others.”
“Anything I want?” Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed as if he was weighing the attractiveness of the deal.
“Yes. As long as you don’t hurt him and allow him to leave unharmed,” I pleaded, as that was all I could do for Nick.
“Fine.” Nathaniel’s eyes sparkled like a child who had just received a lollipop.
Jolted by the look in his eyes, I quickly averted his predatory gaze.
Now that we had a deal, I eagerly led Nathaniel back in.
Seemingly lost in deep thought, Nick didn’t realize we were there until we came up close.
“This is Nathaniel.” Clenching my fists, I kept my eye on Nick so that I could restrain him if needed. “He is the man you are looking for.”
Standing expressionless beside me, Nathaniel had no intention to speak.
With a wary smile, Nick met Nathaniel’s gaze with a gentle one of his own. A short while later, he said, “Do you know that you are responsible for the death of a wonderful woman?”
Unmoved, Nathaniel replied with cold professionalism, “I don’t. But, Sienna told me that I’ve caused you and your family to suffer. For that, I’m sorry.”
Nathaniel reacted like a remorseless murderer.
If it wasn’t because of my inferior position, I would have given him a forceful slap.
Nick needed a demonstration of sincere remorse, instead of an emotionless bureaucratic response.
Hence, Nathaniel’s answer only served to fan the flames of fire.
Just when I wanted to sugarcoat Nathaniel’s words, Nick had reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a gun.
“Nick, no!”
My scream was futile. The moment the gun was aimed at Nathaniel, Nick had already pulled the trigger.
The resulting gunshot rang out thought the villa.
Unfortunately, Nick was the one that ended up being shot instead.
His unfamiliarity with a gun seemed to have caused it to misfire. The bullet which was meant to fly toward Nathaniel backfired into his right arm instead.
Stung by the pain, Nick dropped the gun onto the ground, causing a crack on the tile. The next moment, his hand was already covered by gushing blood.
“Nick!” I rushed forward to support him. “Are you all right? Bear with it while I send you to the hospital.”
Just as I spoke, I tried to help him out the door.
However, Nick flew into a fit of rage. Covering his wound, he refused to budge. All he did was grit his teeth and stare daggers at Nathaniel. “I’m going to kill you! You b*astard!”
“Kill me?” Nathaniel closed his eyes and thrust his chin forward. Looking down at Nick, he sneered, “You can’t even tell that you have a faulty gun. How are you going to kill me?”
“Can you shut up?” I thundered, worried that Nick would be triggered into doing something worse.
Having detected something from Nathaniel’s words, Nick’s eye lit up in fury. He hissed, “You were the one who sabotaged the gun!”
Stunned by his words, I was struck by a sudden realization.
Indeed, guns were regulated in Chanaea, and the common man had no access to them. Hence, for Nick to get his hands on one, he had to go to the black market, which was an avenue controlled by Nathaniel.
With no intention to hide, Nathaniel readily admitted, “I promised Sienna that I won’t harm her family. Hence, your wife’s death was nothing but an accident. Initially, I was watching you to see if there was any way I could make up for your loss. Unfortunately, you chose to act presumptuously by thinking that you could actually kill me.”
“Pfft! Who needs your compensation? You killed Rose, my wife. No matter what, I want you to pay with your life!” Nick raged.
Despite my urge to berate Nathaniel, I swallowed my words when I saw the guards swarming in through the door.
“Nick! Nick!” As I tried to help him stand, I cupped his face and forced him to look at me instead of Nathaniel. Screaming at the top of my lungs, I tried to knock some sense into him. “Listen to me, Rose told me to take care of you before she died. She has always worried about you. If anything happened to you, she would have died in vain!”
While trying to get through to him, I couldn’t stop myself from crying. My mind was filled with the image of her giving birth in the hospital and also how she covered for Nick by putting up a strong front.
The moment Nick heard Rose’s name, his eyes began to redden. As tears streamed down his cheeks, he finally broke down crying like a child. “Sienna, Rose is dead. She’s no longer here. The day before she died, she even suggested we have more kids, as it was too quiet at home. Despite how kind she was, I never appreciated it. Sienna, I failed her… I have really failed her…”
Given that I was filled with guilt over Rose’s death, Nick’s words unleashed the pent-up emotions within me.
Suddenly, Nathaniel reached out to grab me. Before I could react, he launched an uppercut and knocked the wind out of Nick. After which, Nick was taken away.
“Nick!” Despite my attempt to get to him, I was powerless against Nathaniel’s strength. All I could do was scream, “Let me go! Let me go, you b*stard!”
Having lost his patience, Nathaniel grabbed both my arms and forcefully turned me to face him.
“You told me that you won’t harm my family. Are you going back on your word?” I bellowed. Despite the sharp pain in my bones, I didn’t wince at all.
“It’s up to you whether I keep my promise or not.” With a darkening gaze, Nathaniel broke into a vicious smile. “I don’t like to see you crying, Sienna. The next time I see him make you cry, he will have to pay for it with his life.”
“In that case, you should kill yourself first! The person who hurt me the most is you, and no one else.”
Stung by my words, Nathaniel was shocked momentarily. However, he quickly regained his viciousness. “Don’t try and reason with me. In my world, you’re the one who’s being unreasonable. Despite how much I compromised with you, why don’t you ever learn what’s good for you?”
“In that case, stop tolerating my actions!” Just when I was desperately struggling, I was struck by an idea. Taking the ring off my finger, I threw it away in front of him. “I don’t want this nor you anymore! I don’t need a crazy control freak in my life!”
Ding! Ding!
A crisp clink was heard the moment the ring hit the ground. After rolling by the window, it finally came to a stop.
Nathaniel had let go of me the second I threw the ring away. His eyes trailed the ring’s trajectory until it fell onto the floor. As if he was frozen, he continued to stare blankly at it.
The silence that ensued was deafening.
Under such uncertain circumstances, I wasn’t sure if I had crossed his threshold. As if I had lost it, I was ready to die. “Go on, make it quick.”
After staring intently at the ring for a long time, Nathaniel suddenly walked over and put it back into his palm before walking away just like that.
As I watched his silhouette disappear out the door, it felt surreal to me.
Given that the ring was the only thing he asked of me, I was surprised he didn’t react to me throwing it away.
Perhaps, breaking a promise never meant anything to him at all.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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