By the time Nathan Cross and Claire Harper rushed back to the hospital, George Cross had entered a period of lucidity, a brief respite before the end.
Seeing the marriage certificate in their hands, George's face, long wearied by illness, lit up with a rare and heartfelt smile.
"Good… Very good… You must take care of each other…"
With these final words, George breathed his last.
Nathan knelt beside his grandfather's bed, his grief overwhelming.
The poverty of his youth had not broken Nathan. The material hardships had been nothing compared to his resolve to give his grandfather a better life. That promise had fueled his every achievement.
Now, Nathan had succeeded, but George had not lived long enough to reap the rewards. From this day forward, Nathan was alone in the world.
Standing at the side, Claire couldn't stop the tears welling in her eyes. She had only met George the day before, but the bonds of life were unpredictable, and she was now legally his granddaughter-in-law.
She understood Nathan's pain all too well.
Three years ago, when her father, Patrick Harper, went missing at sea, Claire had clung to hope for two long years, only for the police to declare him deceased. That day, Claire and her mother had wept bitterly, grieving a loss that was both sudden and long-anticipated.
The pain of losing loved ones defied description. Claire offered no words to Nathan, simply staying by his side as a quiet presence.
While most couples celebrated their wedding day, Nathan and Claire spent theirs mourning.
---
Nathan cried until his tears dried, his bloodshot eyes reflecting the depths of his sorrow. Finally, he tried to rise but stumbled, nearly taking Claire down with him.
"…Thank you," Nathan rasped, quickly pulling his hand away from hers.
Claire felt a pang of awkwardness. Though they were married in name, they were strangers at heart.
Nathan's voice was hoarse as he said, "I have to handle the funeral arrangements. I won't have time to look after you tonight. You should go home and rest."
Claire shook her head. "I'm not tired. I'll stay and help."
Though their marriage was one of convenience, they were partners now, and she wouldn't shirk her responsibilities as his wife.
Nathan hesitated, then nodded. Her presence might bring some comfort to his late grandfather's spirit.
Together, they began the arduous process of planning the funeral. Nathan had no surviving relatives, so he decided against a prolonged wake. George had often expressed his desire for simplicity and dignity in death. His cremation was scheduled for the following morning, and he would be interred alongside Nathan's grandmother and father in the family's modest cemetery plot.
---
Claire took a few days off from work to accompany Nathan through the ordeal.
At the cemetery, she noticed that while there were graves for Nathan's grandmother and father, there was no mention of his mother. However, she refrained from asking—Nathan had been through enough pain.
The day of the burial was marked by light rain. Dressed in black, both Nathan and Claire looked worn from the relentless demands of the past few days.
Claire held an umbrella over Nathan as he stood in silence before the grave for a long time.
Finally, he said, "Let's go."
Taking the umbrella from her, he added, "You've done more than enough. Thank you."
Nathan was a man of few words, but he showed his gratitude in tangible ways. He handed Claire a set of keys.
"What's this?" Claire asked, surprised.
"The apartment at Seaside Gardens. The one mentioned in the prenuptial agreement," Nathan explained.
Though his tone was matter-of-fact, Claire sensed a subtle shift in his demeanor.
While Nathan's competence and resilience had impressed her, she reminded herself that their relationship was purely transactional. They had no emotional obligations to one another.
Claire hesitated. "I can't move out of my current place just yet. I'll need some time to pack."
Nathan nodded. "Take your time. Let me know when you're ready."
For the first time since their marriage, they exchanged phone numbers.
---
As Nathan prepared to leave the cemetery, his lawyer arrived with a folder.
Claire excused herself to wait in the car, giving Nathan privacy to handle his affairs.
"Here's the information you requested," the lawyer said, handing over a file.
Nathan scanned the contents.
The report confirmed that Claire's family had gone bankrupt three years ago, and her father had been declared dead. Despite the collapse of the Harper empire, Claire had signed new agreements to repay her father's debts, demonstrating a sense of responsibility that Nathan found unexpected.
However, the report also revealed her previous engagement to Ethan Sterling, a member of South City's prominent Sterling family.
Nathan's expression darkened. "Ethan Sterling—of the Sterling family?"
The lawyer hesitated. "Yes, but he's not part of the Sterling core."
Nathan's voice was icy. "Do you believe in such coincidences?"
The lawyer had no answer.
Few people in South City knew Nathan's true identity, but the Sterling family certainly did. Three years ago, Nathan had fought a ruthless battle against the Sterlings to establish his company. Though he had emerged victorious, the Sterlings were not ones to let go of grudges.
Now, it seemed, they might have found a way back into his life—through Claire Harper.