Nathan didn't go straight home after the confrontation at his mansion. Frustrated and overwhelmed, he drove to one of his hotels to cool off and gather his thoughts. As he settled into a quiet corner of the luxurious hotel suite, he pulled out his phone and dialed Thomas.
"Thomas," Nathan's tone was firm but tired, "I need you to keep an eye on Elena from time to time. I don't want anything happening to her, but don't interfere unless she calls for help."
Seeing Nathan's voice's seriousness, Thomas replied, "Understood, boss. I'll keep tabs on her. Let me know if you need anything else."
Nathan ended the call and stared at his phone for a moment. The day's events replayed in his mind—Elena leaving the mansion, his mother's hurtful words, and the tension that had spiraled out of control. Unable to shake the guilt, he dialed Elena's number, hoping to hear her voice.
But the call went unanswered.
Meanwhile, at Elena's apartment, she was on the phone with Mia, explaining everything that had transpired at Nathan's house.
"Mia, I feel like this is all my fault," Elena said, trembling.
"Calm down, Elena," Mia replied, her tone soothing but firm. "You're recovering from an accident; you can't afford to let stress get to you. Nathan and his mom? That's on them, not you. Just focus on your health for now. I'll come straight to your house after work, okay?"
Elena nodded, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Thank you, Mia. I don't know what to do anymore."
"You're not alone in this, Lena. I'll be there soon," Mia reassured her before ending the call.
Elena sighed as she hung up, noticing Nathan's missed call on her screen. She stared at it momentarily but decided not to call him back. She wasn't ready to speak to him just yet.
To lift her mood, Elena called her aunt, who lived in Cebu, to check on her.
"Hey, Auntie," Elena said as soon as the call connected.
Her aunt's joyful voice came through the line. "My darling Lena! How are you doing, sweetheart? It's been so long since I last heard from you."
Elena smiled softly. "I'm doing great, Auntie. How about you? How's everything over there?"
"Oh, you know, same old, same old," her aunt replied cheerfully. "But it's so good to hear your voice. I miss you so much!"
"I miss you too," Elena said, her voice warming with affection. "Let's do a video call. I want to see your face."
Her aunt quickly agreed, and soon, they were on a video call, laughing and catching up. Elena talked about her job and how she had been living well. However, she avoided mentioning anything about Nathan, his family, or the recent drama at the mansion.
Her aunt noticed something was off. "Lena, are you sure you're okay? You look... tired. Is everything alright?"
Elena hesitated but forced a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Auntie. Just a bit exhausted from work, that's all."
"Don't overwork yourself, darling," her aunt said with concern. "And remember, if you ever need anything, I'm just a call away."
Elena nodded. "I know. Thank you, Auntie. I'll call you again soon. Take care of yourself."
As the call ended, Elena felt a mix of comfort and sadness. Talking to her aunt reminded her of simpler times when life felt less complicated. She lay back on the couch, staring at the ceiling, trying to make sense of her emotions.
Nathan sat on the balcony at the hotel, sipping wine as the city lights twinkled below. He couldn't shake the thought of Elena. She was always on his mind and hadn't returned his call; she only worried him more.
"She must hate me now," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.
Determined to make things right, Nathan resolved to give Elena some space for now but promised he wouldn't let this rift between them last for long. He just hoped she would allow him to explain when the time came.
Elena couldn't stop thinking about Nathan or the events that had unfolded in his house. Whenever she closed her eyes, the mage of Nathan's worried face and his mother's stern gaze flashed through her mind. She wanted to call him and clear the air, but something held her back.
"I should give him some space," she thought. "Maybe tomorrow."
Unable to resist, she picked up her phone and opened Nathan's social media handle. Scrolling through his profile, she smiled at his cute pictures and the confident way he carried himself. She lingered on a photo of him at one of his charity events. *"How can someone be so serious yet so charming?"* she thought with a faint blush.
Just then, there was a knock on her door. She quickly locked her phone and rushed to open it. Standing there was Mia, holding a big basket full of fruits. Elena's face lit up, and they hugged each other warmly.
"How are you feeling now?" Mia asked as she stepped inside.
"I'm better," Elena said with a soft smile, her voice still carrying a trace of exhaustion. "Thank you for coming, Mia."
"You know I'd always come for you," Mia replied, handing her the basket. "And I brought your favorite—fruits. I know how much you love them."
Elena chuckled and placed the basket on her small dining table. The sight of the colorful fruits did cheer her up a little.
The two sat down, and Elena explained in full detail what had happened at Nathan's house the previous day. She described the argument between Nathan and his mother, her decision to leave, and how Nathan had tried to stop her. Mia listened intently, nodding along as Elena vented.
"Lena, I don't think it's Nathan's fault," Mia finally said when Elena paused. "It seems like his mother has issues with you being around Nathan. It's probably nothing personal—maybe she's just being protective."
Elena sighed deeply. Mia's words made her remember Nathan's comment about being in love with someone. *"What if his mother thinks I'm some gold digger or an intruder trying to get between Nathan and his girlfriend?"* The thought made her heart sink.
Mia noticed Elena's distracted expression and tapped her shoulder gently. "Lena? Are you okay?"
Elena quickly snapped back to reality, smiling to hide her feelings. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Mia gave her a skeptical look but didn't press further. They spent a few more hours together, laughing and discussing lighter topics to ease the mood. As the evening rolled in, Mia decided it was time to leave.
"I'll visit you again tomorrow," she said, hugging Elena at the door.
"Thanks, Mia. You're the best," Elena replied with genuine gratitude.
Meanwhile, Thomas had been keeping Nathan updated about Elena throughout the day. That night, he called Nathan to report everything. "Boss, Elena seems okay. Mia visited her earlier, and they talked for a while."
Nathan sighed in relief. "Good. Keep an eye on her, Thomas. I'll handle things from here."
The following day, Nathan headed straight to the office. His mood was noticeably off, and everyone around him could feel the tension in the air.
Sharon, usually full of smiles, noticed Nathan's serious demeanor and quickly closed her mouth, wiping the grin off her face. She rushed over to Jessie and whispered, "Jessie, compose yourself. The boss isn't in a good mood today."
Jessie looked over at Nathan, who was moving briskly through the office with a stern expression. "What's wrong with him now?" Jessie asked in a low voice.
"No idea," Sharon replied. "But we better not mess up today. He looks like he could fire someone with just one look."
Throughout the day, the entire office worked in complete silence. Everyone was on their best behavior, not daring to make a single mistake. Nathan stayed in his office, his focus split between work and thoughts of Elena.
Later that evening, after the workday had ended, Nathan called Thomas into his office. "Thomas, get the car ready. We're going to Elena's house."
Thomas nodded and was about to leave when Nathan added, "And prepare some fruits and flowers. I don't want to go empty-handed."
Thomas smirked slightly, sensing his boss's intention. "Fruits and flowers, huh? Should I also bring a guitar so you can serenade her, boss?"
Nathan shot him a glare, but a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Just do what I said, Thomas."
Thomas chuckled as he walked out to prepare the car.
At Elena's house, she had just finished getting ready to run a quick errand. She needed to pick up a few things from the nearby supermarket. Dressed in a casual outfit and feeling slightly better, she grabbed her bag and exited her apartment. Unbeknownst to her, Nathan was already on his way, determined to see her and fix what had gone wrong the day before.
As Elena arrived at the supermarket, she carefully picked out snacks, foodstuffs, and prescribed medications. She browsed the aisles slowly, her mind drifting back to Nathan. His smile, his laugh, the way he looked at her—it was all-consuming her thoughts. She tried to shake it off but couldn't.
As she was about to head to the cashier to pay, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Startled, she turned around, half expecting it to be Nathan, but instead, she was met with a familiar face—Aiden, the man who had stepped in to save her from the bully customer at the café.
"Sir!" she exclaimed, a smile lighting up her face.
"Good to see you again, Miss Elena," he replied with a polite grin, extending his hand for a handshake. Elena shook his hand warmly, still surprised to see him.
"What a coincidence! I didn't expect to see you here," she said.
"Neither did I," Aiden chuckled. "But I'm glad I did."
Elena thanked him again for his help the other day, but Aiden waved it off modestly. "There's no need to thank me. I just did what any decent person would do."
As they chatted, they made their way to the cashier. Aiden insisted on paying for her groceries despite Elena's polite refusal. After some back and forth, she reluctantly agreed, thanking him again.
Outside the supermarket, Aiden offered her a ride home. "Please, let me give you a lift. Don't say no—I insist," he said with a friendly smile. Elena hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed.
When Aiden pulled up in front of Elena's house, she stepped out of the car and thanked him for the ride. But as she turned toward her door, she froze. Nathan stood there, leaning casually against the front wall, arms crossed, his piercing gaze locked on her.
Elena's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't expecting to see him, especially not now. Nathan's mood visibly shifted when he saw her step out of another man's car. His jaw tightened, but he kept his composure to suppress his annoyance.
"Nathan!" Elena called out, walking toward him. "What are you doing here?"
Instead of answering her question, Nathan shot back with his own. "Why didn't you pick up your phone when I called?"
Elena looked confused. "You called me? I didn't see any missed calls." She pulled out her phone and realized it had been on silent mode. Her face turned red as she saw 25 missed calls from Nathan.
"I'm so sorry, Nathan," she apologized. "I didn't realize my phone was on silent."
Nathan softened at her apology but was still distracted by Aiden, who had just stepped out of his car and was approaching them.
Aiden extended his hand toward Nathan with a smile. "Hey, I'm Aiden, Elena's friend. You must be...?"
Nathan didn't shake his hand. Instead, he looked Aiden square and replied, "I'm Nathan. And Elena isn't just my friend—she's my fiancée."
Elena's jaw dropped. "What?" she thought, staring at Nathan in shock. She wanted to correct him, but something in his tone made her pause. She decided to play along for now and confront him later.
Aiden, on the other hand, was stunned. His smile faded slightly as the weight of Nathan's words sank in. "Oh... wow. Congratulations to you both," he said, masking his disappointment with a forced grin.
Nathan turned to Elena and gently took her hand, pulling her closer. "Thanks, Aiden. Elena and I appreciate it," Nathan said smoothly.
Before Aiden could say anything else, Thomas suddenly appeared, holding a large bouquet of flowers. "Mrs. Reed-to-be, these are for you," he announced dramatically, handing the flowers to Elena.
Elena was mortified while Nathan smirked. Aiden's expression tightened, but he quickly composed himself. "I should get going," he said, his voice clipped. "Take care, Elena."
As Aiden drove away, Thomas whispered to Nathan, "Mission accomplished, boss." Nathan gave him a subtle nod of approval.
When they entered, Elena put the flowers down and turned to Nathan. "What was that, Nathan? Your fiancée? Care to explain?"
Nathan grinned playfully. "What's wrong with that? Elena Reed... it has a nice ring, don't you think?"
Elena rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at him. "Stop being silly, Nathan."
He dodged the pillow with a laugh. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. But I couldn't let that guy think you're available."
Elena crossed her arms, looking stern but failing as a smile tugged at her lips. "You're impossible, Nathan."
They both laughed, the tension easing between them. But after a moment of silence, Nathan's expression turned serious. "Elena, I'm sorry about what happened at my house. My mother... she shouldn't have treated you like that."
Elena waved it off. "It's fine, Nathan. I understand. Your mother was just being protective of you. Maybe she thinks I'm some kind of... intruder in your life."
Nathan laughed unexpectedly, catching Elena off guard. "What's so funny?" she asked, a little embarrassed.
"Nothing," Nathan said, still chuckling. "It's just... the idea of you being an 'intruder' is hilarious."
"Stop laughing, Nathan!" Elena said, throwing another pillow at him as she blushed.
The playful atmosphere was interrupted when Thomas entered with five large baskets of fruits and another bouquet of flowers. "Boss, here's everything you asked for," he said, grinning.
Elena's rinses widened. "Nathan, all this... for me?"
"Of course," Nathan said nonchalantly. "You need to eat healthy to recover faster."
Later that night, Nathan cooked a delicious meal for Elena before finally leaving. As he exited her house, he felt a strange warmth in his chest. He couldn't stop smiling as he drove home.
When Nathan returned to his mansion, he found it quiet. His mother and Aria were gone. He recalled how his mother treated Elena and decided enough was enough.
"Allison," he called to the head maid. "Gather all the staff in the sitting room."
Once everyone was assembled, Nathan addressed them. "From this moment on, my mother is not allowed to enter this house. If she shows up, inform me immediately, but do not let her in."
The staff were shocked but nodded in agreement. They knew better than to question Nathan's decisions. They returned to their posts individually, leaving Nathan alone in the sitting room.
He leaned back in his chair and let out a deep sigh. "Elena," he whispered to himself. "I won't let anyone hurt you again."