Nathaniel's pov~
At first, it was a measly crush. A crush on a childhood friend. A crush on the girl who had smiled brighter than the sun. It was a simple crush, until it turned into something bigger.
She was my first love, but I wasn't hers.
I was having a drink at the club when I spotted her fiance and some girl. I had known about their affair for a while but I could not bring myself to tell her. Our childhood memories were a cherished blessing for me but a distant dream for her. I could see te love for that man in her eyes, I knew she would not believe me if I told her he was cheating.
When I saw her at the club, I had been relieved that her relationship was over but when I saw the pure shock on her face, I couldn't help but feel hurt for her. I didn't want her to see a sight that would ruin her so I rushed forward to cover her eyes before she completely broke.
I knew how it felt to see the person you gave your heart to give it to someone else. It was the worst feeling in the world. So while I was happy she was now free of a lying cheat, I also felt bad that she had to go through something like that.
When she noticed that it was me who led her out of the club, she was startled and stumbled but I held her before she could fall. I could tell that she felt awkward around me but I didn't just want to leave her alone.
"Wanna get out of here?" I asked, not sure where to go if she said yes.
She fidgeted a bit, her gaze meeting the floor. "No sir. Thank you for what you did. I'll be on my way now."
She turned to leave and I wondered if she was more comfortable following a stranger than following me.
"Where's your car?" I asked, following her.
She didn't reply. I reckoned she needed time alone to process what she just witnessed but I wasn't about to let her leave.
"Selene." I called out to her and she stopped in her tracks, looking back at me.
She looked like she was trying hard to keep the tears from falling. She did not want to break down in front of her boss, she was probably embarrassed that her boss caught her in such an embarrassing moment.
I was her boss, nothing more. I didn't have any right to interfere in her life. I would have probably done more good to her if I pretended like I did not see anything, if I did not approach her.
But I couldn't do that, I could not go about my day when I knew she was hurting, especially when I knew she as hurting because of that bastard.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do," I started, my voice low. "I know you don't want to cry your eyes out in front of your boss but if there's no one you can call tonight, please, lean on me. I can be your shoulder to cry on for tonight."
She didn't say anything, her eyes were still on me but she didn't say anything, nor did she move. She just stared at me blankly.
What was I expecting? Why would she choose to lean on someone she doesn't know, someone she would continue to see as long as we worked in the same company?
"Can I bother you to take me home?"
It wasn't what I wanted, but it was something. My eyes lit up as I gestured for her to make her way to my car. I didn't want to touch her insensitively, lest she decided to run away. She got in my car without a word and I drove off.
The car ride was silent, I wanted to ask for her address so I could punch it in but she seemed comfortable in the silence so I didn't want to push it. After a few more minutes of silence, she spoke.
"Thank you, sir." Her voice was croaked, as if she had been crying all night.
"It's no problem." I replied and added, "Do you mind telling me your address... so I can take you home?"
She shook her head, "No, I'll stay in a hotel tonight."
She'd definitely said she wanted to go home. I wondered why she changed her mind again.
"Which hotel?" I asked, not wanting to ask the reason for the change in decision.
"Anyone would be fine."
I drove to The Royal Group hotel, it was one of my company's branch and most importantly, it was far from the home she wanted to avoid. When I parked the car, she got down, thanked me and made her way to the reception room.
I followed after her, noticing her slight limp. I asked for a first aid kit and when they brought it to me, she'd already gotten a room. I asked the receptionist for her room number and she gave it to me.
I got to her room and knocked on the door. No reply. I knocked again. Still no reply. I tried opening the door, it wasn't locked so I made my way in.
"Selene. It's Nathaniel, I'm coming in." I said as I closed the door shut behind me. There was still no reply. The room was dark, she had not bothered to switch on the lights. I heard soft sobs and I froze in my tracks.
She didn't need me meddling in her business. Taking into account that she hadn't heard me come in, I dropped the first aid kit on the floor and made my way back to the receptionist to ask for a key to the room next to hers.
The receptionist informed me that there was a couple lodging in the room next to Selene's room so I told her to move them to a suite. The receptionist didn't argue, she simply did as she was told.
Once everything was done, I settled in the room I got, the one next to her. I couldn't do anything for her, I couldn't even dare be a shoulder to lean on. I didn't deserve that honour, not after what I'd done to her.
The only thing I could do was watch over her in the shadows, that was all I was allowed to do for her.