Reclaimed By My Ex-husband
Chapter 89: Nathaniel’s confusion

Chapter 89: Nathaniel’s confusion

Nathaniel’s eyes drifted to his phone. He stared at it for a moment, his expression thoughtful. Then he picked it up and began scrolling through his contacts. His thumb paused on one name—Eugen.

If anyone could offer some insight, it was him. Without a second thought, he hit dial.

After a few rings, Eugen answered with his usual light and casual voice. "You are calling me this late? Everything alright?"

"Hope I’m not bothering you," Nathaniel said, rubbing his forehead.

"Not at all. Just got back home. What is going on? How is Zara? You are taking care of her, right?"

Nathaniel exhaled wearily. "She is... emotional."

"Well, she just had a miscarriage," Eugen reminded. "It’s a lot for her to process. Just be patient. Support her. Keep her company—take her out, ask what she wants, where she wants to go. Give her a reason to smile. It’ll help."

"I’m trying," Nathaniel replied. "I’ve even changed my attitude toward her. I’ve started giving her more time, more attention. I took her out to dinner tonight. She seemed happy, really happy. Everything was fine. But then everything changed. She just... shut down. Walked away from me. I don’t know what I did wrong."

"Relax," Eugen said calmly. "You may have said something that upset her without realizing it. Tell me what happened?"

"What?" Nathaniel frowned, clearly annoyed. Did Eugen really expect him to share details about something so personal? "Are you out of your mind? I’m not about to talk to you about what happens between us in private."

"You idiot," Eugen snapped. "Did you force yourself on her?"

"Huh?" Nathaniel couldn’t believe what he had just heard. "Are you insane? Do I look like some thug to you? I’d never force myself on her. I’m not that lost."

"Nathaniel, listen to me," Eugen said, his tone turning serious. "She just had a miscarriage. She is mentally and physically weak. You have got to be patient. Let her heal, man. Don’t push her."

Only then did Nathaniel truly understand where he had gone wrong. The memory of Zara freezing at the mention of having another baby flashed in his mind.

"Damn it," he muttered, pressing his fingers hard against his forehead.

He hadn’t meant to hurt her, but the timing was wrong. He felt foolish. He should have realized that Zara was still recovering, but he had let his own desires consume him, clouding his judgment and completely missing how fragile she still was.

Fortunately, she had pulled away in time. If she hadn’t, he might have hurt her even more.

"Hello? You still with me?" Eugen’s voice cut through his thoughts, snapping him back to the present.

"Yeah... thanks for pointing that out," Nathaniel said quietly. "I won’t let that happen again."

"No need to thank me." Eugen’s tone flipped to playfulness. "But hey, if you are that pent-up, just say the word. I’ll arrange some gorgeous girls for you."

Nathaniel’s face twisted in irritation. "Are you tired of living?"

Eugen just laughed. "Come on, man. I know you’ve got discipline—hell, you even resisted that night when you were drugged. But buddy, you are still a man. You don’t have to go full monk. Don’t suppress your desire. It’s not good. Say it. Your buddy will arrange everything, and don’t worry. Zara won’t find out. You have my word."

Nathaniel’s jaw clenched. "Put the damn phone down, Eugen. Or I swear, I’ll come to your place and beat you so hard..."

Beep.

The call disconnected before he could finish the threat.

"Scoundrel," Nathaniel muttered, staring at the screen with a scowl.

Once his temper had cooled, Nathaniel quietly made his way to Zane’s room. The sight of the mother and the son curled up together filled his chest with adoration. He couldn’t resist the urge to be close to them, so he carefully climbed onto the bed from Zane’s side, moving slowly to avoid disturbing their sleep.

He inched closer to his son, placing a gentle kiss on the boy’s forehead. Then his eyes shifted to Zara.

She lay on her side, her face serene in sleep. Nathaniel’s hand moved toward her almost on instinct, but paused just inches from her face. He wanted to brush his fingers along her cheek, but he stopped himself, fearing his touch might wake her up. If she saw him in the same room and on the same bed, she might run away again.

He curled his fingers and withdrew his hand. "Good night," he whispered.

The next morning...

Zara stirred slowly, her body still heavy with sleep. A strange warmth pressed against her. Confused, she opened her eyes.

Nathaniel?

He was lying beside her, his arm draped over her waist, holding her close. What stunned her even more was her own hand—resting gently on his shoulder.

Her face flushed instantly.

’Why am I with him?’ The thought rang loud in her head.

She remembered entering Zane’s room the previous night. But it wasn’t Zane who was beside her. ’Did Nathaniel bring me into our room?’

Her eyes darted around the room, taking in the surroundings. It was clearly Zane’s room, not the master bedroom.

’What is he doing here? When did he come in?’ The questions swirled in her mind as she stared at him, utterly stunned.

She remained motionless for a moment, her eyes fixed on his face in disbelief. Then, cautiously, she began to pull her hand away and shift out of his hold. But before she could slip out of the bed, he drew her closer.

Zara froze instantly, not even daring to take a deep breath. Her gaze drifted back to his face, drawn to him all over again.

She stared at him, unable to tear her eyes away. He looked so peaceful while sleeping. His brow was smooth, his lips soft, and his face calm, a stark contrast to the usual distant and stoic look. He didn’t look like the Nathaniel she knew.

He looked calm and impossibly captivating.

Zara’s heart thudded quietly in her chest as she reached up without thinking, her thumb brushing gently across his brow. Then, she traced down his sharp nose. When she reached his lips, she paused.

Just them, his eyes opened.

Zara froze, caught off guard. Her finger was still pressed against his lips. She tried to pull away quickly, mortified, but he was faster. His hand wrapped around her wrist, holding her in place.

"Good morning," he murmured with a teasing smile. He kissed her finger.

Zara was momentarily speechless, her thoughts drifting back to the intimate moments they had shared the night before. The memory of his lips brushing against hers made her cheeks grow warm.

"Why are you here?" she asked, slipping her hand out of his.

Nathaniel gave a lazy smile. "I came to check on you and Zane. When I saw both of you asleep, looking so peaceful, I couldn’t help myself. I just wanted to be near you... So I lay down. Didn’t even realize when I fell asleep." NovelFire

At the mention of Zane, Zara suddenly grew alert.

"Where is Zane?" Her eyes scanned the room.

"Good morning, Mommy... Daddy..." Zane’s excited voice rang through the room. He burst in, beaming from ear to ear. "You are finally awake."