Chapter 181: You think I’m incapable?
Nathaniel froze, shock coursing through him. All this time, he had believed Zara hadn’t recognized Jaxon because of the drug’s effect.
He remembered how she had recoiled from him, her own husband, unable to even register his presence. He had assumed her mind was too clouded to identify anyone. But now he realized she had known exactly who had pushed her into that nightmare.
"I started feeling strange after the champagne," Zara went on quietly. "I went to the bathroom, thinking I could calm myself, maybe ease the heat in my body. But it only got worse. That’s when I knew... something was wrong with the drink."
A shudder rippled through her as dread filled her chest. If Nathaniel hadn’t arrived at that moment, she didn’t dare imagine what might have happened.
"I just wanted to leave," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But the moment I stepped out of the restroom, he was there. He blocked me, ignored my protests, and dragged me into a room."
Her skin crawled as the memory of that man’s hands on her body resurfaced. "I begged him to let me go, but he didn’t care. He just left me there... left me with that man to be destroyed."
Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision.
Across the table, Nathaniel’s fist tightened around the fork until the metal threatened to snap, fury burning in his gaze. "Why didn’t you tell me earlier?" he ground out, his teeth clenched with barely restrained rage.
Zara blinked back her tears and fixed him with a sharp gaze. "I wasn’t in any condition to talk last night. And by the time I woke up this morning, you were already gone. Tell me—how was I supposed to say anything to you?"
Nathaniel fell silent, heat rising to his cheeks. Embarrassment tugged at him as the memory of that vivid, indecent dream resurfaced along with everything that had followed. How could he ever confess that to her?
He had left, fearing she would catch his nervousness and figure out something was wrong with him.
"I—" he dropped his eyes, fumbling for words. "Something urgent came up at the office. You were sleeping soundly, so I didn’t want to wake you."
"Yes, of course," Zara muttered bitterly. "Work always comes first. Everything else comes after."
"That’s not true... You matter to me."
"You say that," she cut in, "but your actions tell me otherwise. Sometimes I feel you are serious about us, but the very next moment, you do or say something that makes me question whether you really care at all."
Nathaniel exhaled, realizing the root of her anger. "About last night... I left—"
"You abandoned me," she snapped, her voice cracking. "In that state. I begged you shamelessly, but you..."
Her teeth sank into her lip, her emotions threatening to break free.
Seeing her disappointment pierced through him, making his chest ache. "I had my reasons," he said softly, trying to justify himself.
"Then tell me," Zara pressed. "I need to know the truth. If it’s because there is someone else in your heart, just say it. Or is it something else—something you are hiding from me? Is there a problem? A health issue?"
"Health issue?" Nathaniel echoed, his eyes narrowing in bewilderment.
"Just tell me the truth. If you are struggling with..." Zara’s voice faltered, the words catching in her throat before she finally forced them out, "...any kind of physical problem, you can confide in me. We can see a doctor together. I promise I’ll support you."
Nathaniel went rigid, staring at her in stunned silence, as if he couldn’t quite believe what she had just implied.
Her certainty only grew when she saw the shock on his face.
"Don’t feel ashamed," she urged gently. "You are not the only one who deals with such things. It can be treated—but only if you acknowledge it and get help. We can go see a doctor."
A doctor?
His thoughts instantly snapped to Eugen.
’That snake...’ Nathaniel’s chest tightened with fury as he remembered Eugen suggesting the very same idea before. ’So it was he who planted doubts in her mind. You are a dead man, Eugen.’
"I’ll stand by you," Zara said with conviction. "If you want, I’ll go with you to the doctor." Every word carried sincerity; her only intent was to ease his burden.
But the more genuine she sounded, the hotter Nathaniel’s frustration burned.
"So this is what you think of me," he hissed, his pride bleeding through his tone.
Zara’s chest constricted at the anguish in his voice. "I know this upsets you, but pretending it doesn’t exist won’t help. You need to address your problems."
"You..." Nathaniel’s voice trembled with barely contained rage and humiliation. "You really believe I’m impotent."
He had held back for her sake, kept his restraint out of care, but she misunderstood him. Since things had turned out like that, he had to show her his strength. His chair screeched against the floor as he shot to his feet.
Zara flinched when she caught the raging tempest in his eyes. Instinctively, she tried to rise as she saw him striding toward her, but her body locked in place, trapped by the intensity of his burning gaze.
"You think I’m incapable?" He growled. In one swift move, he seized her arm, yanking her upward with a force that made her stumble into his chest. "Then tonight, I’ll prove you wrong."
Before she could protest, he lifted her effortlessly, tossing her over his shoulder as though she weighed nothing. The room spun for her as her stomach pressed into his broad shoulder, leaving her stunned.
"Nathaniel," she gasped, her palms beating against his back in frantic taps. "Put me down—I’m getting dizzy."
Her heart hammered in her chest, terrified by his sudden dominance and the shock of what he intended to prove.
Nathaniel carried Zara down the hall, ignoring her desperate protests. Her long hair swayed with every stride, brushing against his calves. Once he stepped into the bedroom, he kicked the door shut with a loud thud.
He tossed her onto the bed with a force that made the mattress quake, her body bouncing slightly before sinking into the sheets. Shock filled her wide, trembling eyes as she looked up at him.
"Nathaniel, what are you doing?"
His lips curled into a mocking sneer. "Scared? Just moments ago, you were questioning if I was a man in full. Let me give you the answer with proof."
The intensity in his gaze was wild, almost feral, making Zara’s chest tighten in dread. Heart racing, she scrambled backward across the bed, desperate to put distance between them. But he was faster. His hand shot out like a snare, clamping firmly around her ankle. With one swift tug, he dragged her back toward him.
"Tonight, there is no escape." His voice was rough. "You provoked me, wanted to see my limits—you have unleashed the demon I’ve kept buried. Now, you’ll have to face it."
Nathaniel’s mouth crashed onto Zara’s with a hunger that left her breathless, the impact bruising yet electrifying. His lips moved against hers with a punishing intensity, demanding surrender rather than asking for it. At first, Zara’s instincts screamed to resist, her hands pushing at his chest, but the sheer force of his passion burned through her fear.
The kiss deepened, his lips prying hers apart, his tongue sweeping in to claim her mouth with a ruthless dominance. Each movement was wild, unrestrained, as though he wanted to erase every doubt she had about him with raw, undeniable proof.