Chapter 201: Nathaniel was injured
Back to the hall...
Liam glanced at Zara again, hoping she would look at him or try to have a conversation with him. But she kept chatting with Zane and Paulina, totally ignoring him as if she didn’t care about his presence. Her indifference and cold attitude made him anxious and guilty at the same time.
’She might be really upset with me,’ he thought.
Just then, Gracie returned and joined everyone.
"Where is Riya?" Paulina asked. "Is she not coming?"
"She will be here soon," replied Gracie.
"Why is she taking so long?" Paulina muttered, her tone sharp with displeasure. "She has been getting ready since she returned an hour ago."
"Mom, you know ladies take their time in getting ready," Gracie drawled. "Let her take her time."
Paulina gave a half-hearted smile and returned her focus to Zara, not wanting to stretch the conversation.
"How is your work going?" Vincent asked, turning to Liam.
"Uh, it’s stressful, but I’m managing," Liam replied with a smile.
"I remember Nathaniel saying that the Lawsons are also getting into the pharmaceutical business," Vincent probed.
"Then you should have known that it’s a joint venture of Lawsons and Grants."
Vincent laughed with a slight nod. "It has been my dream. But I couldn’t start it because of unfavorable situations back then. I am glad Nathaniel is starting it."
"By the way, where is he?" Liam asked, looking around until his gaze landed on Zara. "Is he not coming?"
All eyes turned to Zara.
"You called him, didn’t you?" Vincent asked with a slight frown.
Zara felt a bit uneasy under everyone’s inquisitive gazes. "I tried to call him, but...Let me try it again."
She dialed his number. This time, the call was connected, and Nathaniel’s voice came through.
"I’ve arrived."
The footsteps echoed, and his tall figure stepped in, filling the doorframe. Heads turned toward the entrance, but Nathaniel’s eyes only found his wife.
Zara lowered the phone, locking her gaze on him. No matter how much she was upset and disappointed with him, she felt a wave of relief spreading in her as she finally saw him.
"Look, he is here." Gracie grinned as she stood up and walked over to him. "We have been waiting for you eagerly. Liam has been asking about you."
The smile on her face vanished when she saw the bandage on his hand. "Nathaniel!" she exclaimed, horror spreading over her face. "What happened to your hand?"
Nathaniel tore his eyes from Zara and looked at his mother. "Calm down, Mom. It’s nothing – just a scratch."
"A scratch? Such a big bandage – and you said it’s simply a scratch."
"What happened, Nathaniel?" Vincent hurried to him. "How did you get hurt?"
"Dad, Mom..."
"What? You are hurt!" Riya’s voice echoed in the hall as she ran down the stairs and stormed toward the group. She grabbed his injured hand. "Oh, my God. The injury looks serious. How did this happen?"
She searched his eyes for an answer. Her pulse raced with anxiety and anticipation. ’Did the person successfully snatch his phone and destroy it? Is it why he is injured?’ Questions crossed her mind like a chaotic whirlpool.
She had only wanted to destroy that phone, but never had intended to hurt him. Watching him injured, she felt guilt gnawing at her heart.
Not only her, but everyone looked anxious, eagerly waiting for an explanation. Nathaniel’s gaze, however, went passed all the curious eyes and landed on Zara, who stood a little away. She didn’t rush over to him or ask questions like others, but the worry lines in her forehead spoke volumes.
However, Nathaniel was still upset. He wanted her to come over and ask him if he was fine. He wanted her to show her care and love. Instead, she watched him from afar.
Why would he explain when she didn’t bother asking him?
"It’s not that serious," he said flatly, pulling his hand back. "Don’t overreact." His tone betrayed his displeasure.
"We are not overreacting," Gracie interjected. "We are worried."
"Tell us honestly," Paulina finally voiced, stepping toward him. "Don’t hide anything, no matter how small your injury is."
"Grandma..." Nathaniel held her shoulders and led her back to the sofa. "It’s just a small accident. I was hurrying out to come here. But someone bumped into me. I fell and cut my hand."
"Oh, my poor grandson." Paulina drew him into her embrace. "You should be more careful. You are not like a small boy like Zane. Why running around? Now see, you are injured."
Nathaniel leaned into her shoulder like a spoiled boy, relishing the love his grandmother was showering on him. But when he looked at Zara, he felt a tug of disappointment.
"It’s only you who truly cares about me," he said like a whining child.
"You mean we don’t care about you?" Gracie snapped, clearly annoyed. "It was me who noticed your injury first."
"Seriously, Nathaniel," Riya chimed in, siding with her mother. "We are all worried here. Take back your words."
"Uh, stop yelling," Paulina grunted, her features contorting with a grimace. "The boy is injured. And you are complaining. Sit down quietly."
Everyone quieted down at her words.
Liam squinted at Nathaniel with suspicion and curiosity. He had met him at the hotel earlier, and Nathaniel had seemed perfectly fine then. When exactly did this incident occur?
He didn’t believe in Nathaniel’s explanation. A mere fall couldn’t possibly leave an injury that required such a bandage that wrapped almost the entire hand. That kind of wound had to be deep, painful—letting on.
Certainly, the wound was deep and serious. Nathaniel was obviously hiding something.
How exactly had he hurt?
His curiosity caused a question to spill out of his lips. "You sure you are alright?"
It was only then that Nathaniel noticed Liam. Caught off guard, he paused for a moment. He wasn’t expecting to see him. He thought it was a family dinner.
Why was Liam here?
"Liam? You are also invited to the dinner!" Nathaniel turned to his mother and then looked at his father, a mix of surprise and curiosity on his face.
"Yes, we invited Liam too," Gracie replied, her smile returning eventually. "Since both families have agreed to the marriage, we thought it best for Liam and Riya to spend some time together."
Riya turned her gaze for the first time to the man sitting on the sofa, and her expression froze. ’This is Liam!’ her mind screamed. ’So handsome...’
She had met Liam years ago, but the man standing before her now was nothing like the boy from the past.
Back then, he was tall and thin. He had that charming smile and handsome face that had drawn many girls in school. But now... he had transformed. He was no longer lean and thin. His frame was broader, his muscles defined, and the maturity in his appearance only heightened his allure.
And those blue, piercing eyes were mesmerizing. Riya could stare at them all the time and get lost. ’He is far better than Zachary,’ she thought.
If she could have Liam, losing Nathaniel wouldn’t matter at all. But something struck her.
The photograph of Shay Walsh that her manager had sent to her that day crossed her mind. It only captured his side profile, yet the sharp line of Liam’s jaw, the defined cut of his face, seemed quite similar to the man in that photograph.
’Could Liam be Shay Walsh?’